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PRINCETON,  -N.  J. 

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No:  Book, 


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'J'li«  John  M.  Krebs  Donation. 


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TAIiVABLE  BOOK8, 

PUBLISHED  BY 

GRIGG   &   ELLIOT, 

JVo.  9  JVorth  Fourth  Street, 

PHILADELPHIA. 


spZiEjrmn  i^inn^Ri^  EniTiojrs, 

BYRON'S  WORKS,  complete  in  1  vol.   8vo.,  including  all  his 

Suppressed  stnd  Attributed  Poems. 

(Tj'Tliis  edition  has  been  carefully  compared  with  the  recent  London  edition  of  Mr. 
Murray,  and  made  complete  by  the  addition  of  more  than  fifty  pages  of  poems  here- 
tofore unpuWished  in  England.  Among  these  there  arc  a  number  that  have  never  ap- 
peared in  any  American  edition  ;  and  the  Publishers  believe  they  are  warranted  in  say- 
ing, that  this  is  the  most  complete  edition  of  Lord  Byron's  Poetical  Works,  ever 
published  in  the  United  States. 

COWPER    AND    THOMSON'S    PROSE    AND    POETICAL 

WORKS,  complete  in  1  vol.  8vo.,  including  two  hundred  and  fifty  Letters,  and  sundry 
Poems  of  Cowper,  never  before  published  in  this  country ;  and  of  Thomson  a  new  and 
interesting  Memoir,  and  upwards  of  twenty  new  poems,  for  the  first  time  printed 
from  his  own  Manuscripts,  taken  from  a  late  edition  of  the  Aldine  Poets,  now  pubUsh- 
ing  in  London. 

The  distinguished  Professor  Silliman,  speaking  of  this  edition,  observes,  "  I  am  as 
much  gratified  by  the  elegance  and  fine  taste  of  your  edition,  as  by  the  noble  tribute  of 
genius  and  moral  excellence  which  these  delightful  authors  have  left  for  all  future  gene- 
rations ;  and  Cowper  especially,  is  not  less  conspicuous  as  a  trup  Christian  moralist  and 
teacher,  than  as  a  poet  of  great  power  and  exquisite  taste." 

GOLDSMITH'S  ANIMATED  NATURE,  in   4  vols.  Svo.,  il- 

lustrated  with  eighty -five  copperplates. 

*  ^*  Goldsmith  can  never  be  made  obsolete,  while  delicate  genius,  exquisite  feeling, 
fine  invention,  the  most  harmonious  metre,  and  the  happiest  diction  are  at  all  valued. 

This  is  a  work  that  should  be  in  the  library  of  every  family,  being  written  by  one  of 
the  most  talented  authors  in  the  English  language. 

MILTON,    YOUNG,    GRAY,    BEATTIE,    AND    COLLINS' 

POETICAL  WORKS,  complete  in  1  vol.  Svo. 

THE  WORKS  OF   LAURENCE  STERNE,  in  1  vol.  Svo.  with 

a  life  of  the  author,  written  by  himself. 

The  beauties  of  this  author  are  so  well  known,  and  his  errors  in  style  and  expression 
so  few  and  far  between,  that  one  reads  with  renewed  delight  his  deUcate  turns,  &c. 

THE    POETICAL   WORKS    OF  ROGERS,   CAMPBELL, 

MONTGOMERY,  LAMB,  AND  KIRK  WHITE,  complete  in  1  vol.  8vo. 

THE   POETICAL  WORKS  OF   MRS.  HEM  AN  S.     Complete 

in  1  vol.  Svo. 

"As  no  work  in  the  English  language  can  be  commended  with  more  confidence,  it  will 
argue  bad  taste  in  a  female  in  this  country  to  be  without  a  complete  edition  of  the  writ- 
ings of  one  who  was  an  honour  to  her  sex  and  to  humanity,  and  whose  productions, 
from  first  to  last,  contains  no  syllabic  calculated  to  call  a  blush  to  the  cheek  of  modesty 
and  virtue.  There  is,  moreover,  in  Mrs.  Hemans'  poetry  a  moral  purity,  and  a  religious 
feeling,  which  commend  it,  in  an  especial  manner,  to  tlic  discriminating  reader.  No 
parent  or  guardian  will  be  under  the  necessity  of  imposing  re^strictions  with  regard  to 
the  free  perusal  of  every  production  emanating  from  this  gifted  woman.     There  breathes 


MISCELlvAlVEOUS  WORKS. 


throughout  the  whole  a  most  eminent  exemption  from  impropriety  of  thought  or  diction  ; 
and  there  is  at  times  a  pensiveness  of  tone,  a  winning  sadness  in  her  more  serious 
compositions,  which  tells  of  a  soul  which  has  been  lifted  from  the  contemplation  of  ter- 
restrial things,  to  divine  communings  with  beings  of  a  purer  world." 

HEBER,  POLLOK  AND  CR ABBE'S    POETICAL   WORKS, 

complete  in  1  vol.  8vo. 

"  Among  the  beautiful,  valuable,  and  interesting  volumes  which  the  enterprise  and 
taste  of  our  publishers  have  presented  to  the  reading  community,  we  have  seldom  met 
with  one  which  we  have  more  cordially  greeted  and  can  more  confidently  and  satisfac- 
torily recommend,  than  that,  embracing  in  a  single,  substantial,  well  bound,  and  hand- 
nomely  printed  octavo,  the  poetical  works  of  Bishop  Heber,  Robt.  Pollok,  and  the  Rev,  Geo. 
Crabbe.  What  a  constellation  of  poetic  ardour,  glowing  piety,  and  intellectual  bril- 
hancy  !  Such  writers  require  no  eulogy.  Their  fame  is  established  and  universal.  The 
sublimity,  pathos,  and  piety,  of  all  these  writers,  have  given  them  a  rank  at  once  with 
the  lovers  of  poetry  and  the  friends  of  religion,  unsurpassed  perhaps  by  that  of  any 
other  recent  authors  in  our  language.  A  more  delightful  addition  could  scarcely  be  made 
to  the  library  of  the  gentleman  or  lady  of  taste  and  refinement.  The  prize  poems, 
hymns,  and  miscellaneous  writings  of  Bishop  Heber,  the  '  Course  of  Time'  by  Pollok,  and 
the  rich,  various,  and  splendid  productions  of  the  Rev.  Geo.  Crabbe,  are  among  the  standard 
works,  the  classics  of  our  language.  To  obtain  and  preserve  them  in  one  volume, 
cannot  but  be  a  desirable  object  to  their  admirers."  And  it  is  to  be  hoped  it  will  bo 
found  in  the  library  of  every  family. 

A  writer  in  the  B  '<  'i  Traveller  holds  the  following  language  with  reference  to  these 
valuable  editions : — 

Mr.  Editor :  I  wish  ■  ithout  any  idea  of  puffing,  to  say  a  word  or  two  upon  the 
"  Library  of  English  Pods"  that  is  now  pubUshed  at  Philadelphia,  by  Grigg  &  Elliot ;  it 
is  certainly,  taking  into  consideration  the  elegant  manner  in  which  it  is  printed,  and  the 
reasonable  price  at  which  it  is  afforded  to  purchasers,  the  best  edition  of  the  modern  Bri- 
tish Poets  that  has  ever  been  published  in  this  country.  Each  volume  is  an  octavo  of 
about  5G0  pages,  double  columns,  stereotyped,  and  accompanied  with  fine  engravings 
and  biographical  sketches,  and  most  of  them  are  reprinted  from  Galignani's  French 
edition.  As  to  its  value  we  need  only  mention  that  it  contains  the  entire  works  of  By- 
ron, Keats,  Cowper,  Thomson,  Burns,  Milton,  Young,  Scott,  Moore,  Coleridge,  Rogers, 
Campbell,  Lamb,  Hcmans,  Heber,  Kirk  White,  Ciabbe,  the  Miscellaneous  Works 
of  Goldsmith,  and  other  martyrs  of  the  lyre.  The  publisher  is  doing  a  great  ser- 
vice by  this  publication,  and  his  volumes  are  almost  in  as  great  demand  as  the 
fashionable  novels  of  the  day,  and  they  deserve  to  be  so,  for  they  are  certainly 
printed  in  a  style  superior  to  that  in  which  we  have  before  had  the  works  of  the  Enghsh 
Poets. 

JOSEPH US'S    (FLAVIUS)   WORKS.      By   the,  late  William 

Whiston,  A.  M.     From  the  last  London  edition,  complete  in  2  vols.  8vo. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  every  family  in  our  country  has  a  copy  of  the  Holy  Bible — 
and  as  the  presumption  is,  the  greater  portiori  often  consult  its  pages,  wc  take  the  liberty 
I  of  saying  to  all  those  that  do,  that  the  perusal  of  the  writings  of  Josephus  will  be  found 
very  interesting  and  instructing. 

All  those  who  wish  to  possess  a  beautiful  and  con-cct  copy  of  this  invaluable  work, 
would  do  well  to  purchase  this  edition.  It  is  for  sale  at  all  the  principal  bookstores  in 
the  United  States,  by  country  merchants  generally  in  the  Southern  a\hd  Western  states, 
and  at  a  very  low  price. 

BURDER'S  VILLAGE   SERMONS,    or   101    plain   and   short 

Discourses  on  the  principal  doctrines  of  the  Gospel ;  intended  for  the  use  of  families, 
Sunday  schools,  or  companies  assembled  for  religious  instruction  m  country  villages. — 
By  George  Burden  To  which  is  added,  to  each  Sermon,  a  short  Prayer,  with  some 
general  prayers  for  families,  schools,  &c.  at  the  end  of  the  work.  Complete  in  one 
volume  8vo. 

These  sermons,  wUch  are  characterized  by  a  beautiful  simplicity,  the  entire  absence 
of  controversy,  and  a  true  evangelical  spirit,  have  gone  through  many  and  largo  etlitions, 
and  been  translated  into  several  of  the  continental  languages.     "  Thoy  hare  also  been 


MISCELLANEOUS  WORKS. 


the  honoured  means  not  only  of  converting  many  individuals,  but  also  of  introducing 
the  gospel  into  districts,  and  even  into  parish  churches,  where  before  it  was  compara- 
tively unknown." 

"  This  work  fully  deserves  the  immortality  it  has  attained." 

This  is  a  fine  library  edition  of  this  invaluable  work,  and  when  we  say  that  it  should 
be  found  in  the  possession  of  every  family,  we  only  reiterate  the  sentiments  and  sincere 
wishes  of  all  who  take  a  deep  interest  in  the  eternal  welfare  of  mankind. 

BIGLAND'S  NATURAL    HISTORY  OF  ANIMALS,  12   co- 

loured  plates. 

BIGLAND'S  NATURAL  HISTORY  OF  BIRDS,  12  coloured 

plates. 

PERSIA.     A  DESCRIPTION  OF.     By   Shoberl,    with    12  co- 

loured  plates. 

These  works  are  got  up  in  a  very  superior  style,  and  well  deserve  an  introduction  to 
the  shelves  of  every  family  library,  as  they  are  very  interesting,  and  particularly  adapted 
to  the  juvenile  class  of  readers. 

A  COMMENTARY  ON  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  ROMANS. 

Designed  for  the  use  of  Students  of  the  English  Bible.     By  Charles  Hodge,  Professor 
of  Biblical  Literature  in  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Princeton. 

This  invaluable  work  is  very  highly  spoken  of  and  recommended,  by  those  who  are 
much  distinguished  for  their  Uterary  attainments. 

THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  FAMILY  RELIGION:  with  a  selec- 

tion  of  Hymns  and  Prayers,  adapted  to  Family  Worship,  and  Tables  for  the  regular 
Reading  of  the  Scriptures.     By  the  Rev.  S.  G.  Winchester,  A.  M. 

The  subject  is  one  of  incalculable  practical  importance,  and  is  treated  in  a  masterly 
manner.  It  contains  an  able,  elaborate  and  highly  instructive  Essay  on  the  obligation, 
nature  and  importance  of  Family  Religion  ;  and  we  hope,  ere  long,  it  will  be  found  in 
the  Library  of  every  family. 

A  very  eminent  Divine,  and  one  who  is  ever  industriously  engaged  in  promoting  the 
welfare  and  happiness  of  the  human  family,  in  speaking  of  this  work,  observes — 

"  That  every  new  work  which  is  calculated  to  encourage  and  promote  family  religion 
is  worthy  of  consideration,  and  should  be  welcomed  as  contributing  to  the  energy  of  pub- 
lic morals,  and  to  the  good  order  and  prosperity  of  society.  Such  a  work  is  the  one  be- 
fore us.  The  preliminary  essay  unfolds  the  importance  of  the  domestic  constitution  and 
urgently  explains  and  enforces  parental  duty.  It  should  be  carefully  read  and  seriously 
pondered  by  parents  who  design  to  make  use  of  the  book  as  an  aid  to  family  religion. 
The  Prayers  and  Hymns  are  judiciously  selected,  and  arc  printed  in  a  large  type  with  a 
reference  to  their  being  easily  read  by  the  head  of  a  family  in  conducting  its  devotions. 
There  are  many  who,  through  timidity  or  some  natural  defect,  feel  incompetent  to  ex- 
temporaneous prayer  in  the  presence  of  otncrs  ;  to  such  we  recommend  a  form,  while  at 
the  same  time  we  do  not,  as  a  general  rule,  believe  it  to  be  the  best  way  to  animate  and 
express  devotional  feeling.  We  have  known  some  who,  by  the  use  of  forms  of  prayer 
in  the  family,  have  succeeded  in  overcoming  their  oppressive  timidity,  and  afterwards, 
without  their  aid,  have  directed  the  devotions  of  others  in  an  edifying  manner.  Extem- 
poraneous prayer,  when  it  can  be  offered  to  edification,  is  the  best  mode  of  addressing  the 
throne  of  grace,  but  in  other  cases,  forms  of  prayer  may  be  used  with  great  propriety." 

LECTURES    ON   SCRIPTURE    FACTS    AND   PROPHECY. 

By  W.  B.  Collyer,  D.  D.  In  1  vol.  8vo.  A  new  edition  of  this  distinguished  author's 
works.  Few  persons  will  rise  from  the  perusal  of  this  book  wiLliout  acknowledging, 
that  their  thoughts  and  affections  have  been  elevated  by  the  fsrveiil  and  pious  eloquence 
of  the  writer. 

THE  DAUGHTER'S  OWN  BOOK;  Or  Practical  Hints  from  a 

Father  to  his  Daughter.     In  1  vol.  ISmo. 


MISCELLANEOUS  WORKS. 


The  publishers  arc  very  confident,  from  the  great  demand  for  this  invaluable  little 
work,  that  ere  long  it  will  be  found  in  the  library  of  every  young  lady. 

BENNET'S  (Rev.  John)  LETTERS    TO  A  YOUNG  LADY, 

on  a  variety  of  subjects  calculated  to  improve  the  heart,  to  form  the  manners,  and  en- 
lighten the  understanding.  "  That  our  Daughters  may  be  as  polished  corners  of  the 
Temple." 

The  publishers  sincerely  hope  {for  the  hapjmiess  of  mankind)  that  a  copy  of  this 
valuable  little  work  will  be  found  the  companion  of  every  young  lady,  as  much  of  the 
happiness  of  every  family  depends  on  the  proper  cultivation  of  the  female  mind. 

CARPENTER'S    NEW    GUIDE.     Being  a  complete  Book  of 

Lines,  for  Carpentry,  Joinery,  &c.,  in  1  vol.  4to. 

The  Theory  and  Practice  well  explained,  and  fully  exemplified  on  eighty-four  copper- 
plates, including  some  observations,  &c.,  on  the  strength  of  Timber ;  by  Peter  Nichol- 
son. Tenth  edition.  This  invaluable  work  superseded,  on  its  first  appearance,  all 
existing  works  on  the  subject,  and  still  retains  its  original  celebrity. 

Every  Carpenter  in  our  country  should  possess  a  copy  of  this  invaluable  work. 

HIND'S    POPULAR  SYSTEM  OF  FARRIERY,   taught  on  a 

new  and  easy  plan,  being  a  Treatise  on  all  the  diseases  and  accidents  to  which  the  Horse 
is  liable.  With  considerable  additions  and  improvements,  adapted  particularly  to  this 
country,  by  Thomas  M.  Smith,  Veterinary  Surgeon,  and  member  of  the  London  Veteri- 
nary Medical  Society,  in  1  vol.  12mo. 

The  publisher  has  received  numerous  flattering  notices  of  the  great  practical  value  of 
this  work.  The  distinguished  editor  of  the  American  Farmer,  speaking  of  the  work, 
observes — "  We  cannot  too  highly  recommend  this  book,  and  therefore  advise  every 
owner  of  a  horse  to  obtain  it." 

NEW  SONG  BOOK.— Grigg's  Southern  and  Western  Songster; 

being  a  choice  collection  of  the  most  fashionable  songs,  many  of  which  are  original,  in 

1  volume,  18mo. 

Great  care  was  taken  in   the   selection  to  admit  no  song  that   contained,  in    the 

slightest  degree,  any  indelicate  or  improper  allusions — and  with  great  propriety  it  may 

claim  the  title  of  "  The  Parlour  Song  Book  or  Songster."     T\\e  immortal  Shakspcare 

observes, — 

''  The  man  that  hath  not  music  in  himself, 
Nor  is  not  moved  with  concord  of  sweet  sounds. 
Is  fit  for  treasons,  stratagems,  and  spoils." 

Numerous  flattering  notices  of  this  work  have  appeared,  from  time  to  time,  in  the  dif- 
ferent newspapers  throiigliout  the  country.  The  following  is  from  the  pen  of  William 
Leggett,  Esq.,  former  editor  of  "  The  Critic,"  a  gentleman  highly  distinguished  for  his 
literary  attainments : 

"  A  handsome  copy  of  this  very  popular  collection  of  melodies  is  lying  on  our  table. 
It  differs  from  song  books  generally,  as  much  in  the  taste  and  judgment  which  have 
been  displayed  in  the  selection,  as  in  the  neat  style  of  its  typography  and  binding. — 
There  is  scarcely  a  song,  old  or  new,  admired  for  any  of  the  qualities  which  constitute 
a  good  one,  whether  for  harmony  of  expression,  spirit  or  tenderness  of  the  thoughts, 
appositeness  of  imagery,  and  illustration  or  smartness  of  point,  that  is  not  to  be  found  in 
this  little  volume.  Besides  the  numerous  productions  of  the  master  spirits  of  the  old 
world,  it  contains  many  sweet  effusions  from  cis-atlantic  poets ;  and,  indeed,  some  of 
these  'native  wood  noles  wild,'  to  use  the  expression  of  the  bard  of  paradise,  are  well 
entitled  to  a  place  even  in  a  work  which  contains  the  melodious  numbers  of  Campbell, 
Moore,  and  Byron.  In  this  last  edition  of  the  Southern  and  Western  Songster,  the 
editor  has  availed  himself  of  the  enlargement  of  the  size  of  tho  volume,  to  introduce 
the  admired  songs  of  the  distinguished  vocalists,  Mrs.  Knight,  Miss  Kelly,  the  Miss 
Gilhnghams,  Miss  Clara  Fisher,  Miss  Kock,  and  others.  The  extensive  and  rapid  sale 
which  the  previous  editions  of  this  Songster  met  with,  has  rendered  its  character  so  well 
known,  that  it  can  scarcely  require  commendations ;  but  if  any  of  our  readers  are  in 


MISCELIiANEOUS  WORKS- 


want  of  an  extensive,  judicious,  and  neat  collection  of  Melodies,  we  can  cheerfully  re- 
commend the  volume  before  us,  as  combining  all  those  qualities." 

SAY'S    POLITICAL    ECONOMY.      A  Treatise   on   Political 

Economy,  or  the  Production,  Distribution,  and  Consumption  of  Wealth.  By  Jean 
Eaptiste  Say.  Fifth  American  edition,  with  Additional  Notes,  by  C.  C.  Biddle,  Esq., 
in  1  vol.  8vo. 

The  editor  of  the  North  American  Review,  speaking  of  Say,  observes,  that  "  he  is 
the  most  popular,  and  perhaps  the  most  able  writer  on  Political  Economy,  since  the  time 
of  Smith." 

The  distinguished  biographer  of  the  author  in  noticing  this  work  observes,  "  Happily 
for  science  he  commenced  that  study  which  forms  the  basis  of  his  admirable  treatise  on 
Political  Economy,  a  work  which  not  only  improved  under  his  hand  with  every  succes- 
sive edition,  but  has  been  translated  into  most  of  the  European  languages." 

This  work  has  been  introduced  as  a  text  book  into  the  principal  Universities  and  Col- 
leges of  our  country,  as  well  as  in  Europe. 

It  would  be  beneficial  to  our  country  if  all  those  who  are  aspiring  to  office,  were  re- 
quired by  their  constituents  to  be  conversant  with  the  pages  of  Say. 

RUSH  ON  THE  MIND.   New  fine  edition.     1  volume,  8vo.— 

This  work  is  valuable  and  highly  interesting  for  intelligent  readers  of  every  profession  : 
it  is  replete  with  curious  and  acute  remarks,  both  medical  and  metaphysical,  and  de- 
serves particular  praise  for  the  terserless  of  its  diction. 

RUSH  ON  THE  HUMAN  VOICE.     Embracing  its  Physiolo- 

gical  History,  together  witli  a  System  of  Principles,  by  which  criticism  in  the  art  of 
Elocution  may  be  rendered  intelligible,  and  instruction  definite  and  comprehensive.  To 
which  is  added,  a  brief  Analysis  of  Song  and  Recitative  ;  second  edition,  with  additions. 
By  James  Rush,  M.  D. 

A  DICTIONARY  OF  SELECT  AND   POPULAR   QUOTA- 

TIONS,  which  are  in  daily  use  :  taken  from  the  Latin,  French,  Greek,  Spanish,  and 
Italian  languages  ;  together  with  a  copious  collection  of  Law  maxims  and  Law  terms  ; 
translated  into  English,  with  illusn-ations,  historical  and  idiomatic.  Sixth  American  edi- 
tion, corrected  with  additions.     1  vol.  12mo. 

In  preparing  this  Sixth  edition  for  the  press,  care  has  been  taken  to  give  the  work  a 
thorough  revision,  to  correct  some  errors  which  had  before  escaped  notice,  and  to  insert 
many  additional  Quotations,  Law  maxims  and  Law  terms.  In  this  state  it  is  oflered  to 
the  public  in  the  stereotype  form.  This  little  work  should  find  its  way  into  every  Fa- 
mily Library. 

CONVERSATIONS   ON  CHEMISTRY;   in   which   the   Ele- 

ments  of  that  Science  are  familiarly  explained  and  illustrated  by  Experiments  and  En- 
gravings on  wood.  From  the  last  London  edition.  In  which  all  the  late  Discoveries 
and  Improvements  arc  brought  up  to  the  present  time,  by  Dr.  Thomas  P.  Jones. 

All  preceptors  who  have  a  sincere  desire  to  impart  a  correct  knowledge  of  this  im- 
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STEREOTYPED    IIV    J.    HOWE. 

1835. 


Entered  according-  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1831,  by  Henry 
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CONTENTS. 


y 


\ 


-V 


Sermon  I.  The  Conversion  of  the  Jailer.  Acts 

xvi.  30,  31 5 

-^  II.  Tlie  Broad  and  thu  Narrow  Way. 

Matt.  vii.  13,  11 9 

III.  Tin:  Nature,  Spirituality,  and  Use 

ol"  the  Law.  Koni.  vii.  "J 13 

IV.  Christ,  the   End  of   the  Law  for 

Ri^'hteoiisness.   Rom.  .\.  4 18 

V.  The  Fall  of  Man.  Eccles.  vi.  29.  . .    22 

VI.  Redemption.  Eph.  i  0 2G 

VII.  RegHMcration,  or  the  New  Birth. 

John  iii.  3 30 

Vni.  Ropfinlancc.   Mark  vi.  12  34 

IX.  Thu    Work    of   the    Holy    Spirit. 

Rom.  viii.  9 39 

X.  Holiness.    Heb.  xii.  14 43 

XI.  Death  and  Judgment.    Heb.  ix.  27.    47 
Xll.  Hell  and  Heaven.  Matt.  xxv.  4().  ..     51 
J,  XIII.  A  New  Heart  the  Child's  best  Por- 
tion.   Ezek.  xxxvi.  2() 56 

XIV.  The  Lord's  Prayer.  Matt.  vi.  9,  10, 

11,  12,  13 CO 

XV.  The  Danger  of  Formality  and  Hy- 
pocrisy.   Matt.  vii.  21 C4 

XVI.  The  Pharisee  and  Publican.    Luke 

xviii.  13 eS 

XVII.  Zeal  for  the  Salvation  of  Sinners. 

Rom.  X.  1 73 

i.  XVIII.  The  Prodigal  Son,  or  the  Penitent 

jovfully  received.  Lukexv.  24. ..    78 
^•XlX.  Christ  the  Way  to  God  and  Heav- 
en.  John  xiv.  C 82 

XX.  Coming  Sinners  Welcome  toChrist. 

John  vi.  37 87 

XXI.  The  vain  E.xcusesof  Sinners  Expos- 
ed.   Luke  xiv.  18 ': 92 

XXIL  Christthe  Bread  of  Life,and  thoNa- 

tiire  of  Failhin  hiin.  Jolnivi.  27.    97 

XXIII.  A  Sinner  Changed  by  Grace.  1  Pet. 
iv.  3,4 100 

XXIV.  Dives  and  Lazarus,  or  the  Sufficien- 
ty  of  Scripture  for  the  Purposes 
of  Salvation.  Luke  xvi.  31 105 

XXV.  The  Pleasures  of  Religion.    Prov. 

iii.  17 110 

XXVI.  The  ValueoftheSoul.  Matt.  xvi.2U.  1J4 
Conviction  of  Sin.  ICor.  \iv.  24,-2,5.  119 
The  Lamb  of  God  beheld  by  Faith. 

Jo '.I  i.  2;» 124 

XXIX.  The  Conversion  of  St.  Paul.    Acts 

ix.  11.  ....". ' 129 

.^  »^XXX.  The  Love  of  God.    John  iii.  l(i.  .  ..   133 
""      XXXI.  On   the   ftibliath,  or  Lord's   Day. 

Evod.  XX.  b 13-* 

XXXII.  TheOnlyFoundation.lCor.iii.il.  143 

XXXIII.  The   Doctrine  of   liio  Trinity.     1 

John  V.  7 148 

XXXIV.  The  Power  of  the  Gospel.  Rom.  i.  HI.  153 
XXXV.  Sin  and  Death,  or  Grace  and  Life. 

Rom.  viii.  I'J 158 

XXXVL  Pardoning  Mercv.  Isaiah  i.  18.  • . .  103 
XXXVII.  The  Penitent  Thief    Luke  xxiii. 

42,  43 1G7 

XXXVIII.  The  World  to  Come.    Luke  xx.  35, 

3ti 172 

^  XXXIX.  Safety  in  the  Ark  for  perishing  Sin- 
ners. Gen.  vii.  1    177 

XL.  The'#5collencv  of  the  Knowledge 

of  Christ.  I'iiil.  iii.  8 182 

XLI.  The  Heart  Taken.  Luke  xi.  21,  22.  187 

XLII.  Christ«s  All.  Col.  iii.  11 191 

XLIU.  Apiistasy  from  Christ  to  be  Dread- 

eil.    John  vi.  07.  CS IPG 

XLIV.  The  Birth  of  Christ.  Luke  ii.  ].>.  . .  201 
"        XLV.  The  Cross  of  t.'hrist  the  Christian's 

Glory.  Gal.  vi.  14 205 

XLVI.  The  Resurrection  of  Christ.   Luke 

x\iv.  34 210 

XLVII.  The   Descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Acts  ii.  4 215 

XLVin.  Christ  our  Benefactor.  Act9x.38.  ..  220 
XLIX.  The  Christian  Temper.    Phil.  ii.  5.  224 


V>    XXVI 

-'nxxvii 

XXVIII 


Sermon  L.  Christian  Practice.  Titus  ii.  11, 12.  220 
LI.  Nonconformity    to     the    World. 

Rom.  xii.  2 234 

LII.  Preparation  for  Death.  Matt.  xxiv. 

44 239 

Lin.  UnivcrsalGood  News.  Mark  xvi.  15.  243 
-  LIV.  Parable  of  the  Sower.  Matt.xiii.  18.  248 
LV.  Conversion  of  Lydia.  Acts  xvi.  14.  253 
LVI.  Enmity  of  theCarnal  Mind  against 

God.  Rom.  viii.  7 258 

>  LVII.  Martha  and  Mary,  or  theOne  Thing 

Needful.    Luke  x.  41,  42 263 

LVIIL  Religion  or  Ruin.    Ezek.  xviii.  30  268 
LIX.  Lot's  Deliverance.    Gen.  xix.  24, 

25,  21) 273 

LX.  Irresolution    Reproved.     1    Kings 

xviii.  21 277 

LXI.  Sin  Dethroned.  Rom.  vi.  14 282 

LXIL  Universal  Holiness.    Zech.  xiv.  20.  287 
LXIII.  A  Good   Hojie  through  Grace.    2 

Thess.  ii.  16 292 

■  •  LXIV.  Looking  unto  Jesus.  Heb.  xii.  2.  ..  297 
LXV.  Happiness  of  Being   with   Christ. 

John  .wii.  24 302 

LXVI.  The  Importance  of  the  Knowledge 

of  God.  John  xv  ii.  3 308 

LXVII.  The  Power  of  God.  Genesis  xvii.  1.  313 

XXVIII.  The  Wisdom  of  God.  Rom.  xvi.  27.  317 

LXIX.  The  Holiness  of  God.  Isaiah  vi.  3.  322 

LXX.  The  Justice  of  God.  Dent,  xxxii.  4.  327 

LXXI.  The  Omnipresence  of  God.  Psalms 

cxxxi\.7 331 

LXXII.  The  Patience  of  God.  Rom.  ii.  4.  . .  336 

LXXIII.  The  Sovereignty  of  God.  Ps.  c.\v.3.  340 

LXXIV.  The  Goodness  of  God.  Ps.  xxxiii.  5.  345 

LXXV.  The  Mercy  of  God.  Ps.  Ixii.  13.  ...  350 

^  LXXVI.  The  Love  of  God.    2  Cor.  xiii.  14.  354 

LXXVII.  The  Faithfulness  ofGod.  lCor.i.9.  359 

LXXVIII.  God   with  all  his  Perfections,  the 

Christian's  God.  Ps.  xlviii.  14.  . .  364 
LXXIX.  Jesus     Christ,    an     incomparable 

Teacher.  John  vii.  40 368 

LXXX.  Christ  the  Great  Physician.    Matt. 

ix.  12 372 

LXXXI.  Following  the  Lord  fully.    Num- 
bers .\iv.  21 377 

LXXX  II.  The  Pearl  of  great  Price.    Matt. 

>iii.  45,  4ii : 3S2 

LXXXIII.  Sinners  are  Self  destroyers,  but  Sal- 
vation is  of  Gild,     ifiisea  \iii.  9.  "Sf> 
LXXXIV.  Onesimus;  or,  Tlie  iirofitable  Ser- 

va  it.  PhileinoM  v,;r.  10,  11 :«>1 

IjXXXV.  S:iperalionniliMg(;race.  Rom.  v.2il.  39(i 
LXXXVI.  Jerusalem  lamented.  Luke  xix.  41, 

42 400 

LXXXVII.  The  .Attraction  of  the  Cross.  John 

xii.  32 405 

LXXXVIII.  Baptism  not  Regeneration.    John 

i.i;! 409 

LXXXIX.  Invocation  of  Christ.    Rom.  x.  13.  414 
XC.  The  Spiritual  Resurrection.    John 

v.  2.5 419 

XCI.  The  Practical  Knowledge  of  Christ. 

Ephes.  iv.  20,21 423 

XCII.  The  Happy  Believer.  Luke  i.  45.  ..  428 
XCIII.  The  Doctrine  of  Pro\  iilinice  practi- 
cally improved.  Luke  xii.  7 432 

XCIV.  Wisilnui,  Kighteousiiess,  Sanrtifi- 
cation  and  Redcuiplion,  derived 

from  Christ.  1  Cor.  i.  30 437 

XCV.  Samson's  Riddle.  Judges  xiv.  14.  ..  441 
XCVI.  The  profitable  Jonrnev.  Num.  x.  29.  44C 
XCVII.  The  Water  and  Ihe  Blood;  or.  Com- 
plete  Purifnation.    1  John  v.  (>.  450 
XCVIIL  Jcsns  Christ  the  Object  of  Faith,  of 

Love,  and  of  Joy.  1  Peter  i.  8.  . .  455 
-  XCIX.  Sin  odious  to  Go<l.   .lor.  xliv.  A....  459 
C.  God  iucou'.prehensible.    Job  xi.  7.  464 
-.  CI.  The  Great  Harvest ;  or,  the  End  of 

the  World.    Matt.  xiii.  39 468 

General  Prayers 473 


PBXITC 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


propekt/t;^^^. 


Ill 


X    '^^- 


SERMON  I. 

THE  CONVERSION  OF  THE  JAILER. 

Acts  xvi.  30,  :)].  Sirs,  wliat  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ? 
And  they  said.  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Clirist, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved. 

The  question  I  have  read  to  you  was 
asked  by  the  Jailer  at  Philippi,  and  the  an- 
swer was  given  by  Paul  and  Silas.  The 
case  was  this :  Paul  and  Silas  were  taken 
up  for  preaching  the  gospel,  and  brought 
before  the  rulers.  The  rulers  unjustly 
caused  them  to  be  severely  whipped,  and 
then  "  cast  them  into  prison,  charging  the 
Jailer  to  keep  them  safely ;  who,  having 
received  such  a  charge,  thrust  them  into 
the  inner  prison,  and  made  their  feet  fast 
in  the  stocks." 

But  these  good  men  were  not  unhappy ; 
their  Master  was  with  them,  according  to 
his  gracious  promise,  and  filled  their  hearts 
with  joy ;  so  that,  even  at  midnight,  they 
could  not  refrain  from  singing  praises  to 
God ;  and  their  fellow-prisoners,  in  other 
dungeons,  heard  tliem  with  surprise. 

Just  then,  that  God  might  show  his  re- 
gard to  them,  and  his  anger  against  their 
persecutors,  there  was,  all  on  a  sudden,  a 
very  great  and  awful  earthquake,  so  that 
the  foundations  of  the  prison  were  shaken 
by  it.  At  the  same  time,  all  the  doors  flew 
open;  and  all  the  bands  and  fetters  that 
were  on  them,  and  the  rest  of  the  prison- 
ers, dropped  off  at  once. 

The  keeper  of  the  jail,  starting  up  from 
liis  sleep,  and  finding  the  prisoners  at  lib- 
erty, was  so  terrified  lest  he  should  be 
charged  with  a  breach  of  trust  in  letting 
them  escape,  that  he  drew  his  sword,  and 
was  going  to  stab  himself. 

But  Paul,  knowing  his  wicked  design, 
and  moved  with  pity  for  him,  though  he  had 
used  them  so  ill,  cried  out  aloud,  "  Do  thy- 
self no  harm,  for  we  are  all  here."  The 
Jailer,  calling  for  a  light,  ran  with  all  speed 
into  the  inner  prison ;  and  being  full  of 
horror  at  such  an  appearance  of  God  in 
favor  of  his  servants,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
struck  by  the  Holy  Spirit  with  a  deep  con- 
viction of  his  own  guilt  and  danger,  he 
threw  himself  on  the  ground  before  them, 
and  asked  their  direction  for  the  relief  of 
his  soul,  in  the  words  of  our  text  :•  "  Sirs, 
what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ]"  A  more  im- 
portant question  was  never  asked.     It  be- 


comes every  one  to  make  the  inquiry ;  and 
if  any  one  of  you  have  never  before  serious- 
ly made  it,  God  grant  you  may  do  so  now ! 
The  answer  given,  and  the  only  proper  an- 
swer that  could  be  given,  was,  "  Believe  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be 
saved."  May  the  Lord  assist  us,  while  we 
consider  these  two  parts  of  the  text ! 

I.  An  important  question. 

IL  A  gospel  answer. 

I.  The  question.  It  is  in  few  words, 
but  they  are  full  of  meaning.  Let  us  ex- 
amine it.     And  I  shall  consider  it,  first. 

As  the  language  of  conviction.  By  con- 
viction, I  mean  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
on  the  mind  of  a  sinner,  whereby  he  is  con- 
vinced that  he  is  a  sinner,  and  is  properly 
affected  with  it.  Without  this,  people  try 
to  excuse  or  lessen  their  sins.  Some  lay 
the  blame  of  their  sin  upon  others,  as  Adam 
did  upon  Eve,  and  as  Eve  did  upon  the  ser- 
pent. People  in  general  think  very  little, 
and  very  lightly  of  their  sin.  Some  even 
make  a  mock  at  sin,  and  glory  in  it.  This 
is  a  sad  state  to  be  in.  Such  persons  are 
very  far  from  God,  and  have  no  religion  at 
all,  whatever  they  may  pretend  to  have. 
Such  were  the  Pharisees,  who  were  thought 
to  be  very  religious ;  but  they  generally 
despised  and  opposed  Jesus  Christ ;  for,  as 
he  told  them,  "  the  whole  need  not  a  phy- 
sician, but  those  who  are  sick." 

But  it  is  a  good  thmg  to  be  sensible  of 
our  sin.  It  is  the  first  work  of  God  upon 
the  soul  to  make  us  so.  For  this  purpose 
we  must  consider  the  holy  law  of  God  con- 
tained in  the  Ten  Commandments.  "  By 
the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin ;"  and, 
"  Sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  law." 
Thus  St.  Paul  himself  came  to  see  he  was 
a  sinner,  as  he  tells  us,  Rom.  vii.  9.  "  I 
was  alive  without  the  law  once  ;  but  wJion 
the  commandment  came,  sin  revived,  and 
I  died."  If  ever  we  have  broken  tlie  law, 
even  once  in  our  lives,  we  are  sinners ;  for 
as  it  is  written,  Gal.  iii.  10.  "Cursed  is 
every  one  that  contuuieth  not  in  all  things, 
^vritten  in  the  book  of  the  law,  to  do  them." 
Now,  ivho  is  there,  that  can  pretend  to  say, 
he  never  sinned  in  all  his  life  1  Do  you 
not  often  at  public  prayers,  say,  you  are 
miserable  sinners  ]  But  it  is  one  "thing  to 
say  so,  merely  in  a  customary  way ;  and 
another,  to  be  seriously  convinced  of  it,  and 
deeply  affected  with  it. 
1* 


6 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


The  Holy  Spirit  not  only  brings  us  to 
admit,  what  we  can  hardly  deny,  that  A-e 
have  sinned ;  but  he  also  shows  us,  that  we 
have  sinned  much  and  6ften ;  that  we 
have  sinned  in  our  hearts  thousands  of 
times,  when  we  have  not  seemed  to  others 
to  sin. 

He  also  shows  us  the  very  great  evil 
there  is  m  sin.  He  shows  us  what  abom- 
inable ingratitude  there  is  in  it ;  for 
'  God  has  nourished  us,  and  brought  us  up 
as  children,  and  we  have  rebelled  against 
him."  He  shows  what  a  base  and  filthy 
thing  sin  is ;  that  it  makes  us  hateful  and 
abominable  in  his  sight,  viler  than  the 
brutes  that  perish.  And  he  also  shows  us 
the  danger  there  is  in  sin.  "  The  wages 
of  sin  is  death."  Sin  brought  all  our  mis- 
eries into  the  world.  It  is  owing  to  sin 
that  we  must  all  die,  and  return  to  dust ; 
and,  what  is  worse,  sin  exposes  us  to  the 
wrath  of  God  and  the  flames  of  hell  for 
ever.  Now  the  Jailer  saw  all  this,  and 
therefore  cried  out,  "  What  must  I  do  to 
be  saved  ]"  And  this  leads  me  next  to  ob- 
serve, that 

This  question  bespeaks  Fear.  Yes,  my 
brethren,  it  is  the  language  of  fear :  it  is 
the  language  of  terror  and  consternation. 
Whenever  we  are  alarmed  at  the  approach 
of  some  dreadful  evil,  it  is  natural  to  cry, 
what  shall  I  do  ]  And  have  not  sinners 
much  to  fear  ]  Is  it  not  "  a  fearful  thing 
to  fall  into  tlie  hands  of  the  living  God  V 
O !  consider  who  he  is  that  we  have 
provoked  by  our  sins.  It  is  the  great,  tlie 
Almighty  God,  who  made  the  world  with 
a  word,  and  can  crush  it  in  a  moment.  It 
is  "  the  Lord,  wlio  liath  his  way  in  the 
whirlwind  and  in  the  storm,  and  the  clouds 
iire  the  dust  of  his  feet.  The  mountains 
<]u:ikfi  at  him,  and  tlio  hills  melt,  and  the 
earlh  is  burned,  at  his  presence.  Who  can 
stand  before  his  indignation  J  and  who  can 
abide  the  fierceness  of  Jiis  anger  ?"  Nahum 
i.  3 — 6.  This  is  that  dreadful  God,  who 
hath  said,  "  that  tlie  wicked  shall  be  turn- 
ed into  hell,  witli  all  who  forget  him." 
Shall  we  not  fear  him  then "!  sliall  we  not 
tremble  at  his  presence!  "Yea,"  saith 
the  Lord,  "  I  say  unto  you,  fear  him  who 
can  not  only  kill  tlie  body,  but  cast  both 
body  .and  soul  into  hell."  O  !  how  would 
you  shudder  to  see  a  fellow-creature  burn- 
ing at  a  stake !  how  would  you  wish  that 
death  would  speedily  end  his  pain  !  But 
how  -would  you  feel,  to  see  him  burn  a 
whole  liour,  a  whole  day,  a  whole  week, 
and  all  the  time  filling  the  air  with  horrid 
shrieks,  and  crying  in  vain  for  ease  or 
death  !  Horrid  as  this  would  be,  it  gives 
but  a  faint  idea  of  hell ;  that  dreadful  place 


of  torment,  "  where  the  worm  dieth  not, 
and  where  the  fire  is  not  quenched."  It 
was  the  dread  of  this  that  made  the  Jailei 
cry,  "  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  .'"  And 
it  was  well  for  him,  that  he  foresaw  the 
evil,  and  found  a  refuge  from  it.  God 
grant  we  may  all  do  the  same.  But  there 
is  more  in  the  question. 

It  is  also  the  language  of  Desire  ;  ear 
nest,  ardent,  desire.  The  natural  man 
desires  only  carnal  things.  What  shall  1 
eat,  what  shall  I  drink,  what  shall  I  wear  ? 
How  may  I  be  rich,  and  happy,  and  re- 
spected !  or,  as  the  Psalmist  expresses  it, 
"Who  will  show  me  any  good!"  any 
worldly  good,  any  temporary  good.  But 
"  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  is  spirit." 
The  awakened  soul  has  new  desires ;  or, 
rather,  all  his  desires  are  brought  into  one, 
and  that  one  is  salvation.  "  What  shall  I 
do  to  be  saved  1  to  be  delivered  from  the 
viTath  to  come  ;  to  have  my  sins  pardon- 
ed ;  to  be  restored  to  the  divine  favor  ]" 
This  is  now  "  the  one  thing  needful." 
Without  this,  all  other  things  are  of  no 
value ;  they  are  less  than  nothing,  and 
vanity,  compared  with  salvation.  This 
earnest  desire  will  soon  be  expressed  in 
prayer.  For  the  sinner  knows  that  salva- 
tion can  come  only  from  God ;  and,  as  it 
was  remarked  by  Christ  himself,  concern- 
ing Saul  when  converted,  "  Behold,  he 
prayeth !"  so  it  will  always  be  found,  that 
the  desire  of  the  new-born  soul  will  vent 
itself  in  prayer.  Those  who  live  without 
prayer,  are  strangers  to  this  desire,  and 
are  totally  destitute  of  religion. 

The  question  in  our  text  is  likewise  the 
language  of  Hope.  I  do  not  mean  a  lively 
and  believing  hope,  foimded  upon  the  gos- 
pel, but  a  feeble,  wavering  hope,  arising 
from  a  general  notion  of  the  mercy  of  God. 
For  there  is  in  the  minds  of  all  mankind, 
some  notion  that  God  is  merciful,  and  may 
possibly  pardon ;  and  though  this  is  too 
often  abused,  and  people  encourage  them- 
selves by  it  to  go  on  in  sin,  yet  it  is  of 
great  service  to  convince  sinners,  and 
keeps  them  from  despair,  till  the  Spirit  of 
God  leads  them  by  the  gospel  to  know  that 
there  is  indeed  forgiveness  with  him,  and 
that  the  blood  of  Jesus  cleanseth  from  all 
sin.  Therefore  the  poor  Jailer,  though  a 
blind  Heathen,  does  not  say,  "  Tliere  is  no 
mercy  for  me  ;  I  am  such  a  sinner  I  never 
can  be  saved."  But  his  question  seems  to 
say,  as  the  repenting  Ninevites  said,  on 
the  preaching  of  Jonah,  "  Who  can  tell  if 
God  will  turn  and  repent,  and  turn  away 
fi-om  liij  fierce  anger,  tliat  we  perish  not  V 
.Tonah  iii.  9. 

Once  more,  we  may  observe,  that  the 


SERMON  I. 


Jailer's  question  includes  a  Confession  of 
his  Ignorance,  lie  wanted  to  be  saved, 
but  he  knew  not  how ;  nor  can  any  man 
know  this  aright  till  he  is  taugfht  of  God. 
It  is  the  true  character  of  natural  men,  as 
mentioned  Rom.  iii.  17.  that  "  the  way  of 
peace  tliey  have  not  known."-  By  the  fall 
of  man,  in  Adam,  "  darkness  has  covered 
the  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the  people." 
And  this  is  the  state,  not  only  of  the  blind 
Heathens,  who  have  not  the  Bible,  but  of 
a  great  many  called  Christians.  How 
many  are  there,  among  us  who  are  entire- 
ly ignorant  of  the  way  in  which  poor  sin- 
ners are  saved  by  Jesus  Christ !  But,  to 
remove  this  fatal  darkness,  Christ,  the  Sun 
of  Righteousness,  hath  arisen  upon  the 
earth.  He  is  the  light  of  the  world ;  and 
he  has  commanded  his  ministers  to  "  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature."  Paul  and 
Silas  were  so  employed  before  they  were 
cast  into  prison.  It  had  been  declared  in 
the  city  concerning  them — "  These  men 
are  tlie  servants  of  the  most  High  God, 
which  show  unto  us  the  way  of  salvation," 
ver.  17.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  the  Jailer 
was  convinced  of  his  need  of  salvation,  and 
his  ignorance,  he  earnestly  desires  to  be 
taught  by  them.  He  no  longer  reviles 
and  abuses  these  ministers  of  Christ,  but 
applies  to  them  for  instruction.  And  thus 
it  will  be  with  all  who  are  truly  seri- 
ous. They  will  not  mock  at  preachers 
of  the  gospel,  but  rather  "  Stand  in  the 
way,  and  see,  and  ask  for  the  old  paths ; 
where  is  the  good  way,  that  they  may 
walk  therein,  and  find  rest  for  their  souls," 
Jer.  vi.  16.  And  now  say,  my  friends, 
whether  you  have  ever  felt  in  your  minds 
this  earnest  desire  to  know  the  way  of  God 
more  perfectly  ]  For  this  end,  do  you  bow 
your  knees  to  God  in  prayer  ]  Do  you 
read  your  Bible  for  this  purpose!  And 
with  this  view,  do  you  go  to  hear  the  min- 
isters of  CJirist?  Be  assured,  this  is  the 
pursuit  of  all  who  are  under  divine  in- 
fluence. 

This  question  is  also  the  language  of^ 
Legality.  By  legality,  I  mean  cleafing* 
to  the  law ;  or  "  going  about  to  establish 
our  own  righteousness"  by  the  deeds  of 
the  law,  or  our  good  works.  When  God 
made  man  at  first,  he  made  a  covenant  of 
works  with  liim.  If  he  obeyed  the  will 
of  God  perfectly,  he  was  to  live  ;  but  if  ho 
failed  in  a-  single  instance,  he  was  to  die. 
He  did  fiiil,  and  therefore  could  never  at- 
tain life  by  Ills  own  righteousness.  God 
was  pleased  to  save  him  by  grace,  and  not 
by  works.  In  like  manner,  the  Scripture 
assures  us,  that  by  grace  alone  we  are 
saved  tiirough  faith,  and  not  by  any  works 


of  righteousness  wJiich  we  liave  done. 
But  till  we  are  taught  of  Ciod,  we  are  all 
apt  to  think  tJiat  we  can  save  ourselves, 
wholly  or  partly,  by  our  own  doings.  The 
poor  Jailer  was  of  this  mind,  and  therefore 
asks,  "  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  1"  He 
thouglit  it  must  be  by  doing  something 
that  we  must  obtahi  the  pardon  of  our  sins 
and  eternal  life ;  but  he  was  soon  better 
informed  by  the  ministers  of  the  gospel. 

Finally,  I  consider  this  question  as  the 
language  of  Submission.  Poor  man  !  his 
heart  was  alarmed  with  fear,  and  humbled 
for  sin.  He  saw  nothing  but  eternal  de- 
struction before  him,  and  would  give  all 
the  world  to  avoid  it:  and  therefore  he 
cries.  What  shall  I  do  !  As  if  he  had  said, 
Show  me  my  duty,  and  let  it  be  ever  so 
hard  and  difficult,  I  am  ready  to  do  it.  I 
would  go  througli  fire  or  water,  so  that  my 
precious  soul  may  be  saved.  And  is  it  so 
with  you  ?  Are  you  vyilling  to  part  with 
your  sins  !  Depend  upon  it  you  are  not 
in-  the  way  to  salvation  till  you  are  willmg 
to  part  with  all  for  Christ :  and  if  you  are, 
how  gladly  will  you*  hear  the  true  way  to 
salvation,  as  declared  by  these  inspired 
servants  of  our  Lord.  This  is  contained 
in  the  second  part  of  our  subject ;  or, 

n.  The  gospel  answer,  given  to  the 
Jailer's  question.  This  short  and  plain 
answer  is  tlie  only  true  one  that  can  be 
given  to  the  important  inquiry ;  and  it  is 
of  vast  importance  that  a  convinced  soul 
be  led  in  the  right  way*  I  am  afraid  that 
some  men,  some  ministers,  would  not  have 
given  this  answer.  Believe  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  I  am  afraid,  that  if  a  per- 
son, under  that  sense  of  sin  which  I  have 
described,  were  to  go  to  an  ungodlyyiiin- 
ister,  and  say,  O  sir,  what  must  I,^olft  be 
saved  J  he  would  give  difterGnf  a3vice. 
He  would  say,  "  I  hope  you  have  done  no- 
thmg  very  bad.  You  have  not  killed  any- 
body. You  have  not  robbed  anybody. 
You  are  no  worse  than*};Jkt"nei^hbor|» 
I  woukl  Imve  jou»l|y  jside  su5h  glbjay" 

■ '  *^  into  company,  and  be  amused. 


wouui  imvf 
ontihueWo 


Continue'^o  do  your  duty,  and  you  need 
not  fear.  But  be  sure  you  do  not  go  among 
the  Fanatics";  they  will  drive  you  mad."  '• 
But  you  may  learn  from  the  text,  tha^  it^  • ' 
no  madness  to  be  concerned  for^the  salv^ 
tion  of  our  souls,  nor  to  be  earnest  in  learn- 
ing liow  we  must  be  saved.  The  Jailer 
never  acted  a  more  rational  part,  nor  ask- 
ed a  wiser  question,  than  in  this  instance. 
They  are  the  madmen,  who  sell  their  souls 
for  the  sliort-lived  pleasures  of  sin.  You 
may  also  learn  from  this  passage,  who  are 
the  true  ministers  of  Christ ;  they  are  those 
wlio  preach  him,  and  direct  you  to  flee  to 


8 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


him  for  salvation.  Now  all  these,  with 
one  accord,  in  all  countries,  and  of  all  par- 
ties, will  unite  and  say,  "  Believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

And  here  you  may  observe  how  false 
that  notion  is,  which  some  people  maintain 
of  zealous  mmisters,  namely,  that  they 
preach  nothing  but  damnation;  whereas 
the  subject  of  what  we  preach  is  salvation. 
If  we  say  any  thing  of  damnation,  it  is 
that  you  may  avoid  it,  and  flee  to  Christ, 
as  the  Deliverer  from  it.  There  is  no  need 
for  the  vilest  sinner  to  despair.  St.  Paul 
says  to  the  Jailer,  though  he  had  been  a 
very  bad  man,  "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Cln-ist,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  The 
gospel  is  good  news,  my  friends  ;  it  pub- 
lishes a  free,  full,  everlasting  salvation  to 
the  chief  of  sinners. 

Observe,  Who  it  is  that  St.  Paul  recom- 
mends to  the  notice  of  this  distressed  man. 
It  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  the 
Lord.  The  maker  of  heaven  and  earth. 
Col.  i.  16  ;— "  the  Lord  of  all,"  Acts  x.  30, 
who  came  down  from  heaven.  The  "  Son 
of  God,"  who  becamo  "  the  Son  of  Man," 
that  we,  the  children  of  men,  might  be- 
come the  children  of  God.  His  name  is 
called  Jesus,  which  signifies  a  Savior, 
and  he  was  so  called,  because  "  he  came 
to  save  us  from  our  sins,"  Matt.  i.  21.  Yet, 
"  this  is,  indeed,  a  faithful  saying,  and  wor- 
thy of  all  acceptation,  that  Jesus  came  in- 
to the  world  to  save  sinners."  He  is  also 
called  Christ,  or  the  Messiah,  long  prom- 
ised, and  long  expected  by  the  Jews ; 
and  it  signifies  the  Anointed,  which  im- 
plies, that  he  was  every  way  qualified  for 
the  work  of  salvation,  and  appointed  to  it. 
This  then  is  tlie  glorious  person,  to  whom 
a  sinner  is  directed  to  look  for  salvation. 
Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  ex- 
horts him  to  believe.  What  is  to  believe 
on  him "!  I  answer,  it  is  to  believe  all  that 
God  says  in  tlie  gospel  concerning  him,  so 
as  to  look  to  him  alone  for  salvation.  Faith 
i§  explained  by  coming  to  Christ ;  it  is 
the  application  of  the  mind  to  lyni  for  re- 
lief It  is  called  receiving  Christ ;  the 
soul  accepts  him  as  held  forth  in  the  gos- 
pel, in  all  his  saving  characters  and  offices. 
It  is  a  committing  the  soul  to  him,  know- 
ing there  is  salvation  in  him,  and  in  no 
other,  and  humbly  relying  on  his  love  and 
faithfulness  to  preserve  it  unto  eternal  sal- 
vation. But  the  nature  of  faith  is  more 
fully  considered  in  another  Sermon. 

Observe,  further,  the  comfortable  assu- 
rance that  is  here  given  to  tlie  distressed 
Jailer.  Thou  shalt  be  saved.  Salvation 
was  what  he  longed  for.  He  wanted  to 
know  the  way  of  it.    He  is  directed  to  Je- 


sus as  the  Savior,  and  to  believe  on  him, 
as  the  way  of  being  saved  by  Jiim ;  and  in 
so  doing,  he  is  assured  that  salvation  shall 
be  his.  Blessed  be  God  for  many  precious 
promises  to  this  purpose  in  his  word.  Hear 
what  Jesus  Christ  himself  saith,  John  iii. 
36,  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath 
everlasting  life."  And  in  another  place, 
John  vi.  40,  "  This  is  the  will  of  him  that 
sent  me,  that  every  one  that  seeth  the  Son, 
and  believeth  on  him,  may  have  everlast- 
ing life." 

APPLICATION. 

And  now,  my  friends,  let  me  asK  you, 
Are  you  concerned  about  your  souls? 
Were  you  ever  brought,  like  the  JaUer,  to' 
ask,  with  seriousness,  with  earnestness  of 
soul,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  Are 
you  not  a  sinner  1  Are  you  not  a  dying 
smner  ]  Must  you  not  soon  appear  before 
your  Judge  1  What,  then,  will  you  plead  ? 
Are  you  ready  for  the  solemn  trial  1  O 
consider  'these  things !  trifle  no  longer 
with  your  souls  !  Eternity  is  at  hand,  hea- 
ven or  hell  will  soon  be  your  portion.  And 
can  you  be  unconcerned]  Be  assured, 
that  serious-consideration  and  deep  convic- 
tion are  absolutely  necessary.  There  ia 
no  real  religion  without  these.  If  you 
never  felt  a  concern  for  the  salvation  of  your 
soul — if  you  never  felt  a  desire  to  know 
how  you  must  be  saved,  you  are  yet  a 
stranger  to  any  true  religion.  You  are  a 
Christian  only  in  name.  You  are  far  from 
God,  and  in  a  most  dangerous  condition. 
O  then  look  up  to  God  for  the  teaching  of 
his  Spirit ;  beg  him  to  take  away  your  heart 
of  stone,  and  to  make  you  truly  desirous 
of  his  salvation. 

If  you  are  concerned  about  your  soul, 
which  way  do  you  look  for  help  J  If  you 
would  be  saved,  what  course  do  you  take  1 
Do  you  say,  "  I  must  repent  and  reform  1" 
It  is  true ;  so  you  must.  Bu,t  do  you  think 
that  repentance,  or  reformation,  is  suffi- 
cient to  save  your  soul  ]  No,  Jesus  is  the 
only  Savior.  The  apostles  directed  sin- 
ners to  believe  in  him.  That  is  your  first 
business.  Pray  for  faith.  It  is  the  gift  of 
God ;  and  he  wjill  give  it  you,  if  ye  will 
ask  him.  And  if  you  truly  believe,  repent- 
ance and  reformation  will  surely  follow, 
together  with  all  good  works,  by  which  a 
true  faith  is  as  certamly  known  as  a  tree 
is  discerned  by  its  fruits.  How  soon  did 
the  Jailer  prove  the  truth  of  his  faith  in 
this  manner  ?  He  showed  the  utmost 
readmess  to  hear  the  gospel  preached  by 
the  ministers  of  Christ ;  and  he  joined  to 
works  of  piety,  those  of  charity  ;  "  he  took 
Paul  and  Silas,  tlie  same  hour  of  the  night, 
and  washed  their  stripes ;"  he  also  took 


SERMOxN'  II. 


9 


upon  himself  the  full  profession  of  this  new 
and  despised  religion,  by  being  baptized, 
and  so  separating  himself  from  all  his 
heathen  neighbors.  Then  let  us  immedi- 
ately separate  ourselves  from  the  vain 
world,  and  boldly  confess  to  vhom  we  be- 
long ;  wliile  we  show  the  strongest  affec- 
tion to  the  iTiinisters  and  people  of  God. 


PRAYER.— Holy,  holy,  holy  Lord  God  Al- 
mighty! Thou  lovcsl  righteoasness  an<)  hatest 
iniquity;  and  thou  hast  said  Thesoul  which  siu- 
nelh  shall  die.  We  couiess,  O  Lord,  that  wo 
have  sinned  and  done  evil  in  thy  sight!  We 
have  erred  and  strayed  from  thy  ways,  like  lost 
sheep;  and  if  thou,  "Lord,  shouldst  mark  our  ini- 
quities, and  deal  with  us  according  to  our  sins, 
we  can  never  stand  in  the  judgment;  but  must 
be  consigned  lo  the  dreadful  punishment  which 
our  sins  have  deserved  ! 

May  each  ol'  us  seriously  inquire,  as  the  awak- 
ened Jailer  did.  What  shall  1  do  to  be  saved  ? 
May  we  sincerely  desire  lo  be  saved  from  our 
sins ! — from  the  guilt  of  them,  that  we  may  not 
be  punished ;  and  from  the  power  of  them,  that 
they  may  not  have  dominion  over  us. 

We  bless  thee,  O  God,  fijr  thy  holy  and  blessed 
Gospel,  which  directs  us  to  Christ,  the  all-sufK- 
cient  Savior !  'I'hou  liast  been  plea.sed  to  make 
him  known  to  us,  as  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost, 
all  who  come  to  thee  by  him.  We  desire  to  come 
to  thee  through  him.  Help  us  to  believe  in  him 
to  the  saving  of  our  souls!  Enable  us  cordially 
to  receive  thy  testimony  concerning  him,  and  to 
rely  upon  him  alone  lor  salvation!  Ogive  us 
thy  holy  Spirit  to  work  this  faith  in  our  hearts, 
that  so  we  may  have  joy  and  peace  in  believing, 
and  bring  forth  all  the  fruits  of  good  living,  which 
are  to  thy  glory,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 


SERMON  11. 

THE  BROAD  AND  THE  NARROW  WAY. 

Matt.  .\ii.  IS,  14.  Enter  ye  in  at  tlio  strait  gate  : 
for  wide  is  Uk  gaU^,  and  broad  is  tin;  way,  that 
leadutli  to  dc-striiclion,  and  many  there  bo  which 
go  in  thereat:  iiocanse  strait  is  tiie  g.ite,  and  nar- 
row is  tin;  way,  whicli  leadeth  unto  life,  and  Ifcw 
there  bo  that  find  it. 

It  is  with  great  propriety  that  human 
life  is  compared  to  a  journey,  and  every 
man  to  a  traveller ;  for  life  is  very  short, 
and  the  present  state  is  not  our  final  rest, 
but  only  preparatory  to  it.  Every  man  has 
some  particular  pomt  at  whicli  he  aims, 
and  is  daily  travelling  either  to  heaven  or 
hell. 

These  words  must  have  great  weight 
with  all  who  reverence  the  name  and  au- 
thority of  Jesus  Christ;  for  they  are  liis 
words,  and  tliey  contain  matter  of  eternal 
importance,  to  us  all.  They  consist  of  a 
short  exhortation — "  Enter  ye  in  at  the 
strait  gate ;"  and  a  very  important  reason 
for  preferring  that  to  the  wide  gate :  for 
the  wide  gate  leads  to  destruction,  but  the 


narrow  ono  to  eternal  life.    In  discoursing 
on  the  text,  let  us  consider, 

I.  The  wide  gate,  and  tlie  broad  way, 
with  tlie  end  of  it. 

II.  The  strait  gate,  and  the  narrow  way, 
with  what  it  leads  to.     And, 

III.  Enforce  the  exhortation — "  Enter  ye 
in  at  the  strait  gate." 

And  now,  O  Tliou  that  beholdest  the  evil 
and  the  good;  Thou  wlio  knowest  every 
heart,  and  seest  which  of  these  ways  we 
are  in,  make  tlie  word  useful  to  us  all,  and 
incline  poor  sinners  to  clioose  the  narrow 
way,  that  so  they  may  find  everlasting 
life  ! 

I.  We  are  to  consider  the  wide  gate, 
and  the  broad  way.  And  wliat  is  this  but 
sin  ?  If  there  is  a  way  to  hell,  sin  is  cer- 
tainly that  way,  for  "  the  wages  of  sin  is 
death;"  but  let  such  persons  remember, 
that  "what  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he 
also  reap."  "  If  we  live  after  the  flesh,  we 
shall  die,"  Rom.  vi.  23.  But,  to  be  more 
particular,  this  broad  way  includes,  a 
thouglitless  mind,  a  carnal  heart,  and  a 
wicked  life. 

1.  A  "thoughtless  mind.  And  O  how 
common  this  is !  How  many  live  as 
tliouglitless  about  their  souls,  as  if  they 
had  none.  They  thinlc  no  more  of  God, 
and  Christ,  and  salvation,  tlian  if  they 
were  incapable  of  thinking ;  they  are  like 
the  beasts  that  perish.  Although  the  great 
end  of  our  being  is,  to  Icnow,  serve,  and 
glority  God ;  yet  tliis  is  v^lioUy  lost  sight 
of  and  forgotten.  Although  the  fear  of 
God  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom,  and  the 
care  of  the  soul  is  the  one  tiring  needful ; 
yet  tliousands,  even  in  this  Christian  coun- 
try, live  like  Atlieists,  and  God  is  not  in 
all  their  thouglits.  O  prodigious  and  la- 
mentable stupidity !  Awake,  (>  sleeper, 
arise,  and  call  upon  thy  God,  lest  thou 
perish  I  Where  is  thy  conscience  ]  What 
says  deatii  ?  Is  it  not  approaching!  O 
rouse  yourselves  from  this  dangerous  leth- 
argy, and  think  v.  hat  you  are,  and  where 
you  are  going.  Some  of  you  may  be  free 
from  the  grosser  vices,  not  chargeable, 
perhaps,  witli  profaneness  or  drunkenness: 
yet  know,  that  if  living  m  ease  and  securi- 
ty, without  any  care  about  your  soul  and 
eternity,  you  are,  etiually  with  tlie  vilest 
characters,  in  the  broad  road  to  destruc- 
tion. 

Again,  The  carnal  or  fillhy  heart  is 
inchVded;  so  the  Holy  Ghost  describes  the 
lieart  of  man  in  its  natural  and  depraved 
state.  The  immortal  mind  of  man,  origi- 
nally created  in  tlie  image  of  Gofl,  and 
formed  for  spiritual  exercises,  is  now,  by 
the  fall  of  Adam,  become  carnal.     So  St. 


10 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


Paul  speaks  in  the  8th  of  Romans,  verse 
the  5tli,  "  They  that  are  after  the  flesh,  do 
mind  the  things  of  the  flesh ;  but  they  that 
are  after  the  Spirit,  llie  tilings  of  the 
Spirit."  The  carnal  man  is  all  for  the 
world.  His  cares,  his  hopes,  his  fears,  his 
desires,  his  pleasures,  his  pains,  his  con- 
versation, is  all  about  the  world.  His 
fleshly  mind  is  crowded  with  worldly 
thoughts,  and,  as  it  was  at  Bethlehem, 
there  is  no  room  for  Christ  in  the  inn.  But 
let  it  be  observed,  that  whoever  is  in  this 
case  is  in  the  broad  road ;  for  the  Scrips 
ture  declares,  that  "  they  that  are  in  the 
flesh  cannot  please  God,"  and  that  this 
"  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God." 
This  is  the  miserable  condition  of  many, 
wlio  pass  for  moral,  industrious,  good  sort 
of  people  ;  but  they  are  far  from  God ; — 
they  are  "  sensual,  not  having  the  Spirit ;" 
and  minding  only  earthly  things,  their  end 
is  destruction.  Phil.  iii.  19. 

Once  more,  observe,  that  the  broad  way 
includes — a  wicked  life.  A  life  of  sin. 
Whoever  lives  in  wilful  disobedience  to 
the  commands  of  God,  is  assuredly  in  the 
road  to  destruction.  Let  none  deceive 
themselves  with  vain  words  and  idle  ex- 
cuses. "He  that  committeth  sin  is  of 
the  devil,"  1  John  iii.  8.  "  Know  ye  not," 
saith  the  Apostle  Paul,  "  that  the  unright- 
eous shall  not  uiherit  the  kingdom  of 
God  ]  Be  not  deceived ;  neither  fornica- 
tors, nor  adulterers,  nor  thieves,  nor  covet- 
ous, nor  drunkards,  shall  inherit 'the  king- 
dom of  God,"  1  Cor.  vi.  9,  10.  God  will 
not  hold  liim  guiltless,  who  taketh  his 
name  in  vain ;  nor  will  the  sabbath-breaker 
escape  unpunished.  How  is  it  then  that 
poor  sinners  flatter  themselves  with  hopes 
of  salvation !  "  for  these  things'  sake  the 
wrath  of  God  cometli  on  the  children  of 
disobedience,"  Eph.  v.  6. 

To  these  destructive  sins  another  may 
be  added,  which  is  more  destructive  than 
them  all;  namely,  the  sin  of  unbelief 
Though  a  person  should  be  free  from  many 
of  the  sins  just  mentioned,  yet  unbelief 
would  be  like  a  millstone  about  his  neck, 
and  sink  him  for  ever  in  the  gulf  of  perdi- 
tion. God  having,  in  his  rich  mercy  to 
mankind,  sent  his  Son  to  be  a  Savior,  and 
sent  his  gospel  to  publish  this  in  our  ears, 
nothing  can  be  more  displeasing  to  him 
than  to  "  neglect  his  great  salvation,"  or 
"  refuse  him  who  speaketh  from  lieaven." 
Our  blessed  Savior,  wliile  he  mercifully 
promises,  that,  "  he  who  believetli  shall  be 
^aved ;"  solemnly  declares,  that,  "  he  who 
believetli  not  shall  be  damned,"  Marie  xvi. 


16. 


This,  then,  is  the  wide  gate  and  the 


broad  way — namely,  a  thoughtless  mind — 
a  carnal  heart — and  a  wicked  life ;  all 
which,  by  unbelief,  which  refuses  the  only 
method  of  salvation,  lead  to  certain  and 
everlasting  ruin. 

But  you  will  ask.  Why  are  these  things 
so  described  ]  Why  are  they  compared  to 
a  wide  gate  and  a  broad  way  1  The  rea- 
son is  plain ;  for  as  it  is  easy  to  go  throug , 
a  wide  gate  and  walk  in  a  broad  road,  so 
the  sirmer  finds  no  hindrance  to  his  enter- 
ing on  a  life  of  sin,  and  little  or  no  diffi- 
culty in  pursuing  it. 

Our  corrupt  nature  strongly  inclines  us 
to  sin.  David  says,  "  We  are  conceived 
in  sin,  and  shapen  in  iniquity,"  Psalm  li. 
5. ;  and  that  "  the  wicked  are  estranged 
from  the  womb ;  they  go  astray  as  soon  as 
they  are  born,  speaking  lies."  You  know 
that  children  need  no  teacher  to  make 
them  wicked.  Sin  is  in  our  very  nature, 
and  we  walk  in  this  road  of  our  own  ac- 
cord ;  it  is  natural  and  pleasant  to  us : 
while  we  as  naturally  dislike  the  narrow 
road,  and  despise  those  who  walk  in  it. 

Besides,  those  who  are  in  the  broad  road 
meet  with  no  hindrances  from  the  world  or 
from  the  devil.  The  broad  way  is  the  way 
of  the  world;  for,  as  the  Apostle  John 
saith,  "  The  whole  world  lieth  in  wicked- 
ness," except  the  happy  few  who  are  de- 
livered from  it  by  the  grace  of  God.  In 
this  broad  way  all  ranks  of  men  may  be 
seen,  from  kings  and  princes,  down  to 
slaves  and  beggars.  Now  it  is  easy  to 
walk  in  a  broad  road  with  a  multitude, 
provided  they  are  all  going  one  way,  which 
is  the  case  here ;  and  the  world  will  love 
its  own.  In  this  road,  persons  feel  the 
great  force  of  example,  and  plead,  you 
know,  for  what  they  do,  by  the  common- 
ness of  it,  or  its  being  the  way  of  the 
world.  They  are  afraid  of  appearing  sin- 
gular, even  though  conscience  sometimes 
remonstrates  against  their  evil  courses. 
The  pleasures  of  sin  entice  them  to  go 
forward,  notwithstanding  every  warning 
of  their  danger;  and  the  hopes  of  gain, 
and  the  favor  of  mankind,  seduce  them ; 
for  these  they  are  afraid  of  losing,  if  they 
become  religious. 

This  road  is  wide  and  easy,  because  the 
devil  gives  no  disturbance  to  them  that 
walk  in  it.  While  "  the  strong  man  arm- 
ed keeps  the  house,  the  goods  are  in 
peace."  He  strongly  opposes  the  people 
of  God  who  are  in  the  narrow  way ;  he 
disputes  every  inch  of  ground  with  them ; 
but  he  is  in  league  with  these ;  he  endeav- 
ors to  keep  them  from  all  fear  of  conse- 
quences ;  he  blinds  their  minds,  lest  the 
light  of  the  gospel  should  shine  into  them 


SERMON  II. 


11 


and  he  fills  their  hearts  with  prejudices 
against  faithful  preachers,  who  would  point 
out  their  sin  and  danger.  Yea,  he  takes 
the  same  course  with  tiiem  as  he  did  with 
our  first  mother;  when  he  tempted  her  to 
eat  the  forbidden  fruit.  God  had  said,  "If 
ye  eat  it,  ye  shall  surely  die ;"  but  this 
father  of  lies  directly  contradicts  the  threat- 
ening, and  induces  her  to  eat,  by  saying, 
"  Ye  shall  not  surely  die."  So  in  this  case 
our  Savior  plainly  declares,  that  the  broad 
road  of  sin  leads  to  destruction ;  but  Satan 
deceives  poor  sinners,  and  prevails  upon 
them  to  believe,  that,  though  they  live  in 
sin  and  unbelief,  they  shall  not  experience 
the  destruction  threatened. 

But  who  will  you  believe — the  God  of 
truth,  or  the  father  of  lies  ?  Observe  the 
text :  "  The  broad  road  leads  to  destruc- 
tion ;"  and  O  think  what  that  destruction 
is.  Think  wliat  "  a  fearful  thing  it  is  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  livmg  God." 
Think,  O  think,  of  "  the  worm  that  never 
dies,  and  the  fire  that  is  never  quenched." 
What  would  you  not  do  to  prevent  the  de- 
struction of  your  property,  the  destruction 
of  your  dear  relations,  the  destruction  of 
your  life  ]  But  what  are  all  these  to  your 
soul,  your  immortal  soul  ?  "  For  what  is 
a  man  profited,  if  he  gain  the  whole  world 
and  lose  his  own  soul  1  or,  what  shall  a 
man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul !"  Well 
then,  would  you  avoid  this  destruction, 
and  surely  you  would,  this  broad  road  must 
be  forsaken ;  and,  blessed  be  God,  that  it 
is  not  yet  too  late  to  forsake  it ;  and  you 
must  enter  into  the  narrow  way,  by  the 
strait  gate  mentioned  in  the  text.  Let  us 
therefore,  in  the  second  place, 

II.  Consider  what  is  meant  by  the  strait 
gate,  and  the  narrow  way,  and  what  it 
leads  to. 

The  design  of  these  expressions  is  to 
show,  that  the  entrance  into  a  religious 
course  of  life  is  painful  and  difficult,  and 
that  tribulation  is  to  be  expected  in  our 
progress.  We  may  include  the  whole  in 
three  words,  Repentance,  Faith,  and  Ho- 
liiNESs;  a  little  examination  of  these  par- 
ticulars will  prove  the  propriety  of  the 
phrases  in  the  text. 

John  the  Baptist,  our  Savior,  and  his 
Apostles,  all  went  out  and  preached  Re- 
pentance ;  and  without  this  we  are  assured 
men  must  perish.  Now  repentance  cannot 
but  be  painful,  tor  it  consists  chiefly  m  a 
godly  sorrow  for  sin,  together  with  a  firm 
resolution  to  forsake  it  at  all  events,  and 
whatever  it  may  cost  us.  The  penitent 
sinner,  being  convinced  that  he  has  sinned, 
and  come  short  of  tlie  glory  of  God ;  that 
he  has  by  sin  destroyed  himself,  and  be- 


come liable  to  the  dreadful  wrath  of  God, 
perceives  that  he  has  all  his  life  been  act- 
ing a  most  foolish  and  hurtful  part;  but 
that  he  must  now  forsake  all  his  sins, 
though  dear  to  him  as  his  rigiit  eye,  and 
useful  to  him  as  liis  right  hand.  Now  all 
this  appears  to  a  natural  man  irksome  and 
unpleasant.  He  is  unwilling  to  think  se- 
riously of  his  sins  and  of  their  fatal  conse- 
quences, and  still  more  unwilling  to  part 
with  them.  He  therefore  shuns  this,  as  a 
man  would  avoid  passing  through  a  very 
strait  and  low  door,  when  a  spacious  one 
offered  itself  at  the  same  time. 

Faith  is  also  intended  by  the  narrow 
way.  "  By  grace  are  we  saved  through 
faith,"  and  "  without  faith  it  is  impossible 
to  please  God."  True  faith  consists  in  so 
believing  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  to 
take  him  for  our  only  Savior ;  utterly  re- 
nouncing all  dependence  on  our  own  works 
and  righteousness ;  submitting  to  be  saved 
by  the  mere  favor  of  God  in  Christ,  as  a 
poor  beggar  is  relieved  by  an  alms.  Jesus 
Christ  is,  himself,  the  way.  "I,  saith 
he,  (Jolrn  xiv.  (5.)  am  the  way ; — no  man 
Cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  me ;"  and  it  is 
by  faith  that  we  walk  in  this  way ;  for  all 
true  Christians  live  by  faith,  and  walk  with 
God  by  faith. 

Now  this  way  of  living,  renouncing  all 
our  own  works,  in  point  of  dependence, 
and  accounting  them,  in  that  respect,  as 
"  dung  and  dross,  that  we  may  win  Christ;" 
this  way  is  so  contrary  to  our  natural  in- 
clinations, and  so  humbling  to  a  self-right- 
eous spirit,  that  it  may  well  be  called  a 
narrow  way.  There  are  thousands  who 
are  so  proud  of  their  good  hearts  and  their 
good  works,  that  they  scorn  to  be  indebted 
to  Christ  for  his  righteousness.  They 
think  themselves  rich,  and  increased  with 
goods,  and  that  they  stand  in  need  of  no- 
thing, while,  in  fact,  they  are  poor,  wretch- 
ed, miserable,  blind,  and  naked.  Rev.  iii. 
18.  The  boasting  Pharisee,  whom  we 
read  of  in  tlie  gospel,  was  so  swollen  with 
the  pride  of  his  duties  and  works,  that  he 
could  not  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate ;  but 
the  poor  Publican,  who  saw  and  felt  him- 
self a  sinner,  stooping  low  before  God,  en- 
tered it,  crying  out,  "  God  be  merciful  to 
me  a  sinner !" 

The  way  of  holmess  is  also  a  narrow 
way.  Holiness  consists  in  the  conformity 
of  our  will  to  the  will  of  God;  it  is  pro- 
duced by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
the  regeneration  of  a  sinner.  1'he  law  of 
God  is  v/rittcn  on  his  heart;  whereby  he 
is  disposed  to  resist  temptation,  to  forsake 
sin,  and  to  practise  obedience  to  the  com- 
mands of  God.     In  doing  this,  we  must 


12 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


deny  ourselves,  take  up  our  cross  daily, 
and  follow  Christ.  We  must  mortify  the 
flesh,  witli  its  affections  and  lusts.  We 
must  crucify  the  old  man  of  sin,  and  walk, 
not  according  to  the  course  of  the  world, 
nor  according  to  tlie  flesh,  but  according 
to  the  Spirit.  Now,  in  doing  this,  we  can- 
not but  meet  with  ditiicidties.  We  shall 
meet  with  continual  opposition  from  our 
own  corruptions,  the  law  in  our  members 
warring  against  the  law  of  our  minds.  We 
shall  also  suffer  reproach  and  contempt 
from  the  world ;  for  all  who  will  live  godly 
in  CJirist  Jesus  shall  suffer  persecution. 
And  besides  all  this,  God  our  heavenly 
Father  sees  it  necessary  to  chastise  us 
with  the  rod  of  affliction,  of  which  all  his 
children  are  partakers,  for  spiritual  good. 

Considering  therefore  the  nature  of  Re- 
pentance, P'aith,  and  Holiness,  we  clearly 
see  how  properly  a  true  Christian  may  be 
said  to  enter  upon  a  religious  life  by  a 
strait  gate,  and  to  proceed  in  it  by  a  nar- 
row way. 

But  here,  perhaps,  an  objection  may  be 
started.  Does  not  our  Lord  say, — "  Take 
my  yoke  upon  you,  for  my  yoke  is  easy, 
and  my  burden  is  light  V  Does  not  Solo- 
mon say,  "  The  ways  of  wisdom  are  pleas- 
antness, and  her  paths  peace  1"  And  does 
not  St.  John  say,  that  "  Christ's  commands 
are  not  grievous  1"  How  then  is  it  true, 
that  the  gate  is  strait,  and  the  way  narrow  1 
I  answer,  the  ways  of  religion  are  per- 
fectly easy  and  pleasant  in  their  own  na- 
ture ;  the  difficulty  arises  from  the  deprav- 
ity and  corruption  of  our  nature.  Angels 
do  the  will  of  God  witli  perfect  ease  and 
pleasure,  for  they  have  no  sin  in  their  na- 
ture to  oppose  it.  But  through  the  power 
of  sin  in  our  hearts,  the  entrance  into  reli- 
gion becomes  painful  and  difficult,  and 
through  the  remains  of  it  in  regenerate 
persons,  more  or  less  of  that  diffioulty  is 
found  in  the  wliole  journey.  Yet  grace 
renders  it  practicable,  and  oflen  pleasant ; 
so  that  no  believer  repents  of  his  choice, 
nor  wishes  to  turn  back  because  of  the 
hardships  he  endures ;  but,  like  Moses  of 
old,  "  chooses  ratlier  to  suffer  affliction 
witli  the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the 
pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season ;  esteeming 
the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  tlian 
the  treasures  of  Egypt" — and  for  the  same 
good  reason — having  "  respect  to  the  re- 
compense of  reward."  And  this  leads  us 
to  tlie  last  particular,  namely. 

IIL  To  enforce  the  exhortation,  "  Enter 
ye  in  at  the  strait  gate." 

O  liow  wise,  how  gracious,  how  reason- 
able, is  tliis  advice !  ]\Iay  God  dispose 
all  our  hearts  to  obey  it !     There  are  but 


two  ways  that  we  can  travel;  the  one 
leads  to  eternal  misery ;  tlie  otlier  to  eter- 
nal bliss !  and  that  we  may  not  miss  our 
way,  the  blessed  Jesus  clearly  marks  out 
the  right  one,  so  that  we  cannot  mistake — 
the  gate  is  strait,  the  way  is  nawow,  and 
there  are  few  travellers  in  it.  It  is  true, 
there  are  difficulties  in  the  way,  but  heaven 
will  make  amends  for  all.  Heaven  is 
worth  every  thing,  or  it  is  worth  nothing. 
Let  us  not  be  such  cowards  as  to  be  fright- 
ed at  a  little  trouble.  Nothing,  even  in 
this  life,  can  be  attained  without  it.  A 
child  cannot  learn  to  read  witliout  difficul- 
ty. A  boy  cannot  learn  a  trade  without 
pains.  We  cannot  carry  on  any  business 
without  care  or  labor.  But  are  we  there- 
fore prevented  from  these  things  1  No,  we 
wisely  consider  the  advantage,  and  act  ac- 
cordingly. 

Neither  let  us  be  swayed  by  numbers. 
"  Follow  not  a  multitude  to  do  evil."  Let 
us  not  think  ourselves  right,  because  we 
do  as  others.  We  must  suspect  ourselves 
if  we  do.  The  broad  road  is  thronged  with 
travellers ;  but  the  narrow  has  only  a  pil- 
grim here  and  there.  And  this  should 
keep  us  fi'om  being  ashamed  of  singularity 
in  a  good  cause.  Christ  here  teaclies  us 
to  expect  that  religion  will  liave  few  ad- 
vocates comparatively.  God  grant  that  we, 
however,  may  be  of  that  happy  number ! 

Well  then,  let  us,  by  divine  grace,  re- 
solve on  eternal  life  at  all  events.  On  the 
one  hand,  here  is  a  broad  road,  full  of  pas- 
sengers, in  wliich,  it  is  true,  the  poor,  pal- 
try, perishing,  intoxicating  pleasure  of  sin 
may  be  enjoyed  for  a  moment,  though  not 
without  a  pang ;  and  at  the  end  of  this 
short  discourse  is — O  tremble,  my  soul,  at 
the  thought — Destruction  ! — not  ceasing 
to  be,  but  an  utter  end  of  all  pleasure  for 
evermore.  Misery,  pains,  torments,  with- 
out mitigation,  \v'ithout  cessation,  witliout 
end.  Everlasting  separation  from  the  pres- 
ence of  God,  tlie  fountain  of  life ;  and  con 
finement  in  chains  of  darkness  with  devils 
and  damned  spirits,  to  all  eternity. 

On  the  other  hand,  God .  has  set  before 
us  the  way  of  life.  The  entrance  is  strait, 
the  way  is  narrow.  Difficulties  indeed 
there  are ;  but  grace  lessens  them  all,  and 
sweetens  tliem  all ;  so  tliat  the  worst  of 
Christ's  way  is  better  than  the  best  of  Sa- 
tan's way ;  and,  what  is  best  of  all,  the  end 
is  eternal  life.  And  O,  what  tongue  can 
tell,  what  heart  conceive,  what  God  has 
laid  up  for  them  that  love  him  !  Is  tliere 
a  redeemed  soul  in  glory,  who  now  repents 
of  the  pains  he  took  in  religion  !  Does  he 
repent  of  his  repentance  ?  Does  he  regret 
that  he  believed  in  the  Son  of  God  ?  Is  he 


SERMON  III. 


13 


sorry  that  lie  walked  in  the  way  of  holi- 
ness V  O  no.  Each  glorified  saint  reviews 
with  ecstasy  of  joy,  the  rich  grace  of  God, 
that  enabled  him  to  discover  the  danger 
of  that  Itroad  road  in  which  he  once  travel- 
led, and  that  placed  his  feet  in  the  narrow 
but  sure  and  safe  road  to  eternal  bliss. 

Obey  then  the  words  of  our  Lord  in  an- 
other place,  '•  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the 
strait  gate." — Agonize  to  do  it.  Do  it  at 
all  events.  Do  it  directly.  Let  not  a  mo- 
ment be  lost.  "Escape  for  your  lives; 
look  not  behind  you ;  neither  tarry  ye  in 
all  the  plain :  escape  to  the  mountain,  lest 
ye  be  consumed."  Fly  from  the  wrath  to 
come.  "  For  many  shall  seek  to  enter  in 
and  shall  not  be  able."  (Luke  xiii.  24.) 
]\lany,  who  would  willingly  go  to  heaven, 
seek  after  it  in  so  cold  and  slothful  a  man- 
ner, or  by  such  false  and  mistaken  ways, 
that  they  never  obtain  it;  and  O  how 
many,  who  now  neglect  it  altogether,  will 
loiock  for  admittance  when  the  door  is 
shut!  Now,  therefore,  while  it  is  called 
to-day,  let  us  hear  his  voice.  Let  us  be 
diligent  in  observing  the  sabbath,  attend- 
ing on  the  preached  word  as  often  as  pos- 
sible, reading  the  scriptures  daily ;  and 
especially,  let  us  wrestle  hard  with  God  in 
prayer,  that  he  would  give  us  his  Spirit, 
to  teach  and  assist  us,  and  work  in  our 
hearts  that  deep  repentance,  that  true 
faith,  and  that  genuine  holiness,  which  are 
the  proper  exercises  of  all  who  travel  in 
the  narrow  way  to  heaven. 

The  almost  Christian  and  Apostate. 

Bro.\d  is  the  road  that  leads  to  death, 

And  thousands  walk  together  there; 
But  wisdom  shows  n  narrower  path, 

With  here  and  there  a  traveller. 
"  Deny  thyself,  and  lake  thy  cross," 

Is  the  Redeereor's  great  command  ! 
Nature  nnjst  count  her  gold  but  dross, 

If  she  would  gain  the  heav'nly  land. 

The  fearful  soul  that  tires  and  faints. 

And  walks  the  ways  of  God  no  more. 
Is  but  esteemed  almost  a  saint. 

And  makes  his  own  destruction  sure. 
Lord,  let  not  all  my  hopes  be  vain ; 

Create  niy  heart  entirely  new  , 
Which  hypocrites  could  ne'er  attain  ; 

Which  lalse  apostates  never  knew. 


PRAYER. — Almighty  God!  thou  hast  now 
set  before  us  life  and  death, — blessing  and  curs- 
ing! We  have  heard  from  our  Savior's  lips  that 
there  are  only  two  ways  in  which  we  can  walk. 
The  broad  way  of  Carelessness,  Carnality,  and 
Sin,  which  certainlv  leads  to  endles.s  ruin ;  and 
the  narrow  way  of  Repentance,  Faiih,  and  HoU- 
ness,  which  leads  to  eternal  life.  Grant,  0  most 
merciful  God,  that  we  may  immediately  resolve, 
by  thy  grace,  which  we  now  heartily  implore,  to 
forsake  the  broad  way,  however  diHicult  we  may 


find  it  so  to  do !  Suffer  us  not  to  proceed  in  it 
another  step;  but  may  we  determine,  at  all 
events,  and  without  a  moment's  delay,  to  strive 
to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gale.  May  we  do  this, 
whatever  it  may  cost  us! — although  the  world, 
the  llosh,  and  the  devil,  may  oppose  us,  yet  en 
able  us  to  escape  for  our  lives,  and  flee  for  refuge 
to  the  Savior,  lest  we  be  consumed  !  Strengthen 
us,  O  Lord,  by  thy  Holy  Spirit,  that  henceforth 
we  ntay  pursue  the  narrow  way  thai  leads  to 
thee  and  to  Heaven!  O  work  in  our  hearts  that 
genuine  repentance,  that  true  iiiiih,  and  that  gos- 
pel-holiness which  are  found  in  all  the  travellers 
to  Sion  !  and  this  we  beg  for  the  sake  of  Jesus 
Christ  our  Savior.    Amen. 


SERMON  III. 

THE  NATURE,  SPIRITUALITY,  AND  USE 

OF  THE  LAW.    . 
Rom.  vii.  9. — For  I  was  alive  without  tlip  law  once : 

but  when  the  coaimandment  came,  sin  revived, 

and  I  died. 

It  is  a  most  true  maxim  of  scripture, 
that,  "  The  whole  need  not  a  physician ; 
but  those  who  are  sick."  The  church  of 
Christ  has  been  justly  compared  to  a  hos- 
pital, to  which  none  but  the  sick  repair; 
no  wonder  then  that  the  gay  and  healthy 
shun  it.  But  whether  we  know  it  or  not, 
our  souls  are  sadly  and  dangerously  dis- 
eased ;  and  the  worst  symptom  of  all  is, 
we  know  it  not. 

It  may  not  be  pleasant  to  a  person  to  be 
told  of  any  thing  amiss  in  his  health,  his 
family,  or  his  affairs;  yet  he  is  a  true 
friend  who  gives  the  information,  and  he  is 
a  wise  man  who  thankfully  receives  it. 
With  this  view,  John  the  Baptist  was  sent 
before  Christ ;  by  preaching  repentance  to 
prepare  the  way  for  hmi :  and  the  disciples 
of  Jolm  gladly  received  the  Savior.  With- 
out the  knowledge  of  ourselves,  as  sinners, 
we  cannot  understand  the  gospel,  nor 
prize  Jesus.  And  this  is  the  true  key  to 
wJiat  would  otherwise  be  unaccountable — 
the  general  neglect  of  the  great  salvation. 
When  our  Lord  himself  and  his  inspired 
Apostles,  with  every  possible  advantage, 
preached  the  gospel,  few  believed  the 
heavenly  report ;  almost  all,  witli  one  con- 
sent, began  to  make  excuse ;  one  going  to 
his  farm,  and  another  to  his  m'ercJiandise. 
Now,  as  men  are  all  alive  to  worldly  pleas- 
ure and  profit,  it  is  evident,  that  tlieir  ne- 
glect arises  from  ignorance  of  their  true 
state  ;  and  this  is  from  their  ignorance  of 
the  law  of  God,  which  is  tlie  only  certam 
rule  and  standard  by  which  to  measure 
ourselves. 

Hence,  St.  Paul  designing  in  this  Epis- 
tle to  treat  fully  concerning  the  great  point 
of  justification,  or  being  made  righteous 
before  God,  takes  care,  in  the  first  place, 


14 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


to  prove  that  all  men  in  the  world  are  sin- 
iners — the  Gentiles  against  the  law  of  na- 
ture, and  the  Jews  against  the  written 
law,  or  ten  commandments.  He  well  knew 
the  importance  of  this  method,  by  his  own 
experience ;  for  he  says  in  tlie  text,  "  he 
was  alive  without  the  law  once,"  &c.  that 
is,  when  he  was  unconverted,  and  a  proud 
Pharisee,  he  had  high  swelling  thoughts 
of  himself;  thought  all  was  well  between 
God  and  him ;  he  did  not  see  himself  dead 
in  the  law,  being  justly  condemned  by  it  for 
his  sin ;  but  he  was  all  alive  in  his  own 
opinion  ;  and  his  mistake  arose  from  igno- 
rance of  the  law.  He  was  "  without  the 
law;"  not  without  the  letter  of  it;  he 
could  have  said  it  by  heart :  but  he  did  not 
know  its  spiritua-l  meaning  and  high  re- 
ouirements.  But  when  the  commandment 
came,  especially  the  tenth  commandment ; 
when  it  came  in  the  light  and  energy  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  his  mind  and  con- 
science ;  when  he  saw  that  it  reached  to 
the  thoughts,  principles,  views,  and  desires 
of  the  heart,  as  well  as  to  his  words  and 
actions ;  requiring  perfect  purity,  and  con- 
demning for  a  single  sin,  even  in  thought 
— then,  saith  he,  then  "  sin  revived,  and  I 
died."  Then  he  saw  thousands  of  things 
to  be  sins,  which  he  never  thought  such 
before ;  and  he  found  sin  had  full  power 
and  life  in  him;  sin  revived  in  his  con- 
science ;  he  saw  it  in  all  its  dreadful  ter- 
ror, as  justly  exposing  him  to  the  wrath  of 
God ;  and  he  fell  under  a  sense  of  death, 
and  condemnation,  as  a  man  dead  in  law, 
and  deserving  to  die  eternally. 

Now,  that  we  may  rightly  understand 
the  law,  and  that  it  may  be  "  our  school- 
aiiaster  to  bring  us  to  Christ,"  let  us. 

First,  Take  a  view  of  the  holy  law,  by 
which  is  the  knowledge  of  sin :  and, 

Sccondli/,  Consider  the  proper  effect  of 
a  work  of  the  law  on  the  heart. 

L  Let  us  take  a  view  of  the  holy  law  of 
iGod  ;  for  hereby  is  tiie  knowledge  of  sin. 

Remember,  my  friends,  that  God,  who 
is  the  maker  of  the  world,  is  also  the  gov- 
•ernor  of  it.  God  prefaces  his  law  with 
these  words,  /«?«  Jehovah,  the  self-exist- 
ent Being,  tlie  source  of  all  being,  on 
whom  all  beings  depend :  and  he  adds,  / 
am  thy  God,  to  remind  the  Jews  of  their 
relation  to  him ;  for  they  were  his  profess- 
ed worshippers,  as  we  also  are.  He  adds, 
who  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
and  out  of  the  house  of  bondage.  Here 
are  their  obligations  to  him  on  account  of 
their  wonderful  deliverance ;  so  the  re- 
demption of  sinners  by  Jesus  Christ  lays 
them  under  infinite  obligations  to  holy 
obedience.     ]\Tan  is  a  rational  being,  and 


accountable  to  God  for  his  conduct.  Brute3 
are  led  by  instinct ;  but  it  is  fit  that  man 
should  be  led  by  proper  motives,  willingly 
to  obey  his  Maker's  will.  Now  from  the 
first,  God  gave  a  law  to  man.  It  was  not 
indeed  written.  There  was  no  occasion 
for  it.  Men  lived  almost  a  thousand  years, 
and  could  easily  teach  their  children  -what 
God  at  first  taught  Adam.  At  length, 
however,  God  saw  fit  to  give  his  law  from 
Mount  Sinai,  in  dreadful  thunders ;  and 
also  to  write  it  on  two  tables  of  stone. 

You  will  observe,  that  the  law  of  God  is 
summed  up  in  one  word,  namely.  Love; 
and  that  this  love  has  two  objects :  Love 
to  God,  for  what  he  is  in  himself,  and  for 
the  blessings  he  gives  us;  and  love  to 
man,  for  God's  sake. 

The  love  we  owe  to  God  is  to  be  ex- 
pressed in  four  ways;  and  these  are  set 
forth  in  the  first  four  commandments. 

The ^rsi  commandment  is,  Thou  shall 
have  no  other  gods  but  me.  This  requires 
us  to  know  and  confess  the  true  God,  Fa- 
ther, Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  as  the  only 
living  God,  and  our  God ;  in  opposition  to 
all  idolatry ;  it  requires  us  also  to  love  and 
adore  him,  as  the  author  of  our  being,  and 
the  source  of  our  happiness ;  and  this  com- 
mandment is  broken,  not  only  by  worship- 
ping other  gods,  but  by  setting  our  idols  in 
our  hearts,  by  excessive  self-love,  or  love 
of  creatures,  relations,  money,  or  gratifica- 
tions of  the  flesh;  so  that,  according  to 
this,  there  are  many  Atheists,  living  with- 
out God  in  the  world,  and  many  idolaters, 
worshipping  the  creature. 

The  second  commandment  forbids  all 
worship  of  Images;  and  requires  us  to 
worship  God  in  the  way  he  has  appointed ; 
but,  alas !  how  many  wholly  neglect  and 
despise  liis  worship !  How  many  worship 
God  with  various  superstitions  and  inven- 
tions of  men!  How  many  others  forget 
that  God  is  a  Spirit,  and  must  be  worship- 
ped in  spirit  and  truth !  What  levity  and 
folly  do  many  mix  with  their  pretended 
devotions.  But  in  vain  do  we  thus  mock 
God,  and  play  the  hypocrite,  drawing  nigli 
to  him  with  the  lips,  when  our  hearts  are 
far  from  him.  The  reason  added  to  this 
commandment,  for  I  the  Lord  thy  God  am 
a  jealous  God,  &c.  shows  how  extremely 
displeasing  it  is  to  him  to  neglect  his  wor- 
ship, or  worship  him  in  an  improper  man- 
ner, and  that  he  will  resent  this  sin  not 
only  to  the  persons  who  commit  it,  but  to 
their  posterity. 

The  third  commandment  forbids  the 
taking  the  Lord's  name  in  vain.  But,  O ! 
how  awful  is  the  common  practice  of 
cursing  and  swearing!     We  may  truV 


SERMON  III. 


15 


say,  "  Because  of  swearing  the  land  mourn- 
eth ;"  the  breath  of  some  men  is  nothing 
but  blasphemy;  "their  throat  is  an  open 
sepulchre ;"  the  stench  of  their  profaneneas 
is  uifinitely  worse  than  that  of  a  stinking 
carcass;  and  many,  who  do  not  use  the 
most  horrid  oaths,  will  cry  out — O  Lord ! 
O  God !  O  Christ !  God  bless  us !  Lord 
have  mercy !  &c.  &c.  But,  however  com- 
mon this  practice  is,  let  all  men  know, 
that  God  declares  "  he  will  not  hold  them 
guiltless  that  take  his  name  in  vain."  O 
consider  what  a  great  God  we  have  to  do 
with  ;  and  let  his  name  never  be  mention- 
ed without  a  serious  pause,  allowing  us 
time  to  tliink  who  he  is,  and  that  he  is 
greatly  to  be  feared. 

The  fourth  commandment  respects  the 
religious  observation  of  the  Lord's  Day,  or 
Christian  Sabbath.  Wc  can  never  enough 
admire  the  goodness  of  God  in  the  appoint- 
ment of  it.  Persons  should  prepare  for  it, 
by  having  every  tiling  in  readiness  as 
much  as  possible,  that  no  part  of  it,  espe- 
cially the  morning,  which  is  the  best  part 
of  it,  should  be  lost  All  unnecessary 
works  are  to  be  laid  aside :  no  journeys,  no 
visits,  no  settling  accounts,  writing  letters, 
nor  paying  and  receiving  wages.  The 
whole  day,  from  morning  to  night,  should 
be  spent  in  acts  of  religious  worship,  pub- 
lic and  private,  except  so  much  as  must  be 
employed  in  works  of  necessity  and  mercy. 

O !  how  awfully  is  this  holy  day  pro- 
faned by  idleness,  by  needless  journeys 
and  visits,  by  wilfully  staying  away  from 
public  worship,  or  by  persons  going  to 
church  merely  to  meet  with  neighbors  for 
worldly  business,  or  to  show  their  new 
clothes;  by  going  to  public  houses,  by 
reading  newspapers,  or  by  mere  worldly 
vain  discourse  and  amusement ! 

Now,  the  breach  of  this  commandment, 
and  of  the  three  former,  evidently  proceeds 
from  want  of  love  to  God.  If  we  loved  him 
as  the  best  of  beings,  we  should  love  his 
day,  revere  his  name,  and  prize  his  wor- 
ship. And  have  we  not  broken  all  these 
commandments  I  Have  we  not  reason  to 
cry,  in  the  words  of  the  Liturgy,  "  I^ord, 
have  mercy  upon  us,  (for  having  broken 
these  laws)  and  incline  our  hearts  to  keep 
them  in  time  to  come." 

Proceed  we  now  to  the  second  table  of 
the  law.  The  six  last  commandments  re- 
spect our  love  to  our  neighbor.  The  sum 
of  all  is,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as 
thyself" 

The  Jifth  commandment  respects  our 
nearest  neighbor,  our  relations,  our  pa- 
rents. These  have  tlie  care  and  expense 
of  education ;  we  can  never  repay  their 


kindness.  We  should  honor  them  by  obe-- 
dience  to  their  directions,  and  treating 
them  with  the  greatest  respect ;  and  that 
not  only  in  childhood,  but  in  youth  and. 
riper  years ;  we  should  study  to  preserve 
their  reputation ;  to  alleviate  their  infirmi- 
ties ;  and,  if  necessary,  to  support  them  in 
old  age. 

This  command  also  includes  all  relative 
duties,  whether  to  superiors,  inferiors,  or 
equals ;  it  includes  the  duty  that  servants 
owe  to  their  masters,  and  subjects  to  their 
governors;  it  forbids  mere  eye-service; 
wasting  the  property  of  superiors ;  or  being 
unfaithful  in  what  they  commit  to  our  trust. 

The  sixth  commandment  directs  us  how 
to  show  our  love  to  our  neighbor,  by  a  re- 
gard to  his  life  and  health ;  and  it  forbids 
not  only  actual  murder,  but  anger,  hatred, 
malice,  and  other  murderous  tempers ;  for 
"  whosoever  hateth  his  brother  is  a  mur- 
derer," X  John  iii.  1.5.  Whoever  saith  to 
his  brother,  Raca,  (thou  ^dls  fellow)  or 
thou  fool,  shall  be  in  danger  of  hell  fire," 
so  our  Lord  declares.  Matt.  v.  22.  All 
unjust  wars,  fighting,  quarrelling,  ill 
usage,  or  provocations,  which  may  hurt 
the  health  or  life  of  anotlier,  are  forbidden. 
Many  aged  parents  are  murdered  by  the 
base  conduct  of  their  children;  many 
wives  are  murdered  by  the  drunkermess, 
idleness,  and  abuse  of  their  husbands ;  and 
many  poor  children  are  murdered  by  the 
neglect  and  wickedness  of  their  parents. 
Self-murder  is  also  hereby  forbidden,  no 
man  having  a  right  over  his  own  life,  any 
more  than  over  that  of  his  neighbor.  But 
the  worst  of  all  is  soul-miirfler.  Parent.«, 
who  neglect  to  instruct  their  children,  and 
who  are  examples  of  vice  to  them  ;  drunk- 
ards, whoremongers,  and  adulterers,  who 
allure  others  to  sin  with  them ;  all  these 
are  soul-murderers. 

The  seventh  commandment  respects  the 
love  of  our  neighbor,  with  regard  to  purity 
of  heart,  word,  and  deed :  it  tbrbids  not 
only  the  actual  adultery  of  married  per- 
sons, but  all  fornication,  Jasciviousness,  and 
wantonness.  Every  lustful  thought,  word, 
or  look,  makes  a  person  an  adulterer  in 
God's  si<,ht;  for  so  Christ  himself  explains 
this  commandment,  Matt.  v.  28.  "  WJioso- 
ever  looketh  on  a  woman  to  lust  after  her, 
hath  committed  adultery  with  her  already 
in  his  heart."  All  private  uncleanness, 
known  only  to  God  and  conscience,  and 
practised  perhaps  by  those  who  pass  for 
chaste  and  virtuous  people,  is  forbidden. 
Immodest  dress  tends  to  the  breaking  of 
this  law ;  as  also  do  lewd  books,  novels, 
plays,  songs,  and  pictures.  In  a  word, 
this  commandment  requires  the  most  per- 


16 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


feet  purity  in  heart,  speech,  and  behavior, 
and  an  endeavor  to  promote  the  same  in 
others. 

The  eighth  commandment  directs  us  how 
to  show  our  love  to  our  neighbor,  by  a 
regard  to  his  property.  It  forbids  taking 
to  our  own  use  what  belongs  to  another. 
Covetousness  has  led  men  to  invent  a 
thousand  ways  to  cheat  and  defraud. 
Those  who  deceive  in  selling  by  false 
weights  and  measures ;  those  who  run  in 
debt,  without  the  prospect  of  paying  again ; 
those  who  oppress  the  poor ;  servants  who 
neglect  their  business,  or  waste  their  mas- 
ter's property,  are  all  thieves  in  God's  es- 
teem. This  command  extends  much  flir- 
ther  than  human  laws  can  reach ;  and  re- 
quires that  we  should  treat  our  neighbor, 
with  respect  to  his  property,  as  we  could 
wish  to  be  treated  by  him. 

The  ninth  commandment  respects  our 
love  to  our  neighbor,  in  his  reputation  or 
good  name.  Not  only  taking  a  false  oath 
before  a  magistrate,  but  all  lying,  slan- 
dering, and  evil  speaking,  is  forbidden. 
And,  O  !  how  is  the  world  filled  with  this ! 
And  what  is  the  greater  part  of  common 
conversation  but  a  wanton  breach  of  this 
law  ]  We  ought  to  be  as  tender  of  another 
man's  character  and  reputation  as  of  our 
own,  and  to  avoid  all  such  remarks,  re- 
ports, censures,  and  ridicule,  as  we  should 
be  unwilling  to  receive  from  others. 

The  last  commandment  enjoins  the  love 
of  our  neighbor,  by  requiring  us  to  be  con- 
tent with  our  condition :  forbiddino-  us  to 
envy  or  grieve  at  the  good  of  our  neigh- 
bor, or  wish  to  deprive  him  of  it,  that  we 
may  enjoy  it.  Yea,  it  goes  much  further, 
and  forbids  the  most  secret  wish  of  the 
heart  to  obtain  any  thing  that  God  forbids ; 
and  this  is  particularly  the  commandment 
that  St.  Paul  speaks  of  in  the  text — "  I 
had  not  known  lust,  (saith  he,  ver.  7,)  ex- 
cept the  law  had  said  thou  shalt  not  covet." 
When  this  commandment  came  with  pow- 
er to  his  mind,  he  saw  that  the  secret 
working,  and  first  motions  of  inordinate 
affection,  were  sins.  Before  he  saw  this, 
he  thought  all  was  well,  for  he  was  free 
from  gross  and  outward  offences ;  he  was 
what  the  world  calls  a  good  liver:  but 
this  commandment  showed  him  the  sins  of 
his  heart.  He  found  the  law  was  spiritual 
— reachhig  to  the  thoughts  and  desires  of 
the  heart ;  and  thus,  "  sin,  by  the  com- 
mandment, became  exceeding  sinful." 
Having  taken  this  brief  view  of  the  law, 
we  may  proceed, 

Secondly,  To  consider  the  proper  effect 
of  a  work  of  the  law  upon  Uie  heart  "  Sin 
revived,  and  I  died." 


The  law  is  "  the  ministration  of  con- 
demnation, and  of  death,"  2  Cor.  iii.  7 — 9. 
If  a  person  could  keep  it  perfectly,  it 
would  entitle  liim  to  life ;  for  it  was  origi- 
nally "  ordained  to  life,"  but  "  I  found  it," 
saith  St.  Paul,  "  to  be  unto  death."  The 
reason  is,  because  we  cannot,  through  tlie 
weakness  of  our  fallen  nature,  keep  it  per- 
fectly :  and  if  we  fail  in  one  point,  we  are 
guilty  of  all.  Therefore  it  is  written,  Gal. 
iii.  10,  "  As  many  as  are  of  the  works  of 
the  law  (that  is,  who  trust  to  the  works  of 
the  law  for  salvation)  are  under  the  curse ; 
for  cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not 
in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the 
law,  to  do  them." 

Now  this  is  the  sad  condition  of  us  all, 
till  we  believe  m  Christ  for  righteousness. 
It  is  to  no  purpose  for  any  one  to  plead — I 
have  not  sinned  so  and  so.  Hast  thou 
sinned  once  1  Then  thou  art  guilty,  and 
the  law  condemns  thee  to  eternal  deatli. 
The  law  makes  no  allowances,  no  abate- 
ments ;  it  does  not  say  a  word  about  sin- 
cere obedience,  or  doing  as  well  as  we 
can :  No,  the  law  says.  Do  all  things  that 
are  commanded :  Do  them  perfectly  :  Con- 
tinue all  thy  life  to  do  them;  and  tlien 
thou  mayest  be  justified  by  thy  work :  but, 
if  thou  fail  in  one  mstance,  thou  comest 
under  the  curse ;  for  "  whoever  shall  keep 
the  whole  law,  and  yet  ofiend  in  one  point, 
is  guilty  of  all."     James  ii.  10. 

A  person  may  say,  it  is  true  I  have 
sinned ;  but  I  am  very  sorry  for  my  sins, 
and  I  will  amend  my  life ;  will  not  this 
relieve  me  from  the  curse.'  N^o.  The 
law  has  made  no  provisiop  for  repentance, 
reformation,  or  pardon.  The  style  of  the 
law  is  not.  Repent,  and  live;  or  reform, 
and  live.  But,  keep  the  whole  law  per- 
fectly and  continually,  and  live:  trans- 
gress it,  and  die.  It  is  true  that  the  gos- 
pel brings  relief  for  the  sinner,  because  it 
reveals  Christ  and  his  righteousness :  but 
the  law  knows  nothing  of  mercy.  It  is  not 
intended  to  give  life,  but  to  kill,  and  de- 
stroy all  hopes  of  life  by  obedience,  and  to 
force  the  sinner  to  fly  to  Christ.  So  St. 
Paul  speaks,  Rom.  iii.  19,  "  Now  we 
know,  that  whatsoever  the  law  saith,  it 
saith  to  them  that  are  under  the  law ;  that 
every  mouth  may  be  stopped,  and  all  the 
world  become  guilty  before  God."  This, 
then,  cuts  ofi'  all  hopes  of  salvation  by 
works ;  for  the  Apostle  adds,  "  Tlierefore 
by  tlie  deeds  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh  be 
justified  in  his  sight ;  for  by  tlie  law  is  the 
knowledge  of  sin."  This  is  its  use.  It  can 
go  no  further.  It  is  by  the  gospel  we  have 
the  Ivriowledge  of  righteousness. 

We  should  be  very  careflil  to  distin- 


SERMON  III. 


17 


guisli  between  tlie  law  tind  the  gospel,  for 
many  mistakes  arise  from  mingling  them 
together. 

"  According  to  the  law,  salvation  is  by 
works;  according  to  the  gospel,  it  is  by 
grace." 

"  The  law  says,  Do  this,  and  be  saved ; 
l)ut  the  gospel  says,  Believe  this,  and  thou 
ihalt  be  saved." 

"  The  law  threatefts  to  punish  the  sin- 
ner for  the  first  offence;  but  the  gospel 
oilers  him  pardon  for  many  offences." 

"  Tlie  law  sentences  him  to  death  ;  the 
gospel  oders  him  ju:^tification  to  life." 

"  By  the  law,  he  is  a  guilty  sinner ;  by 
the  gospel,  he  may  be  made  a  glorious 
saint." 

"If  he  die  under  the  guilt  of  the  broken 
law,  hell  will  be  his  everlasting  portion ; 
if  he  die  a  partaker  of  the  grace  of  the 
gospel,  heaven  will  be  his  eternal  inherit- 
ance." 

APPLICATION. 

And  now,  my  dear  friends,  having  laid 
before  you  the  nature  of  the  law,  let  me 
beg  you  most  seriously  to  consider  what 
has  been  said,  and  that  with  regard  to 
yourselves.  What  do  */om  know  of  God's 
law  by  your  own  experience  !  Have  you 
not  seen  that  it  is  exceeding  broad ;  that  it 
requires  you  to  love  God  with  all  your 
heart,  and  soul,  and  strength!  and  your 
neighbor  as  yourself!  And  have  you  done 
this !  Alas  !  your  conscience  smites  you, 
and  your  own  mouth  must  condemn  you. 
How  often  have  you  said,  "  We  have  of- 
fended against  thy  holy  laws.  We  have 
lell  undone  those  things  which  we  ought 
to  have  done ;  and  we  have  done  those 
things  which  we  ought  not  to  have  done." 
Probably  you-  have  often  joined  in  the 
church  service,  and  said,  after  the  reading 
of  the  commandments,  "  Lord  have  mercy 
upon  us,"  that  is,  forgive  our  disobedience 
to  them,  "  and  write  all  these  thy  laws  in 
our  hearts,  we  beseech  thee."  Bid  you 
mean  \vhat  you  said !  If  not,  you  lie  be- 
fore God :  if  you  did,  you  pleailed  guilty ; 
you  have  confessed  you  are  a  breaker  of 
the  law,  and  under  its  curse. 

And  have  you  considered  what  "  a  fear- 
ful thing  it  is  to  fall  into  the  iiands  of  the 
living  God  !"  O,  how  would  your  heart 
melt  within  you,  if  you  duly  considered 
what  it  is  to  be  under  his  curse,  and  to 
bear  his  wrath  to  all  eternity.  If  you  can 
hear  the  curses  of  this  law,  and  not  be 
alarmed  for  your  .'safety,  your  iieart  is  hard 
indeed.  May  CJod  have  mercy  upon  you, 
and  take  away  tlio  heart  of  stone  ! 

Perhaps  you  are  saying,  Must  I  despair, 
then?     No;  God  forbid!     You  must  de- 
C 


spair  of  obtaming  salvation  by  your  works, 
your  sorrow  for  sin,  or  your  future  amend- 
ment. And  this  will  make  the  gospel  wel- 
come to  you.  Tlie  law  has  dune  its  office, 
if  it  drives  you  to  Christ.  It  is  preached 
for  this  very  purpose,  and  "  Christ  is  the 
end  of  the  law  for  rigliteousness."  The 
gospel  reveals  a  free,  full,  and  everlasting 
salvation.  It  publishes  to  the  convinced 
sinner,  pardon  and  life,  as  the  free  gift  of 
God;  for  Christ  has  obeyed  the  precepts 
of  the  law  in  our  stead.  He  has  also  borne 
the  punishmen-t  in  our  room.  "  He  hath 
redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law, 
being  made  a  curse  for  us."  What  a  bless- 
ing have  you  already  received,  if  God,  by 
his  good  Spirit,  has  convinced  you  of  sin ! 
Tliis  is  the  dawn  of  a  glorious  day.  He 
will  also  convince  you  of  righteousness, 
and  show  you  that  it  may  be  yours.  Cast 
yourselves  down  at  the  footstool  of  mercy. 
Confess  your  sins.  Acknowledge  your 
guilt.  Own  your  helplessness.  Cry  for 
pardon.  Fly  to  Jesus,  who  waits  to  be 
gracious,  and  all  shall  yet  be  well.  He 
hath  wounded,  that  he  may  heal ;  he  hath 
killed,  that  he  may  make  alive.  You  now 
will  be  glad  of  the  physician,  for  you  feel 
your  siclmess ;  and  he  waits  to  be  gra- 
cious. You  are  weary  and  heavy  laden, 
and  he  will  give  vou  rest. 

"  Go,  vou  that  rest  upon  the  law, 
AnJ  madly  seek  salvation  there, 

Looii.  to  the  flame  that  Moses  saw, 
And  shrink,  and  tremble,  and  despair. 

"  But  I'll  retire  beneath  the  cross  ; 

Savior,  at  thy  dear  feet  I  He  ! 
And  the  l^een  sword  that  Justice  draws, 

Flaming  and  red,  shall  pass  me  by." 


PRAYKR.— Most  holy  (Jod,  thou  art  the  Cre- 
ator of  all  mankind!  'I'lioii  hast  made  man  a 
rational  being,  and  given  to  him  for  the  rule  of 
his  actions,  a  law  which  is  holy,  just,  and  good  ! 
It  was  meet,  right,  and  our  bo-^nden  duly  to  keep 
thy  law,  which  justly  rociuires  of  us  to  love  thee 
with  all  our  heart,  and  to  love  our  neighbors  as 
ourselves;  but,  alas!  we  have  been  far  from 
doing  this, — we  have  sinned  against  thee,  and 
broken  thy  holy  law,  in  thought,  word,  and 
deed.  Thy  law".  O  God,  is  spiritual,  and  reaches 
to  the  secret  thoughts  of  the  heart,  requiring 
truth  in  the  inward  parts;  but  we  confess,  with 
shame  and  grief,  that  we  have  regarded  iniquity 
in  our  hearts,  and  often  cherislied  unholy  desires 
fir  things  lbrt>idden!  We  (ind,  therefore,  that 
the  law  which  was  ordained  unto  life,  condemns 
us  to  deaih,  by  reason  of  onr  transgression,  and 
curses  the  orfender,  even  tor  a  single  sin.  We, 
therefore,  w^ould  not  go  about  to  establish  our 
own  righleousness;  for  by  the  deeds  of  the  law 
can  no  one  he  justilied.  We  desire,  therefore, 
through  the  law,  to  be  dead  to  the  law,  .ind  no 
longer  to  seek  juslilicaliou  by  it;  but  we  would 
gladly  embrace  the  gospel,  which  assures  us  that 
Christ  has  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the 

2* 


18 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


law,  by  being  made  a  curse  for  us :  for  his  sake, 
O  most  merciful  Father,  blot  out  all  our  iniqui- 
ties, and  let  us  be  accepted  in  the  Beloved  ! — to 
whom,  with  thee,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  all 
honor  and  glory,  world  without  end !    Amen. 


SERMON  IV. 

CHRIST,  THE   END  OF  THE   LAW   FOR 
RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

Rom.  X.  4.  For  Christ  is  tlic  end  of  the  law  for  right- 
eousness to  every  one  that  believeth. 

The  two  principal  parts  of  Scripture, 
which  it  concerns  us  most  to  know,  are 
the  Law  and  the  Gospel.  "  He  who  can 
rightly  distinguish  between  these,"  says 
Luther,  "  is  a  good  divine ;"  and  we  may 
add,  that  he  who  knows  how  to  use  both 
aright,  in  an  experimental  and  practical 
manner,  is  a  good  Christian. 

The  nature  and  use  of  the  law  has  been 
already  considered.  The  proper  effect  of 
it  is  the  same  in  every  believer  as  it  was 
in  St.  Paul.  "  I  was  alive  without  the  law 
once ;  but  when  the  commandment  came, 
sin  revived,  and  I  died."  The  person 
brought  into  this  state  will  be  put  on  the 
inquiry — How  then  can  I  come  before  God 
and  hope  for  pardon?  If  the  law  be  so 
holy  and  strict — if  it  can  do  nothing  for 
me,  but  convince  me  of  sin,  and  condemn 
me  for  it — by  what  means  can  I  be  ac- 
cepted ] 

Now  there  are  but  two  ways,  that  ever 
were  proposed  of  God,  or  devised  by  man : 
the  one  according  to  the  old  covenant,  Do, 
and  live ;  the  other,  accordmg  to  the  new 
— "  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus'  Christ,  and 
thou  shalt  be  saved."  Whatever  ways  and 
means  have  been  thought  of,  by  people  of 
all  religions,  they  may  be  reduced  to  these 
two— WorA.?,  or  Grace.  And  these  can- 
not be  mixed ;  for  if  any  merit  be  allowed 
to  works,  there  is  an  end  to  grace ;  and  if 
salvation  be  of  grace,  then  there  is  no 
place  for  the  merit  of  works.  So  St.  Paul 
speaks,  Rom.  xi.  6.  "  If  by  grace,  then  it 
is  no  more  of  works :  otherwise  grace  is 
no  more  grace.  But  if  it  be  of  works,  then 
it  is  no  more  grace  ;  otherwise  work  is  no 
more  work."  So  that  you  see  salvation 
cannot  be  by  grace  and  works  mixed,  it 
must  be  by  one  or  the  other  alone;  and 
we  are  repeatedly  assured  in  the  Scrip- 
ture, that  "  by  grace  are  we  saved,  through 
faith,"  and  "  not  by  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast,"  Eph.  ii.  8,  9. 

It  is  of  vast  importance  to  be  rightly  in- 
formed on  this  head.  This  may  be  inferred 
from  what  St.  Paul  says  of  the  Jews,  Rom. 
ix.  30,  &c.  "  The  Gentiles  (saith  he)  who 


followed  not  after  righteousness,  have  at- 
tained to  righteousness,  even  the  right- 
eousness which  is  of  faith:  but  Israel, 
which  followed  after  righteousness,  hath 
not  attained  to  the  law  of  righteousness." 
This,  you  will  say,  is  strange  !  What  can 
be  the  reason  of  it  ?  He  tells  us,  ver.  31. 
"Because  they  sought  it  not  by  faith." 
How  then  1  "  As  it  were  by  the  works  of 
the  law.  For  they  stumbled  at  that  stum- 
bling stone.  Alas,  how  many  thousands 
called  Christians,  have  stumbled  in  the 
same  way.  God  preserve  us  from  it !  How 
earnestly  did  the  good  apostle  wish  for  the 
salvation  of  his  mistaken  brethren.  His 
"  heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  them 
was,  that  they  might  be  saved."  He  saw, 
that  while  they  were  looking  for  life  by 
their  works,  they  were  not  in  the  way  of 
salvation.  It  is  true,  they  had  a  great  zeal 
for  God,  but  it  was  good  for  nothing ;  it 
was  founded  in  ignorance.  "  They  were 
ignorant  of  God's  righteousness,"  namely, 
tjis  in  the  text;  ahd  being  ignorant  of 
this,  and  yet  wanting  a  righteousness, 
"  they  went  about  to  establish  their  own ;" 
— they  tried  to  set  it  up,  and  make  it 
stand  for  their  acceptance ;  even  their  own 
poor,  imperfect,  ceremonial,  and  outward 
works;  but  they  were  totally  insufficient 
for  that  purpose;  and  thus  through  the 
pride  of  their  hearts,  which  scorned  to  be 
entirely  beholden  to  free  grace,  they  re- 
fused to  stoop,  and  submit  to  be  saved  by 
the  righteousness  of  another,  even  of 
Christ,  who  is  said  in  the  text  to  be  the 
"  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every 
one  that  believeth."  May  God  keep  us 
from  this  worst  sort  of  pride ;  and  enlighten 
our  minds  while  we  attend  to  the  three 
following  particulars. 

I.  Jesus  Christ,  by  his  obedience  and 
death,  performed  a  perfect  righteousness. 

II.  In  so  doing,  he  is  the  end  of  tlie  law ; 
and, 

III.  This  righteousness  is  given  to  every 
believer. 

I.  Jesus  Christ,  by  his  obedience  and 
death,  performed  a  perfect  righteousness. 

"  God  made  man  upright."  He  gave 
him  a  law  to  be  the  rule  of  his  actions,  in- 
cluding a  promise  if  he  kept  it,  and  a 
threatening  if  he  broke  it.  If  he  obeyed 
the  law  perfectly,  God  would  esteem  him 
righteous.  Adam  fell ;  and,  with  him,  all 
his  posterity ;  for  he  was  appointed  their 
head  and  representative.  "  By  one  man's 
disobedience  iriany  were  made  sinners," 
Rom.  V.  19.  Our  nature  is  now  corrupt ; 
and  we  are  born  with  enmity  in  our  hearts 
against  God.  "  The  carnal  mind  is  not 
subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  can  it 


SERMON  IV. 


19 


be,"  while  it  remains  carnal.  But  the  law- 
is  not  altered.  It  requires  what  it  always 
did,  Love.  This  was  always  due  from  man 
to  his  Creator,  and  always  will,  whether 
men  pay  it  or  not.  If  man  refuse  to  give 
it,  he  is  a  rebel  and  an  idolater.  The  law 
being  ever  the  same,  it  thunders  out  its 
dreadful  curses  against  every  sinner,  for 
every  sin.  But  the  law  provides  no  reme- 
dy. It  will  not  accept  of  sincere  obedience, 
instead  of  perfect  obedience.  It  says  not 
a  word  of  accepting  a  sinner's  tears  for 
payment;  or  admitting  his  future  obe- 
dience as  a  recompense  for  past  sins.  No, 
it  constantly  demands  supreme  love  and 
perfect  obedience ;  and  condemns  the  sin- 
ner for  the  want  of  it  in  a  single  instance. 
"But  what  the  law  could  not  do,  be- 
cause of  the  weakness  of  the  flesh,  God 
has  done  anotlier  way."  God  has  sent  his 
Son  to  be  our  righteousness.  As  the  law 
could  not  abate  in  its  demands,  and  must 
have  obedience  from  the  creature,  or  pun- 
ish the  sinner;  Jesus  Christ  graciously 
undertook  to  obey  and  suffer  for  his  peo- 
ple ;  to  obey  all  the  precepts  of  the  law, 
and  to  suffer  all  its  pains  and  penalties. 
The  law  required  perfect  obedience  of 
them ;  Christ  came  as  their  surety  to  obey 
for  them ;  and  so,  as  it  is  written,  "  By  the 
obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made 
righteous." 

This  blessed  and  comfortable  truth  may 
be  fully  proved  from  many  scriptures. 
Take  the  following,  2  Cor.  v.  21.  "  He 
hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew 
no  sm,  that  we  might  be  made  the  right- 
eousness of  God  in  iiim." 

Jesus  Christ  knew  no  sin.  He  was  free 
from  sin  in  his  nature;  that  holy  thing 
which  was  born  of  the  virgin  being  the 
Son  of  God.  His  whole  life  was  as  pure 
as  his  birth.  He  knew  no  sin  in  thought, 
word,  or  deed.  He  challenged  his  bitter- 
est enemies  to  prove  him  a  sinner — 
"  Which  of  you,  said  he,  accuseth  me  of 
sin!"  Yea,  the  great  enemy,  the  devil, 
came  and  "  found  nothing  in  him ;"  no  sin 
in  his  heart ;  no  sin  in  his  life.  Thus  was 
he  the  pure  and  spotless  Lamb  of  God, 
prepared  to  bear  away  the  sin  of  the 
world. 

But  Jesus  Christ,  wiio  knew  no  sin,  was 
"  made  sin,''^  tliat  is,  by  imputation ;  it  was 
reckoned  to  hmi ;  put  to  his  account ;  in 
the  same  manner  as  his  righteousness  is 
imputed  to  us,  or  put  to  our  account.  Out 
of  his  great  love  to  his  people,  he  became 
their  surety,  to  answer  for  their  sins,  and 
to  bear  their  punishment.  So  the  prophet 
Isaiah  speaks,  chap.  liii.  4,  dz,c.  "  Surely 
he  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our 


sorrows.  He  was  wounded  for  our  trans- 
gressions ;  he  was  bruised  for  our  iniqui- 
ties ;  the  Lord  hath  laid  upon  him  the  ini- 
quity of  us  all." 

The  design  of  Christ's  being  made  sin 
for  us  was,  ".  that  we  might  be  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  him."  Righteous- 
ness is  a  perfect  conformity  to  the  law  of 
God,  without  which  no  man  can  be  saved ; 
for  it  is  written,  ''  The  unrighteous  shall 
not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,"  1  Cor.  vi. 
9.  Now  we  are  all  unrighteous,  because 
we  have  broken  the  law.  "  There  is  none 
righteous"  upon  earth  in  himself:  "  no, 
not  one."  And  yet  without  a  righteous- 
ness, we  cannot  be  saved.  What  then  can 
we  do  !  Where  can  we  look  ]  Only  to 
Jesus.  "  Surely  shall  one  say,  in  the  Lord 
have  I  righteousness  and  strength."  "  It 
is  not  said,  in  my  own  works,  in  my  own 
repentance,  no,  nor  in  my  own  faith,  but 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  have  I  righteousness — 
righteousness  for  justification,  and  strength 
for  sanctification.  An  imputed  righteous- 
ness to  procure  my  acceptance;  an  im- 
parted strength  to  produce  my  holiness. 
Surely,  which  expresses  a  firm  persuasion, 
and  an  unshaken  affiance."  To  him  give 
all  the  prophets  witness ;  for  "  this  right- 
eousness of  God  without  the  law,  is  wit- 
nessed by  the  law  and  the  prophets."  Hear 
what  the  prophet  Daniel  says  of  him,  ch. 
Lx.  24. — "  To  finish  the  transgression,  and 
to  make  an  end  of  sins,  and  to  make  recon- 
ciliation for  iniquity,  and  to  bring  in  ever- 
lasting righteousness."  All  this  Christ 
actually  did  by  his  obedience  unto  death ; 
and  thus  he  became  the  end  of  the  law, 
which  is  the  second  thing  we  proposed. 

II.  Jesus  Christ,  by  his  righteousness,  is 
become  the  end  of  the  law ;  for 

1.  Hereby  he  put  an  end  to  the  ceremo- 
nial law,  or  those  ordinances,  such  as  sac- 
rifices, which  were  types  or  emblems  of 
liim.  You  may  remember,  that  our  Savior, 
just  before  liis  death,  cried  out,  "  It  is  fin- 
ished .'" — as  if  ho  had  said — My  engage- 
ments with  the  Father  are  accomplished — 
the  types  and  prophecies  are  fulfilled — my 
dreadful  sufferings  are  at  an  end — the 
ceremonial  law  is  abolished.  Thus  "  the 
law  came  by  Moses,  but  grace  and  truth 
by  Jesus  Christ." 

2.  The  moral  law,  or  law  of  the  ten 
commandments,  was  hereby  satisfied  and 
magnified;  according  to  the  prophecy,  (Is. 
xlii.  21.)  "  He  will  magnify  the  law  and 
make  it  honorable."  The  law  must  have 
its  end,  and  be  completely  fulfilled,  or  we 
cannot  appear  as  rigiiteous  before  God; 
but  we  are  unable  to  fulfil  it  ourselves. 
What  we,  however,  could  not  do,  He,  as 


20 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


our  surety,  has  done.  The  law  demands 
a  righteousness  of  us ;  this  is  the  end  at 
which  it  aims,  but  we  cannot  effect  it. 
Christ  has  done  it  for  us,  and  is  become 
the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to 
every  one  that  believeth.  With  this  the 
law  is  satisfied,  and,  like  the  avenger  of 
blood,  pursues  the  smner  only  till  he  takes 
refuge  in  Christ ;  in  him  the  believer  finds 
a  sanctuary,  and  the  law  retires,  satisfied, 
and  well  pleased  for  his  righteousness'  sake. 

We  have  only  now  to  show,  m  the 

Third  place,  That  this  righteousness  is 
given  to  every  believer ;  or,  that  it  is  by 
ftiith  we  become  interested  therein. 

The  righteousness  wrought  out  by  Jesus 
is  freely  given  to  the  believer ;  so  St.  Paul 
says,  Rom.  v.  16.  "  The  judgment  was  by 
one  (offence)  to  condenmation,  but  the  free 
gift  is  of  many  offences  to  justification." 

If  it  be  asked.  How  can  the  righteous- 
ness of  another  be  made  ours  ?  We  an- 
swer, in  the  same  manner  that  our  sins 
were  made  Christ's,  that  is,  by  imputation. 
Christ,  who  had  no  sin  of  his  own,  was 
made  sin  for  us ;  reckoned  as  a  sinner,  and 
dealt  with  as  such ;  so  we,  who  have  no 
righteousness  of  our  own,  are  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  him — not  in  our- 
selves. The  sins  of  the  elect  were  not 
inherent  in  Christ,  but  put  to  his  account ; 
so  the  righteousness  of  Clirist  is  not  in- 
herent in  us,  but  imputed  to  us ;  and  God 
is  graciously  pleased  to  deal  with  us  ac- 
cordingly :  he  treats  us  as  if  we  had  not 
sinned,  and  accepts  us  as  perfectly  right- 
eous, so  that  there  is  no  condemnation 
whatever  to  us. 

The  nature  of  tliis  may  be  learned  from 
the  dealings  of  mankind  with  one  another. 
We  read  in  St.  Paul's  Epistle  to  Phile- 
mon, to  whom  he  wrote  in  behalf  of  Onesi- 
mus,  a  runaway  servant,  who  was  after- 
wards converted,  desiring  him  to  receive 
him  again — "  If  he  hath  wronged  thee,  or 
oweth  thee  aught,  saith  Paul,  impnte  il  to 
me"  put  it  to  my  account.  And  thus  it  is 
with  bondsmen,  or  sureties,  who  make 
themselves  liable  to  pay  tlic  debt  of  an- 
other; what  they  pay  is  imputed  to  the 
person  for  whom  they  are  bound,  and  he 
is  reckoned  to  have  paid  it  by  them  :  and 
thus  as  a  plain  man  expresses  it,  "  The 
gospel  is  nothing  but  good  news — that  a 
rich  man  is  come  into  the  country,  to  pay 
poor  people's  debts." 

Now  this  glorious  gift  of  rigliteousness 
becomes  ours  by  faith ;  it  is  therefore  call- 
ed "the  righteousness  of  faith  ;"  and  "the 
righteousness  of  God,  which  is  by  faith, 
and  which  is  to,  and  upon,  all  that  be- 
lieve." Hence,  also,  we  are  said  to  be  jus- 


tified by  faith ;  and  "  to  be  saved  by  grace, 
through  faith." 

The  person  who  has  been  convinced  of 
sin  by  the  law,  alarmed  by  his  sense  of 
danger,  led  to  seek  tor  salvation,  and  en- 
ligiitened  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ, 
gladly  receives  this  gift  of  righteousness. 
He  sees  no  other  way.  He  is  pleased  with 
this  way.  He  receives  this  righteousness, 
and  relies  upon  it  for  his  acceptance  with 
God. 

We  mu^t  always  remember,  that  the 
only  person  who  can  or  will  receive  this 
righteousness,  is  one  who  has  been  con- 
vinced that  he  is  unrighteous  in  himself; 
and  who  is  looking  out  for  deliverance 
from  that  state  in  which  the  law  leaves 
him.  He  hears  the  proposal  of  the  gospel ; 
assents  to  it  as  true ;  delights  in  it  as  good ; 
renounces  all  other  ways  of  obtaining  re- 
lief, and  heartily  consents  to  be  saved  by 
grace  alone.  This  is  that  faith  frequently 
described  in  the  Scripture  by  receiving 
Christ — coming  to  Christ — and  trusting  in 
Christ 

APPLICATION. 

And  now,  my  dear  friends,  consider,  I 
beseech  you,  the  great  importance  of  this 
subject.  That  great  reformer,  Luther,. 
said,  "  that  justification  by  faith  is  that  ar- 
ticle on  which  the  whole  church  must 
stand  or  fall."  It  was  the  pillar  of  the 
Reformation.  It  is  the  leading  doctrine 
of  the  Churcli  of  England.  In  one  of  the- 
thirty-nine  articles,  which  you  will  do  well 
to  read',  this  grand  truth  is  thus  expressed : 
"  We  are  accounted  righteous  before  God, 
only  for  tlie  merit  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
by  faith,  and  not  for  our  outi  works  or  de- 
serving's.  Wherefore,  that  we  are  justi- 
fied by  faith  only,  is  a  most  wholesome 
doctrine,  and  very  full  of  comfort."  The 
prayer-book  speaks  the  same  language. 
Perhaps  yoa  may  remember  these  expres- 
sions :  "  O  Lord  God,  who  seest  that  we 
put  not  our  trust  in  any  thing  that  we  do." 
Agam,  "  We  lean  only  on  the  hope  of  thy 
heavenly  grace."  In  another  place,  "  We 
do  not  presume  to  come  to  this  thy  table, 
trusting  in  our  own  righteousness." 

Take  also  a  few  passages  from  the  book 
of  Homilies.  "  Man  cannot  make  himself 
righteous  by  his  own  works,  neitlier  in 
whole  nor  in  part :  for  that  were  the  great- 
est arrogancy  and  presumption  in  man  that 
Antichrist  could  set  up  against  God,  to 
aftirm  that  man  mio-ht,  by  his  own  works, 
take  away  his  sins,  and  so  justify  himself" 
In  another  place  we  have  these  excellent 
words,  "  Christ  is  now  become  the  right- 
eousness of  all  them  that  do  truly  believe 
in  him ;  He,  for  them,  paid  the  ransom  by 


SERMON  IV. 


21 


his  death  ;  lie,  for  them,  fulfilled  the  law 
in  his  life.  Once  more,  "  This  righteous- 
ness, which  we  so  receive  of  God's  mercy, 
and  Christ's  merits,  embraced  by  faith,  is 
taken,  accepted,  and  allowed  of  Cod,  our 
perfect  and  full  justification." 

Think  of  tliis  matter  with  respect  to 
yourselves. — You  must  die.  You  must 
appear  before  a  holy  God,  wlio  hates  sin, 
and  has  declared  that  tlie  soul  tliat  sinneth 
shall  die.  Are  you  not  asking, — "  Where- 
with shall  1  come  bctbre  the  Lord,  and  ap- 
pear before  the  most  high  God  !"  You  have 
now  heard.  Not  by  work*  of  righteous- 
ness which  you  have  done.  These  are 
imperfect  and  insufficient.  The  best  of 
them  is  mixed  with  sin.  Trust  not  to 
tliein.  Renounce  them  all,  and  say  with 
St.  Paul,  '•  Yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count  all 
things  but  dung  and  dross,  that  I  may  win 
Christ,  and  be  tbund  in  him,  not  havmg  on 
mine  own  righteousness,  but  that  which 
is  through  the  faith  of  Clxrist,,the  right- 
eousness which  is  of  God,  by  faith."  If 
you  trust  to  any  thing  else,  you  "frus- 
trate," as  much  as  you  can,  "  the  grace  of 
God,"  and  in  eiiect  say,  that  "  Christ  died 
in  vain."  This  is  a  blasphemy  that  you 
do  not  intend,  but  all  self-righteousness 
speaks  this  horrid  language.  Remember 
what  is  written,  1  Cor.  iii.  11,  "Other 
foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid, 
which  is  Jesus  Christ."  This  alone  can 
bear  the  weight  of  a  sinner's  salvation ; 
every  other  will  give  way  when  the  storm 
comes,  and  bury  the  builder  in  its  ruins. 

But  I  hope  better  things  of  you,  my 
brethren,  even  the  things  wiiich  accom- 
pany salvation.  I  hoce  you  are  convinced 
of  sin,  and  also  of  righteousness ;  that  you 
are  hungering  and  thirsting  atl:er  it.  Be 
of  good  comfort.  It  is  the  gift  of  God, 
freely  bestowed,  without  any  deservings 
on  the  part  of  the  sinner.  "  Ask,  and  ye 
siuill  receive.  Seek,  and  ye  shall  find. 
Ivjiock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you." 
Pray  to  God  for  faith.  It  is  the  work  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  produce  it.  Faith  Com- 
eth by  hearhig.  Continue  to  hear  his 
word ;  and  expect,  that,  in  waiting  upon 
God,  he  will  enable  you  to  mix  faith  with 
it,  that  so  it  may  profit  your  soul. 

Have  any  of  you,  my  brethren,  put  on  the 
Lord  Jesus!  Is  he  the  foundation  of  your 
hopes!  Is  his  righteousness  tlie  rock  on 
which  you  build  !  the  wedding  garment  in 
which  you  resolve  to  appear  before  Jiim  l 
I  call  upon  you  to  rejoice.  Blessed  are  your 
eyes,  for  they  see  :  and  your  ears,  for  tliey 
hear.  Blessed  is  your  heart,  for  therewith 
ye  have  believed  unto  salvation.  Now  you 
may  say  with  the  Church,  (Isa.  Ixi.  10.) 
*'  I  will  greatly  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  my 


soul  shall  be  joyful  in  my  God ;  for  he  hath 
clothed  me  with  the  garments  of  salvation; 
he  hath  covered  me  witii  the  robe  of  right- 
eousness!"— "  A  robe,  that  hides  every  sin, 
which  in  thought,  word,  or  deed,  I  have 
committed.  A  robe,  which  screens  from 
the  sword  of  justice,  the  curse  of  the  law, 
and  all  the  vengeance  which  my  iniqui- 
ties have  deserved.  A  robe,  which  adorns 
and  dignifies  my  soul;  renders  it  fair  as 
the  moon,  clear  as  the  sun,  and  meet  for 
the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light." 
Happy  believer !  go  on  thy  way  rejoicing. 
The  sting  of  death  is  gone.  Who  shall 
condenm  thee !  God  hath  justified  thee. 
Thou  luiowest  in  whom  thou  hast  believ- 
ed ;  and  he  will  assuredly  keep  that  which 
thou  hast  committed  unto  him.  Wear  this 
righteousness  as  thy  breastplate.  It  shall 
guard  thy  heart  from  fear,  in  sickness  and 
in  death;  yea,  thus  defended,  thou  shalt 
appear  with  boldness  in  the  presence  of 
God.  Filled  with  holy  joy  and  gratitude, 
let  thy  lips  and  life  proclaim  the  same  faith 
which  justifies  the  soul,  sanctifies  the 
heart;  that  this  doctrine  is  according  to 
godliness;  and  that,  "the  grace  of  God, 
which  bringeth  salvation,  teacheth  thee  to 
deny  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  to 
live  righteously,  soberly,  and  godly  in  this 
present  evil  world."  Let  the  following  lines 
be  the  sincere  language  of  every  soul : 

"  Be  all  my  heart,  and  all  my  ways, 
Directed  to  thy  single  praise ; 
And  let  my  glad  obedience  prove, 
How  much  I  owe,  how  much  I  love." 

The  Law  and  Gospel  distinguished. 

The  Law  commands,  and  makes  us  know, 
What  duties  to  our  Ciod  we  owe; 
But  'tis  the  Gospel  must  reveal 
Where  lies  our  strengtii  to  do  his  will. 

The  Law  discovers  guilt  and  sin, 

And  shows  how  vile  our  hearts  have  been; 

Only  the  Gospel  can  express 

Forgiving  love,  and  cleansing  grace. 

What  curses  doth  the  Law  dcnoimce 
Against  the  man  who  fails  hut  once! 
But  in  the  Gospel  C'hrist  appears, 
Pard'ning  the  guilt  of  num'rous  years. 

My  sold,  no  more  attempt  to  draw 
Thy  life  and  com(()rt  from  tiie  law; 
Fly  to  the  hope  the  Gospel  gives, 
The  man  who  trusts  the  promise  lives. 

Watts. 


PRAYER. — O  God  of  our  salvation,  we  re- 
joice 10  hear  that  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law 
for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth ! 
May  we  be  true  believers,  that  he  may  he  the 
end  of  the  law  for  ns !  We  rejoice  in  believing 
that  what  the  law  could  not  do  ibr  us,  because 
of  the  weakness  and  infirmity  of  our  fallen  na- 
ture, thou,  O  (iod,  in  thy  infinite  wisdom  and 
love,  hast  done  in  another  way, — even  by  giving 
thy  dear  Son  to  be  our  righteousness!   li^  was 


22 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


made  ein  for  us,  thai  we  might  be  made  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  him.  He  perfectly  obey- 
ed all  his  precepts  in  his  holy  life  ;  he  endured 
its  heaviest  penalties  in  his  meritorious  death, 
and  thus  brought  in  an  everlasting  righteous- 
ness, by  which  the  law  is  not  only  satislied,  but 
magnihed,  and  made  honorable !— O  then  enable 
each  of  us  to  say,  •'  In  the  Lord  have  I  right- 
eousness and  strength :  I  will  greatly  rejoice  in 
the  Lord  : — my  soul  shall  be  joyful  in  my  God  ; 
for  he  hath  clothed  me  with  the  garments  of  sal- 
vation; he  halh  covered  me  with  the  robe  of 
righteousness!" — to  him  be  glory,  honor,  and 
praise,  now  and  for  evermore !    Amen. 


SERMON  V. 

THE  FALL  OF  MAN. 

Eccl.  vii.  29. — God  made  man  upright ;  but  they  have 
sought  out  many  inventions. 

These  are  the  words  of  Solomon,  the 
king  of  Israel ;  and  appear  to  be  the  re- 
sult of  much  observation  and  experience. 
Possessed  of  superior  talents,  and  placed 
in  the  highest  station,  he  resolved  to  at- 
tain the  utmost  degree  of  wisdom :  but  his 
success  was  not  equal  to  his  wishes.  He 
perceived,  however,  the  extreme  folly  of 
having  so  many  wives  and  concubines ; 
and  says,  verse  28, — "  One  man  among  a 
thousand  have  I  found  ;  but  a  woman 
among  all  those  have  I  not  found ;"  that 
is,  amongst  liis  courtiers  and  flatterers,  one 
man,  perhaps,  among  a  thousand,  he  found, 
on  whom  he  could  depend;  but  not  one 
among  his  thousand  wives  and  concubines. 
"  But  this  only,  saith  he,  have  I  found — 
that  God  made  man  upright ;  but  they  have 
sought  out  many  inventions."  This  he 
was  sure  of  He  had  no  doubt  respecting 
this :  and  to  this  apostasy  of  man  he  traces 
up  the  evils  he  saw  and  felt. 

These  words  represent  two  things — 
namely. 

The  original  and  apostate  state  of  man. 

First,  let  us  consider  the  original  state 
*)f  man.     "  God  made  m.an  upriglit." 

M'ln  signifies  the  first  man  Adam ;  the 
father  and  head  of  all  men ;  in  whom  the 
whole  human  race  was  included.  God 
made  him  ;  formed  him  out  of  the  dust  of 
the  earth ;  and  breathed  into  his  nostrils 
the  breath  of  life,  Gen.  ii.  7.  God  made 
him  upright ;  this  does  not  mean  in  his 
bodily  stature,  but  in  the  frame  and  dispo- 
sition of  his  mind.  "  God  created  man  in 
his  own  image,  in  his  own  likeness."  He 
was  naturally  and  habitually  righteous. 
His  heart  was  properly  disposed  towards 
God ;  with  a  love  of  good,  and  a  hatred  of 
evil.  The  law  was  not  written  for  him  in 
tables  of  stone,  but  it  was  written  upon 
hia  heart. 


His  mind  was  endued  with  true  know- 
ledge, (Col.  iii.  2.)  He  knew  his  Maker. 
He  knew  his  glorious  perfections ;  his 
power,  his  wisdom,  his  holiness,  and  liis 
goodness.  He  knew  his  relation  to  God, 
his  duty  to  him,  and  his  dependence  on 
him.  He  saw  the  glory  and  goodness  of 
God  in  his  works.  He  studied  them,  that 
he  might  glorify  God  in  them ;  hence  we 
find  him  giving  names  to  the  creatures, 
which,  in  the  original,  show  that  he  had 
observed  them,  and  tmderstood  their  na- 
ture. 

His  loill  was  conformed  to  the  will  of 
God.  It  had  no  such  bias  to  evil  as  we  now 
have  ;  but  it  was  disposed  to  comply  with 
the  divine  will  in  all  respects. 

The  affections  of  hil  soul  were  holy  and 
heavenly.  He  loved  God  above  all.  He 
considered  him  as  the  supreme  good,  and 
the  grand  source  of  his  happiness.  He 
loved  the  creatures  for  God's  sake ;  and  all 
the  beauty  of  sweetness  he  found  in  them, 
led  him  to  adore  and  love  his  God  the  more. 

In  this  state,  man  was  truly  blessed  and 
honorable.  His  mind  was  calm.  His  con- 
science was  easy.  He  knew  no  guilt.  He 
felt  no  shame.  He  was  a  stranger  to  fear. 
No  angry  passions  disturbed  his  soul.  His 
body  was  free  from  disease  and  pain.  He 
conversed  with  God,  and  was  as  happy  as 
Paradise  could  make  him. 

Had  he  continued  in  this  state  of  up- 
rightness for  a  certain  time,  he  would  prob- 
ably have  been  translated,  without  pain 
or  death,  to  a  heavenly  state,  still  happier ; 
and  all  his  posterity  would  liave  been  con- 
firmed in  the  same  condition  of  holiness 
aud  happiness,  without  the  danger  of  fall- 
ing, as  he  did  :  for  as  it  is  certain,  that  all 
mankind,  descended  from  Adam,  are  in- 
volved in  the  consequences  of  his  fall ;  we 
may  justly  conchide,  that  had  he  main- 
tained his  integrity,  they  would  all  have 
shared  in  the  happy  fruit  of  it.  But,  alas ! 
though  "  God  made  man  upright,  he  hath 
sought  out  many  inventions."  "  The  crown 
is  fallen  from  his  liead,  the  glory  is  depart- 
ed from  him."  This  is  a  point  which  it 
greatly  concerns  us  to  know.  This  is  one 
of  the  first  principles  of  our  religion,  on 
which  all  the  rest  depend.  For  if  man  is 
not  at  variance  with  his  Creator,  what  need 
of  a  Mediator !  If  he  be  not  depraved  and 
undone,  what  necessity  of  a  Restorer  and 
Savior  1  If  he  is  not  enslaved  to  sin,  why 
is  he  redeemed  by  Jesus  Clirist  ?  If  he  is 
not  polluted,  why  must  he  be  washed  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb  ?  If  his  soul  is  not  dis- 
ordered, what  occasion  is  there  for  a  divine 
Physician  ?  In  a  word,  if  he  is  not  born 
in  sin,  why  is  a  new  birth  so  necessary, 


SERMON  V. 


23 


that  Christ  solemnly  declares,  without  it  no 
man  can  "  see  the  kingdom  of  God  !"  Let 
us  then  attend,  in  the  second  place,  to 

The  present  apostate  state  of  man. 

Satan,  full  of  hatred  to  God,  and  envying 
the  happiness  of  man,  devised  the  method 
of  his  destruction  witli  infernal  cunning. 
He  assaulted  "the  weaker  vessel"  first; 
questioned,  and  then  denied  the  word  of 
God ;  represented  the  command  not  to  eat 
of  tlie  tree  as  very  severe ;  and  the  eating 
of  it  as  quite  harmless,  yea,  as  highly  ad- 
vantageous. "  Ye  shall  not  surely  die," 
said  the  devil,  though  God  had  said,  "  Ye 
shall  surely  die."  Thus  Eve  was  deceived, 
and  became  the  unhappy  means  of  seduc- 
ing her  husband.  Thus  both  our  parents 
fell  from  their  original  state  of  purity  and 
bliss ;  and,  as  a  token  of  God's  dreadful 
displeasure,  were  banished  from  the  garden 
of  Eden. 

But  you  must  observe,  that  in  and  by  this 
fall  of  our  first  parents,  all  their  posterity 
likewise  fell.  So,  St.  Paul  assures  us, 
Rom.  V.  12,  "  By  one  man  sin  entered  in- 
to the  world,  and  death  by  sin ;  and  so  death 
passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sin- 
ned." And  again  verse  15,  "  through  the 
offence  of  one,  many  are  dead ;"  and  again, 
verse  18,  "  by  the  offence  of  one,  judgment 
came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation." 

In  consequence  of  our  fall  in  Adam,  our 
nature  is  wholly  corrupt.  Our  hearts  are 
naturally  carnal  and  worldly.  We  forsake 
God,  the  foundation  of  happiness ;  and  vain- 
ly strive  to  make  ourselves  happy  in  sin 
and  folly ;  or,  as  our  text  has  it — "  we  have 
sought  out  many  inventions" — many  vain 
reasonings — many  foolish  questions  and 
speculations  !  we  may  read  our  depravity 
in  our  misery.  In  our  present  fallen  state 
we  can  relish  only  earthly  things,  and  they 
all  conspire  to  disappoint  our  expectations. 
What  are  the  numberless  inventions  of 
men,  but  weak  and  wicked  attempts  to  pro- 
cure happiness  without  God,  and  contrary 
to  his  will.  What  inventions  to  please 
the  imaginations  1  Hence  the  loads  of  nov- 
els which  burden  the  world,  and  are  read 
and  relislied  far  better  than  the  word  of 
truth.  What  inventions  to  delight  the 
eyes !  Hence  plays  and  shows,  and  all  the 
vanity  of  dress.  What  inventions  to  please 
the  ear !  Hence  all  the  charms  of  music, 
vocal  and  instrumental.  What  inventions 
to  gratify  tlie  taste  1  Hence  all  tlie  art  of 
cookery,  collecting  niceties  from  every 
quarter  of  tlie  world.  Of  how  many  may 
it  be  said,  that  their  kitchen  is  their  temple, 
the  cook  their  priest,  and  their  belly  their 
god !  What  inventions  are  there  to  kill 
time !   Short  as  life  is,  and  we  all  complain 


it  is  so  short,  yet  it  drags  on  too  slowly  for 
many.  Hence  the  various  amusements, 
especially  playing  at  cards,  invented  on 
purpose  to  kill  time.  All,  how  soon  will 
these  murderers  of  time  wish  for  one  of 
their  lost  hours,  when  time  with  tliem  shall 
be  no  more  !  What  inventions  are  there  to 
gratify  pride !  What  contrivances  to  make 
us  look  greater  and  finer  than  our  neigh- 
bors! What  inventions  to  become  rich 
and  great!  for  this,  men  spend  all  their 
strength,  and  risk  their  health  and  life. 
What  inventions  to  deceive  one  another, 
and  to  appear  wliat  we  really  are  not ! 

But  there  are  worse  inventions  still  in 
matters  of  religion.  What  inventions  of 
doctrine  !  how  many  teach,  for  divine  truth, 
the  commandments  of  men  !  What  inven- 
tions in  the  worship  of  God !  Hence  all 
idolatry  and  superstition ;  hateful  to  God, 
and  hurtful  to  men.  What  inventions  as 
to  the  way  of  acceptance  with  God  !  There 
is  but  one  true  way,  and  that  is  Christ; 
but  instead  of  this,  men  have  invented  a 
thousand  ways ;  pretending,  by  tlieir  own 
virtue,  goodness,  morality,  charity,  and  de- 
votion, to  recommend  themselves  to  God. 

Not  to  dwell  any  longer  on  the  word 
"  inventions,"  let  us  take  a  general  view 
of  man  in  his  fallen  state. 

See  what  ignorance  veils  his  mind ! 
How  wretched  and  near  to  the  state  of 
brute  beasts  are  millions  of  the  Imman  race ; 
the  untutored  savages,  and  the  degraded 
blacks,  yea,  even  Europeans,  who  are  mere 
enlightened.  Americans  also,  a  people 
more  highly  favored  than  any  others,  a 
people  inhabiting  a  land  of  civil  and  reli- 
gious liberty ;  a  land  full  of  Churches  and 
Bibles !  O  how  many  thousands  are  in 
darkness  and  the  shadow  of  death !  Yes, 
even  many  of  those,  who  are  scholars,  and 
wise  enough  in  worldly  things,  know  not 
God,  know  not  tliemsclves,  know  not  Jesus 
Christ.  How  many  that  seem  to  be  reli- 
gious, worship  "an  unknown  Gofl,"  being- 
ignorant  of  their  fallen  state,  and  therefore 
ignorant  of  the  salvation  of  the  Redeemer ! 

But  ignorance  is  not  all.  Consider  the 
carnality  of  the  mind.  The  heart  is  gone 
from  God.  It  does  "  not  like  to  retain  God 
in  its  knowledge."  How  many  are  saying 
to  God,  "  Depart  from  us ;  we  desire  not 
the  knowledge  of  thy  ways  !"  And  say,  my 
brethren,  is  it  not  so  with  some  of  youl 
Why  else  is  it  that  you  do  not  love  prayer  ? 
Why  do  you  neglect  tlie  bible  ?  Why  do 
you  break  the  sabbath  ?  Why  do  you  take 
pleasure  in  the  company  of  the  wicked, 
while  you  laugh  at  serious  people,  and  true 
piety  1  Your  conscience  sometimes  smites 
you  fijr  this,  for  you  know  they  are  right, 


24 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


and  you  are  wrong;  and  were  you  on  a 
dying  bed,  you  would  gladly  be  in  their 
state*  You  have  an  immortal  soul,  whicla 
you  know  must  be  saved  for  ever,  or  lost 
for  ever,  and  yet  you  live  as  if  you  had  no 
soul  at  all.  And  though  religion  be  the 
great  business  of  man,  it  is  the  only  busi- 
ness that  you  neglect ;  it  is  the  only  busi- 
ness that  you  hate  to  see  others  mind.  And 
does  not  this  convince  you  that  you  are 
carnal  indeed  ! 

"  Even  a  child  is  known  by  his  doings," 
"  foolishness  is  bound  up  in  the  heart  of  a 
child,"  Pro.  xx.  2.  xxii.  15.  Have  you 
never  observed  the  envy,  pride,  and  passion 
of  little  children .'  They  could  not  learn 
these  evil  tempers  from  others.  They 
brought  them  into  the  world  with  tliem. 
They  were  born  in  sin. 

Look  at  young  people.  The  seeds  of  sin 
which  were  in  their  nature,  spring  up  and 
grow  apace.  The  bud  of  vice  now  begins 
to  blow.  See  the  forward  rash  youth,  full 
of  pride  and  self-conceit,  despising  his  pa- 
rents, impatient  of  control,  bursting  every 
bond,  that  he  may  pursue  his  pleasures; 
and  determined  to  indulge  his  lusts,  though 
at  the  expense  of  health,  character,  and 
life  itself  O  who  can  lament,  as  it  de- 
serves, the  shameful,  the  worse  than  brutal 
lewdness  of  both  sexes  !  This  vice  awfully 
prevails ;  and  though  some  may  laugh  at  it, 
and  think  it  a  little  sin,  let  them  know, 
that  "  whoremongers  and  adulterers  God 
will  judge."     Heb.  xiii.  4. 

What  shall  we  say  of  profaneness  ? 
"  Because  of  swearing  the  land  mourneth ;" 
our  country  groans  under  the  burden  of 
this  horrid  crime,  this  unprofitable  vice; 
the  streets,  the  roads,  the  fields,  the  ale- 
houses, ringf  with  the  horrid  language  of 
hell.  The  throat  of  the  swearer  is  "  an 
open  sepulchre,"  belching  forth,  in  oaths 
and  curses,  a  stench  more  hateful  to  God, 
than  the  smell  of  a  human  carcass  to  man. 
This  is  so  common  tliat  we  almost  forget 
its  criminality ;  but  what  saith  the  law  1 
"  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  tlie 
Lord  thy  God  in  vain ;  for  the  Lord  will 
not  hold  him  guiltless,  that  taketh  his  name 
in  vain."  Surely  this  is  a  sin,  which,  above 
most  others,  shows  that  man  is  wofully  fal- 
len and  wicked ;  or  how  could  he  practise, 
how  could  he  love,  this  unprofitable  vice  1 

Time  would  fail  us  to  speak  of  a  thousand 
other  evils  which  proceed  out  of  the  heart. 
Read  the  catalogue  given  by  our  Savior 
himself.  Matt.  xx.  19.  «Evil  thoughts, 
murders,  adulteries,  fornications,  thefts, 
false  v/itness,  blasphemy ;  these  come  forth 
from  the  heart,  and  they  defile  the  man." 

The  Scriptures  abound  with  testimonies 


to  this  sad  truth.  Read  the  followmg 
Gen.  vi.  5,  "  And  God  saw  that  the  wick- 
edness of  man  was  great  in  the  earth,  and 
that  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of 
his  heart  was  only  evil  continually ;  and  it 
repented  the  Lord  that  he  had  made  man 
on  the  earth,  and  it  grieved  him  at  his 
heart."  See  also  Gen.  viii.  21,  "  The  im- 
agination of  man's  heart  is  evil  from  his 
youth."  Read  also  Job  xi.  12,  "  Vain 
man  would  be  wise,  though  man  be  born 
like  a  wild  ass's  colt ;"  and  chap.  xv.  14, 
"  What  is  man,  that  he  should  be  clean  .' 
and  he  which  is  born  of  a  woman,  that  lie 
should  be  righteous  ]  And  lest  any  should 
think  that  all  people  are  not  so  bad,  and 
that  these  things  are  said  only  of  openly 
wicked  persons,  observe  what  the  tbllowing 
Scripture  declares.  Psalm  xiv.  2,  3,  "  Tlie 
Lord  looked  down  from  heaven  upon  the 
children  of  men,  to  see  if  there  were  any 
that  did  understand  and  seek  God.  They 
are  all  gone  aside ;  they  are  altogether  be- 
come filthy ;  there  is  none  that  doeth  good ; 
no,  not  o?ie."  In  a  word,  see  the  true  pic- 
ture of  fallen  man,  in  Jerem.  xvii.  9,  "  The 
heart  is  deceitful  above  aU  things,  and  des- 
perately wicked  ;  who  can  know  it  ?" 

Thus,  then,  is  this  terrible,  but  useful 
truth,  fully  confirmed.  None  can  deny 
it,  without  denying  the  word  of  God. 
But  if  these  testimonies  are  not  enough, 
turn  your  eyes  to  the  state  of  mankind 
in  this  present  evil  world,  and  you  will 
find  sad  proof  that  man  is  in  a  fallen 
state.  How  astonishing  is  the  quantity  of 
misery  in  the  world  !  How  many  thousands 
are  rending  the  air  with  the  cry  of  pain  or 
wretchedness!  Strange,  that  ever  there 
should  be  so  much ;  that  there  should  be 
any  suffering  in  the  creation  of  a  good 
God  !  Doubtless  there  is  a  cause  for  it ;  and 
if  the  Bible  had  not  told  us  what  it  is,  we 
should  be  for  ever  in  the  dark.  O,  Adam, 
what  hast  thou  done !  O,  man,  what  art 
thou  always  doing !  Is  not  "  the  earth 
cursed  for  man's  sake!"  and  why  doth  it 
bring  forth  so  plentifully  thorns  and  briers, 
while  useful  plants,  and  fruit,  and  grain, 
cannot  be  produced  without  great  labor"! 
The  earth  itself  preaches  to  us  this  hum- 
bling doctrine,  and  while  man  gains  his 
daily  bread  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow,  let 
him  learn  that  sin  is  the  fatal  cause. 

Sometimes  the  earth  is  deluged  with 
dangerous  floods ;  at  other  thnes  it  is  har- 
dened with  excessive  drought.  Dreadful 
peals  of  thunder  siiake  flie  heavens ;  fear- 
ful flashes  of  lightning  fill  the  skies.  Hor- 
rible earthquakes  cleave  the  ground,  and 
open  a  sudden  grave  for  thousands.  Burn- 
ing mountains  belch  forth  tlieir  destructive 


SERMON  V. 


25 


contents.  The  seas,  raised  to  fury  by 
stormy  winds,  bury  the  poor  helpless  sea- 
men. Terrible  plagues  sweep  away  whole 
cities  in  a  few  days.  What  is  the  language 
of  these  fearful  messengers!  They  all 
unite  to  say,  Man  is  fallen,  and  God  is 
angry. 

Consider  also  the  sorrows  of  mothers  in 
bringing  forth  their  ofl'spring;  the  cries, 
and  tears,  and  pains,  and  death  of  little 
babes.  Think  of  the  various  fierce  and 
agonizing  diseases  of  mankind.  What  is 
the  world  but  a  huge  hospital  ?  and  where 
jalmost  the  house  that  there  is  not  one  sick  1 
How  many  of  our  poor  fellow-creatures  are 
pining  in  poverty,  or  racked  with  pain,  or 
raving  with  madness  ?  Turn  your  eyes  to 
the  dying  bed  of  a  fellow-mortal.  Look  at 
his  ghastly  countenance.  See  how  he  is 
convulsed ;  how  he  labors  for  life.  At  last, 
with  a  mournful  groan,  he  bids  adieu  to 
this  wretched  world.  Behold  the  pale  and 
lifeless  corpse.  In  a  few  days,  perhaps  in 
a  few  hours,  it  begins  to  change.  Putre- 
faction seizes  it ;  and  the  body,  once  so  dear 
and  pleasant,  the  parent,  the  wife,  and  the 
child,  must  be  "  buried  out  of  our  sight ;" 
must  be  consigned  to  the  dark,  cold,  and 
lothesome  grave,  to  become  the  prey  of 
sordid  worms.  What  a  terrible  proof  does 
all  this  afford  of  our  sinful  state ! 
IMPROVEMENT. 

And  now  what  shall  we  say  to  these 
things  ?  Is  this  the  state  of  man  !  How  ne- 
cessary it  is  that  he  should  know  it !  We 
observed  at  the  beginning,  that  it  is  one  of 
the  first  principles  of  our  religion,  and 
without  knowing  this,  we  cannot  under- 
stand the  rest. — "  When  the  veil  is  upon 
the  heart,  the  veil  is  upon  every  thing." 
There  are  three  things,  the  absolute  neces- 
sity of  which  we  may  learn  from  what  has 
been  said,  namely,  Redemption,  Repent- 
ance, and  Regeneratinn. 

1.  Redemption.  God  hates  sin  with  in- 
finite abhorrence.  Sin  renders  us  abomi- 
nable in  his  sight.  "  The  wages  of  sin  is 
death."  "  He  will  render  indignation  and 
wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish,  upon  every 
soul  of  man  that  doeth  evil."  How  then 
can  we  escape  the  damnation  of  hell] 
Blessed  be  God,  he  hath  so  loved  the  world, 
as  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son  to  be  our 
Redeemer,  and  Savior.  Jesus  Clirist  has 
died  for  sinners  "  the  just  for  the  unjust,  to 
bring  us  to  God."  By  his  blood,  reconcili- 
ation is  made  for  iniquity ;  and  by  his  Spi- 
rit, our  nature  is  renewed ;  so  that  we  may 
be  fully  restored  to  tlie  favor  and  image  of 
God.  "  O  Jesus,  what  hast  thou  not  done 
to  loosen  guilt  and  pain,  to  sweeten  adver- 
sity, to  blunt  the  sting  of  death,  to  restore 
D 


happiness,  in  some  degree,  to  the  earth, 
and  to  insure  it  in  eternity !" 

2.  See  also  the  need  of  Repentance,  or 
such  a  sight  and  sense  of  sin  as  leads  to 
godly  sorrow  and  self-abhorrence.  "  Sin  is 
the  only  thing  that  God  hates,  and  almost 
the  only  thing  that  man  loves ;"  but  grace 
will  make  us  hate  it  heartily,  and  our- 
selves on  account  of  it.  Alas,  how  far 
from  this  are  many,  who  yet  call  them- 
selves Christians !  Hear  the  proud  Phari- 
see crying,  "  God,  I  thank  thee  that  I  am 
not  as  other  men  are :"  or  boasting  that  he 
has  a  good  heart,  and  a  clear  conscience ; 
that  he  does  his  duty  to  the  best  of  his 
power,  and  never  hurt  any  body  in  his  life. 
This  is  the  wretched  cant  of  poor  deluded 
souls,  who  know  not  the  "  plague  of  their 
own  hearts."  God  forbid  this  should  be  our 
case.  Let  us  rather,  like  the  good  men 
we  read  of  in  Scripture,  confess  our  sins, 
lothe  ourselves,  and  repent  in  dust  and 
ashes.  Then  shall  we  thankfully  receive 
the  free  mercy  and  forgiving  love  of  God 
through  Jesus  Christ. 

3.  From  hence  also  we  may  learn  the 
necessity  of  Regeneration.  Nothing  short 
of  this  is  sufficient :  for  "  striving  against 
nature  is  like  holding  a  weathercock  with 
one's  hand ;  as  soon  as  the  force  is  taken 
off,  it  veers  again  with  the  wind."  If  we 
are  bom  in  sin,  we  must  be  born  again. 
So  our  Savior  solemnly  declared  to  Nico- 
demus,  John  iii.  3.  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  thee,  except  a  man  be  born  again,  he 
cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  We 
must  have  a  new  heart ;  that  is,  a  new  dis- 
position of  heart ;  such  a  change  within, 
as  may  justly  be  called  a  new  creation. 
And  this  is  far  more  than  the  baptism  of 
water.  We  must  be  "  born  of  water  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost ;"  that  is,  we  must  ex- 
perience the  power  of  the  Spirit  on  our 
minds,  which  is  like  that  of  water  on  the 
body,  to  cleanse  and  purify  it  from  sin. 
Water  in  baptism,  is  "  the  outward  visible 
sign,"  but  there  is  also  "an  inward  and 
spiritual  grace;"  and  this  is  "a  death  unto 
sin,  and  a  new  birth  unto  righteousness." 
The  regenerate  person  hates  sin,  and  earn- 
estly desires  deliverance  from  it.  The 
sincere  language  of  the  soul  is — "  Go,  sin ; 
go,  for  ever,  thou  rebel  to  God ;  thou  cru- 
cifier  of  Christ ;  thou  griever  of  the  Spirit ; 
thou  curse  of  the  earth ;  thou  poison  in  my 
blood ;  thou  plague  of  my  soul,  and  bane  of 
all  my  happiness." 

How  important  then  is  the  knowledge 
of  our  final  state  !  "  it  is  the  devil's  master- 
piece to  make  us  think  well  of  ourselves;" 
It  is  God's  great  and  gracious  work  to 
discover  to  us  our  true  condition.     May 


26 


\1LLAGE  SERMONS. 


tlic  Holy  Spirit,  so  bless  what  has  now  been 
said  concerning  it,  that,  discovering  the 
disease  of  our  nature,  we  may  liighly  prize 
the  great  physician  of  our  souls ;  may  lie 
down  before  a  holy  God  in  the  dust  of  hu- 
miliation yet  looking  up  for  pardoning  mer- 
cy, and  for  sanctifying  grace,  daily  to 
renew  us  in  the  spirit  of  our  mind,  till, 
being  made  meet  for  heaven,  we  are  ad- 
mitted into  that  blessed  state,  where  sin 
and  sorrow  shall  be  known  no  more ;  and 
wliere,  with  all  the  Redeemed,  we  shall 
celebrate  our  glorious  recovery  fi-om  the 
ruins  of  the  fall,  ascribing  salvation  to  God 
and  the  Lamb,  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 


PRAYER.— O  Thou  God  of  infinite  purity  and 
holiness,  when  it  pleased  thee  to  make  man,  thou 
didst  make  him  in  thine  own  image,  after  thine 
ovrw  likeness,  in  knowledge,  righteousness,  and 
holiness!  Thou  didst  make  him  upright:  his 
mind  was  endued  with  the  knowledge  of  thee; 
his  will  was  conformed  to  thy  will ;  and  the  af- 
fections of  his  heart  were  holy  and  spiritual :  but 
O  how  soon  did  he  fall  from  that  happy  estate, 
by  eating  the  forbidden  fruit,  exposing  himself  to 
the  threatened  curse,  and  involving  all  his  pos- 
terity in  sin  and  misery! 

We  confess,  O  Lord,  with  shame,  the  total  de- 
pravity of  our  nature !  Our  minds  are  veiled  in 
ignorance, — our  hearts  are  carnal  and  full  of  en- 
mity against  thee  ;  and  from  this  bitter  fountain 
have  flowed  the  streams"of  innumerable  trans- 
gressions. 

We  desire  to  repent  as  in  dust  and  ashes.  We 
pray  to  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  our  minds, 
that  we  may  become  new  creatures  in  Christ  Je- 
sus,— that  being  interested  in  the  great  redemp- 
tion, we  may  be  restored  both  to  thy  favor  and 
thy  image,  so  that  finally  we  may  be  admitted 
into  thy  presence,  and  obtain  an  inheritance 
among  them  who  are  sanctified  by  faith  in  thy 
dear  Son,  who,  with  thee  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  are 
one  God,  blessed  for  evermore !    Amen. 


SERMON  VI. 

REDEMPTION. 

Eph.  i.  6. — In  whom  we  have  redemption  through 
his  blood. 

The  word  Redemption,  is  perhaps  the 
most  compreliensive  that  our  own  language, 
or  any  other,  can  aftbrd.  Redemption  itself 
is  certainly  the  greatest  blessing  that  God 
can  bestow,  or  man  receive.  ''Tis  this 
that  strikes  the  joyful  strings  of  the  heav- 
enly harpers.'  This  is  the  burden  of  that 
ever-new  song,  which  none  but  the  re- 
deemed can  sing — "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain,  for  thou  hast  redeemed  us 
to  God  by  thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred, 
and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation." 

The  salvation  of  man,  under  whatever 
name  it  is  described,  always  supposes  his 
fallen,  guilty,  ruined,  and  helpless  state; 


nor  can  we  understand  one  word  of  the 
gospel  aright  without  knowing  this.  He 
is  dangerously  diseased ;  Christ  is  the  phy- 
sician, and  salvation  his  cure.  He  is  na- 
ked :  Christ  covers  him  with  his  righteous- 
ness. He  is  famished :  Christ  is  his  meat 
and  drink.  He  is  in  darlmess:  Christ  is 
his  light.  He  stands  at  tlie  bar,  accused 
and  ready  to  be  condemned:  Christ  ap- 
pears as  his  surety,  and  pleads  his  right- 
eousness for  his  justification.  So  here  in 
the  text.  Man  is  in  bondage :  Christ  pays 
the  ransom,  and  procures  his  discharge. 

Come  then,  my  friends,  and  let  us  at- 
tend to  this  great  subject;  and  remember, 
that  we  are  fixing  our  minds  on  the  same 
delightful  theme  that  engages  the  hearts 
and  harps  of  glorified  saints ;  and  which 
will  employ  our  grateful  tongues  to  all 
eternity,  if  we  are  found  among  the  ran- 
somed of  the  Lord. 

Redemption,  among  men>  is  the  deliver- 
ance of  persons  out  of  a  state  of  captivity 
and  bondage  by  an  act  of  power,  or  rather 
by  the  payment  of  a  price  for  their  ran- 
som. The  recovery  of  God's  chosen  peo- 
ple from  the  ruins  of  the  fall  is  therefore 
described  by  this  term ;  because  they  are, 
by  nature,  in  a  wretched  state  of  bondage 
and  slavery,  from  which  they  could  never 
deliver  themselves ;  and  in  which,  if  not 
delivered,  they  must  perish  for  ever.  But 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  out  of  his  infinite 
love  and  compassion,  undertook  the  deliv- 
erance :  and  by  paying  down  a  sufficient 
price,  even  his  own  precious  blood,  as  a 
ransom,  delivered  them  from  ruin,  and  re- 
stored them  to  liberty. 

That  w^e  may  better  understand  this  re- 
demption of  lost  man,  let  us  consider — A/s 
captivity — his  helplessness — and  the  means 
of  his  deliverance. 

Consider,  first,  the  state  of  man  as  a 
captive  and  a  slave.  Captives,  among  men, 
are  persons  taken  in  war  and  made  pris- 
oners. In  many  cases  they  have  been 
used  very  ill ;  put  to  shame ;  doomed  to 
hard  labor ;  confined  in  chains,  prisons,  or 
mines ;  led  at  the  chariot-wheels  of  their 
conquerors;  and  sometimes  put  to  death 
in  a  wanton  and  cruel  manner.  To  this 
day  the  poor  Blacks  are  treated  as  cap- 
tives, and  kept  in  a  state  of  bondage.  Not- 
withstanding the  praiseworthy  efforts  that 
have  been  made  to  abolish  the  nefarious 
traffic  in  human  blood,  ships  are  fitted  out 
in  different  countries,  and  sent  to  Africa, 
on  purpose  to  get  hundreds  and  thousands 
of  them  for  slaves.  They  are  stolen,  or 
procured  under  various  and  wicked  pre- 
tences ;  torn  from  the  bosoms  of  their  dear- 
est relations ;  forced  away  from  their  own 


SERMON  VI. 


27 


country ;  closely  stowed  together  in  a  ship,  I 
and,  wlien  brouirht  to  the  West-Indies, 
sold  like  beasts  in  a  market.  They  are 
then  doomed  to  hard  labor,  and  often  to 
cruel  usage,  till  deatli  puts  an  end  to  their 
miseries,  or  their  liberty  is  obtained  by 
paying  a  sum  of  money  for  it.  In  such  -a 
case,  a  man  may  be  said  to  be  redeemed; 
and,  ceasing  to  be  a  slave,  he  becomes  a 
freeman.  This  may  give  us  some  idea  of 
the  nature  of  Rcdcm])tion.  When  God 
made  man,  he  made  him  upright;  he  made 
him  free;  but  he  soon  lost  his  liberty. 
Satan  attacked  him,  and  prevailed  against 
him  ;  and  not  against  him  only,  but  against 
all  his  posterity.  Iri^  this  state  we  are  born ; 
in  this  we  live ;  and  in  this  we  die  and 
perish,  unless  the  Redemption  of  Christ  is 
applied  to  our  souls  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 
You  would  pity  a  niimber  of  poor  captives, 
if  you  saw  them  in  heavy  chains ;  if  you 
saw  them  stripped  of  their  clothing,  rob- 
bed of  their  wealth,  or  sold  like  beasts ;  if 
you  saw  them  cruelly  abused  and  beaten, 
and  pining  to  death  in  pain  and  misery. 
Well,  this  is  our  own  state  by  nature.  We 
are  conquered  by  Satan ;  far  removed  fi-om 
our  original  happy  condition ;  deprived  of 
our  true  riches,  the  image  and  favor  of 
God ;  tied  and  bound  with  the  chains  of 
our  sins,  basely  employed  by  the  devil  in 
the  horrid  drudgery  of  our  lusts ;  and,  if 
grace  prevent  it  not,  liable  to  be  summoned 
by  death  into  an  awful  eternity,  to  receive 
the  wages  of  our  sin,  which  is  eternal 
misery. 

From  this  sad  condition  we  cannot  de- 
liver ourselves.  We  have  neither  the  will 
nor  the  power.  It  is  the  peculiar  misery 
of  sinful  man,  that  he  knows  not  his  mise- 
ry. Other  captives  groan  for  freedom. 
Even  a  bird,  or  a  beast,  deprived  of  lib- 
erty, struggles  to  get  free ;  but  more 
wretched  and  stupid  sinners  deny  that  they 
are  slaves;  and  foolishly  boast,  like  the 
Jews,  "  that  tliey  were  never  in  bondage 
to  any  man."  They  hug  their  yoke ;  they 
love  their  prison,  and  fancy  music  in  the 
rattling  of  their  chains.  If  any  here  are 
in  this  condition,  may  God  open  tlieir  eyes, 
and  deliver  them  from  the  sad  infatuation ! 

But  if  a  man  had  a  will  to  be  free,  he 
has  not  the  powr.r.  Wiiat  Vansom  can  he 
offer  !  Can  he  make  satisfaction  to  the  in- 
jured law  of  God  !  Can  he  render  back  to 
his  Maker  the  glory  of  whicli  lie  has 
robbed  him  1  Or  can  he  restore  to  his  own 
soul  the  image  of  (rod,  which  is  lost  and 
spoiled  by  sin  !  Can  he  renew  his  sinful 
nature  to  holiness,  or  make  himself  a  new 
creature!  No;  it  is  impossible.  If  the 
heart  of  God  do  not  pity ;  if  the  hand  of 


God  do  not  help ;  he  must  die  a  slave,  and 
be  the  eternal  companion  of  his  cruel  ty- 
rant and  fellow-slaves  in  the  prison  of 
hell. 

But  blessed  be  God  for  Jesus  Christ! 
When  there  was  no  eye  to  pity,  no  hand 
to  help,  his  own  almighty  arm  brought  sal- 
vation. The  Son  of  God,  touched  with 
compassion  for  perishing  man,  descended 
from  his  throne  of  glory,  and  visited  our 
wretched  abode ;  and,  because  those  whom 
he  came  to  redeem  were  partakers  of  flesh 
and  blood,  "  he  also  himself  took  part  of 
the  same;  that  tlirough  death  he  might 
destroy  liim  tliat  hud  the  power  of  death, 
that  is,  the  devil ;  and  deliver  them,  who, 
through  fear  of  death,  were  all  their  life- 
time subject  to  bondage."    Heb.  ii.  14,  15. 

Among  the  Jews,  tlie  right  of  redemp- 
tion belonged  to  the  kinsman.  Jesus 
Christ,  in  order  to  redeem  us,  became  a 
man,  the  kinsman  of  our  nature,  "  bone 
of  our  bone,  flesh  of  our  flesh ;  for  both  he 
that  sanctifieth,  and  tliey  that  are  sancti- 
fied, are  all  of  one ;  for  which  cause  he  is 
not  ashamed  to  call  them  brethren."  Heb. 
ii.  11. 

The  redemption  of  captives  is  usually 
by  paying  a  price,  or  ransom.  This  Christ 
paid,  and  the  price  was  no  less  than  his 
blood:  so  says  our  text — "In  whom  we 
have  redemption  through  his  blood."  And 
so  St.  Paul  speaks,  Eph.  i.  18,  "  Ye  were 
not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as 
silver  and  gold,  but  With  the  precious  blood 
of  Christ ;  not  by  so  mean  a  price  as  the 
perishing  riclies  of  this  world,  such  as  the 
silver  and  gold,  which  are  paid  for  buying 
poor  captives  out  of  bondage,  misery,  and 
slavery  among  men,  but  it  was  at  no  less 
a  price  tlian  the  noble  and  invaluable  pre- 
cious blood,  sufferings,  and  death  of  the 
Son  of  God. 

Having  taken  a  general  view  of  Re- 
demption, let  us  de.'^cend  to  some  particu- 
lars, by  which  we  may  better  understand 
the  subject,  and  be  more  affected  with  it. 
The  natural  man  is  a  captive  of  the  Devil 
—of  the  Flesh— of  the  World— of  the 
Law,  and  of  the  Grave.  From  all  these 
Christ  delivers  his  people. 

1.  We  are  all,  by  nature,  captives  of  the 
Devil.  This  may  seem  to  you  a  hard  say- 
ing ;  but  it  is  too  true  ;  sec  the  proof  of  it 
in  2  Tim.  ii.  26, — "  That  tiicy  may  recover 
themselves  out  of  the  snare  of  the  Devil, 
who  are  taken  captives  by  him  at  his  will" 
— taken  alive,  as  captives  of  war  to  be  en- 
slaved and  ruined  by  the  Devil.  O  how 
dreadful  is  the  power  of  Satan  over  wicked 
men !  They  are  not  aware  of  it,  or  they 
would  earnestly  pray,  "  Lead  us  not  into 


28 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


temptation,  but  deliver  us  from  evil,"  or 
the  evil  one.  St.  John  says,  "  The  whole 
world  lieth  in  wickedness,  or  in  the  wicked 
one,"  1  John  v.  19;  and  St.  Paul  says, 
"  He  worketh  in  tlie  children  of  disobe- 
dience," Eph.  ii.  2.  So  that  there  is  more 
truth  in  some  common  expressions,  used 
by  wicked  people,  than  they  are  aware  of; 
as  when  they  say,  "  The  Devil  is  in  you." 
It  is  awfully  true  of  all  unconverted  sin- 
ners. And  it  deserves  notice,  how  such 
people  continually  sport  with  such  words 
as  these — Hell  and  hellish — Devil  and 
devilish — Damn  and  damnation.  Surely 
these  words  show  who  is  their  master! 
and  what  is  likely  to  be  their  place  and 
portion.  May  God  discover  tlie  evil  of 
such  things  to  all  who  practise  them. 

Now,  the  blessed  Redeemer  came  down 
from  heaven  to  destroy  the  works  of  the 
Devil.  He  overcame  all  his  temptations 
in  the  wilderness ;  he  triumphed  over  him 
on  the  cross ;  and  when  he  ascended  into 
heaven,  "  he  led  captivity  captive ;"  con- 
quered the  conqueror,  and  bound  the  strong 
one.  He  showed  his  power  over  devils, 
by  casting  them  out  of  the  bodies  of  men ; 
and  he  still  shows  his  power,  by  casting 
them  out  of  tlie  souls  of  all  who  believe 
in  him.  O  that  he  may  show  this  power 
among  us  this  moment ! 

Yes,  my  friends,  if  we  are  redeemed 
from  Satan,  we  are  "  redeemed  to  God," 
— redeemed  to  God  as  his  peculiar  prop- 
erty ;  for  his  honor  and  service ;  for  com- 
munion with  him  now ;  and  for  the  ever- 
lasting enjoyment  of  him  in  glory. 

2.  We  are  all,  by  nature,  captives  of  the 
Flesh ;  our  mmds  are  fleshly ;  "  sin  reigns 
in  our  mortal  bodies ;  we  obey  it  in  the 
lusts  thereof;  our  members  are  instru- 
ments of  unrighteousness ;  we  have  yield- 
ed our  members  servants  to  uncleanness 
and  to  iniquity :  for  his  servants  we  are  to 
whom  we  obey."  Rom.  vi.  12,  «Sic. 

Is  not  this  true,  my  friends'!  are  not 
some  here  present  yet  the  slaves  of  sin ; 
one  of  drunkenness ;  another  of  swearing ; 
another  of  fornication ;  anotlier  of  lying ; 
another  of  thieving,  or  some  other  heinous 
fiin  1  Ah,  Sirs,  "  the  end  of  these  things  is 
death :" — "  for  these  things'  sake,  cometh 
the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  children  of 
disobedience."  Alas !  how  many  are  strong 
advocates  for  human  liberty,  who  are  them- 
selves the  slaves  of  corruption !  "  For  of 
whom  a  man  is  overcome,  of  the  same  is 
he  brought  in  bondage."  2  Pet.  ii.  19. 

But  adored  be  Jesus,  he  came  to  "  save 
us  from  our  sins ;"  "  that  we,  being  deliv- 
ered from  the  hand  of  our  enemies,  might 
eerve  him  without  fear,  in  holiness  and 


righteousness  before  him  all  the  days  of 
our  life."  By  the  power  of  his  Spirit,  the 
people  are  "  born  again,"  and  made  "  new 
creatures  in  Christ  Jesus ;  old  things  pass 
away,  and  all  things  become  new."  They 
are  not  in  the  flesh,  but  in  the  Spirit ; 
they  walk  not  according  to  the  flesh ;  they 
are  enabled  to  crucufy  the  old  man  of  sin, 
and  put  on  the  new  man  of  grace ;  and  to 
live,  in  some  degree,  in  that  holiness,  with- 
out which  no  man  can  see  the  Lord.  So 
St.  Paul  speaks  to  the  converted  Romans, 
"  God  be  thanked,  that  (though)  ye  were 
the  servants  of  sin,  ye  have  obeyed  from 
the  heart  that  form  of  doctrine  which  was 
delivered  you.  Being  then  made  free  from 
sin,  ye  became  the  servants  of  righteous- 
ness." Rom.  vi.  17,  18. 

3.  We  are  all,  by  nature,  captives  of 
the  World :  or,  as  the  scripture  expresses 
it — "  Walk  according  to  the  course  of  this 
world,"  willingly  carried  along  with  the 
stream  of  sin,  and  foolishly  thinking  we 
shall  do  well,  because  we  do  like  others ; 
forgetting  that  "  broad  is  the  road  that 
leadeth  to  death,  and  many  there  be  that 
walk  therein ;"  while  the  narrow  way  to 
life  is  found  by  very  few.  By  nature  we 
are  conformed  to  tlie  world ;  to  its  foolish 
customs,  maxims,  dress,  and  amusements  ; 
and  also  to  its  dangerous,  mistaken  notions 
of  religion.  People  are  afraid  to  think  for 
themselves ;  they  take  the  religion  of  their 
neighbors  on  trust,  without  examining,  by 
tlie  word  of  God,  whether  it  be  right  or 
wrong,  true  or  false. 

But  our  blessed  Lord  "  gave  himself  for 
our  sins,  that  he  might  deliver  us  from  the 
present  evil  world,"  from  the  sins,  snares, 
customs,  and  fashions  of  the  men  of  tliis 
world.  St.  Peter  speaks  of  being  redeem- 
ed from  "  our  vain  conversation,  received 
by  tradition  from  our  fathers."  It  matters 
not  what  we  were  brought  up  to,  nor  what 
our  forefathers  lived  in :  if  it  was  wrong, 
we  must  forsake  it.  We  must  confess 
Christ  before  men,  or  he  will  deny  us  be- 
fore angels :  and  we  shall  not  be  ashamed 
of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  if  we  know  it  to  be 
the  power  of  God  to  our  own  salvation; 
but  ratlier  glory  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  by 
which  we  are  crucified  to  the  world,  and 
the  world  to  us.  Then  are  we  the  true 
disciples  of  Christ,  when  we  are  not  of  the 
world,  even  as  he  was  not  of  the  world. 

4.  We  are  all,  as  sinners,  captives  and 
prisoners  to  the  broken  Laiv  and  offended 
Justice  of  God.  Tlie  law  justly  demands 
of  us  perfect  and  perpetual  obedience.  If 
we  fail  in  one  point,  we  are  guilty  of  all ; 
and  fall  under  its  fearful  curse.  The  law 
demands  our  obedience,  or  our  blood.     If 


SERMON  VL 


29 


we  disobey  but  once,  our  lives  are  forfeit- 
ed. We  are  condemned  already ;  and,  if 
death  finds  us  in  that  state,  it  shuts  us  up 
for  ever  in  hell. 

But,  glory  be  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  that 
he  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners : 
and  as  there  could  be  no  remission  of  sins 
but  by  the  shedding  of  blood,  he  freely 
gave  himself  up  for  us,  and  died  for  our 
sins,  "  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he 
might  bring  us  to  God.  "  Thus  he  gave 
liimself  "  a  ransom"  for  us ;  and  "  redeem- 
ed us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being 
made  a  curse  for  us,"  Gal.  iii.  13.  Hereby, 
all  who  believe  in  him  are  "  delivered 
from  the  wrath  to  come."  "  There  is 
therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them." 
They  have  passed  from  death  unto  life; 
and  "  who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge 
of  God's  elect  f  It  is  God  that  justifieth. 
Who  is  he  that  condemneth  ■?  It  is  Christ 
that  died."  In  consequence  of  this  they 
are  entitled  to  peace  of  conscience,  even 
the  peace  of  God  that  passeth  all  under- 
standing. 

Finally,  we  are  all,  by  reason  of  sin, 
doomed  to  Death,  and  shall  shortly  be 
prisoners  of  the  Grave.  This  is  the  house 
appointed  for  all  living ;  to  this  dark  abode 
we  must  soon  remove,  and  there  remain 
till  the  great  day,  when  there  shall  be  a 
resurrection  both  of  the  just  and  the  un- 
just. 

But  the  glorious  Redeemer  has  said  of 
his  people,  "  I  will  ransom  them  from  the 
power  of  the  grave ;  I  will  redeem  them 
from  death.  O  death,  I  will  be  thy  plague ; 
O  grave,  I  will  be  thy  destruction !"  Yes, 
Jesus  is  made  unto  us  redemption ;  name- 
ly, "  the  redemption  of  the  body ;"  and 
"  the  creature  itself,"  that  is,  the  body, 
"  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of 
corruption,  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the 
children  of  God,"  Rom.  viii.  21.  Then 
shall  be  brought  to  pass  the  saying  that  is 
written,  "  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victo- 
ry !  O  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  O  grave, 
where  is  thy  victory?  The  sting  of  death 
is  sin,  and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law : 
but  thanks  be  to  God,  who  giveth  us  the 
victory,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
APPLICATION. 

And  now,  my  friends,  what  think  you 
of  Redemption.'  Does  it  appear  to  you 
a  little  or  a  great  matter?  How  arc  your 
hearts  aflected  with  it  1  Do  you  know  that 
you  are,  or  once  was,  in  this  miserable 
bondage  !  You  can  never  desire  deliver- 
ance, nor  love  tlie  deliverer,  till  you  know 
this.  When  Israel  was  in  Egypt,  "  tliey 
sighed  by  reason  of  their  bondage,  and 
they  cried,  and  their  cry  came  up  unto 


God  by  reason  of  their  bondage."  Again, 
when  Israel  was  in  Babylon,  "they  sat 
down  by  the  rivers  and  wept !  yea,  they 
wept  when  they  remembered  Zion."  De- 
pend upon  it,  if  you  never  saw  this  to  be 
your  condition,  it  is  your  condition  now. 
If  you  never  sought  redemption,  you  never 
partook  of  it.  If  you  never  saw  any  ex- 
cellency or  preciousness  in  Christ,  you  are 
yet  "  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  yet  in  the 
bond  of  iniquity."  Be  advised,  when  you 
go  home,  to  retire  to  some  secret  place, 
and,  on  your  bended  knees,  implore  the 
blessed  Redeemer  to  set  you  free.  Say, 
with  the  Psalmist,  "  Draw  nigh  to  my  soul, 
and  redeem  it."  Look  through  the  bars 
of  your  prison  to  heaven.  Cry  to  the  Lord 
in  your  trouble,  and  he  will  save  you  out 
of  your  distresses.  Hear  him  saying, 
"  Wilt  thou  be  made  free  !"  He  stands 
ready  to  knock  off  thy  fetters,  and  set  thee 
at  liberty.  If  it  was  necessary  for  you  to 
pay  the  price  of  redemption,  you  might 
well  despair!  but  the  price  is  paid;  no- 
thing on  your  part  is  wanting,  but  a  heart 
and  a  hand  to  receive  it.  Come  then,  for 
all  things  are  ready.  "  Let  Israel  hope  in 
the  Lord,  for  with  the  Lord  there  is  mercy 
and  with  him  is  plenteous  redemption," 
Psa.  cxxx.  7.  Here  is  the  sum  of  the  gos- 
pel. Here  are  glad  tidings  of  great  joy  to 
souls  burdened  with  sin.  Are  you  afflicted 
with  a  sense  of  your  sin  and  misery? 
Well,  there  is  hope  in  Israel  concerning 
this.  "  Hope  in  the  Lord ;"  not  in  your- 
selves, nor  in  your  own  works,  but  in  Je- 
hovah ;  and  your  encouragement  to  do  so 
is — "  with  hun  is  mercy," — grace,  good- 
ness, bounty.  He  is,  of  his  own  nature, 
disposed  to  forgive ;  and  there  is  this  fur- 
ther encouragement — "  with  him  there  is 
plenteous  redemption."  Christ  has  shed 
his  precious  blood  as  the  ransom  price. 
The  redemption  is  plenteous.  The  bound- 
less stores  of  grace  and  mercy  are  fully 
equal  to  all  your  wants.  Hope  then  in  the 
Lord,  and  let  your  expectation  be  fixed 
alone  in  him  ;  lor  "  he  shall  redeem  Israel 
from  all  his  iniquities." 

And  you,  wlio,  through  grace,  have  be- 
lieved to  the  saving  of  your  souls,  come 
and  consider  the  sad  state  you  were  in ; 
from  which  notliing  could  deliver  you  but 
the  astonishing  ransom  of  the  Savior's 
blood.  O  see  the  malignity  of  sin,  in  the 
Redeemer's  bloody  sweat  in  the  garden, 
and  in  liis  dreadful  pains  on  the  cross.  O 
see  what  sin  has  done !  See  and  detest 
the  murderer  of  thy  gracious  Lord.  Hate 
it  with  a  perfect  hatred,  and  resolve  to 
wage  eternal  war  against  it. 

Come  and  meditate  on  the  love  of  Christ, 
3* 


30 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


"  who  loved  you,  and  gave  himself  for  you," 
and  who  has,  by  his  Spirit,  brought  home 
tlie  Redemption  to  your  lieart.  'I'll  ere  was 
nothing  good  in  you  to  engage  him  to  do 
this ;  for  "  while  we  were  yet  enemies, 
Christ  died  for  us."  O  be  thankful  for 
your  wonderful  deliverance.  "  O  give 
thanks  unto  the  Lord,  for  he  is  good ;  for 
his  mercy  endureth  for  ever.  Let  the  re- 
deemed of  the  Lord  say  so,  whom  he  hath 
redeemed  from  the  hand  of  the  enemy." 
Had  a  generous  fellow-creature  delivered 
you  from  Turkish  slavery,  or  from  a  Span- 
ish inquisition,  how  would  you  express 
your  thanks  ?  "  O  Sir,  would  you  say,  I 
am  under  inexpressible  obligations ;  I  have 
not  such  another  friend  in  all  the  world ;  I 
shall  never  forget  your  kmdness  while  I 
live."  But  no  earthly  friend  can  redeem 
your  soul  from  sin  and  hell.  "  O  would  to 
God,  (said  a  holy  man)  I  could  cause  paper 
and  ink  to  speak  the  worth  and  excellency, 
the  high  and  loud  praises  of  our  brother 
Ransomer !  Oh,  the  Ransomer  needs  not 
my  report ;  but  if  he  would  vouchsafe  to 
take  and  use  it,  I  should  be  happy  if  I  had 
an  errand  to  this  world,  but  for  some  few 
years,  to  spread  proclamations  of  the  glory 
of  the  Ransomer,  whose  clothes  were  wet 
and  dyed  in  blood ;  if  even,  after  that,  my 
soul  and  body  should  return  to  their  origi- 
nal nothing." 

Thus,  my  friends,  let  us  think  of  Christ: 
and,  thus  thinking  of  him,  let  us  show  our 
love  by  keeping  his  commandments ;  ever 
remembering,  that  "  we  are  not  our  own 
for  we  are  bought  with  a  price ;  therefore 
let  us  glorify  God  in  our  body  and  in  our 
spirit,  which  are  God's."  Remember,  you 
are  yet  in  the  body,  a  body  of  sin  and 
death :  and  though,  through  grace,  "  you 
delight  in  the  law  of  the  Lord  after  the 
inward  man,  yet  is  there  another  law  in 
your  members,  warring  against  the  law 
of  your  mind."  "  Watch  against  it  then, 
lest  at  any  time  it  should  bring  you  into 
captivity  of  the  law  of  sin."  Stand  fast 
therefore,  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ 
hath  made  you  free ;  and  rejoice  in  hope 
of  the  complete,  everlasting,  and  glorious 
liberty  of  the  children  of  God  in  a  better 
world. 


PRAYER. — Father  of  mercies,  and  God  of 
all  grace,  behold,  at  thy  footstool,  a  company  of 
thy  sinful  creatures,  who,  by  nature,  were  slaves 
of  Satan,  and  led  captive  by  him  at  his  will!  \ye 
were  tied  and  bound  with  the  cliains  of  our  sin, 
and  basely  employed  in  the  drudgery  of  our 
lusts. 

From  this  sad  condition  we  had  neither  the 
will  nor  the  power  to  deliver  ourselves;  but, 
glory  be  lo  thy  name,  when  there  was  no  eye  to 
pity,  no  hand  to  lielp,  thou  did.st  remember  us  in 


our  low  estate,  and  sent  thy  only-begottfen  Sen, 
in  whom  we  have  redemption,  through  his  blood, 
even  the  forgiveness  of  our  sins,  and  a  deliver- 
ancp  ii-om  all  our  tyrants ! 

O  that  we  may  be  redeemed  from  sin,  from 
Satan,  from  this  present  evil  world,  and,  finally, 
from  the  grave !  Being  liberated  by  Jesus,  may 
we  be  free  indeed ;  and  constantly  watch  anil 
pray,  lest  we  be  entangled  again  with  the  yoke 
of  bondage ;  and  may  we  ever  remember  that 
we  are  now  no  longer  our  own,  but  being  bought 
with  a  price,  must  glorify  God  with  our  bodies 
and  our  spirits,  which  are  his  ! 

Glory  be  to  thee,  blessed  Jesus,  for  thou  wast 
slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood ! 
Blessing,  honor,  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him 
that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb 
for  ever  and  ever !   Amen. 


SERMON  VII. 

REGENERATION,  OR  THE  NEW  BIRTH. 

John  iii.  3.  Jesus  answered,  and  said  unto  Iiim, 
Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  tliee,  Except  a  man  be 
born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdoui  of  God. 

The  two  grand  truths  of  the  Christian 
religion  are,  our  ruin  in  Adam,  and  our 
recovery  in  Christ :  and  till  we  know  both 
these,  we  can  perform  no  duty,  nor  enjoy 
any  privilege  aright ;  we  can  neither  serve 
God  here,  nor  enter  into  his  glory  here- 
after. 

You  too  must  have  observed,  that  the 
Scripture  always  divides  mankind  into  two 
classes — the  wicked  and  the  righteous ; 
sinners  and  saints;  believers  and  unbeliev- 
ers; heirs  of  hell  and  heirs  of  heaven. 
These  are  all  mixed  together  on  earth,  but 
they  will  be  separated  at  the  day  of  judg- 
ment ;  and  their  eternal  state  will  then  be 
fixed,  according  to  what  was  their  true 
character  here.  What  then  can  be  of 
greater  importance  to  us,  than  to  know  our 
real  state  at  present?  and  observe,  that 
though  there  is  that  difference  between 
men,  which  was  just  mentioned,  we  are 
all  by  nature  in  one  and  the  same  condi- 
tion :  that  is,  sinners  and  children  of  wrath. 
So  that,  unless  a  change  passes  upon  us, 
we  continue  in  it,  live  and  die  in  it,  and 
are  lost  for  ever. 

This  is  the  solemn  truth,  which  Jesus 
Christ  in  our  text  declared  to  Nicodemus. 
Perhaps  you  may  like  to  know  who  he 
was,  and  liow  Christ  came  to  say  this  to 
him.  I  will  tell  you.  Nicodemus  was  a 
great  man  among  the  Jews.  He  was  a 
teacher,  and  a  ruler ;  and  having  heard 
that  Jesus  Christ  had  said  and  done  many 
wonderful  things,  he  came  to  him  one 
night,  being  ashamed  to  come  by  daylight, 
and  said,  "  Rabbi,  we  know  that  thou  art 
a  teacher  come  from  God."     Jesus  Christ 


SERMON  VII. 


31 


directly  begins  to  teach  Nicodemus ;  and 
he  begins  with  the  most  important  truth 
that  was  ever  taught — The  necessity  of 
the  new  birth,  which  he  asserts  in  the 
strongest  manner  possible :  "  Verily,  verily, 
I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born 
again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God." 
As  if  he  had  said,  I,  who  am  the  truth  it- 
self, assure  you,  that  no  man,  considering 
his  fallen  and  corrupt  nature,  can  under- 
stand or  enjoy  the  blessings  of  that  king- 
dom of  grace  which  I  am  come  to  set  up ; 
nor  can  he  enter  the  kingdom  of  glory  to 
which  it  leads,  unless  his  heart  is  changed 
by  power  from  above. 

It  seems  that  Nicodemus  did  not,  at 
first,  rightly  understand  what  our  Lord 
meant  by  this ;  and  he  asked  how  it  could 
be.  But  our  Lord  insists  upon  it  again  and 
again,  and  we  doubt  not  that  Nicodemus 
came  to  understand  it  at  last,  and  really  to 
become  a  new  creature.  The  Lord  grant 
that  we  also  may  become  new  creatures, 
so  as  to  serve  him  here,  and  enjoy  him 
hereafter ! 

The  neiD  birth  signifies  a  great  change, 
made  in  the  heart  of  a  sinner  by  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  means  that  some- 
thing is  done  in  us,  and  for  us,  which  we 
cannot  do  for  ourselves;  something,  to 
which  we  were  before  strangers;  some- 
thing, whereby  we  begin  to  live,  as  we  did 
not  live  before ;  yea,  somethmg,  whereby 
such  a  lite  begins  as  shall  last  for- ever; 
for,  as  by  our  first  birth  we  are  born  to  die, 
so,  by  our  second  birth,  we  are  born  to  live 
for  ever. 

That  we  may  better  understand  the  new 
birth,  or  this  change  of  heart,  let  us  more 
particularly  consider, 

I.  The  nature  of  this  change ;  and, 

II.  The  necessity  of  it. 

I.  Let  us  consider  the  nature  of  this 
change.  "  It  is  not  a  change  of  the  sub- 
stance and  faculties  of  the  soul.  Sin  did 
not  destroy  the  essence  of  the  soul,  but  its 
rectitude ;  so  grace  does  not  give  a  new 
faculty,  but  a  new  quality.  It  is  not  de- 
stroying the  metal,  but  the  old  stamp  upon 
it,  to  imprint  a  new  one.  It  is  not  break- 
ing the  candlestick,  but  putting  a  new 
light  in  it.  It  is  a  new  stringing  the  in- 
strument, to  make  a  new  harmony. 

It  is  a  great  change :  or  else  such  a 
term  as  "the  new  birth;"  or,  "a  new 
creation ;"  or,  "  resurrection ;"  would  not 
be  proper.  When  a  child  is  bom,  its  way 
of  existing,  and  of  getting  nourishment, 
is  quite  different  from  what  it  was  belbre : 
60  by  the  new  birth,  we  live  in  a  very  dif- 
ferent manner.  The  greatness  of  this 
change  is  elsewhere  described  by  "  pass- 


ing from  darkness  to  light;"  yea,  by  "pass- 
ing from  death  to  lite."  "  You  hath  he 
quickened,  who  were  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins."  It  makes  a  man  quite  the  con- 
trary to  what  he  was  before ;  as  contrary 
as  East  to  West ;  North  to  South ;  light 
to  darkness ;  flesh  to  spirit.  It  is  such  a 
change,  as  if  a  Blackanoor  should  become 
white;  or  a  lion  become  a  lamb.  In  a 
word,  God  takes  away  the  heart  of  stone, 
and  gives  a  heart  of  flesh. 

It  is  a  universal  change — "  a  new  crea- 
ture ;"  a  complete  creature ;  not  a  mon- 
ster, with  some  human  jjarts,  and  others 
wanting.  It  is  God\s  work,  and  therefore 
perfect  in  its  parts ;  though  there  is  room 
for  growth  in  every  part,  as  in  a  new-bom 
child.  O  let  us  not  deceive  ourselves  with 
a  partial  change ;  such  as  taking  up  some 
new  opinion,  or  joining  a  new  sect;  or 
leaving  off"  some  old  sins,  or  performing 
some  moral  or  religious  duties.  The  com- 
mon changes  of  age  and  life  may  occasion 
some  partial  alterations  ;  but  this  is  a 
change  of  the  whole  man.  In  the  under- 
standing there  is  light  instead  of  dark- 
ness. In  the  will  tliere  is  softness  instead 
of  hardness.  In  the  affections  there  ia,  ■ 
love  instead  of  enmity. 

It  is  an  inward  change.  It  will  indeed 
produce  an  outward  change,  if  the  life  was 
before  immoral;  but  there  may  be  strict 
morality  without  this  inward  change.  Re- 
formation is  not  Regeneration,  though  too 
often  mistaken  for  it.  It  is  a  change  of 
heart.  We  must  be  "  renewed  in  the  spirit 
of  our  mind,"  Eph.  iv.  23.  "  Man  looks 
at  the  outward  ajipearancc,  but  God  look- 
eth  at  the  heart,"  God  has  promised  to 
give  his  people  "  a  new  heart ;"  and  the 
penitent  Psalmist  prays  for  it — "  Create  in 
me  a  clean  heart,  O  God !  and  renew  a 
right  spirit  within  me."  Without  this 
there  is  no  true  change.  "The  spring 
and  wheels  of  a  clock  must  be  mended, 
before  the  hand  of  the  dial  will  stand  right. 
It  may  stand  riglit  twice  in  the  day,  when 
the  time  of  the  day  comes  to  it^but  not 
from  any  motion  or  rectitude  in  itself  So 
a  man  may  seem  by  one  or  two  actions  to 
be  a  changed  man  ;  but  the  inward  spring 
being  amiss,  it  is  but  a  deceit."  There  is 
a  great  difference  between  virtue  and  re- 
ligion ;  between  morality  and  holiness. 
Many  people  abstain  from  some  sins,  and 
perform  some  duties,  for  the  sake  of  health, 
reputation,  or  profit ;  but  in  the  new  crea- 
ture there  is  a  change  of  principle.  The 
principle  of  a  now  creature  is  faith :  "  faith 
working  by  love,"  and  this  abides.  He  is 
not  like  a  clock  that  is  wound  up,  and  goes 
only  while  it  is  acted  upon  by  the  weight; 


32 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


but,  having  the  Spirit  of  God  witliin  him, 
and  the  life  of  God  in  his  soul,  grace  is  as 
"  a  well  of  water,  springing  up  into  ever- 
lasting life." 

There  is  in  the  new  creature  a  change 
of  the  end  he  has  in  view,  as  well  as  the 
principle  from  which  he  acts.  "  The  glory 
of  God  is  the  end  of  the  new  man :  Self 
is  the  end  of  the  old  man."  Nothing  is  a 
greater  evidence  of  being  born  again,  than 
to  be  taken  off  the  old  centre  of  self,  and 
to  aim  at  the  glory  of  God  in  every  thing ; 
whether  we  eat  or  drink ;  whether  we  are 
in  private  or  public ;  whether  we  are  en- 
gaged in  religious  or  in  common  afiairs ; 
to  desire  and  aim  sincerely  at  the  glory  of 
God ;  knowing  that  "  we  are  not  our  own, 
but  bought  with  a  price,  we  are  to  glorify 
God  with  our  body,  soul,  and  spirit,  all 
which  are  his." 

That  the  new  birth  is  such  a  change  as 
has  been  described;  namely,  a  great 
change,  a  universal  change,  and  an  inward 
change,  will  still  more  plainly  appear,  if 
you  consider  the  alteration  it  makes  in  a 
person's  views  and  apprehensions.  He  has 
new  thoughts  of  God,  of  himself,  of  the 
world,  of  elernily,  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
of  all  divine  ordinances. 

He  has  new  thoughts  of  God.  Before, 
he  lived,  in  a  great  measure,  "without 
God  in  the  world ;"  without  any  true  know- 
ledge of  God ;  without  any  proper  regard 
to  God ;  and  was  ready  to  think  God  "  al- 
together such  a  one  as  himself"  But  now 
he  sees  that  with  God  there  is  "  terrible 
majesty,"  perfect  purity,  strict  justice,  and 
that  he  is  indeed  greatly  to  be  feared.  Now 
he  knows  that  God's  eye  is  always  upon 
him ;  and  that,  if  he  were  to  enter  into 
judgment  with  him,  he  could  never  stand. 
But  he  learns  also  from  the  gospel,  that 
God  in  Christ  is  full  of  grace,  and  good- 
ness, and  love ;  so  that,  "  he  fears  the 
Lord  and  his  goodness." 

The  new  creature  has  very  different 
thoughts  of  himself.  He  once  acted  as 
his  own  master ;  followed  his  own  wicked 
will;  was  ready  to  excuse  his  worst  ac- 
tions ;  thought  lightly  of  his  sins ;  perhaps 
gloried  in  his  shame.  Now  he  sees  the 
evil  of  his  former  ways ;  he  mourns  sin- 
cerely for  his  sms ;  he  sees  the  badness  of 
his  heart  from  whence  they  flowed ;  he 
ranks  himself  among  the  chief  of  sinners; 
he  wonders  at  his  former  boldness  in  sin ; 
and  he  wonders  more  at  the  patience  of 
God,  in  not  cutting  him  off  with  some  sud- 
den stroke  of  his  judgment.  In  short,  he 
cries,  "  Behold,  I  am  vile.  I  abhor  myself, 
and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes." 

The  new  creature  has  new  thoughts  of 


the  world ;  of  the  men  of  it,  and  the  things 
of  it.  Once  he  loved  the  company  of  pro- 
fane and  unclean  persons ;  now  he  shuns 
them  as  he  would  the  plague ;  and  his  lan- 
guage is,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye  wicked  men, 
for  I  will  keep  the  commandments  of  my 
God."  Before,  he  hated  the  very  sight  of  a 
godly  person ;  now,  his  heart  unites  with 
those  who  fear  the  Lord ;  he  thinks  them 
"  the  excellent  of  the  eartJi,"  wishing  to 
live  and  die  with  them.  How  different 
also  are  his  views  of  the  things  of  the 
world  !  Once  they  were  his  only  portion. 
He  sighed  to  be  great;  he  longed  to  be 
rich  ;  he  panted  for  pleasure.  Eating  and 
drinking,  cards  and  plays,  music  and  danc- 
ing, or  some  other  vain  amusements,  were 
his  dear  delight;  and  to  enjoy  these  he 
would  sacrifice  every  thing.  Now  he  sees 
the  vanity  of  them  all.  He  sees  their  dan- 
ger. They  had  led  him  to  the  brink  of 
ruin ;  and  now  he  can  truly  say, 

"  These  pleasures  how  no  longer  please, 

No  more  delight  afford : 
Far  from  my  heart  be  joys  like  these, 

Now  I  have  known  the  Lord !" 

But  oh,  what  new  apprehensions  has  he 
o{  Eternity !  He  hardly  ever  used  to  think . 
of  it ;  now  it  is  almost  always  on  his  mind ; 
for  now  he  has  that  faith,  which  is  "  the 
substance  of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence 
of  things  not  seen."  Now,  therefore,  he 
looks  not  at  the  things  that  are  seen,  for 
he  knows  they  are  temporal;  but  at  the 
things  which  are  not  seen,  for  they  are 
eternal.  He  knows  that  he  must  live  for 
ever;  either  in  a  glorious  heaven,  or  in 
a  dreadful  hell.  Compared,  therefore,  with 
eternal  concerns,  all  worldly  things  appear 
as  empty  shadows,  and  he  considers  every 
thing  below  according  to  the  relation  it 
bears  to  his  eternal  happiness. 

The  new  creature  has  also  very  differ- 
ent thoughts  of  Jesus  Christ  from  what  he 
had  before.  Once  he  was  without  form  and 
comeliness  to  him ;  now  he  appears  "  the 
chief  among  ten  thousand,  and  altogether 
lovely."  He  did  not  wish  to  hear  of  him, 
or  read  of  him,  or  speak  of  him,  except  to 
profane  his  name :  now  he  can  never  hear 
enough  of  him ;  for  he  sees,  that  if  ever 
he  is  saved,  he  owes  it  all  to  Jesus ;  and 
therefore  "  counts  all  things  but  loss,  that 
he  may  know  him,  and  win  him,  and  be 
found  in  him." 

He  also  thinks  very  differently  of  reli' 
gioHs  ordinances.  He  could  not  bear  to 
keep  the  sabbath  holy.  Either  he  wholly 
neglected  public  worship,  and  took  his  car- 
nal pleasure ;  or  if  he  came,  it  was  a  bur- 
den :  he  did  not  join  in  prayer,  singing,  at 
best,  was  an  amusement;  he  disregarded 


SERMON  VII. 


33 


the  word  preached,  perhaps  derided  it; 
and,  as  for  private  prayer,  he  hated  it. 
How  great  the  change  !  Now  tlie  sabbatli 
•is  his  deliglit,  "  the  holy  of  the  Lord  and 
honorable."  The  house  of  God  is  his 
home ;  the  word  of  God  his  food ;  the  Bi- 
ble his  dear  companion;  and  prayer  tlie 
breath  of  his  soul. 

Thus  you  see  what  a  change  has  taken 
place  in  his  views ;  and,  if  time  permitted, 
we  might  show  that  these  new  views  are 
attended  witli  neiv  affections ;  he  loves 
what  before  he  hated ;  he  liates  what  be- 
fore lie  loved.  He  has  new  desires,  new 
fears,  new  joys,  and  new  sorrows.  He 
makes  new  resolutions.  He  is  employed 
in  new  labors.  He  has  new  entertain- 
ments. He  has  new  hopes  and  prospects. 
How  justly  then  is  he  called  a  new  crea- 
ture ! 

Having  briefly  shown  the  nature  of  re- 
generation, let  us  consider, 

II.  The  necessity  of  it.  Observe  how 
very  strongly  our  Lord  asserts  in  the  text 
— "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  except 
a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  God."  Surely,  these  words 
must  have  great  weight  with  us,  if  we  be- 
lieve the  God  of  truth.  But  you  will  ask. 
What  is  meant  by  the  kingdom  of  God  J  I 
answer,  it  means  the  kingdom  of  grace 
upon  earth,  and  the  kingdom  of  glory  in 
heaven.  Now,  without  the  new  birth,  no 
person  whatever  can  see  the  kingdom  of 
God.  It  is  not  said,  he  may  7iot,  or  he  shall 
not,  but  he  cannot ;  it  is  impossible  in  the 
nature  of  things. 

With  respect  to  the  gospel  state  here,  in 
which  Christ  reigns,  no  man  can  be  a  true 
(Christian,  unless  he  is  born  again  ;  he  can- 
not be  a  true  member  of  the  church  of 
Christ,  or  of  that  society  which  is  govern- 
ed by  Christ ;  ho  cannot  perform  any  of 
the  duties  required  in  this  kingdom ;  nor 
can  he  enjoy  any  of  the  privileges  bestow- 
ed in  it. 

He  cannot  perform  any  of  the  duties. 
Fallen  man  is  ignorant  of  what  is  truly 
good.  "  He  calls  evil  good,  and  good  evil." 
He  is,  "  to  every  good  work,  reprobate," 
Titus  i.  16.  And  he  has  a  dislike  to  that 
which  is  good.  "  The  carnal  mind  is  en- 
mity against  God,"  and  shows  its  enmity 
by  rebellion  against  the  law  of  God,  Rom. 
viii.  7.  Now,  remaining  in  this  state,  lie 
cannot  answer  the  end  of  his  being,  which 
is  to  glorify  Gotl ;  and  having  this  unfitness 
and  unwillingness  to  answer  that  end,  there 
is  an  absolute,  an  universal  necessity  for 
this  change.  It  is  "  in  Christ  Jesus  we  are 
created  to  good  works."  We  cannot  "  pray 
in  the  Spirit,"  till  we  are  "  born  of  the 
E 


Spirit;"  we  cannot  "sing  with  grace  in 
our  hearts,"  till  we  have  grace ;  we  cannot 
"  worship  God  in  the  Spirit,"  while  we  are 
in  the  flesh.  A  dead  sinner  cannot  present 
"a  living  sacrifice."  The  duties  of  a  na- 
tural man  are  lifeless  and  selfish;  "he 
cannot  serve  God  spiritually,"  because  he 
is  carnal ;  nor  graciously,  for  lie  is  corrupt ; 
nor  vitally,  because  he  is  dead ;  nor  freely, 
for  he  is  enmity  against  God ;  nor  delight- 
tiilly,  for  his  heart  is  alienated :  nor  sin- 
cerely, for  his  heart  is  deceit ;  nor  accepta- 
bly, "for  he  that  is  in  the  flesh  cannot 
please  God." 

In  like  manner,  the  unregenerate  person 
cannot  enjoy  any  of  the  blessed  privileges 
of  the  gospel  state.  He  knows  nothing  of 
the  joys  of  salvation.  He  is  a  stranger  to 
the  peace  of  the  gospel.  He  has  no  relish 
for  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word.  He  can- 
not delight  in  prayer ;  nor  enjoy  commu- 
nion with  God,  or  communion  with  the 
saints,  for  things  that  are  not  natural  can 
never  be  deliglitful.  And  this  also  makes 
it  plain,  that 

The  unrenewed  man  cannot  see  the 
kingdom  of  glory.  The  new  birth  does 
not  indeed  entitle  a  person  to  heaven;  but 
it  makes  him  "  meet  for  the  inheritance  of 
the  saints  in  light."  The  unrenewed  sin- 
ner is  shut  out  from  heaven  by  the  unal- 
terable determination  of  God  himself,  who 
has  declared,  that  "  nothing  which  defil- 
eth"  shall  enter  that  place,  and  that  "  with- 
out holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord." 

And  if  you  consider  what  the  joys  and 
employments  of  heaven  are,  and  what  the 
disposition  of  a  sinner  is,  it  will  plainly  ap- 
pear that  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
God.  "  The  happiness  of  heaven  is  holi- 
ness; and  to  talk  of  being  happy  without 
it,  is  as  great  nonsense  as  to  talk  of  being 
well  without  health,  or  being  saved  without 
salvation."  People  are  ready  to  think,  if 
they  go  to  heaven  they  must  bo  happy; 
but,  without  a  new  nature,  a  man  might  be 
as  much  out  of  his  element  in  heaven,  as 
a  fish,  out  of  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  would 
be  in  a  green  meadow,  or  an  ox  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  sea.  Can  a  wicked  man,  who 
now  hates  the  godly,  expect  to  be  happy 
among  none  but  saints?  Can  he,  who 
cannot  keep  three  hours  of  the  sabbath 
holy,  bear  to  keep  an  eternal  sabbath  ]  Can 
he,  who  now  curses  and  swears,  imagine 
that  his  tongue  shall  be  for  ever  employed 
in  praising  God  !  Can  he,  who  now  hates 
to  think  of  God,  love  to  em])loy  his  mind 
in  the  eternal  contemplation  of  him  1  No, 
no.  Hell  is  tlie  sinner's  "own  place;" 
there  he  will  have  his  own  company,  and,  in 
some  measure,  his  old  employments,  though 


34 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


without  tlis  pleasure  of  them ;  but  as  to  heav- 
en, he  can  never  see  it  till  he  be  born  again. 
APPLICATION. 
From  what  was  first  said  of  the  nature 
of  the  new  birth,  let  us  learn  to  avoid  the 
common  mistake,  that  baptism  is  regenera- 
tion. It  is  the  sign  of  it,  but  not  tlie 
thing  itself.  We  must  "  be  born  of  water 
and  of  the  Spirit,"  John  iii.  5 ;  that  is,  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  whose  grace  is,  to  the  soul, 
what  water  is  to  the  body.  Take  not  the 
shadow  for  the  substance.  Can  baptism 
change  the  heart !  Has  it  changed  yours  ? 
Say,  poor  sinner,  how  is  it  with  you  .'  Con- 
science will  tell  you,  "  Old  things  are  not 
passed  away;  all  things  are  not  become 
new."  Do  any  of  you  live  in  drunkemiess, 
profaneness,  sabbath-breaking,  whoredom, 
or  any  other  sin  !  Or  do  you  live  uncon- 
cerned about  your  soul,  careless  about  sal- 
vation, without  Christ,  without  prayer? 
know  for  certain,  that  you  are  yet  a  stranger 
to  this  great  and  blessed  change.  And 
yet,  without  it,  the  God  of  truth  assures 
you,  it  is  impossible  for  you  to  be  saved. 
You  must  be  born  again.  Do  not  think 
that  outward  reformation,  or  morality,  or 
religious  professions,  or  religious  duties, 
are  sufficient.  All  these  are  far  short  of 
this  inward,  spiritual  change.  You  must 
be  born  again.  As  sure  as  there  is  a  God 
in  heaven,  you  must  be  born  again,  or  you 
can  never  go  to  heaven.  And  can  you 
bear  the  thought  of  being  shut  out  ]  Put 
the  question  to  yourself  "Can  I  dwelt 
with  everlasting  burnmgs  ?  Can  I  endure 
eternal  darkness  1  Can  I  bear  to  be  eter- 
nally separated  from  the  blessed  God  ?  Is 
my  present  sinful,  sensual  life  to  be  prefer- 
red before  eternal  joys  !  Is  there  one  text 
in  the  Bible  to  give  m,e  comfort  in  this 
state  !"  O  that  you  may  be  so  deeply  con- 
vinced of  the  immediate  necessity  of  this 
change,  that  you  may,  ere  you  sleep  this 
night,  fall  down  on  your  knees  before  God, 
and  earnestly  desire  him  to  make  you  a 
new  creature.  He  can  do  it  in  a  moment ; 
and  he  has  promised  his  Holy  Spirit  to 
them  that  ask  him.  Say  not,  as  the  foolish 
do,  I  will  not  change  my  religion.  Let  me 
ask  v<JU  a  question.  Has  your  religion 
changed  you  !  If  not,  it  is  high  time  to 
change  it.  But  do  not  be  deceived  by  ap- 
pearances, forms,  and  names.  True  reli- 
gion is  not  tlie  business  of  the  lip,  or  the 
knee,  but  of  tlie  heart.  "  The  kingdom  of 
God  is  not  meat  and  drink,"  or  outward 
ceremonies ;  no,  but  it  is  within ;  it  con- 
sists "  in  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost."  Be  advised  also  to  read 
and  hear  his  word,  for  this  is  the  instru- 
ment wiiich  God  employs  in  effecting  this 


great  changa    "  Faith  cometh  by  hearing, 
and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God." 

And  as  for  you,  who  have  experienced 
this  blessed  change,  forget  not  to  give  the 
glory  to  God,  and  to  take  the  comfort  of  it 
to  yourselves.  Are  you  born  of  God  !  then 
hearven  is  yours.  The  righteousness  of 
Christ  is  your  title  to  it,  but  herein  is  your 
fitness  for  it.  Except  a  man  be  born  again, 
he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God :  it  fol- 
lows, therefore,  that  if  he  be  born  again, 
he  shall  see  it. — Thank  God  for  it.  You 
are  renewed  for  this  very  purpose,  that 
you  should  show  forth  his  praise.  God  has 
made  you  to  differ  from  the  mass  of  man- 
kind. He  has  done  more  for  you,  than  if 
he  had  made  you  kings  and  emperors ;  for 
he  has  made  you  sons  of  God  and  heirs  of 
glory ;  heirs  of  God,  and  jomt  heirs  with 
Jesus  Christ."  Often  reflect  on  your  former 
state ;  and  admire  the  grace  that  has  made 
the  difference.  God  has  given  you  his  Spi- 
rit, and,  in  him,  a  sure  earnest  of  your 
heavenly  inheritance.  "  He  that  wrought 
for  you  the  self-same  thing  is  God."  O, 
be  concerned  to  live  and  walk  as  renewed 
persons ;  so  shall  you  prove  the  reality  of 
the  change ;  adorn  the  gospel,  edify  your 
neighbor,  and  glorify  God. 


PRAYER.— Almighty  God,  who  hast  de- 
clared in  tliy  holy  word,  that  except  a  man  be 
born  again,  he  cannot  see  thy  kingdom,  give  us 
experimentally  to  know  this  great,  this  inward, 
this  universal  change  !  We  confess  that  we  are 
born  in  sin,  and  prone  to  sin ;  but  we  beseech 
thee,  O  God,  to  create  in  us  clean  hearts,  and  re- 
new right  spirits  within  us.  May  old  things  pass 
away,  and  all  things  become  new!  Through  the 
word  of  thy  grace,  and  the  power  of  thy  Holy 
Spirit,  may  we  become  new  creatures! — may  we 
die  to  sin,  and  live  unto  righteousness !  We  nave 
been  baptized  in  the  name  of  Jesus :  O  grant  us 
not  only  the  visible  sign,  but  also  the  inward  and 
spiritual  grace ;  that  so  we  may  serve  thee  in 
this  world  in  newness  of  life,  and  hereafter  enter 
into  thy  heavenly  kingdom,  through  Jesus  Christ, 
our  only  Savior !  Amen. 


SERMON  VIII. 

REPENTANCE. 

Mark  vi.  12.  And  they  went  out,  and  preached  that 
men  should  repent. 

It  is  remarkable,  that  whatever  differ- 
ent notions  men  have  of  religion,  they  all 
believe  that  repentance  is  necessary  to 
salvation.  But  it  may  be  feared,  that  many 
mistake  its  true  nature,  and  take  the 
shadow  for  the  substance.  There  are  also 
many,  who  though  they  think  it  necessary, 
delay  their  repentai'.ce  to  some  future  pe- 
riod ;  and  more  than  a  few  die  without  it, 
and  perish  in  their  sins     It  is  therefore  of 


SERMON  VI  n. 


35 


great  importance,  that  we  should  know 
wherein  true  repentance  consists ;  and 
that  we  should  be  urged  ourselves  to  re- 
pent, that  we  perish  not.  That  repent- 
ance, then,  which  is-  true  and  genuine,  and 
"needeth  not  be  repented  of"  will  be 
found  to  include  the  tour  tbllowing  things : 

I.  Conviction  of  sin. 

II.  Contrition  for  sin. 

III.  Confession  of  sin. 

IV.  Conversion  from  sin. 

I.  The  first  thing  that  belongs  to  true 
repentance  is  a  conviction  of  sin,  or  a 
clear  sifht  and  feeling  sense  of  our  sin- 
fulness;  without  tliis,  there  is  no  repent- 
ance, no  religion ;  for  the  gospel  may  be 
justly  called  "  the  religion  of  a  sinner ;" 
jione  but  sinners  can  need  mercy  or  re- 
pentance ;  and  Jesus  Christ  expressly  de- 
clares, "  that  he  came  not  to  call  the  right- 
eous," that  is,  such  as  the  Pharisees,  who 
thought  themselves  righteous,  "  but  sin- 
ners to  repentance."  Now  all  men  are 
sinners ;  not  the  most  profane  and  openly 
wicked  only,  but  the  most  moral,  religious, 
and  blameless  people  among  us :  for  "  all 
have  simied,  and  come  short  of  the  glory 
of  God." 

The  word  repentance  signifies  a  change 
of  mind,  or  after-thought ;  a  great  change 
in  the  mind  and  disposition  of  a  person,  es- 
pecially about  himself,  as  a  sinner.  For 
this  purpose  the  Holy  Spirit  opens  his  eyes 
to  see  the  holy  law  of  God,  as  contained  in 
the  Ten  Commandments.  This  law  re- 
quires of  every  person  love  to  God,  and 
love  to  man.  It  requires  us  to  love  God 
supremely,  and  our  neighbors  as  ourselves. 
It  requires  perfect,  constant,  unsinning 
obedience,  all  our  lives  long.  It  does  not 
demand  only  sincere  obedience,  doing  as 
well  as  we  can,  but  doing  all,  and  doing  it 
always ;  so  that  if  a  man  fail  only  in  one 
point,  he  is  thereby  made  a  sinner ;  the 
law  is  broken ;  the  curse  follows ;  and,  if 
he  be  not  pardoned  through  the  blood  of 
Christ,  hell  must  be  his  portion. 

In  general,  the  repenting  sinner  is  first 
alarmed  on  account  of  some  great  and 
open  sin,  if  he  has  committed  such;  as  the 
woman  of  Samaria,  when  Christ  charged 
her  with  adultery ;  or  as  Paul  was,  when 
convinced  of  his  murderous  persecution  of 
the  saints.  But  conviction  will  not  stop 
lierc ;  it  will  trace  the  streams  of  sin  to 
the  spring,  namely,  that  corrupt  nature  we 
brought  into  the  world  with  us.  We  shall 
freely  confess  with  David,  that  "  we  were 
born  in  sin,  and  in  inicpiity  did  our  mothers 
conceive  us,"  Psalm  li.  5.  We  shall  ac- 
knowledge with  Paul,  that  "  in  us,  that  is, 
in  our  flesh,"  our  corrupt  nature,  "  there 


is  no  good  thing;"  but  that  "  every  imagi- 
nation of  the  thought  of  our  hearts  is  only 
evil  continually,"  Gen.  vi.  5.  The  peni- 
tent will  readily  own  he  has  been  a  rebel 
against  God  all  his  life ;  that  he  has  in- 
deed "  left  undone  those  things  which  he 
ought  to  have  done ;  and  done  those  things 
which  he  ought  not  to  have  done." 

The  law  of  God  is  spiritual ;  it  reaches 
to  the  most  secret  thoughts,  desires,  wishes, 
and  purposes  of  the  mind.  It  forbids  and 
condemns  the  sins  of  the  heart,  as  well  as 
those  of  the  lip  and  the  life.  A  convinced 
sinner  is  sensible  of  heart-sins,  thousands 
and  millions  of  them.  He  sees  that  his 
best  duties  and  services  are  mingled  with 
sin ;  even  his  prayers,  and  all  his  religious 
exercises.  He  sees  that  he  has,  all  his 
life,  lived  without  God  in  the  world,  and 
paid  no  regard  to  his  will  and  glory;  that 
he  has  loved  himself,  the  world,  and  the 
creature,  far  more  than  God  ;  and  that  he 
has  been  doing  all  tliis  contrary  to  light 
and  knowledge  ;  notwithstanding  the 
checks  of  his  conscience,  and  many  reso- 
lutions to  the  contrary,  and  notwithstand- 
ing the  mercies  and  the  judgments  which 
God  had  sent  to  reclaim  him.  Wherever 
there  is  this  conviction,  it  will  be  accom- 
panied with  contrition. 

II.  Contrition,  or  a  genuine  sorrow  for 
sin,  and  pain  of  heart  on  account  of  it. 
This  is  that  "  soft  heart,"  or  "  heart  of 
flesh,"  which  God  has  promised  to  give  his 
people ;  instead  of  that  "  heart  of  stone, 
with  which  we  are  born,  and  which  has 
no  spiritual  feeling." 

"  The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  brokcH 
spirit :  a  broken  and  contrite  heart,  O  God, 
thou  wilt  not  despise,"  Psalm  li.  17.  Men 
despise  broken  things.  So  the  Pharisee 
despised  the  broken-hearted  publican  in 
the  temple  ;  but  God  did  not  despise  him. 
So  far  from  it,  that  he  accounts  the  sorrow 
and  shame  of  a  penitent  sinner  more  valu- 
able than  many  costly  sacrifices  of  rams 
and  bullocks.  A  heart  that  trembles  at 
the  word  of  God ;  a  heart  breaking,  not  in 
despair,  but  in  humiliation ;  a  heart  break- 
ing with  itself,  and  breaking  away  from 
sin.  So  Peter,  when  duly  aflccted  with 
the  sin  of  denying  his  master,  "  went  out 
and  wept  bitterly :"  and  Mary  Magdalene, 
sensible  of  former  iniquities,  "  washed  her 
Savior's  feet  with  her  tears." 

There  is  indeed  a  false  sorroir,  which 
many  mistake  for  the  true.  When  a  per- 
son is  sick,  and  fears  ho  shall  die,  it  is  not 
unconmion  to  iicar  liini  say  he  is  sorry  for 
sin;  and  if  (Jofl  will  spare  his  life,  he  will 
amend  his  ways.  But  too  often,  such  a  one 
is  only  sorry  that  Gotl  is  so  holy,  that  the 


36 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


law  is  so  strict,  and  that  he  is  in  danger 
of  being  damned  for  his  sins.  He  is  not 
grieved  that  he  has  offended  God,  his  best 
friend  and  benefactor,  who  has  followed 
him  with  goodness  and  mercy  all  his  life. 
But  the'  rottenness  of  this  repentance  oflen 
appears  when  the  sick  person  recovers ; 
when  the  fright  is  over,  he  returns  to  the 
same  carnal  course  as  before.  The  sorrow 
is  no  better  than  that  of  some  criminals  at 
the  gallows ;  very  sorry  they  are  that  they 
have  tbrfeited  their  lives  ;  but  they  are  not 
affected  with  the  criminality  of  their  ac- 
tions. Felix  trembled,  but  did  not  repent ; 
and  Judas  was  sorry  for  what  he  had  done, 
but  not  in  a  godly  manner.  And  this  shows 
how  very  uncertain,  for  the  most  part,  is 
the  repentance  of  a  dying  bed.  God  forbid 
we  should  delay  our  repentance  to  that 
season ! 

But  the  sorrow  of  a  true  penitent  is  for 
sin,  as  committed  against  a  holy  and  good 
God.  Such  was  the  penitence  of  David, 
who  says.  Psalm  li.  4,  "  Against  thee  only 
have  I  sinned,  and  done  this  evil  in  thy 
sight."  It  is  true  that  he  had  sinned 
against  his  fellow-creatures ;  against  Uriah, 
and  Bethsheba,  and  Joab,  and  all  Israel : 
doubtless  he  lamented  this ;  but  what  cut 
him  to  the  heart,  was  his  sin  against  God ; 
that  God  who  had  raised  him  from  the 
sheepfold  to  the  throne;  who  had  seved 
him  from  the  hand  of  Saul,  and  given  him 
his  master's  house ;  and  if  that  had  been 
too  little,  would  have  given  him  more ; 
(for  thus  Nathan  the  prophet  aggravated 
his  sin.)  "Against  thee,  O  Lord,"  said 
the  brolf en-hearted  penitent,  "  against  thee 
have  I  sinned."  Thus,  "  the  goodness  of 
God  led  him  to  repentance."  Observe, 
likewise,  the  tone  of  the  returnmg  prodi- 
gal. "  I  will  arise,  and  go  to  my  father, 
and  say,  Fatlier,  I  have  sinned  against 
heaven,  and  in  thy  sight,  and  am  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  thy  son."  He  might 
have  said,  Sir,  I  have  spent  my  fortune, 
hurt  my  health,  become  a  beggar,  and  am 
ready  to  starve ;  be  pleased  to  relieve  me. 
No;  his  heart  was  affected  with  his  sin 
and  his  folly.  So  it  is  with  a  repenting 
sinner.  He  considers  the  majesty  of  that 
holy  being  he  has  offended ;  the  reasona- 
bleness of  his  command,  tlie  obligation  he 
has  broken  through,  and  especially  the 
base  ingratitude  of  his  conduct.  Then  he 
will  feel  the  force  of  those  aftecting  words, 
Isa.  i.  2,  3.  "  Hear,  O  heaviMis,  and  give 
ear,  O  earth,  for  the  Lord  both  spoken ;  I 
have  nourished  and  brought  up  children, 
and  they  have  rebelled  against  me.  The 
ox  knovveth  his  owner,  and  Ihe  ass  his  mas- 
ter's crib;  but  Israel  doth  not  know,  my 
people  doth  not  consider." 


The  goodness  of  God  to  a  sinner,  in  the 
way  of  providence,  may  well  excite  this 
godly  sorrow;  but,  how  much  more  the 
consideration  of  redeeming  love  !  What! 
did  God  "  so  love  the  world  of  rebel  men 
as  to  send  them  his  only  begotten  Son !" 
And  did  he  send  his  Son,  "  not  to  condemn 
the  world,  but  that  the  world  through  him 
might  be  saved  !"  O  love  beyond  degree, 
beyond  example,  beyond  expression ! 

Let  the  penitent  also  remember  Jesus ; 
the  innocent,  the  amiable,  the  benevolent 
Jesus.  Jesus,  who  left  his  throne  of  glory, 
and  became  a  poor  and  afflicted  man.  Why 
was  he  despised  and  rejected  of.  men? 
Why  a  man  of  .sorrows  and  acquainted 
with  grief]  Why  had  he  not  a  place  where 
to  lay  his  blessed  head  !  *  Why  did  he  en- 
dure the  contradiction  of  sinners  1  Why 
was  he  oppressed  and  afflicted  1  Why  was 
the  visage  so  marred  more  than  any  man, 
and  his  form  than  the  sons  of  men]  I 
know  the  reason,  may  the  weeping  peni- 
tent say,  "  Surely  he  has  borne  my  griefs, 
and  carried  my  sorrows ;  he  was  wounded 
for  my  transgressions,  and  bruised  for  my 
iniquities." 

"  'Twere  you,  my  sins,  my  cruel  sins, 

His  chief  tormenlers  were  ; 
Each  of  my  crimes  became  a  nail. 

And  unbelief  the  spear. 

"  'Twere  you  that  pull'd  the  vengeance  down, 

Upon  his  guihless  head  ; 
Break,  break,  my  heart,  O  burst  mine  eyes. 

And  let  my  sorrows  bleed." 

III.  Covfession  of  sin  will  also  be  made 
by  the  true  penitent.  By  nature  we  are 
rather  disposed  to  conceal,  deny,  and  ex- 
cuse our  sins;  to  say  we  are  no  worse 
than  others ;  that  we  could  not  help  com- 
mitting them ;  and  that  we  see  no  great 
harm  in  them.  But  it  is  not  so,  where 
true  repentance  is  found.  We  shall  take 
the  advice  that  Joshua  gave  to  Achan. 
"  My  son,  give  glory  to  the  Lord,  and 
make  confession  to  him."  To  hide  or  deny 
our  sins,  is  to  dishonor  God;  as  if  he  did 
not  see,  or  would  not  punish  it ;  but  to  con- 
fess our  sins,  is  to  honor  his  holy  law, 
which  we  have  broken ;  to  honor  his  om- 
niscience, which  beheld  all  our  crimes ;  to 
honor  his  justice,  which  might  take  ven- 
geance upon  them ;  and  to  honor  his  pa- 
tience, which  has  forborne  to  strike  the 
fatal  blow.  And  indeed,  a  frank  and  free 
confession  of  our  sins  is  the  best  way  of 
finding  peace.  "  While  I  kept  silence, 
says  the  Psalmist,  my  bones  waxed  old 
throiigh  my  roaring  all  the  day  long;  but 
I  acknowledge  my  sin  to  thee,  muie  ini- 
quity have  I  not  hid  ;  I  said  I  will  confess 
my  tran.sgressions  to  the  Lord,  and  thou 


SERMON  VIII. 


37 


forgavest  the  iniquity  of  my  sin."     Psalm 
xxxii.  4,  5. 

Secret  sins  require  only  secret  confes- 
sion to  that  God  who  seeth  in  secret ;  but 
sins  that  are  public  and  scandalous  ought 
to  be  more  openly  acknowledged ;  that  we 
may  undo,  as  far  as  we  can,  tlie  evil  com- 
mitted. 

The  true  penitent  is  sincere  in  his  pub- 
lic confessions.  How  many  call  tliemselves 
"  miserable  sinners,"  declare  that  "  the 
remembrance  of  their  sins  is  grievous,  and 
tlie  burden  of  them  intolerable ;"  and  cry, 
"  Lord  have  mercy  upon  us,  Christ  have 
mercy  upon  us,"  without  the  least  sense 
of  evil  or  burden  of  iniquity.  This  is 
abominable  hypocrisy,  and  adding  sin  to 
sin.  But  the  renewed  soul  is  truly  smcere 
in  his  confessions ;  he  finds  the  words  of 
Scripture  well  adapted  to  his  feelings,  and 
can  cordially  adopt  those  of  Job,  "  Behold 
I  am  vile ;  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in 
dust  and  ashes ;"  or  the  words  of  the  pub- 
lican, '•  God  be  merciful  to  me,  a  sinner ;" 
or  the  words  of  Paul,  who  calls  himself 
"  the  chief  of  sinners.' 

We  have  now  considered  Conviction, 
Ccnirition,  and  Confession,  as  three  es- 
sential ingredients  in  true  repentance ; 
and  to  these  we  must  add  one  more. 

IV.  Conversion ;  which  is  a  forsaking 
sin,  and  turning  from  it  to  God.  John  the 
Baptist,  that  great  preacher  of  repentance, 
exhorted  his  hearers  to  "  bring  forth  fruits 
meet  for  repentance."  And  thus  St.  Paul 
preached  botli  to  Jews  and  Gentiles,  "  that 
they  should  repent  and  turn  to  God,  and 
do  works  meet  for  repentance,"  Acts  xxvi. 
20.  Without  tliis,  the  most  humbling  ex- 
pressions and  confessions,  the  greatest 
aharms  of  conscience  or  floods  of  tears,  will 
prove  insufficient.  "  Thougli  Cain's  ter- 
ror, Judas's  confession,  Pharaoh's  promises, 
Allah's  humiliation,  Herod's  hearing  John 
gladly,  and  doing  many  things,  were  all 
combined  in  one  man,  tliey  would  not 
prove  him  a  real  penitent.  While  the  love 
of  one  sin  remained  unmortified  in  the 
heart,  or  the  practice  of  it  allnwed  in  his 
life."  True  repentance  is  not  content  to 
lop  off  the  branches,  but  "  lays  the  ax  at 
the  root  of  the  tree."  The  devil  may  sug- 
gest that  a  beloved  sin  is  but  a  little  one, 
and  may  be  spared;  but  grace  will  know, 
thnt  as  one  .small  leak  may  sink  a  ship,  so 
one  indulged  sin  may  damn  a  soul.  How- 
ever dear  therefore  a  lust  may  be,  or  how- 
over  hard  to  be  parted  with,  it  must  be 
Ibcsaken.  So  our  Lord  directs :  "  If  thy 
right  eye  oflend  thee,  pluck  it  out;  if  tliy 
right  hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  oft";''  that  is, 
if  thine  eye  or  thine  liand  cause  thee  to 


offend,  or  incline  thee  to  sin,  turn  away 
thine  eye  from  it,  as  if  thou  hadst  no  eye 
to  see  it,  or  hand  to  practise  it ;  and  be  as 
willing  to  part  with  a  beloved  lust,  as  a 
man  who  has  a  mortified  hand  or  foot  is 
willing  to  part  with  it,  to  preserve  his  life. 
"For  it  is  better  to  enter  into  life  thus 
maimed,  than  having  two  eyes  or  tw^o 
hands,  to  be  cast  into  hell,  where  the 
worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quench- 
ed." 

You  have  a  fine  instance  of  true  repent- 
ance in  Zaccheus,  the  converted  publican. 
When  Christ  and  salvation  came  to  his 
house  and  heart,  he,  who  had  probably 
been  a  great  sinner,  stands  and  says  to  the 
Lord,  Behold,  Lord,  the  half  of  my  goods  I 
give  to  the  poor  ;  and  if  I  have  taken  any 
thing  from  any  man  by  false  accusation,  I 
restore  him  four-fold."  Here  was  not  only 
confession  of  sin,  but  forsaking  it.  He, 
who  had  been  an  extortioner,  becomes  not 
only  honest,  but  liberal.  He  makes  resti- 
tution ;  and  so  will  every  true  penitent. 
He  will  undo  what  he  has  done,  if  possi- 
ble. Alas,  how  many  evils  is  it  now  im- 
possible to  undo!  Some  poor  souls  are 
perhaps  in  hell,  to  whose  destruction  our 
wickedness  contributed.  But  grace  will 
enable  us  to  do  what  is  possible ;  sin  shall 
not  have  dominion ;  and  we  shall  now  be 
as  earnest  to  please  and  serve  God,  as  once 
we  were  to  serve  the  devil. 
APPLICATION. 

If  this  be  repentance,  the  great  point  is, 
Have  we  repented  ?  O,  let  us  not  deceive 
ourselves.  Jesus  Christ,  the  faithful  and 
true  witness,  has  said,  "  Except  ye  repent, 
ye  shall  all  likewise  perish :" — not  come 
to  nothing,  or  cease  to  be,  (happy  would  it 
be  for  impenitent  sinners  were  that  their 
case !)  but  they  shall  "  be  punished  with 
everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his 
power."  Do  not  mistake.  Repentance  is 
universally  necessary,  for  "  all  have  sin- 
ned." If  it  could  be  proved,  that  we  never 
committed  but  one  single  sin,  repentance 
would  he  absolutely  necessary.  One  theft, 
one  murder,  proved  against  a  man  at  a 
human  bar  is  enough  to  procure  his  con- 
demnation; so  one  sin  against  God  is 
enough  to  condemn  us  to  eternal  misery. 
But  it  is  not  one,  it  is  not  ten  thou^uid  sins 
only,  that  we  have  to  lament ;  "  who  can 
understand  his  errors  .'"  Listen  not  to  the 
father  of  lies;  he  promised  Eve,  that  eat- 
ing of  the  forbidden  fruit  should  do  her  no 
luirm ;  but  she  found,  and  wo  all  find,  the 
dreadful  effects  of  that  first  sin.  Say  not 
with  the  wicked  man  of  old,  '  Who,  when 
he  heareth  the  words  of  this  curse,  shall 


38 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


bless  himself  in  his  heart,  saying,  I  shall 
have  peace,  though  I  walk  in  the  imagina- 
tion of  my  heart,  to  add  drunkenness  to 
thirst."  Ciod  forbid ;  for,  marli  the  conse- 
quence,— "  The  Lord  will  not  spare  hun, 
but  then  the  anger  of  the  Lord  and  liis 
jealousy  shall  .smoke  against  tlie  man,  and 
all  the  curses  that  are  written  m  this  book 
shall  lie  upon  him."  Deut.  xxi.x.  19.  Re- 
pent, or  perish,  is  the  solemn  decision  of 
God.  "He  commandeth  all  Inen,  every- 
where, to  repent ;  and  what  can  be  more 
reasonable?  The  law  which  we  have 
broken  is  "  holy,  just,  and  good."  To  love 
him  was  our  most  reasonable  service ;  and 
would  have  been  for  our  unspeakable  ben- 
efit. Having  then  broken  it,  and  by  so 
doing  incurred  his  wrath,  and  exposed 
ourselves  to  ruin,  can  it  be  thought  unrea- 
sonable that  we  should  make  an  humble' 
submission,  and  implore  his  mercy  1 

Come,  then,  and  be  encouraged  to  in- 
stant repentance.  He  might  have  cut  you 
off  in  your  sins,  without  a  moment's  warn- 
ing :  but  he  has  given  you  time  and  space 
for  repentance.  His  very  command  is  en- 
couragement. It  implies,  that  "  there  is 
forgiveness  with  him ;"  pardon  of  sin  and 
repentance  are  inseparably  connected. 
"  Christ  is  exalted  to  give  repentance  and 
remission  of  sins."  "  Let  the  wicked  for- 
sake his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his 
thoughts;  and  let  him  return  unto  the 
Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him, 
and  to  our  God,  for  he  wiU  abundantly 
pardon."  Only  do  not  suppose  that  repent- 
ance deserves  or  merits  pardon.  Salvation 
is  all  of  grace ;  but  this  is  the  order  ap- 
pointed of  God ;  for  by  penitential  sorrow, 
the  heart  is  prepared  to  receive  the  mercy 
of  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

Let  the  "  goodness  of  God  lead  thee  to 
repentance."  He  delighteth  not  in  the 
death  of  a  sinner,  but  rather  rejoiceth  in 
his  return.  And  our  Savior  assures  us, 
that  "  there  is  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sin- 
ner that  repcnteth,  more  than  over  ninety 
and  nine  just  persons  who  need  no  repent- 
ance." Arise,  sinner,  for  he  calleth  thee. 
Does  your  heart  begin  to  relent!  Are  you 
saying,  I  will  arise,  and  go  to  my  father] 
Arise,  then,  and  go  at  once.  He  will  see 
thee  afar  oft",  and  run  to  meet  thee ;  he 
waits  to  be  gracious,  and  there  shall  be  joy 
in  heaven,  and  joy  on  earth,  upon  thy  re- 
turn. 

Thousands  as  vile  and  base  as  you  have 
found  mercy.  Let  not  Satan  say  it  is  too 
late ;  the  door  is  open :  nor  let  him  say  it 
is  too  soon.  He  may  say,  to-morrow  will 
do.  God  says,  to-day,  "  while  it  is  called 
to-day ;"  then  hear  his  voice.    To-morrow 


may  be  too  lato.  "This  night  may  thy 
soul  be  required  of  thee."  Beware  of  de- 
ferring repentance  tc^  a  dying  bed.  Will 
you  not  then  have  enough  to  do,  to  bear 
with  patience  the  pain  and  agonies  of  dia 
solving  nature!  Why  should  you  plant 
thorns  in  your  dying  pillow!  Why  should 
you  not  then  have  the  peace  of  God,  and 
the  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  support  and 
comfort  your  heart  1  Who  can  tell  but^ 
sudden  death  may  be  your  lot ;  if  not,  ex- 
treme pain,  or  a  disordered  head,  may  pre- 
vent the  possibility  of  repentance.  And 
do  not  imagine  that  repentance  has  any 
thing  in  it  forbidding.  Christ  has  said, 
"  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn,  for  tliey 
shall  be  comforted."  The  penitent  has 
more  pleasure  in  his  tears,  than  the  world- 
ling in  all  his  gaiety.  Besides,  if  the  door 
be  strait,  it  opens  into  boundless  plea- 
sures ;  pleasures  not  confined  to  time,  but 
which  will  last  to  all  eternity.  God  now 
dwells  in  the  contrite  heart;  and  soon  shall 
every  true  penitent  dwell  with  him  in  para- 
dise. 

Let  those  who  know  what  true  repent- 
ance is,  give  thanks  to  him  who  has  gra- 
ciously bestowed  it.  Know,  my  friends, 
that  repentance  is  not  the  work  of  a  day, 
but  of  a  life.  The  more  you  laiow  of  your 
own  heart,  and  the  more  you  know  of 
Christ,  the  more  need  you  will  feel  of  a 
repenting  spirit.  "  Walk  humbly  with  thy 
God ;"  and  let  the  remembrance  of  for- 
given sins  keep  you  low  in  your  own  eyes ; 
having  received  mercy,  love  much,  for 
much  is  forgiven;  and  labor  daily  to  main- 
tain a  conscience  void  of  offence  toward 
God  and  toward  men. 

"O,  how  I  hate  those  lusts  of  mine, 

That  crucified  my  God  ; 
Those  sins  that  pierc'd  and  nail'd  his  flesh 

Fast  to  the  fatal  wood  ! 

"Whilst,  with  a  melting,  broken  heart, 

My  murder'd  Lord  I  view, 
I'll  raise  revenge  against  my  sins, 

And  slay  the  murd'rers  too." 


PRAYER. — Blessed  God,  who  hast  declared 
in  thy  holy  word,  That  if  any  man  have  not  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  he  is  none  of  his,  give  unto  each 
of  us  thy  Holy  Spirit,  that  by  his  teaching  "we 
may  have  a  right  judgment  in  all  things,  and 
evermore  rejoice  in  his  holy  comfort,  tlirough 
the  merits  of  Christ  Jesus  our  Savior,  who,  livcth 
and  reigneth  with  thee,  in  the  unity  of  the  same 
Spirit,  one  God,  world  without  end  ! 

May  the  Holy  Spirit  enlighten  our  minds  iu  the 
knowledge  of  Christ,  and  lead  us  into  all  truth! 
May  our  hearts  be  purified  by  his  holy  influence ! 
and  let  the  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost  be  our  strength 
and  our  consolation!  May  he  help  our  infirmities 
in  prayer,  and  become,  by  all  his  sacred  opera- 
tions the  seal  of  our  redemption !    Amen. 


SERMON  IX. 


39 


SERMON  IX. 

THE  WORK  OF  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 

Rom.  viii.  9.— Now  if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit 
of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his. 

Notwithstanding  the  various  distinc- 
tions which  subsist  among  men,  there  are 
but  two  of  any  real  consequence  in  the 
sigiit  of  God ;  and  tliese  are  mentioned  by 
St.  Paul  just  before  our  text — "  They  that 
are  after  the  flesh,  and  mmd  the  things  of 
the  flesh  ;  and  they  tliat  are  after  the 
Spirit,  and  who  mind  the  things  of  the 
Spirit,"  ver.  5 ;  that  is,  those  people,  who, 
remaining  in  the  state  they  were  born,  do 
habitually  consult  and  relish,  pursue,  and 
delight  in  worldly,  sensual,  and  sinful 
things ;  or  on  the  contrary,  those  who,  be- 
ing born  again  of  the  Spirit,  are  under  his 
guidance  and  influence;  and  therefore  pur- 
sue, regard,  and  love  things  that  are  of  a 
spiritual  and  heavenly  nature.  Every  per- 
son here  belongs  to  one  of  these  classes ; 
and  it  behoves  us  seriously  to  examine  to 
which  of  them ;  for  on  this  depends  our 
eternal  all.  He  who  is  after  the  flesh, 
"  cannot  please  God,"  v.  8 ;  but  is  in  a  state 
of  death,  v.  6 ;  or,  as  it  is  in  the  text,  "  is 
none  of  Christ's,"  that  is,  not  a  member  of 
his  body,  not  a  child  in  his  family,  not  a 
subject  in  his  kingdom ;  and  dying  in  this 
state,  Christ  will  not  own  him  for  his,  nor 
adjudge  him  to  eternal  life  at  the  great 
day.  But  if  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  have 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  live  under  his  gra- 
cious influences,  it  is  a  proof  that  we  be- 
long to  Christ,  and  shall  obtain  eternal 
glory  with  him.  How  necessary  is  it  then 
that  we  should  be  able  to  decide  willi  cer- 
tainty on  this  great  question,  and  to  know 
whether  we  belong  to  Christ  or  not !  That 
we  may  be  able  to  do  this,  let  ns  pray  to 
God  to  assist  us,  while  we 

I.  Consider  who  the  Spirit  of  Christ  is. 

II.  Prove  that  all  real  Christians  have 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  show  for  what 
purposes;  and, 

III.  Pouit  out  the  evidence  of  our  stat<=^ 
arising  from  thence. 

I.  Let  us  consider  who  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  is. 

The  whole  Scripture  declares,  that 
"there  is  but  one  only  living  and  true 
God;"  but  the  Scripture  clearly  shows, 
that  in  the  unity  of  the  Godhead  there  are 
three  (whom  we  call  persons :)  thus,  in 
1  John  V.  7,  "  There  are  three  that  bear 
record  in  heaven ;  the  Father,  the  Word, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  these  three  arc 
one."     They  are  generally  called  by  the 


names  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost;  which 
names  are  not  intended  to  describe  their 
manner  of  subsistence  among  themselves 
(for  that  is  a  branch  of  knowledge  above 
our  capacity,  and  is  not  revealed  ;)  but  the 
manner  of  their  operations  in  the  covenant 
of  grace.  To  each  of  these  divine  persons 
particular  attributes  and  works  are  as- 
cribed, and  each  of  them  is  expressly  call- 
ed God.  The  divine  person  we  now  speak 
of  is  the  Holy  Spirit ;  called,  in  the  same 
verse  with  our  text,  "  the  Spirit  of  God." 
That  he  is  properly  called  a  Person,  ap- 
pears from  the  personal  properties  and 
works  ascribed  to  him.  He  is  said  to  have 
Understanding,  or  Wisdo7n,  1  Cor.  ii.  10. 
Is.  ii.  3.  He  is  said  to  have  a  Will,  1  Cor. 
xiL  11.  He  is  possessed  of  Power,  Job 
xxxii.  4.  He  is  said  to  leach  us,  John  xiv. 
26.  1  John  ii.  27,  to  lead — to  guide — to 
convince — to  renew — to  speak — to  show — 
to  call ;  and  setid  mmisters.  This  plainly 
proves  that  he  is  a  person,  and  not  merely 
a  quality  or  property  of  Deity,  as  some 
have  vainly  pretended. 

It  is  equally  evident  that  he  is  a  Divine 
Person,  or  truly  and  properly  God,  equal 
with  the  Father  and  the  Son ;  for  divine 
perfections  are  ascribed  to  him,  as  Eter- 
nilxj — Omnipres&nce — or  being  every- 
where ;  and  Omniscience,  or  knowing  all 
things.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  expressly  called 
God.  Ananias  is  said  to  lie  to  the  Holy 
Ghost,  Acts  V.  3 ;  and  in  the  next  verse 
St.  Peter  says  to  him,  "  Thou  hast  not  lied 
unto  men,  but  unto  God."  The  same  per- 
son is  intended  in  both  verses,  wiiich 
plainly  shows  that  the  Holy  Gliost  is  (iod. 
This  also  appears  from  the  si?i  against  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  if  he  were  not  God,  would 
blaspheming  him  be  a  sin,  an  unpanlonable 
sin!  But  above  all,  consider  the  form  of 
baptism.  Our  Lord  commands  his  apostles 
to  "disciple  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  So  likev.isc  in 
the  usual  form  of  benediction  :  "The  grace 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  love  of  Cod, 
and  the  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be 
with  you."  In  botli  these  cases,  the  very 
same  honors  are  ascribed  to  the  S])irit  as 
are  given  to  the  other  divine  persons ; 
which  would  be  bla.::phemy,  if  he  were  not 
a  divine  person,  or  iruly  and  properly  God. 

He  is  called  in  our  text  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  not  only  because  he  proceeded  from 
Christ,  as  well  as  from  the  Father,  but  be- 
cause he  was  prvmisrd  by  Christ,  and  sent 
by  Clirist.  He  was  tlie  Spirit  of  Cl)rist  in 
all  the  ancient  projihets ;  and  he  now  "tes- 
tifies of  Christ,"  "  lakes  the  things  of 
Christ,  and  shows  them  unto  us;"    in  a 


40 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


word,  because  the  whole  salvation  of  Christ 
is  applied  to  the  heart  by  his  sacred  influ- 
ences. We  are  now,  in  the  second  place, 
to    • 

IL  Prove  that  all  real  Christians  have 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  to  show  tor  what 
purposes  they  have  him.  So  necessary  is 
this  to  salvation,  that  St.  Paul  declares  in 
our  text,  that  "  if  any  man  have  not  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his ;"  that 
is,  he  is  no  Christian. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  dangerous  errors 
of  this  day,  to  maintain  that  the  influences 
of  the  Spirit  are  not  now  to  be  expected, 
and  that  they  were  confined  to  the  days 
of  the  apostles,  when  they  had  power  to 
work  miracles.  ■  In  consequence  of  this 
wicked  notion,  all  that  is  said  of  Conver- 
sion, Regeneration,  and  Consolation,  is  out 
of  date  ;  and  poor  ignorant  souls  are  lulled 
asleep  in  carnal  security,  contentedly  rest- 
ing in  the  form  of  godliness  without  the 
power;  while  they  are  taught,  by  their 
blind  leaders,  to  call  all  true,  vital,  and  felt 
religion,  nonsense  and  enthusiasm. 

That  any  of  the  clergy  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  in  this  country,  or  in 
England,  should  thus  deny  the  work  of 
the  Spirit,  is  extremely  absurd  and  incon- 
sistent, because  that  church  strongly  main- 
tains the  necessity  of  it  in  many  parts  of 
the  Common  Prayer  Book.  In  tlie  collects 
you  may  recollect  these  petitions ;  "  Grant 
unto  us  thy  humble  servants,  that  by  thy 
holy  inspiration  we  may  think  those  things 
that  be  good."  In  another  place,  "  Send 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  pour  into  our  hearts 
that  most  excellent  gift  of  charity."  In  the 
Communion  service  she  prays,  "  Cleanse 
the  thoughts  of  our  hearts  by  the  inspira- 
tion of  thy  Holy  Spirit."  Observe  also 
the  prayer  for  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  and  all  others  in  civil  authority; 
"  So  replenish  them  with  the  grace  of  thy 
Holy  Spirit,  that  they  may  always  incline 
to  thy  will,  and  walk  in  thy  way.  Endue 
them  plenteously  with  heavenly  gifts," 
&c.  In  the  Xlllth  Article  of  tlie  Church, 
it  is  affirmed,  that  "  Works  done  before 
the  grace  of  Christ,  and  the  inspiration  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  are  not  pleasant  to  God." 
Every  clergyman,  at  his  ordination,  is  ask- 
ed by  the  Bishop  tliis  question :  "  Do  you 
trust  that  you  are  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  take  upon  you  this  office  ]"  To 
which  the  minister  replies,  "  I  trust  so." 
And  in  the  Collect  for  Wliit-Sunday,  the 
Church  thus  prays — God,  who,  at  this  time, 
didst  teach  the  hearts  of  tliy  faithful  peo- 
ple, by  sending  to  them  the  liglit  of  thy 
Holy  Spirit ;  "  Grant  us,  by  the  same 
Spirit,  to  have  a  right  judgment  in  all 


things;  and  evermore  to  rejoice  in  his 
holy  comfort."  Also  in  the  collect  for  the 
Sunday  after  Ascension-day,  "  We  beseech 
thee,  leave  us  not  comfortless ;  but  send  to 
us  thy  Holy  Ghost  to  comfort  us."  You 
see  then,  my  brethren,  that  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  strongly  maintains  the 
continuance  of  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  as 
necessary  to  all  true  ministers  and  Chris- 
tians. How  then  do  any  affirm,  that  his 
influences  have  ceased  1600  years  ?  But 
as  our  faith  must  not  rest  on  the  authority 
of  men,  let  us  search  the  Scriptures,  to 
prove  that  the  work  of  the  Spirit  on  the 
heart  is  absolutely  necessary  to  true  godli- 
ness. 

We  freely  grant,  indeed,  that  the  extra- 
ordinary gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  were 
confined  to  the  first  ages.  Who  now  pre- 
tends to  the  gift  of  tongues,  or  power  of 
working  miracles  ?  We  do  not  plead  for 
infallibility,  or  knowledge  of  future  events, 
or  ability  to  know  any  thing  not  revealed  in 
the  Bible.  It  is  for  the  sanctifying  influ- 
ences of  the  Spirit  we  plead.  The  apos- 
tles and  first  Christians  received  from  the 
Spirit,  not  only  the  miraculous  powers  just 
mentioned,  but  light  in  their  understand- 
ings, conviction  of  sin  in  their  consciences, 
and  faith  and  love  to  Christ  in  their  hearts, 
"They  purified  their  souls  in  obeying  the 
truth  through  the  Spirit ;"  they  "  abounded 
in  hope  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;"  they  had  "joy 
in  tlie  Holy  Ghost :"  "  the  love  of  God  was 
shed  abroad  in  their  hearts  by  the  Holy 
Ghost."  Through  the  same  Spirit  they 
"mortified  the  deeds  of  the  body;"  and 
cried  "Abba  Father."  The  Spirit  was 
"the  earnest  of  their  heavenly  inherit- 
ance ;"  and  all  their  holy  tempers,  affec- 
tions, and  actions,  are  called  "  fruits  of  the 
Spirit."  Are  not  all  these  things  as  ne- 
cessary to  us  as  they  were  to  them  1  Cor- 
rupt nature  is  just  the  same  now  as  then, 
and  needs  the  same  power  to  change  it. 
Grace  is  also  just  the  same  now  as  it  was 
then,  and  is  derived  from  the  same  source. 
This  alone  is  enough  to  prove  the  necessi- 
ty of  the  Spirit's  work. 

Observe,  also,  that  our  blessed  Lord 
promised  that  his  Spirit  should  abide  and 
continue  with  the  church  instead  of  his 
bodily  presence.  So  he  speaks,  John  xiv. 
18,  "  I  will  pray  tlie  Father,  and  he  shall 
give  you  another  Comforter,  that  he  may 
abide  with  you  for  ever."  Observe,  he  was 
promised  to  abide  with  the  church/or  ever; 
not  with  the  apostles  only,  for  he  was  to  be 
"given  to  all  who  should  believe;"  and 
that,  not  for  two  or  three  hundred  years, 
but  for  ever ;  all  the  time  of  Christ's  ab- 
sence from  earth,  imtil  he  shall  come  the 


SERMON  XL 


41 


second  time  to  judgment.  But  this  will 
more  fully  appear  by  considering  the  pur- 
poses for  which  the  Spirit  is  given. 

All  men  are  by  nature  "  dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins ;"  dead  to  God  and  spiritual 
things ;  as  a  corpse  in  the  grave  is  dead  to 
the  affairs  of  -the  world.  Now  "  it  is  the 
Spirit  that  quickeneth,"  John  vi.  63.  The 
word  of  Clirist  in  the  gospel  is  employed 
for  this  end.  *'  The  dead  shall  hear  the 
voice  of  the  Son  of  God ;"  but  it  is  by  tlie 
Spirit's  power  that  the  dead  soul  is  quick- 
ened to  hear  it.  The  word  is  brought  home 
to  the  Jieart,  and  is  then  heard,  "  not  as  the 
word  of  man,  but  as  it  is  in  truth,  the 
word  of  God."  O  that  tlie  word  may  now 
be  heard  among  us  in  this  manner !  "  There 
is  but  one  word  in  Scripture  for  the  air 
which  the  body  breathes,  and  for  that  grace 
which  is  the  breath  of  our  spiritual  life ; 
and  therefore,  when  our  blessed  Lord 
breathed  upon  the  apostles,  he  at  the  same 
time  explained  the  meaning  of  what  he 
did,  by  saying,  "  Receive  ye  the  Holy 
Ghost ;"  and  hence  it  is  called  inspiration, 
or  breathing  in ;  for  it  is  the  gracious  of- 
fice of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  act  upon  the  soul, 
as  breath  does  on  the  body. 

The  Spirit  of  God  is  called  the  "  Spirit 
of  truth."  No  man  knows  the  truth,  in  a 
saving  manner,  but  by  his  teaching.  A 
scholar  may  know  tlie  letter  of  it,  but  no 
human  learning  can  give  its  true  meaning. 
St.  Paul  affirms,  1  Cor.  ii.  14,  "  The  na- 
tural man,  (that  is,  the  rational  man)  re- 
ceiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him :  neither 
can  he  know  them,  for  they  are  spiritually 
discerned :"  and  he  says,  verse  12,  "  We 
have  received  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  we 
might  know  the  things  that  are  freely 
given  to  us  of  God ;" — that  is,  we  have 
been  taught  and  enlightened  by  him,  that 
we  might  have  a  true  and  saving  know- 
ledge of  the  great  and  glorious  blessings 
of  the  gospel ;  and,  indeed,  no  other  teach- 
ing is  sufficient  for  the  purpose.  It  is  well 
said  in  one  of  the  Homilies,  "  Man's  human 
and  worldly  wisdom  and  science  is  not 
needful  to  tlie  understanding  of  Scrip- 
ture, but  the  revelation  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
who  inspired  the  true  meaning  unto  them 
that  with  humility  and  diligence  search 
therefor."  This  is  great  comfort  for  poor 
people,  who  nre  apt  to  say,  they  are  no 
scholars,  and  tlierefore,  cannot  understand 
the  Bible.  Pray,  my  friends,  for  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  you  will  then  understand  it  bet- 
ter than  the  most  learned  man  who  has  not 
the  Spirit. 

Again,  the  Spirit  is  given  to  every  real 
Christian  to  "  reprove,  or  convince  of  sin." 


We  are  by  nature  ignorant  of  God's  holy 
law,  and  therefore  of  sin,  which  is  the 
transgression  of  the  law.  We  are  "  alive 
without  the  law,"  as  St.  Paul  once  was ; 
and  when  the  conmiandment  comes  home 
to  the  conscience  by  the  power  of  the  bless- 
ed Spirit,  then  we  are  deeply  sensible  of 
our  lost  and  ruined  condition ;  of  the  sins 
of  our  life ;  sins  of  omission  as  well  as  of 
commission ;  of  the  sins  of  our  heart ;  and 
of  the  sin  of  our  nature ;  but  the  Holy 
Spirit  convinces  us  especially  of  the  great 
sin  of  unbelief,  in  rejecting  Clirist,  and 
neglecting  his  precious  salvation. 

Again,  it  is  by  tht  power  of  the  Spirit, 
that  we  are  enabled  to  believe  to  the  sav- 
ing of  the  soul.  If  we  see  the  need  of 
salvation,  it  is  by  his  grace.  If  we  see  the 
way  of  salvation,  it  is  by  his  teaching.  If 
we  are  made  willing  to  be  saved  in  that 
way,  it  is  by  his  power.  Faith  is  the  gift 
of  God.  We  believe  by  the  operation  of 
the  Spirit.  And  indeed  it  is  a  great  thing 
to  believe  ;  to  receive  cordially  the  whole 
testimony  of  God  concerning  Jesus  Christ. 
In  the  view  of  our  sin  and  misery,  as  chil- 
dren of  wrath,  to  believe  that  Christ  can 
and  will  save  us.  With  a  heavy  burden 
of  guilt  on  the  conscience,  to  cast  that 
burden  on  the  Lord,  and  to  find  rest  for  our 
souls.  To  renounce  our  own  works  and 
merits,  and  trust  alone  to  the  righteousness 
of  Christ.  This  is  a  great  work ;  a  work 
that  none  can  perform  but  by  the  "  Spirit 
of  faith." 

The  Spirit  of  Christ  is  also  called  "the 
Spirit  of  holiness ;"  for  he  is  the  author  of 
that  "holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall 
see  the  Lord."  Believers  are  "  chosen  to 
salvation  through  sanctification  of  the 
Spirit,  and  belief  of  the  truth."  Regen- 
eration is  the  beginning  of  a  new  and  spir- 
itual life.  Sanctification  is  a  work  of  the 
Spirit  in  preserving  and  increasing  that 
life.  All  true  Christians  are  saints,  as  you 
may  see  in  several  of  the  Epistles  which 
were  written  to  the  .'taints:  and  though 
through  the  folly  and  wickedness  of  many, 
that  name  is  become  a  term  of  reproach, 
let  all  men  know,  that  if  we  are  not  saints 
we  cannot  be  saved. 

Another  purpose  for  which  believers 
have  the  Spirit,  is  to  assist  them  in  all  re- 
ligious duties.  "  Without  me,  said  Christ, 
ye  can  do  nothing:"  and  St.  Paul  says, 
"  We  are  not  sufficient  of  ourselves,  to 
think  any  thing  as  of  ourselves,  but  our 
sufficiency  is  of  God ;"  that  is,  we  have  it 
by  actual  supplies  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Christ  is  present  by  his  Spirit,  "  Wherever 
two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  his 
name ;"  and  if  thev  jr^'t  a  blessing  under 
'4* 


42 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


the  word  preached,  or  in  singing  psahns  or 
hymns,  or  in  prayer,  it  is  entirely  from  the 
influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  is  said, 
Rom.  viii.  28,  to  "  help  our  infirmities  in 
prayer ;"  and  we  read  also  of  "  praying-  in 
the  Spirit,  and  of  singing  in  the  Spirit." 
■  The  Holy  Ghost  is  also  given  to  believers 
as  a  Comforter.  Under  tliis  pleasing  name 
Jesus  Christ  promised  to  send  him  to  his 
sorrowful  disciples,  and  said  he  should  al- 
ways abide  in  the  church  as  u  comforter. 
Blessed  be  God,  there  is  comfort  in  reli- 
gion. The  ways  of  God  are  pleasantness 
and  peace,  and  none  will  deny  it,  but  those 
who  have  never  ti-ied  -them.  True  happi- 
ness is  found  only  in  the  way  of  faith,  love, 
and  obedience.  The  knowledge  of  sin  for- 
given; peace  of  conscience  through  the 
blood  of  Christ;  a  good  hope  through  grace; 
victory  over  the  fear  of  death; — are  not 
these  comfortable  and  blessed  things'! 
What  can  the  world,  or  sin,  propose  of 
equal  value  '!  Well,  all  these  are  from  the 
gracious  and  powerful  mfluences  of  the 
Spirit ;  and  this  leads  us  to  the  last  thing 
proposed. 

'JII.  The  evidence  of  our  state,  as  it 
^ises  from  having  or  not  having  the  Spirit, 
^ur  te.xt  says,  that  "  If  any  man  have  riot 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his," 
consequently  is  in  a  dreadful  condition; 
and  dying  so,  must  perish  for  ever  without 
remedy.  But  the  words  imply  a  glorious 
truth,  namely,  that  some  persons  do  belong 
to  Christ.  Yes,  they  are  his  dear  people, 
by  the  gift  of  the  Father,  by  the  purchase 
of  his  blood,  and  by  the  power  of  his  Spirit, 
whereby  they  gave  themselves  up  to  him. 
Having  the  Spirit,  in  the  manner  and 
for  the  purposes  we  liave  heard,  is  the 
grand  proof  of  being  in  a  state  of  salvation. 
This  is  called  the  Seal,  2  Cor.  i.  22 ;  Eph. 
i.  13.  iv.  30.  Valuable  things  are  sealed, 
for  the  security  of  them,  and  to  denote 
whose  property  tliey  are.  Thus  are  be- 
lievers sealed.  God  has  given  them  his 
Spirit ;  he  dwells  in  their  souls ;  he  quick- 
ens them ;  he  enlightens  them ;  he  con- 
vinces them  of  sin ;  he  enables  them  to 
believe  in  Christ;  he  sanctifies  them;  he 
helps  them  to  pray;  he  comforts  their 
hearts.  This  is  God's  seal.  It  cannot  be 
counterfeited.  "  There  is  no  condemnation 
to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,"  and 
who  prove  they  are  in  him  by  "  walking 
after  the  Spirit."  To  be  spiritually  mind- 
ed is  life  and  peace.  "  As  many  as  are  led 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of 
God."  Whoever  has  the  Spirit  has  the 
sure  carnrst  of  heaven,  2  Cor.  i.  22.  Eph. 
i.  14 ;  he  becomes  "  a  joint  heir  with  Jesus 
Christ;    he   has   the  first  fruits  of   the 


Spirit ;"  and  both  soul  and  body  shall  cer 
tainly  be  made  happy  for  ever  in  the  eter- 
nal world. 

APPLICATION. 

And  now,  dear  unmortals,  what  do  you 
think  of  these  things  !  Seeing  that  having 
the  Spirit  of  God  determines  our  state, 
how  is  it  with  you  1  Have  ijou  the  Spirit '? 
It  may  be  known.  It  ought  to  be  known ; 
for  our  all  depends  upon  it.  Heaven  is 
ours,  if  we  have  the  Spirit.  Hell  will  be 
ours,  if  we  die  without  him.  Recollect  a 
moment  what  has  been  said,  and  pray  with 
David,  "  Search  me,  O  Lord,  and  try  my 
heart."  You  have  heard  for  what  purposes 
every  believer  receives  the  Spirit.  He 
quickens  the  dead  soul.  Has  he  quicken- 
ed you  1  Are  you  alive  to  God,  or  are  you 
alive  to  sin  and  the  world  ?  He  enlightens 
the  mind  in  the  truth.  Do  you  know,  dis- 
tinguish, and  love  the  truth  of  the  gospel, 
or  do  you  despise  and  hate  it  T  He  con- 
vinces of  sin.  Are  you  convinced  and 
humbled  for  your  iniquity  I  or  do  you  make 
light  of  it — perhaps  boast  of  it  ?  He  is  the 
author  of  faith.  Do  you  believe  in  Jesus, 
or  do  you  neglect  his  salvation  1  He  sanc- 
tifies the  soul.  Is  your  soul  sanctified  by 
his  grace,  or  are  you  wallowing  in  the 
filth  of  sin  1  He  helps  the  true  Christian 
to  pray.  Do  you  know  any  thing  of  his 
gracious  help  in  prayer,  or  do  you  live 
without  prayer,  or  which  is  nearly  as  bad, 
content  yourself  with  a  lifeless  form  of 
bare  words  without  the  heart  1  The  Spirit 
of  God  is  a  Comforter.  Is  your  comfort  or 
pleasure  derived  from  him,  or  from  the 
vanities  and  vices  of  the  world  ]  May  the 
Lord  enable  you  to  give  a  serious  and 
honest  answer  to  these  inquiries !  If,  as 
it  may  be  feared^  some  of  you  are  without 
the  Spirit,  what  is  your  case  ?  You  belong 
not  to  Christ ;  you  are  none  of  his.  Trem- 
ble at  the  dreadful  thought.  Die  you 
must;  and  you  must  come  to  judgment 
too.  When  you  see  him  on  the  awful 
throne,  O  how  you  will  wish  to  belong  to 
him,  and  to  be  owned  by  him !  O,  then,  be 
persuaded  this  moment  to  lift  up  your 
heart  to  God,  and  say.  Merciful  God,  give 
me  thy  Holy  Spirit  "J  He  has  promised  to 
give  him  to  those  who  ask.  This  blessed 
gift  may  yet  be  yours,  and  shall,  if  you 
sincerely  desire  it.  "  Ask  then,  and  you 
shall  receive ;  seek,  and  you  shall  find  ; 
knock,  and  the  door  shall  be  opened."  God 
Almighty,  in  compassion  to  your  souls,  en- 
able you  to  do  this. 

And  as  to  those  who  have  obtained  this 
greatest  of  blessings,  who  have  the  Holy 
Spirit,  what  more  can  be  said  to  youl 
Survey  the  wondrous  gift  with  grateful 


SERMON  X. 


43 


acknowledgment.  What  has  God  wrought ! 
Deny  not,  from  false  humility,  tiie  lieaven- 
ly  benefit.  Have  you  experienced  those 
sacred  effects  of  the  Spirit,  which  have 
been  so  frequently  mentioned ;  here  then 
is  the  broad  seal  of  the  Majesty  of  heaven, 
securing  your  relation  to  Christ,  and  your 
title  to  mansions  of  glory.  Rejoice,  and 
be  exceeding  glad.;  and  having  received 
the  Spirit,  take  care  to  "  walk  in  the 
Spirit ;"  be  careful  not  to  "  grieve  tlie 
Spirit;"  and  be  concerned  to  brhig  forth 
"  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,"  which  are  by 
Jesus  Christ,  to  the  praise  and  glory  of 
God. — Amen. 


PRAYER.— O  Most  holy  Lord  God,  against 
whom  we  have  greatly  sinned,  and  who  for  our 
sins  art  most  justly  displeased, — thou  hast  reveal- 
ed thy  wrath  against  all  ungodliness  and  unright- 
eousness of  men, — thou  hast  also  declared.  That, 
except  we  repent,  we  shall  certainly  perish  ;  be- 
stow upon  us,  we  hurnbly  beseech  thee,  the 
grace  of  repentance.  Take  away  the  unfeeling 
heart  of  stone,  and  give  soft  and  feeling  hearts. 
Convince  us  of  our  sins ; — may  we  feel  genuine 
sorrow  on  account  of  them !  Enable  us  to  con- 
fess them  with  humble,  lowly,  penitent,  and  obe- 
dient hearts ;  and  may  we  bring  forth  fruits  meet 
for  repentance,  by  turning  every  one  from  his 
wicked  way,  and  hereafter  living  a  godly,  right- 
eous, and  sober  hfe,  to  the  glory  of  thy  holy 
name !    Amen. 


.SERMON  X. 

HOLINESS. 

Heb.  zii.  14.  Holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall 
see  the  Lord. 

"  Holy,  Holy,  Holy  is  the  Lord  God  Al- 
mighty !"  This  is  the  language  of  saints 
and  angels  in  their  solenm  worship.  Yes : 
the  God  who  made  us ;  the  God  who  rules 
us;  the  God  who  will  judge  us;  is  most 
holy.  "  Who  is  lilce  unto  hun,  glorious  in 
holiness,  fearful  in  praises,  doing  won- 
ders !"  the  due  consideration  of  God's  holi- 
ness will  make  us  serious  at  all  times,  and 
especially  when  we  consider  our  own  un- 
holiness.  Well  may  each  of  us  adopt  the 
words  of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  "  Woe  is  me  ! 
for  I  am  undone ;  because  I  am  a  man  of 
unclean  lips ;  and  I  dwell  in  the  midst  of 
a  people  of  unclean  lips." — "  Who  can 
stand  before  this  holy  Lord  God  !" 

When  God  created  man,  he  made  him 
holy.  God  created  man  in  his  own  image, 
which  image  was  holiness;  for  this  is  the 
peculiar  character  of  God.  But  man  soon 
lost  the  glory  of  liis  nature  by  sin.  He  be- 
came an  unholy  being;  and  God,  who  is 
of  "  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  evil,  and 
who  cannot  look  upon  iniquity,"  banislied 


him  from  paradise :  for  sin  broke  off  the 
liappy  intimacy  that  belbre  subsisted.  As 
there  can  be  no  communion  between  light 
and  darkness,  so  there  can  be  no  commu- 
nion between  a  holy  God  and  an  unholy 
sinner.  And  this  is  the  reason  of  what  is 
alHrmed  in  our  text,  that  "  without  holi- 
ness no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  To  "see 
the  Lord,"  is  a  description  of  the  happi- 
ness of  heaven,  where  all  his  divine  per- 
fections will  be  displayed,  to  the  admira- 
tion and  delight  of  all  the  redeemed ;  but 
we  cannot  see  him  without  holiness.  Now 
God,  who  made  man  holy  at  first,  has  gra- 
ciously contrived  to  make  him  holy  again. 
Tliis  is  a  chief  part  of  his  great  salvation ; 
for  by  the  blood  of  Christ  the  guilt  of  sin 
is  taken  away  from  believers ;  and  by  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  they  are  born  again,  and 
made  new  creatures;  that  is,  they  are 
made  holy,  and  so  made  meet  for  heaven, 
which  is  seeing  God.  "  The  pure  in  heart 
shall  see  God." 

Our  busiuese  at  this  time  is, 

L  To  show  what  holiness  is, 

II.  To  prove  the  necessity  of  holiness ; 
and, 

III.  To  point  out  the  means  of  holiness. 
I.  Let  us  consider  the  nature  of  true 

holiness. — Briefly,  Holiness  is  the  image 
of  God  restored  m  the  soul ;  or,  in  other 
words,  "  Holiness  is  that  purity  of  a  man, 
in  his  nature,  inclinations,  ^nd  actions, 
which  is  an  imitation  and  expression  of  the 
divine  image." 

Observe  here,  holiness  is  purity ;  the 
contrary  of  that  horrid  defilement  sin  has 
produced  m  the  soul  of  man.  There  are 
two  things  in  sin,  the  guilt  of  it,  and  the 
defilement  of  it.  By  the  guilt  of  it,  we  are 
liable  to  eternal  punishment;  by  the  de- 
filement of  it,  we  are  made  unfit  to  serve 
or  enjoy  God.  Guilt  makes  us  afraid.  De- 
filement makes  us  ashamed.  Thus  Adam 
had  both  guilt  and  fear  upon  his  first  sin. 
Now,  m  the  salvation  of  Jesus  Christ,  God 
has  provided  for  taking  both  these  away 
from  us.  The  guilt  of  sin  is  wliolly  re- 
moved from  those  who  believe  by  the  blood 
of  Christ,  which  made  atonement  for  it. 
The  filth  of  sin  is  removed,  by  the  grace 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  all  those  who  are 
born  again. 

The  purity  we  speak  of  is  the  purity  of 
the  heart,  or  nature.  It  is  not  enough  that 
the  outward  actions  are  not  impure ;  there 
can  he  no  true  holiness  till  tlie  heart  is 
purified.  Now  many  people  overlook  this 
entirely.  They  think  it  enough,  if  they 
are  good  livers,  as  they  call  it,  or  do 
good  works.  Tiiis  was  the  fatal  mistake 
of  the  Pharisees,  so  severely  exposed  by 


44 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


our  blessed  Lord.  Tliey  were  very  par- 
ticular about  meats  and  drinks,  and  wash- 
ing every  thing,  to  prevent  defilement; 
but  he  charges  them  with  washing  the  out- 
side only,  and  taking  no  care  of  the  heart : 
they  drew  nigh  to  God  with  the  mouth, 
but  their  heart  was  far  from  him.  Their 
inward  part  was  very  wickedness;  they 
were  like  white-washed  tombs,  beautiful 
without,  but  full  of  dead  men's  bones,  and 
of  all  uncleanness.  Our  Lord  therefore 
insisted  upon  the  necessity  of  being  born 
again ;  or  being  partaker  of  a  new  and  di- 
vine nature.  Believers  are  "  born  from 
above,"  "  born  of  God ;"  and  as  every  child 
partakes  of  the  same  nature  with  his  fa- 
ther, so  do  the  new-born  sons  of  God ;  they 
"  put  off,  concerning  the  former  conversa- 
tion, the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt,  ac- 
cording to  the  deceitful  lusts;  they  are 
renewed  in  the  spirit  of  their  minds,  and. 
put  on  the  new  man,  which,  after  God,  is 
created  in  righteousness  and  true  holi- 
ness." Eph.  iv.  22—24. 

The  heart  being  thus  renewed,  there 
must  of  course  be  new  dispositions  and  in- 
clinations. Every  nature  has  its  proper  de- 
sires and  inclinations.  Those  of  the  Chris- 
tian are  holy,  in  conformity  to  the  will  of' 
God.  The  alteration  that  grace  makes  is 
strikingly  represented  by  the  prophet 
Isaiah,  in  the  11th  chapter: — "The  wolf 
also  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb ;  and  the 
leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid ;  and 
the  calf,  and  the  young  lion,  and  the  cow, 
and  the  bear,  shall  lie  down  and  feed  to- 
gether;"— that  is,  wicked  men,  however 
fierce,  shall  be  so  altered  by  the  efficacy 
of  the  gospel  and  grace  of  Christ,  that 
they  shall  become  meek,  and  gentle,  and 
loving,  even  to  the  weakest  Christians. 
Brethren,  have  you  experienced  any  change 
of  this  sort  ?  And  what  must  we  think  of 
persecutors,  who  despise  religion?  who 
hate  and  hurt  serious  people  ?  Surely  these 
are  still  lions  and  wolves,  and  cannot  be 
esteemed  the  sheep  of  Christ.  O  that  such 
may  know  what  it  is  to  be  born  again ! 

Let  us  now  consider  briefly,  what  are 
the  prevailing  dispositions  and  inclinations 
of  holy  persons. 

They  are  under  the  habitual  influence 
of  the  year  of  God — not  the  fear  of  a  slave, 
but  the  fear  of  a  child.  God  has  put  his 
fear  into  their  hearts ;  so  that,  instead  of 
living  without  him,  and  contrary  to  him, 
as  once  they  did,  they  are  in  the  fear  of 
God  all  the  day  long.  They  know  that  his 
eye  is  upon  them ;  they  set  him  always 
before  them,  and  their  desire  is,  to  please 
and  glorify  him  in  all  they  think,  and 
speak,  and  do. 


Again,  They  are  humble.  Humility  is 
the  root  of  all  other  graces,  and  the  only 
soil  in  which  they  will  grow.  They  know 
themselves ;  they  Imovv  the  plague  of  their 
own  hearts;  they  are  conscious  of  innu- 
merable sins,  to  which  the  world  are  stran- 
gers. The  remembrance  of  sins  commit- 
ted in  their  carnal  state,  covers  them  with 
shame ;  and  the  sense  of  much  remaining 
corruption  keeps  them  low  in  their  own 
eyes ;  so  that  they  not  only  lie  in  the  dust 
before  God,  but  they  are  kept  from  despi- 
sing their  neighbor.  If  they  differ  from 
the  worst  of  mankind,  they  remember  that 
grace  alone  made  them  to  differ.  Thus, 
being  converted,  they  receive  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  as  little  children,  and  learn  to 
live  constantly  dependent  on  the  wisdom, 
grace,  and  power  of  their  heavenly  Fa- 
ther. 

Once  more.  Holy  persons  are  spiritual 
and  heavenly-minded ;  for  "  to  be  carnally 
minded  is  death;  but  to  be  spiritually 
minded  is  life  and  peace."  Faith  hath  led 
them  to  regard  future  and  eternal  things 
far  above  the  vanities  of  time ;  for  that 
faith  by  which  they  now  live,  is  "  the  sub- 
stance of  things  hoped  for,  and  the  evi- 
dence of  things  not  seen.  "  That  which 
is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  Spirit."  Their 
minds  are  disposed  to  prefer  spiritual  to 
carnal  things.  When  engaged  in  spiritual 
duties,  they  are  in  their  element ;  and,  at 
times,  can  look  down  with  becoming  indif- 
ference on  all  the  trifles  of  time.  Their 
"  conversation  is  in  heaven."  By  the  cross 
of  Christ  "  the  world  is  crucified  to  them ;" 
that  is,  they  are  no  more  delighted  with 
the  world,  than  a  good  man  would  be  with 
the  rotten  carcass  of  a  malefactor;  and 
they  likewise  are  "  crucified  to  the  world ;" 
the  world  can  act  upon  them  with  no 
greater  efficacy,  than  the  objects  of  sense 
upon  a  dead  person. 

But,  above  all.  Love  is  the  grand  prevail- 
ing disposition  of  holy  persons.  Without 
love,  all  attainments  and  professions  are 
vain.  God  says,  "  My  son.  give  me  thme 
heart ;"  and  the  believer  replies — 

"  Take  my  poor  heart,  and  let  it  be 
"  For  ever  clos'd  to  all  but  thee." 

God  appears  infinitely  lovely  to  all  true 
believers.  His  love  in  Christ  Jesus  is 
strongly  attractive.  They  love  him,  be- 
cause he  first  loved  them.  Having  a  good 
hope  through  grace  that  God  for  Christ's 
sake  has  pardoned  their  sins,  accepted  their 
persons,  and  that  he  will  bring  them  to 
glory,  they  feel  themselves  constrained  to 
depart  from  iniquity,  which  they  know  he 
hates,  and  to  practise  holiness,  which  they 
know  he  loves.     Hence  his  people,  hia 


SERMON  X. 


45 


word,  his  day,  his  cause,  become  their  de- 
light ;  and  to  glorify  him  is  the  new  end 
of  their  being.  This  leads  us  further  to 
observe,  that  the  actions  of  such  persons 
must  needs  be  holy  also ;  their  nature  be- 
ing renewed,  and  their  dispositions  sanc- 
tified. 

They  become  holy  in  all  manner  of  con- 
versation and  godliness.  It  would  be  in- 
famous hypocrisy  in  a  man  to  profess  that 
his  heart  is  holy,  if  his  life  is  immoral. 
Morality  there  may  be  without  holiness ; 
but  there  can  be  no  holiness  without  mo- 
rality. The  law  of  God  being  written  on 
the  heart,  and  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad 
in  it,  obedience  will  become  easy  and  plea- 
sant Christ's  yoke  is  easy,  and  his  bur- 
den is  light.  But  here  is  a  large  field, 
which  we  can  but  just  enter  upon. 

Good  works,  properly  so  called,  must  be 
done  from  a  right  principle ;  that  is,  the 
new  nature,  or  grace  of  tlie  Spirit  in  a  be- 
liever :  tliey  must  be  done  according  to  a 
right  rule,  which  is  the  word  of  God ;  and 
they  must  be  done  to  a  right  end;  and 
that  is  to  glorify  God.  O  how  few  works 
are  truly  good,  if  tried  by  these  rules ! 

Holiness  comprehends  all  the  duties  we 
owe  to  God;  these  must  be  regarded  in 
the  first  place :  whereas  many  people  leave 
them  entirely  out  of  their  account.  What 
is  more  common  than  to  hear  ignorant  per-' 
sons  comfort  themselves  against  the  fears 
of  death,  by  their  having  been  honest,  and 
having  paid  every  one  his  own  ?  To  such 
people  we  may  put  the  question  that  a  min- 
ister once  put  to  such  a  person  on  a  dying 
bed — "  But  have  you  paid  God  what  you 
owed  him  V  Alas,  we  owe  God  our  hearts, 
our  love,  our  obedience ;  but  how  many 
have  forgot  God  ;  lived  without  God ;  and 
rebelled  against  God  all  their  lives !  But 
a  holy  man  has  a  steady  regard  to  the  word, 
will,  and  glory  of  God,  in  all  his  ways. 

Nor  will  our  neighbor  be  forgotten.  Re- 
ligion does  not  consist  entirely  in  praying 
and  worshipping  God  ;  the  holy  man  brings 
religion  into  all  his  concerns ;  according 
to  that  ancient  promise,  Zech.  xiv.  20.  "  In 
that  day  there  shall  be  upon  the  bells  of 
the  horses,  JInliness  nnto  the  Lord ;''''  that 
is.  Holiness  shall  not  be  confined  to  priests 
and  temples ;  it  shall  be  brought  into  com- 
mon life,  and  all  the  concerns  of  it  be  man- 
aged to  the  glory  of  God.  It  is  a  great 
truth,  "  that  to  be  really  holy,  is  to  be  re- 
lalivchj  holy."  Holiness  will  make  good 
husbands  and  wives;  good  parents  and 
children;  good  masters  and  mistresses; 
good  tradesmen ;  good  servants ;  and  good 
Bubjects.  It  will  do  this.  It  actually  does 
it,  to  tlie  astonisiiment  of  all  who  observe 


it ;  and  this  is  the  best  way  that  people  can 
take  to  promote  the  gospel,  and  to  make 
their  neighbors  like  it.  Thus  must  every 
believer  become  a  practical  preacher, 
"holding  forth  the  word  of  life."  Our 
"  light  must  shine  before  men,"  and  then, 
"they,  seeing  our  good  works,  will  glorify 
our  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  This  is 
a  short  account  of  real  holiness;  let  us 
now  proceed, 

II.  To  provfe  the  necessity  of  holiness : 
our  text  declares,  that  "  without  it  no  man 
shall  see  the  Lord."  The  whole  Scripture 
testifies  to  the  same  truth.  And  surely  it 
must  be  evident,  in  a  moment,  to  every 
considerate  person,  for  it  is  a  part  of  our 
salvation ;  and  to  talk  of  being  saved  with- 
out holiness,  is  as  absurd  as  to  speak  of  be- 
ing saved  without  salvation.  Jesus  Christ 
came  to  save  us  from  our  siiis,  not  to  save 
us  in  tliem.  To  be  saved  from  the  guilt 
of  sin,  or  be  pardoned,  is  but  half  our  sal- 
vation ;  Jesus  Christ  equally  designed  by 
his  death  to  "  redeem  us  from  all  miquity, 
and  to  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  peo- 
ple,'zealous  of  good  works."  Christ,  there- 
fore, cannot,  will  not,  be  divided ;  we  must 
have  the  whole  of  his  salvation,  or  none 
of  it.  Let  none  therefore  dream  of  salva- 
tion, while  the  love  and  practice  of  sin  is 
voluntarily  continued. 

Besides,  the  command  of  God  shows  the 
necessity  of  holiness.  What  is  the  lan- 
guage of  the  law  1  "  I  am  the  Lord  your 
God,  ye  shall  therefore  sanctify  yourselves, 
and  ye  shall  be  holy,  for  I  am  holy :"  and 
it  is  the  language  of  the  holy  gospel  too. 
To  show  the  eternal  force  and  propriety  of 
this  reason,  it  is  transferred  to  the  New 
Testament,  where  St.  Peter  saith,  "  As  he 
who  hath  called  you  is  holy,  so  be  ye  holy 
in  all  manner  of  conversation."  The  same 
"  gospel  that  brings  salvation  teaches  us  to 
deny  all  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts ; 
and  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly, 
in  this  present  world." 

Again,  The  electing  love  of  God  proves 
the  necessity  of  holiness.  Did  God  choose 
from  all  eternity  those  whom  he  will  finally 
glorify  ?  Yes  ;  but  for  what  purpose  .' 
"That  they  should  be  holy,"  Eph.  i.  4. 
Did  he  predestinate  them  to  eternal  life? 
Yes,  and  for  this  end,  "  that  they  should 
be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son." 
Rom.  viii.  29.  And  accordingly,  such  per- 
sons are  e.xhortcd  by  St.  Paul,  Col.  iii.  12, 
to  "put  on,  as  the  elect  of  God,  holy  and 
beloved,  bowels  of  mercies,  kindness,  hum- 
bleness of  mind,  meekness,"  &c.  These 
things  become  them,  and  are  required  of 
them,  on  account  of  their  interest  in  the 
electing  love  of  God. 


46 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


Above  all,  the  nature  of  God,  who  is 
himself  infinite  holiness,  and  the  nature  of 
heaven,  which  consists  in  the  sight,  service, 
and  enjoyment  of  God,  make  it  absolutely 
necessary  that  we  should  be  holy;  for 
"  without  this,"  as  our  text  affirms ;  "  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord."  No  man ;  be  he 
whom  he  may.  Whether  high  or  low; 
rich  or  poor ;  learned  or  ignorant ;  esteem- 
ed or  disesteemed  of  men.  No  man ;  what- 
ever his  knowledge  or  religion  may  be,  or 
however  high  his  profession ;  whether  he 
boasts  of  his  virtue,  or  his  creed,  of  his 
works,  or  liis  prayers — all,  all  is  in  vain 
without  holiness.  Let  no  man  then  deceive 
himself  with  vain  words:  the  God  of  heav- 
en has  decreed  that  the  unholy  man  shall 
not  enter  into  his  kingdom. 

Indeed,  it  is  most  certain  that  heaven  it- 
self would  be  a  hell  to  the  wicked.  The 
natural  man  well  knows  and  must  confess 
he  has  no  relish  for  any  thing  heavenly. 
His  pleasures  are  sensual  and  worldly. 
His  delight  is  in  folly,  and  vanity,  and  sin. 
The  wicked  of  the  earth  are  his  chosen 
companions.  He  hates  and  persecutes  the 
godly;  despises  them  because  they  are 
saints ;  perhaps  disturbs  their  worship,  and 
injures  their  persons.  Prayer  and  praise, 
reading  and  hearing  the  word  of  God,  are 
dull  and  melancholy  things.  The  sabbath 
itself  is  a  burden.  How  then  can  an  un- 
holy soul  go  to  heaven  ?  It  is  impossible 
in  the  nature  of  things,  and  doubly  impos- 
sible by  the  decree  of  God.  Much  more 
might  be  said,  to  show  the  necessity  of  ho- 
liness ;  but  surely  enough  has  been  said  to 
satisfy  every  reasonable  person.  May  we 
not  hope  that  some  are  now  saying,  yes,  it 
is  plain  enough.  God  has  said  it,  and  I  be- 
lieve it.  I  believe  it  for  myself,  and  I  am 
•now  ready  to  inquire,  how  may  I,  who  am 
an  unholy  creature  by  nature  and  by  prac- 
tice, become  holy?  We  shall  gladly  an- 
swer so  necessary  an  inquiry,  for  this  is  the 
last  thing  proposed,  namely, 

III.  The  means  whereby  we  may  be- 
come holy. 

And  here  it  is  necessary  to  observe,  that 
no  person  in  a  natural  state  can  arrive  at 
true  holiness  by  his  own  power  or  exer- 
tions. "  Tliat  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is 
flesh  !"  Nothing  more,  nothing  better,  nor 
ever  will  be.  Till  we  are  born  again ;  till 
we  believe  in  Christ ;  till  we  are  united  to 
him ;  we  can  never  be  holy  in  the  least 
degree.  The  shadow  and  resemblance  of 
holiness  there  may  be,  in  morality  and  vir- 
tue ;  but  all  the  true  holiness  that  ever  was 
in  the  world,  or  ever  will  \.i  in  it,  is  as 
much  from  Christ,  as  all  the  light  we  have 
is  from  the  sun.    In  vain  therefore  do  poor 


ignorant  souls  labor  for  very  vanity,  in 
fasting,  praying,  penances,  (tc.  &:c.  while 
tliey  forget  Clirist.  Equally  wrong  is  their 
notion,  who  think  they  must  not  be  in- 
debted to  Christ  for  pardon,  but  to  their 
own  good  endeavors  for  holiness :  the  lan- 
guage of  the  true  Christian  is,  "  Surely  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  have  I  righteousness  and 
strength." 

Know,  therefore,  my  friends,  that  as  the 
sin  of  our  nature  was  derived  to  us  from 
Adam,  the  first  man,  so  all  the  hoUness  of 
our  new  nature  must  be  derived  to  us  from 
Jesus  Christ,  the  second  Adam ;  that  "  as 
we  have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthly, 
we  may  also  bear  the  image  of  the  heav- 
enly." Now,  blessed  be  God,  there  is  full- 
ness of  grace  in  Christ  for  his  whole 
church ;  of  which  church  are  we,  if  ena- 
bled by  faith  to  receive  Christ,  and  out  of 
his  fullness  receive  grace  for  grace. 

Faith  is  that  grace,  which  God  has  ap- 
pointed as  the  means  of  our  becoming  holy. 
People  have  a  very  wrong  notion  of  faith, 
who  think  it  an  enemy  of  holiness,  or  good 
works.  If  we  look  into  the  Scripture,  we 
shall  find  that  the  hearts  of  the  vilest  hea- 
thens were  "  purified  by  faith  in  Christ," 
Acts  XV.  9;  and  "sanctified  by  faith," 
Acts  xxvi.  18.  The  faith  that  brings  the 
convinced  sinner  to  Christ,  for  salvation, 
receives  from  him,  as  it  were,  pardon  with 
one  hand,  and  holiness  with  the  other ; 
both  being  equally  the  design  of  Christ  in 
his  mediatorial  work,  and  equally  the  de- 
sire of  every  new-born  soul. 

Observe,  likewise,  that  the  comforts  of 
the  gospel,  such  as  assurance  of  God's 
love  and  pardon  of  our  sins ;  peace  of  con- 
science ;  joy  in  tlie  Holy  Ghost ;  and  the ' 
hope  of  glory ;  have  a  wonderful  tendency 
to  promote  our  holiness. 

For  the  same  purpose  we  must  diligent- 
ly read  our  Bibles ;  frequently  hear  the 
preached  gospel;  and  especially  abound  in 
prayer.  These  are  properly  called  Means 
of  grace  ;  and  though  they  have  no  power 
in  themselves  to  make  us  holy,  yet  they 
are  appointed  of  God  for  our  use ;  he  has 
graciously  promised  to  bless  them ;  and  in 
the  diligent  use  of  them  every  grace  of 
the  Spirit  is  exercised,  and  by  exercise  in- 
creased. Thus  a  sense  of  the  evil  of  sin, 
and  of  the  beauty  of  holiness,  is  kept  up ; 
and  thus,  especially  are  our  souls  led  out  ^ 
of  themselves,  in  direct  acts  of  faith,  to 
Jesus,  and  so  enabled  to  receive  daily  sup- 
plies of  grace  for  our  growth  in  holiness, 
even  "  grace  for  grace." 

APPLICATION. 
And  is  this  holiness!     O,  my  friends, 
where  is  it  to  be  found  .'    O  liow  little  is  it 


SERMON  XL 


47 


to  be  seen  in  our  world !  Yet  this  is  in- 
deed that  image  of  God  in  which  every 
true  Christian  is  renewed,  and  without 
which  a  person  is  yet  in  his  sms,  and  dyuig 
so  must  perish  for  ever. 

And  docs  not  tiiis  alarm  the  careless  sin- 
ner, wlio  daily  indulges  the  love  and  prac- 
tice of  sin  .'  say,  dying  fellow-creature,  is 
not  thy  heart  as  far  from  this  holiness  as 
the  east  is  from  the  west  ?  You  know  it  is. 
And  wliat  must  be  tlie  consequence  ]  Dost 
thou  not  believe  the  God  of  truth,  that  this 
unholiness  must  shut  you  out  of  heaven  ! 
Has  it  not  been  clearly  proved  that  such  as 
you  cannot  be  admitted  there  1  Your  own 
heart  allows  that  it  is  impossible. 

But  surely  you  are  not  willing  matters 
should  remain  thus.  Does  a  desire  arise 
in  your  heart,  O  that  I  were  holy  !  Well, 
blessed  be  God  for  such  a  desire.  Know, 
my  friends,  that  all  are  alike  by  nature. 
If  any  here  are  made  holy,  sovereign  grace 
made  them  so.  Do  you  begin  to  cry.  What 
must  I  do  ?  We  answer,  first  look  to  Christ 
for  the  pardon  of  your  sins ;  and  then,  for 
the  purity  of  your  heart.  You  must  not 
first  strive  to  make  yourselves  better,  and 
then  think  you  may  come  to  him  with  bet- 
ter hope  of  salvation ;  but  come  now,  come 
just  as  you  are,  and  the  Friend  of  sinners 
will  receive  you. 

The  same  direction  may  be  useful  to 
those,  wiio  are  seeking  the  kingdom  of 
God  and  his  righteousness;  who  mourn 
over  remaining  corruption,  and  long  for 
the  image  of  God.  Look  to  Jesus  for 
it.  Remember  that,  by  virtue  of  union 
to  Christ,  you  may,  by  faith,  derive  daily 
grace  from  him  through  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  "Witliout  him  you  can  do 
nothing ;"  but  "  his  grace  is  sufficient"  for 
all  things.  In  tlie  exercise  of  constant 
faith,  and  in  tlie  diligent  use  of  all  appoint- 
ed means,  expect  the  supplies  of  the  Spirit: 
believing,  assuredly,  that  he  who  has  be- 
gun the  good  work  in  you,  will  carry  it  on, 
till  made  meet  for  tJie  heavenly  inherit- 
ance. 


PRAYKR.— IIoi.v,  holy,  holy  Lord  God  Al- 
mighty, thou  hast  said  unto  us,  "  Be  ye  holy,  for 
I  am  holy !"  But  vvc  confess,  wilh  .shame  and 
grief,  that  we  are  by  nature  and  practice  unholy 
and  impure  in  thy  sight.  We  have  reason  to  ab- 
hor ourselves,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes ; — 
we  have  cause  to  say  "  Woe  be  to  ns,  for  we  are 
unclean !"  Our  guilt  makes  us  afraid, — our  de- 
filement makes  us  ashamed  ;  but,  O  grant,  of  thy 
infinite  mercy,  that  our  guilt  may  be  removed, 
through  faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  our  filth 
taken  away  by  the  grace  of  thy  Holy  Spirit !  Put 
thy  fear  into  our  hearts. — Make  us  humble,  spir- 
itual, and  heavenly-minded;  and  may  the  love 
of  Christ  constraiti  us  to  depart  from  all  iniquity, 
that  so  we  may  faitlifuUy  serve  thee  in  the  pres- 


ent world,  as  a  people  redeemed  from  their  vair» 
conversation,  zealous  of  good  works;  and  finally 
be  adiiMlted  into  the  realms  of  perfect  purity  and 
happiness,  where  we  shall  see  Jesus  as  he  is,  and 
be  for  ever  wilh  and  like  our  holy  Lord  I 


SERMON  XL 

DEATH  AND  JUDGMENT. 

Heb.  ix.  27.    It  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die, 
but  after  this  tlie  Judgment. 

It  is  recorded  of  Philip,  king  of  Mace- 
don,  that  he  ordered  one  of  his  pages  to  i 
come  every  morning  to  his  chamber  door,  l-""'^ 
and  cry  aloud, — "Philip,  remember  thou 
art  mortal !"  How  mucli  the  conduct  of 
this  heathen  prince  shames  p-niibers  of  peo- 
ple called  Christians !  who,  instead  of 
keeping  their  mortality  in  mind,  do  all  in 
their  power  to  forget  it.  This  discourse  is 
intended  to  call  your  serious  attention  to 
^yhat  so  much  concerns  you.  Like  Moses 
therefore  we  say,  "  O  tliat  you  were  wise, 
that  you  understood  this,  that  you  would 
consider  your  latter  end !"  May  you  be  led 
to  pray,  "  So  teach  us  to  number  our  days, 
that  we  may  apply  our  hearts  unto  wis- 
dom." 

Our  first  business  at  this  time  is  with 
DEATH.  There  is  something  solemn  in 
the  very  name !  but,  O,  who  can  tell  what 
death  is  1  None  of  our  relations  or  neigh- 
bors return  from  the  grave  to  inform  us ; 
we  must  learn  its  nature,  its  cause,  and  its 
consequences,  from  tlie  faithful  word  of 
God.  We  may  indeed  see  soinetliing  of  it 
in  our  dying  friends.  We  may  see  tlie 
hasty  progress  of  some  fatal  disease.  The 
pains,  the  groans,  the  agonies  of  the  dying, 
we  liave  observed.  We  have  seen  many  a 
man  cut  down  in  the  midst  of  life;  hearty, 
strong,  and  cheerful,  one  week ;  tlie.  next, 
a  pale,  cold,  lifeless  corpse,  lying  in  his 
coffin,  and  carried  to  the  churchyard. 
Others  we  have  seen,  or  heard  of,  cut  off 
without  a  moment's  warning;  perfectly 
well  one  moment,  the  next  in  eternity. 
How  true  is  tlie  Scripture,  "  All  flesh  is 
grass,  and  the  goodliness  thereof  as  tlie 
flower  of  the  field  ;  in  the  morning  it  flour- 
isheth,  in  the  evening  it  is  cut  down  and 
withered."  How  frail  is  man  !  At  "  his 
best  estate  he  is  altogether  vanity."  He 
is  crushed  sooner  than  the  moth. 

What  awful  sejiarations  does  death 
make  !  It  removes  us  at  once  from  our 
nearest  relations  and  dearest  friends.  We 
shut  our  eyes  to  all  the  world :  "  we  shall 
see  man  no  more  in  the  land  of  the  living.' 
Death  puts  a  sudden  period  to  all  our  pro- 
jects, good  or  bad ;  "  in  that  very  day  our 


48 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


thoughts  perish."  It  deprives  the  great 
of  all  their  pomp  and  power,  and  the  rich 
of  all  their  possessions,  for  man  "bringeth 
notiiing  with  him  into  this  world,  and  it  is 
certain  he  can  carry  nothing  out." 

DeatJi  is  universal.  Otlier  evils  are 
partial.  But  all  men  die ;  "  for  what  man 
is  he  that  liveth,  and  shall  not  see  death  ^" 
Death  has  reigned  in  all  ages ;  and  thoup-h 
m  early  times  some  men  lived  many  hun- 
dred years,  yet  they  all  died  at  last.  Death 
reigns  in  all  countries :  as  certainly  as  the 
tide  ebbs  and  flows,  so  "  one  generation 
passeth  away,  and  another  cometh."  This 
is  "  the  way  of  all  flesh."  "  The  grave  is 
the  house  appointed  for  all  living."  There 
is  no  discharge  in  this  war.  "  We  must 
needs  die." 

Death  is  in  itself  awful !  The  fear  of 
death ;  the  agonies  of  death :  the  ghastly 
appearance  of  the  dead;  the  sad  change 
tliat  takes  place  in  the  body,  which  renders 
it  offensive,  and  obliges  us  to  bury  it  out 
of  our  sight;  the  coffin,  the  shroud,  the 
cold  grave,  the  crawling  worms,  the  sor- 
did dust — all  these  are  terrible  things  to 
nature.  But  what  makes  death  a  thousand 
times  more  terrible  is,  that  it  is  the  effect 
of  God's  anger.  Had  there  been  no  sin, 
there  had  been  no  death.  God,  to  keep 
Adam  from  sin,  threatened  him  with  death ; 
but  Satan,  the  father  of  lies,  said  he  should 
not  die.  He  ventured  on  the  forbidden 
fruit,  and  so,  by  his  sin,  "  death  came  into 
the  world,  and  hath  passed  upon  all"  his 
children  in  every  succeeding  age.  Death, 
then,  is  "  the  wages  of  sin ;"  and  carries 
with  it  the  most  awful  marks  of  God's  an- 
ger. This  is  justly  called  by  St.  Paul  tlie 
sting  of  death :  "  the  sting  of  death  is 
sin."  It  is  the  consciousness  of  guilt,  and 
the  just  dread  of  future  misery,  which 
makes  death  so  very  dreadful.  Poor 
thoughtless  mortals,  neglecting  to  regard 
the  glorious  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  which 
brings  a  sovereign  remedy,  an  antidote  to 
death,  are  unwilling  to  think  of  it:  they 
put  off"  as  much  as  possible  the  evil  day  : 
but  did  they  know  the  love  of  Christ  in 
dying  to  disarm  death  of  its  sting;  did 
they  consider,  that,  by  faith  in  Jesus,  all 
the  danger  of  death  may  be  avoided ;  tliey 
would  sit  down  and  look  death  in  the  face ; 
and  wisely  consider  how  they  may  meet, 
with  safety  and  pleasure,  what  they  can 
never  avoid. 

For  let  it  be  remembered,  that  the  death 
of  eacii  of  us  here  present,  is  absolutely 
certain.  Our  text  says,  "  it  is  appointed:" 
it  is  the  firm  decree  of  God,  which  cannot 
be  reversed.  It  is  the  unalterable  law  of 
God,  a  law  which  no  sinner  can  transgress : 


other  laws  of  God  are  trampled  under 
feet,  but  this  must  be  obeyed.  We  know 
not  when,  or  how,  we  shall  die :  but  we 
are  sure  that  we  must  die.  Whether  we 
are  high  or  low ;  rich  or  poor ;  male  or  fe- 
male ;  young  or  old ;  "  it  is  appointed  for 
us  once  to  die."  Possibly,  when  death 
comes,  we  may  be  very  unfit  to  die ;  very 
unwilling  to  die ;  but  death  will  not  delay 
on  that  account :  ready  or  unready,  when 
the  hour  comes,  we  must  submit.  It  is 
said  of  the  wicked — "  he  is  driven  away 
in  his  wickedness" — suddenly  perhaps ;  at 
least  unexpectedly.  It  was  when  "  the 
rich  fool"  talked  of  many  years  to  come, 
that  God  said  to  him,  "  this  night  shall  thy 
soul  be  required  of  thee ;"  often  violently 
dragged  to  the  grave  like  a  malefactor  to 
the  gallows.  O  what  would  some  great 
and  rich  sinners  have  given  for  a  few 
weeks,  or  a  few  hours  of  life,  if  money 
could  have  bought  them:  but  death  will 
not  be  bribed :  go  the  sinner  must,  "  al- 
though the  physicians  help,  friends  groan, 
the  wife  and  children  weep,  and  the  man 
himself  use  his  utmost  endeavors  to  retain 
the  spirit;  his  soul  is  required  of  him; 
yield  he  must,  and  go  where  he  shall  never 
more  see  the  light." 

Here  let  us  stop  a  moment,  and  apply 
to  ourselves  what  has  already  been  said. 

Is  life  so  short  1  Then  why  should  we 
waste  if?  Why  should  we  make  it  shorter 
by  our  sin  and  folly  ?  How  much  of  our 
precious  time  is  entirely  lost !  What  shall 
we  think  of  sports  and  pastimes,  cards, 
and  plays,  and  dancing,  which  are  ex- 
pressly intended  to  kiU  time  1 — To  kill 
time !  Shocking  expression  to  the  ears  of 
a  Christian !  O,  had  you  heard  what  some 
dying  sinners  have  said  of  their  murdered 
time,  when  time  with  them  was  nearly 
over,  you  would  dread  the  thought  of  kill- 
ing time ;  rather  would  you  study  how  to 
"  redeem  time,"  and  obey  tlie  direction  of 
the  wise  man,  Eccl.  ix.  10.  "Whatsoever 
thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  all  thy 
might;  for  there  is  no  work,  no  device, 
nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom  in  tlie  grave, 
whither  thou  goest."  Particularly  be 
careful  to  improve  holy  time,  I  mean  the 
Lord's  day :  the  day  whicJi  the  Lord  has 
graciously  appointed  for  your  spiritual  im- 
provement. The  abuse  of  this  day  is  one 
of  the  greatest  sources  of  sin  and  infideli- 
ty ;  and  the  recollection  of  the  neglect  of 
it  is  often  dreadfully  painful  to  dying  peo- 
ple. Be  exhorted  then  diligently  to  regard 
the  means  of  grace  on  this  day,  and  im- 
prove every  sabbath  as  tlie  most  precious 
portion  of  a  short  life. 
Is  death  certai^^  ?    Will  it  surely  come, 


SERMON  XI. 


49 


and  you  know  not  how  sooni  Then  let  it 
be  your  first  business  to  prepare  for  it. 
'J'liis  is  our  Lord's  advice ;  "  Be  ye  also 
ready,  tor  ye  know  not  when  the  Son  of 
Man  Cometh."  It  is  appointed  unto  men 
once  to  die,  once  only ;  now  that  which 
can  be  done  but  once  should  be  well  done ; 
especially  as  our  eternal  all  depends  upon 
it.  As  the  tree  falls  so  it  lies;  as  death 
leaves  us  judgment  finds  us;  if  an  error 
happens  here,  it  can  never  be  remedied. 
Surely  then  it  is  the  highest  wisdom  of 
man  to  prepare  for  this  great  change.  Do 
you  ask  what  it  is  to  be  prepared  !  t  an- 
swer, it  is  to  have  your  sins  pardoned,  and 
yoin*  soul  sanctified  ;  for  "  sin  is  the  sting 
of  death ;"  if  your  sins  are  pardoned,  you 
need  not  fear  to  die ;  and  if  your  soul  is 
sanctified  by  grace,  death  will  be  your 
gain.  This  then  is  your  great  concern, 
your  immediate  business.  Fly,  instantly 
fiy,  to  the  Savior's  arms.  He  died  that  we 
might  live.  His  blood  cleanseth  from  all 
sin.  He  will  wash  every  soul  from  sin 
wlio  applies  to  him  for  that  purpose ;  and, 
at  the  same  time,  bestow  his  Holy  Spirit 
to  sanctify  the  soul,  and  make  it  meet  for 
the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light.  Hap- 
py for  those  who  are  in  this  blessed  state  ; 
tliey  may  say,  "  Whether  we  live,  we  live 
unto  the  Lord  ;  or  whetlier  we  die,  we  die 
unto  the  Lord;  so  that  living  and  dying 
we  are  the  Lord's."  God  grant  this  may 
be  the  happy  condition  of  us  all. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  tlie  second  part 
of  tliis  great  subject,  namely  ETERNAL 
JUDGMENT;  "after  deatli  the  judg- 
ment." 

Immediately  after  death,  it  is  presumed, 
the  soul,  separated  from  the  body,  appears 
before  God ;  and  by  a  private,  particular, 
and^  personal  judgment,  receives  tlie  sen- 
tence of  eternal  life,  or  eternal  death. 
The  Scripture  abundantly  shows,  that  the 
soul  subsists  in  a  separate  state  from  tlje 
body.  Our  Lord  promised  tlie  dying  tliief 
that  he  should  be  with  him,  on  tlie  very 
day  of  his  death,  in  Paradise ;  and  St. 
Paul  longed  to  be  absent  from  the  body, 
and  present  with  the  Lord  ;  accounting  it 
far  better  than  the  highest  state  of  privi- 
lege or  usefulness  in  the  church. 

But  the  accounts  wc  have  in  the  Scrip- 
ture of  the  judgment  refer  to  the  ffreat 
day,  when  the  dead  shall  be  raised  from 
their  graves,  when  small  and  great  sliall 
stand  before  tlie  judgment  s6at  of  Christ. 
Tlie  glory  and  grandeur  of  this  day  will 
be  far  beyond  the  power  of  language  to 
express.  "  The  trumpet  shall  sound,  and 
the  dead  shall  be  rai.sed."  "The  Lord 
Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  in 
G 


flaming  fire,  with  his  mighty  angels." 
"  The  Son  of  Man  shall  coine'in  his  glory, 
and  all  the  holy  angels  witli  him:  then 
shall  he  sit  upon  tlie  throne  of  his  glory  ; 
and  before  him  shall  be  gathered  all  na- 
tions, and  he  shall  separate  them  one  from 
another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  the  sheep 
from  the  goats. 

Reason  itself  must  allow  the  necessity 
of  a  future  judgment.  At  •  present,  we 
often  see  the  wicked  prosper,  while  good 
men  are  much  afflicted.  How  many  mur- 
derers, oppressors,  and  persecutors,  escape 
punishment!  But  it  is  inconsistent  with 
the  justice  of  God  that  it  should  always 
be  so.  "  He  hath  appointed  a  day  in  which 
he  will  judge  tiie  world  in  righteousness, 
when  all  men  shall  give  an  account  of 
what  they  have  done  in  the  body,  whether 
it  be  good  or  bad."  Even  now  conscience 
testifies  to  the  future  judgment,  by  pass- 
ing a  private  sentence  on  all  our  actions  ; 
and  summoning  us  to  appear  at  the  bar  of 
God,  to  answer  for  them. 

To  show  how  justly  and  righteously 
every  thing  will  be  done  on  that  occasion, 
it  is  said,  Rev.  xx.  12,  "  The  books  were 
opened,  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of 
those  things  which  were  written  in  the 
books,  according  to  their  works." 

The  law  will  be  opened.  The  command- 
ments of  God  are  the  rule  of  men's  ac- 
tions; and  are  any  "of  the  works  of  the 
law?"  Do  they  seek  righteousness  by 
their  doings  !  Let  them  now  appeal  to  the 
Searcher  of  hearts,  that  they  never  broke 
this  law  in  thought,  word,  or  deed  ;  but 
loved  and  served  God  perfectly,  without 
sin,  all  their  lives ;  then  may  they  claim 
life  by  the  law ;  but  this  is  impossible.  No 
man  living  will  be  justified  in  this  manner ; 
but  the  law  will  for  ever  condemn  all  who 
have  broken  it,  yet  have  neglected  the 
great  salvation  revealed. 

The  book  of  the  gospel.  In  this  bless- 
ed book  "  the  law  of  faith"  is  revealed  ; 
"  the  rigliteousness  of  God  by  faith  is  re- 
vealed to  faith ;"  it  is  declared,  that  he  that 
believeth  in  Jesus  shall  be  saved;  and 
happy  will  it  be  for  those  wlio  are  found 
true  believers,  who,  having  known  their 
ruined  and  helpless  state  by  the  law,  have 
fled  for  refuge  to  the  grace  of  tlie  gospel, 
and  believing  in  Jesus  for  righteousness, 
are  "  found  in  him." 

Beside  these,  the  book  of  God's  remem- 
brance will  be  opened.  God,  who  knows 
all  our  actions,  and  all  our  secret  thought^!, 
records  them  in  his  book.  Nothing  done 
by  man,  whether  good  or  bad,  is  forgotten; 
for  it  is  written,  that  "  he  will  bring  every 
secret  thing  into  judgment,"  and  "  that 


50 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


for  every  idle  word  that  men  speak,  they 
shall  render  an  account." 

Exactly  agreeing  with  this  will  be  the 
book  of  conscience,  which  shall  also  be  open- 
ed ;  or,  in  plamer  words,  every  man  shall 
stand  convicted  in  his  own  conscience,  that 
he  is  guilty  of  every  charge  brought  against 
him  by  the  law.  At  present  sinners  take 
little  notice  of  their  sins ;  and  if  they  feel 
a  little  remorse  of  conscience,  soon  forget 
it ;  but  at  the  great  day  they  will  all  rush 
upon  their  memory.  Conscience  shall 
serve  instead  of  a  thousand  witnesses ;  and, 
as  the  Scripture  speaks,  "  every  mouth 
shall  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world  become 
guilty  before  God." 

But  blessed  be  God,  there  will  be  one 
more  book  opened,  and  that  is,  the  book  of 
life,  containing  a  list  of  all  the  names  of 
the  people  of  God ;  even  of  those  who 
were  chosen  by  the  Father  to  salvation ; 
redeemed  by  the  blood  of  Christ ;  and  who 
were  called,  renewed,  and  sanctified,  by 
the  Holy  Spirit.  Here  will  be  found  the 
names  of  those  people  who  were  convinced 
of  their  sin  and  misery,  humbled  on  ac- 
count of  their  abominations,  and  who,  be- 
ing enlightened  in  the  knowledge  of 
Christ,  came  to  him  by  precious  faith,  for 
life  and  salvation;  and  who  proved  the 
truth  of  their  faith,  by  the  holhiess  of  their 
lives  and  conversation. 

Now  hear,  from  the  word  of  God,  what 
will  be  the  sentences  pronounced  on  the 
assembled  world,  at  that  awful  period. 
When  a  poor  criminal  at  the  assizes  is 
tried  for  his  life,  what  a  solemn  moment  is 
that,  when,  silence  being  demanded  by  an 
officer  of  the  court,  every  voice  is  hushed, 
and  every  eye  is  fixed  on  the  Judge ! 
Each  of  us  shall  tlien  become  not  a  spec- 
tator of  another's  trial,  but  an  expectant  of 
our  own  sentence ;  that  sentence  which 
shall  fi.x,  beyond  the  possibility  of  an  alter- 
ation, our  happy,  or  our  miserable  doom. 

Now  hearken !  Matt.  xxiv.  34,  "  Then 
shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  his  riglit 
hand.  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  in- 
herit the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world ;  for  I  was  an 
hungered,  and  ye  gave  me  meat ;  I  was 
thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink,"  &c.  &lc. 
Let  us  take  care,  my  friends,  to  under- 
stand this  aright;  for  many  have  sadly 
mistaken  it.  We  are  not  to  imagine,  that 
such  good  works  as  are  here  mentioned 
merit  heaven ;  this  is  not  only  contrary  to 
the  whole  gospel,  but  contrary  also  to  the 
meaning  of  this  place.  You  are  to  observe, 
that  the  judgment  here  represented  is  of 
professors  of  the  gospel :  all  the  persons 
here  spoken  of,  botli  at  the  right  and  left 


hand  of  Clirist,  are  such  as  were  called  by 
his  name,  and  professed  to  be  believers  in 
him;  and  when  it  is  said  they  are  judged 
according  to  their  works,  it  means  accord- 
ing to  the  evidence  of  their  works :  that 
is,  whether  the  faith  they  pretended  to, 
have  brought  forth  good  works,  or  not. 
The  sentence  passed  is  not  ybr  their  works, 
nor  for  their  faith  neither.  The  kingdom 
they  receive  is  not  their  wages,  but  their 
inheritance ;  not  merited,  as  it  were,  yes- 
terday, but  "  prepared  for  them,  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world ;"  and  they  were 
prepared  for  it,  not  by  their  works,  but  by 
the  grace  of  God,  which  united  them  to 
Christ,  led  them  to  believe,  and  enabled 
them  to  bring  forth  the  fruits  here  men- 
tioned, namely,  works  of  love  to  the  saints, 
not  mere  works  of  humanity ;  but  of  love 
to  the  poor  despised  saints  of  God,  because 
they  belonged  to  Jesus.  These  happy  per- 
sons you  see  had  no  proud  thoughts  of  the 
merit  of  their  actions,  for  they  humbly  cry, 
"  Lord,  when  saw  we  thee  hungry,  and 
gave  thee  meat?" 

But  O  how  awful  is  the  other  sentence ! 
"  Then  shall  he  say  unto  them  on  the  left 
hand.  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting 
fire,  prepared  for  the  Devil  and  his  an- 
gels !"  O  what  a  word  is  that — "  Depart^ 
What !  depart  from  Christ !  Depart  from 
the  fountain  of  all  happiness  1  It  will  be 
to  the  condemned  sinner  the  most  dreadful 
word  that  ever  sounded  in  his  ears :  and 
yet  how  dreadfully  just !  for  it  will  be  said 
to  that  sinner,  who,  in  his  heart,  has  said 
a  thousand  times  to  Christ,  "  Depart  from 
me,  for  I  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy 
ways." 

This  sentence  will  be  pronounced  against 
those  professors  of  religion,  whose  pre- 
tended faith  did  not  produce  the  fruits  of 
love  to  the  saints.  Sins  of  omission  only 
are  here  mentioned !  neglecting  to  help 
and  relieve  the  poor  and  afflicted  members 
of  Christ.  And  if  this  will  be  sufficient 
ground  of  condemnation,  what  think  ye 
will  be  the  lot  of  persecutors,  who,  instead 
of  feeding,  clothing-  and  visiting  the  mem- 
bers of  Christ,  robbed  them  of  their  food, 
raiment,  liberty,  and  life  1  What  will  be 
the  portion  of  drunkards,  swearers,  whore- 
mongers, sabbatli-breakers,  and  the  whole 
herd  of  profane  and  vicious  sinners  !  Such, 
we  are  elsewhere  assured,  shall  not  inherit 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  must  have 
their  portion  with  devils  and  damned 
spirits. 

APPLICATION. 

When  St.  Paul  reasoned  "  of  righteous- 
ness, temperance,  and  judgment  to  come, 
Felix  trembled.''     Did  a  heathen  judge 


SERMON  XII. 


51 


tremble,  and  shall  a  Christian  be  stupid 
and  unaffected  !  "  Behold  he  comelh  with 
clouds !  Every  eye  shall  see  him  !"  Your 
eyes  shall  see  him.  You  have  received 
the  solemn  summons  this  day.  What  will 
you  do !  If  wise,  you  will  act  like  Noah, 
"  who,  being  warned  of  God  of  things  not 
seen  as  yet,  moved  with  fear,  builded  an 
ark,  to  the  savrng  of  his  house."  If  im- 
wise,  you  will  be  like  his  infidel  neighbors, 
who  laughed  him  to  scorn,  and  perished  in 
the  tlood.  If  ever  you  would  wish  then 
to  be  numbered  with  the  saints,  now  lay  to 
heart  the  solemn  truths  you  have  heard. 
Retire  a  little  from  the  bustle  of  the  world, 
and  from  the  company  of  the  gay.  En- 
deavor to  realize  the  important  scene.  O 
think  of  the  tremendous  day,  and  the  poor 
miserable  state  of  poor  Christless  sinners. 
"  Those  who  are  then  found  Christless, 
will  also  be  speechless,  helpless,  and  hope- 
less. How  will  their  heads  hang  down, 
and  their  knees  knock  together !  O  "what 
pale  faces,  quivering  lips,  and  fainting 
hearts !  O  dreadful  day,  when  the  earth 
shall  be  trembling,  the  stars  falling,  the 
trumpet  sounding,  the  dead  rising,  the 
elements  melting,  and  the  world  on  fire." 

This  scene,  so  tremendous  to  a  sinner, 
will  be  the  most  happy  and  joyfiil  that  ever 
was  known  to  the  humble  believer  in 
Jesus.  The  second  commg  of  Christ  is 
spoken  of  in  Scripture  as  a  most  desirable 
event;  and  true  Christians  are  described 
as  "  loving  his  appearance,"  and  saying, 
"  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly."  And 
would  you  not  wish  to  call  this  great  and 
glorious  Judge  your  friend,  and  to  be  own- 
ed by  him  at  the  great  day  !  Well  then, 
know,  my  friends,  that  he  is  now  set  before 
you  in  the  gospel,  as  an  all-sufficient  and 
most  gracious  Savior.  He  is  now  as  gra- 
cious as  he  will  then  be  glorious.  Why 
should  you  keep  at  a  distance  from  him  ? 
His  blood  can  cleanse  you  from  all  your 
past  sins,  thougii  deeply  dyed  as  scarlet 
and  crimson.  He  came  to  seek  and  save 
such  sinners  as  you.  Look  then  to  him, 
and  be  saved.  Come  but  to  him,  he  will 
not  cast  you  out.  Believe  in  him,  and  he 
will  be  your  friend.  Your  first  business 
in  religion  is  to  fly  to  your  Savior's  arms, 
and  find  salvation  in  liis  blood.  He  will 
then  give  you  his  Holy  Spirit,  to  soften 
your  hearts,  subdue  your  iniquities,  and 
enable  you  to  bring  forth  those  works  of 
love,  which  he  will  graciously  own  and 
reward  in  the  groat  day. 

Let  the  thoughts  of  "  appointed  death 
and  judgment"  be  duly  improved  by  the 
believer.  "  Seeing  then  that  all  these 
things  shall  be  di.ssolved,  what  manner  of 


persons  ought  we  to  be  in  all  holy  conver- 
sation and  godliness ;  looking  for,  and  hast- 
ening unto  the  coming  of  the  day  of  God  !" 
What  watchfulness,  what  seriousness  be- 
comes us !  Let  us  be  concerned  to  be  al- 
ways ready;  daily  walking  humbly  and 
closely  with  God :  sitting  loose  to  all 
created  objects,  from  which  death  may  so 
suddenly  separate  us ;  and  having  our  af- 
fections set  on  heavenly  things,  to  which 
death  will  so  readily  transmit  us.  Look 
on  death  as  a  disarmed  foe;  a  serpent 
which  may  hiss,  but  cannot  sting.  Look 
on  judgment  as  a  most  desirable  event ; 
when,  soul  and  body  being  united,  and 
made  perfect  in  holiness,  shall  be  openly 
acknowledged,  and  for  ever  made  happy 
in  the  full  enjoyment  of  Christ  to  all  eter- 
nity. 

Blessed  be  God,  for  Jesus  Christ. 


PRAYER.— Grant,  O  most  holy  God,  that  the 
solemn  things  we  have  now  heard  concerning 
Death  and  Judgment,  may  deeply  and  durably 
affect  our  hearts  !  Almighty  God,  so  teach  us  to 
number  our  days,  that  we  may  apply  our  hearts 
unto  wisdom !  O  teach  us  how  frail  we  are  ! — 
how  short  our  lives  are  ;  and  how  uncertain  their 
continuance!  May  it  be  our  first  and  chief  care 
to  be  prepared  for  our  great  change !  May  sin, 
which  is  the  sting  of  Death,  be  freely  pardoned^ 
for  the  sake  of  Jesus,  who  died  for  us,  the  just  for 
the  unjust! — and  may  the  Holy  Spirit  make  us 
meet  lor  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light! 
Then  shall  Death,  though  awful  to  Nature,  be 
welcome  to  Grace,  and  prove  our  inexpressible 
gain. 

And  O,  that  in  the  great  and  dreadful  day, 
when  Christ  shall  come  in  solemn  pomp  to  judg- 
ment, and  when  we  must  all  appear  before  his 
tribunal,  we  may  be  found  at  his  right  hand,  and 
hear  him  say  to  us,  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my 
Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you 
from  before  the  foundation  of  the  world." 


SERMON  XIL 

HELL  AND  HEAVEN. 

Matt.  xxvi.  4fi.  And  these  shall  go  away  into  ever- 
lasting punishment;  but  the  righteous  into  Life 
eternal. 

That  there  are  two  eternal  states,  tlie 
one  of  happiness,  and  the  other  of  misery, 
in  one  of  which  each  of  us  will  soon  be 
fixed,  is  a  truth  which  most  men  profess  to 
believe.  But  if  we  look  at  the  actions  of 
most  men,  and  these  speak  louder  than 
their  words,  we  are  forced  to  say  witli  the 
Scripture — "  all  men  have  not  faith."  A 
true  belief  of  an  eternal  Iiell,  and  an  eter- 
nal heaven,  cannot  fail  to  make  us  fly  from 
the  one,  and  endeavor  to  secure  the  other. 
But  even  where  we  may  hope  there  is  a 
settled  belief  of  tl.ese  things,  it  must  be 


52 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


owned  through  the  cares  and  labors,  or 
pleasures  of  life,  they  do  not  make  so 
strong  an  impression  upon  us  as  they 
ought,  nor  are  we  so  diligent  in  our  prepa- 
ration for  eternity  as  we  should  be.  It  will 
be  therefore  profitable  for  us  to  consider 
those  two  states  of  hell  and  heaven,  which 
are  spoken  of  in  the  text ;  which  tells  us 
what  will  be  the  immediate  consequence 
of  the  sentences  which  Christ,  the  great 
Judge  of  quick  and  dead,  shall  pronounce 
on  all  mankind,  at  the  great  day.  To  those 
on  his  right  hand  he  will  say,  "  Come,  ye 
blessed ;"  to  those  on  his  left,  "  Go,  ye 
cursed."  The  sentence  will  be  no  sooner 
pronounced  than  executed.  "  These  last 
shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment, 
but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal." 

The  very  word  Eternity  ought  to  fix 
our  attention  on  this  great  subject.  O  that 
it  may  have  as  good  an  effect  upon  every 
person  here,  as  it  had  upon  a  lady,  of  whom 
the  following  story  is  related  by  several 
authors.  A  lady,  who  was  fond  of  gaiety, 
spent  the  whole  afternoon  and  evening  with 
a  party  at  cards,  and  other  vain  amuse- 
ments ;  and,  returning  home  late  at  night, 
found  her  waiting-maid  diligently  reading 
a  religious  book.  Happening  to  look  over 
her  shoulder,  she  saw  what  it  was,  arjd 
said.  Poor  melancholy  soul,  why  dost  thou 
sit  here  so  long,  poring  upon  thy  book? 
After  this  she  retired  to  bed,  but  could  not 
sleep;  she  lay  sighing  and  weeping  for 
several  hours.  Being  repeatedly  asked  by 
her  servant  what  was  the  matter,  she  burst 
into  tears,  and  said — "  O,  it  was  one  word 
that  I  saw  in  your  book  that  troubles  me ; 
there  I  saw  tlie  word  Eternity."  God 
grant,  my  friends,  that  we  "may  now  so 
consider  eternity,  that  the  word  may  not 
be  a  trouble  to  us,  but  a  pleasure  !  ■  In  or- 
der to  do  this,  we  must  First,  Consider  the 
Scripture  account  of  hell;  that  so  we  may 
escape  it;  and,  Sccnadhj,  The  Scripture 
account  of  heaven,  that  so  we  may  be  put 
upon  seeking  it. 

First,  then,  let  us  turn  our  thoughts  to 
the  account  that  the  word  of  God  gives  us 
of  hell.  It  is  true,  it  is  an  awful  subject, 
and  wicked  men  do  not  love  to  liear  of  it : 
but  if  they  cannot  bear  to  hear  of  it,  how 
will  they  be  able  to  endure  it  ]  Our  Savior, 
in  the  text,  calls  it  Everlasting  punish- 
ment. 

It  is  •punishment.  Now  punishment  is 
a  pain  inflicted  on  account  of  the  breaking 
of  some  law.  Hell  is  a  prison,  wliere  the 
breakers  of  God's  law  will  be  confined  and 
punished.  God  has  made  known  his  vi^ill 
in  the  ten  commandments.  Tliese  require 
us  to  love  and  serve  liim  ;  but  being  fallen 


creatures,  and  unable  of  ourselves  to  do  it 
aright,  he  has  also  given  us  his  gospel. 
Herein  Christ  is  set  forth  as  an  all-suffi- 
cient Savior ;  able  and  willing  to  save  us 
from  the  guilt  already  contracted  by  our 
sins ;  and  to  renew  and  sanctify  us,  that 
we  may  comply  with  his  will,  and  serve 
him  acceptably.  This  is  certainly  our 
reasonable  service.  But  the  sinner  refuses 
it.  He  is  so  strongly  bound  with  the  cords 
of  his  sins,  so  in  love  with  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh,  so  besotted  witli  the  love  of  the 
world,  that  he  persists  in  his  sin,  notwith- 
standing the  warnings  of  God ;  and  ne- 
glects salvation,  though  a  thousand  times 
invited  and  entreated.  Thus  he  lives,  and 
thus  he  dies.  What  must  be  the  conse- 
quence? God  is  just,  as  Vv'ell  as  merciful. 
His  laws  cannot  be  dispensed  with.  The 
sinner  has  no  room  to  complain.  He  was 
warned ;  he  was  entreated ;  but  he  chose 
the  ways  of  sin,  and  now  he  must  take  the 
wages ;  for  "  the  wages  of  sin  is  death." 
Not  the  death  of  the  body  only,  for  good 
men  as  well  as  bad  men  die ;  but  the  sec- 
ond death,  the  deatli  of  the  soul  in  its  ever- 
lasting separation  from  God,  the  fountain 
of  life  and  happiness. 

This  is  the  unport  of  that  awful  word 
depart.  In  the  present  world,  whether 
men  know  it  or  not,  all  their  comfort  grows 
from  his  favor.  God  is  the  chief  good,  and 
the  source  of  all  the  good  in  the  world.  It 
is  he  who  has  made  creatures  what  they 
are.  It  is  his  sun,  which  fills  the  world 
with  light ;  it  is  his  power,  by  which  man 
subsists,  and  enjoys  his  senses  and  his 
health.  It  is  from  his  creatures  we  get 
our  food  and  raiment ;  and  though  wicked 
men  forget  God  in  all  their  mercies,  they 
are  nevertheless  from  hmi,  and  in  their 
proper  tendency  lead  to  him,  for  "  the 
goodness  of  God  leadeth  us  to  repentance." 
But  in  hell,  all  these  comforts  will  be  with- 
draviTi.  They  did  not  answer  their  pur- 
pose to  soften  the  hard  and  rebellious  heart 
to  obedience ;  and  now,  tlie  season  of  trial 
and  the  day  of  grace  being  over,  there  is 
no  end  for  which  they  should  be  con- 
tinued. 

But  it  is  not  the  loss  of  bodily  comforts 
only  that  the  damned  must  sustain ;  they 
must  for  ever  lose  the  infinite  pleasures 
that  the  redeemed  will  enjoy  in  the  pres- 
ence of  Christ,  and  in  the  society  of  the 
blessed.  This  indeed  they  do  not  value 
now ;  but  they  will  then.  They  will  then  \ 
plainly  see  that  heaven  itself  consists  in 
the  presence  and  favor  of  God.  They  will 
have  a  tormenting  prospect  of  the  happi- 
ness of  others :  so  Dives,  in  the  parable, 
is  represented  as  seeing  "  Abraham  afar 


SERMON  XII. 


53 


off,  and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom :"  and  this 
will  aggravate  their  misery,  as  it  would 
that  of  a  man  perishing  for  hunger  to  see 
otliers  feasting ;  or,  as  our  Lord  expresses 
it,  Luke  XV.  28,  "  There  shall  be  weeping 
and  gnashing  of  teeth,  when  ye  shall  see 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the 
prophets  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  you 
yourselves  thrust  out." 

■>  The  punishment  of  loss  is  not  all ;  there 
is  the  punishment  of  sense  likewise ;  hell 
is  not  only  the  loss  of  happiness,  but  it  is 
the  sense  and  feeling  of  the  most  exquisite 
sufferings.  Take  an  account  of  it  from 
tlie  lips  of  Jesus  Christ  himself;  speaking 
of  hell,  he  says,  "  Where  the  worm  dieth 
not,  and  the  lire  is  not  quenched."  This 
is  the  description  he  gives  of  it  over  and 
over  again,  in  Mark  ix.  By  "the  worm 
that  dieth  not"  is  generally  understood  the 
gnawings  of  a  guilty  conscience ;  or  that 
painful  remorse  which  sinners  will  feel, 
when  tliey  remember  the  sin  and  folly 
which  brought  them  to  hell.  Thus,  in  the 
parable,  Abraham  speaks  to  Dives,  and 
says,  "  Son,  remember  tliat  thou,  in  thy 
lifetime,  receivedst  thy  good  things." 

Memory  will  be  a  dreadful  source  of 
misery.  '■^  Son,  remember!''''  said  Abra- 
ham to  Dives.  Poor  sinners  will  remember 
the  good  instructions  they  received  from 
their  parents,  the  faithful  sermons  they 
heard  from  their  ministers,  the  solemn  ad- 
monitions they  had  from  their  own  con- 
science. They  will  remember  what  Sab- 
baths they  misspent,  what  mercies  they 
abused,  what  judgments  they  slighted. 
Tliey  will  remember  with  what  contempt 
they  treated  serious  piety ;  and  in  vain 
will  they  wish  to  be  in  the  place  of  those 
they  once  despised.  It  will  be  intolerable 
for  them  to  reflect  on  their  folly  in  parting 
with  heaven  for  such  wretched  trifles. 
How  despicably  small  will  the  pleasures 
of  sin  then  appear  to  them.  They  will 
not  be  able  to  bear  themselves,  when  they 
think  for  what  they  have  lost  their  God, 
and  heaven,  and  their  souls.  And  this  will 
fill  them  with  the  most  horrid  rage  and 
fury.  They  will  be  inwardly  racked  with 
envy,  hatred,  and  resentment  against  God, 
against  their  tempters,  against  the  com- 
panions of  their  sins,  and  especially  against 
tiiemselves. 

But  besides  this  inward  torment,  or 
"  the  worm  that  never  dies,"  there  will  be 
outward  torment,  or  "  the  fire  that  is  never 
quenched."  The  nature  of  this  fire,  or 
the  place  where  it  is,  are  matters  of  fool- 
ish curiosity :  our  business  is  not  to  amuse 
ourselves  with  questions  about  it,  but  to 
take  care  to  avoid  it.     God,  who  sustained 


the  companions  of  Daniel  in  a  hot  furnace, 
so  that  they  were  not  scorched,  can  easily 
support  life  in  the  burnings  of  hell.  The 
wrath  of  God,  who,  as  an  avenger  of  sin, 
is  "  a  consuming  fire,"  is  the  hell  of  hell : 
and  "  who  can  tell  the  power  of  his  an- 
ger !"  Our  utmost  fears  of  it  come  short 
of  the  truth.  A  spark  of  this  fire  in  a 
guilty  conscience  is  intolerable,  for,  "a 
wounded  spirit  who  can  bear?"  Job,  in  his 
affliction,  cried,  "  The  arrows  of  the  Al- 
mighty are  within  me,  the  poison  whereof 
drinketh  up  my  spirit :  the  terrors  of  God 
set  themselves  in  array  against  me." 

What  will  terribly  add  to  the  greatness 
of  these  sufferings,  is,  that  they  are  with- 
out any  intermission  or  mitigation.  In  the 
greatest  miseries  of  this  life,  God  is  gra- 
ciously pleased  to  allow  some  intervals  of 
rest ;  but  of  those  in  hell  it  is  said.  Rev. 
xiv.  11,  "  They  have  no  rest  day  nor  night." 
Think  of  this,  you  who  never  cease  from 
sin,  but  do  evil  day  and  night ;  the  damned 
have  no  rest  from  their  torment.  Dives 
asked  but  a  momentary  alleviation  of  his 
torture,  when  he  desired  that  Lazarus  | 
might  be  sent  "to  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger! 
in  water  and  cool  his  tongue ;"  but  even! 
this  was  denied  him. 

This,  my  friends,  is  a  very  short  and; 
slight  account,  from  the  Scriptures  of  truth,!*; 
of  the  dreadful  sufl^erings  of  miserable  sin-; 
ners  in  hell.  And  who,  in  his  senses,  would; 
venture  upon  such  a  course  of  life,  as  musti 
lead  to  one  hour's  sufferings  of  this  kind  I 
But,  O,  it  is  not  an  hour,  it  is  not  a  day,  it; 
is  not  a  week,  it  is  not  a  month,  it  is  not  a 
year,  it  is  not  seven  years,  or  fourteen  years, 
or  a  hundred  years ;  it  is  not  a  thousand 
years — it  is  not  merely  as  long  as  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world  to  this  day  !  O  how 
would  the  damned  rejoice,  if  ten  thousand 
years  mitifht  finish  their  miseries !  but  it  is 
for  ETERNITY.  Do  you  start  at  the^ 
word  ]  It  is  Christ's  word.  Christ  says,  in 
the  text,  "these  shall  go  away  into  ever-^ 
lasting-  punishment."  In  vain  do  letter-"* 
learned  men  try  to  reason  aw  ay  tlie  solemn 
truth,  and  lessen  the  duration  of  future 
punishment;  Christ  says  it  is  clernul ;  and 
uses  the  very  same  word  to  signify  an  eter- 
nal heaven,  as  he  does  to  express  an  eter- 
nal hell :  (for  the  words  are  the  same  in 
the  original,)  besides,  it  is  said.  Rev.  xiv. 
14,  "  The  smoke  of  their  torment  ascend- 
eih  up  for  ever  and  ever ;"  and  our  Lord 
also  declares,  "  their  worm  dieth  not,  and 
their  fire  is  not  quenched." 

Tremble,  sinner,  at  "  tlie  wrath  to  corned 

That  wrath  which  is  now  coming,  and  will 

soon  be  here,  will  even  then  "  be  wrath  to 

come"     When  a  million  million  million 

5* 


54 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


years  are  past,  it  will  still  be  "  wrath  to 
come,^^  because  it  shall  never  have  an  end. 

O  that  we  could  impress  upon  you  a 
lasting  idea  of  Eternity !  Suppose  all  the 
vast  ocean  to  be  distilled  by  single  drops, 
and  a  thousand  years  to  pass  between 
every  drop,  how  many  millions  of  years 
would  it  take  to  empty  it?  Suppose  the 
whole  world  to  be  made  up  by  grains  of 
sand,  and  one  grain  only  to  be  taken  away 
in  a  thousand  years;  how  many  millions 
of  years  would  it  take  to  remove  the  whole  1 
We  cannot  count  how  long :  yet  we  sup- 
pose it  may  be  done  in  a  most  immense 
length  of  time.  Suppose  it  done.  Sup- 
pose the  ocean  emptied,  drop  by  drop. 
Suppose  the  globe  reduced,  grain  by  grain, 
■to  the  last  sand.  But  would  eternity  be 
spent  ?  Would  eternity  be  lessened  ?  No, 
not  at  all.  It  is  a  whole  eternity  still ; 
and  the  torments  of  the  damned  would  be 
as  far  from  an  end,  as  when  the  reckoninsr 
began.  A  mmute  bears  some  proportion 
to  a  million  of  years ;  but  millions  of  mil- 
lions bear  no  proportion  to  eternity. 

Sinners,  have  you  reason?  Have  you 
■common  sense  1  Have  you  self-love  ?  Sum- 
mon up  your  powers,  then,  and  determine 
this  moment,  whether  you  had  best  go  on 
in  the  way  of  sin,  for  the  sake  of  your 
short-lived  pleasures,  thus  to  be  repaid 
with  everlasting  woe  ;  or  whether  it  will 
not  be  your  wisdom  this  moment  to  forsake 
them,  and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  choose 
the  way  to  eternal  life. 

Before  we  proceed,  stop,  and  take  a 
"view  of  sin.  Will  any  man  but  a  fool 
"  make  a  mock  of  sin,"  when  he  sees  what 
its  wages  are]  Is  that  "a  madman  who 
casteth  about  arrows,  firebrands,  and  death, 
and  saith,  Am  I  not  in  sport?"  He  is  ten 
thousand  times  more  mad,  who  sports  with 
sin,  and  laughs  at  that  wliich  fills  hell  with 
groans  and  tears.  Be  persuaded  not  to 
trifle,  as  many  do,  with  the  name  of  hell 
and  damnation.  Many,  who  cannot  bear 
to  hear  these  in  a  sermon,  use  them  in  a 
jesting  mannei,  in  their  common  discourse. 
This  is  one  of  Satan's  ways  to  ruin  souls. 
People  sport  with  these  things  till  they 
forget  their  importance,  and  find,  too  late, 
that  they  are  serious  matters. 

■"  Who  laughs  at  sin  laughs  at  his  Maker's  frowns ; 

Laughs  at  the  sword  of  justice  o'er  his  head  ; 
Laughs  at  the  dear  Redeemer's  tears  and  wounds, 

Who,  but  for  sin,  had  never  groan'd  nor  bled  !" 

"Awake,  then,  thou  that  sleepest,  and 
arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give 
thee  light."  Fly,  sinner,  from  the  "  wrath 
to  come,"  "  Escape  for  thy  life,  look  not  be- 
hind thee,  tarry  not  in  all  the  plam,  lest 
thou  be  consumed."     Tiiink  what  a  mis- 


erable soul  m  hell  would  give  to  be  in  thy 
present  situation.  Think,  how  hell  would 
resound  with  joy,  could  the  good  news  of 
salvation  be  preached  to  lost  souls.  Well, 
Sirs,  they  are  preached  to  you.  This  day 
is  salvation  come  to  this  house.  As  yet 
there  is  hope.  Christ  came  to  deliver  from 
the  wrath  to  come.  It  may  be  you  were 
brought  here  at  this  time  for  the  very  pur- 
pose of  being  warned  to  fly  to  the  refuge. 
Christ  is  a  mighty  Savior.  Nothing  is  too 
hard  for  him.  "  Come,  then,  for  all  things 
are  ready."  If  God  has  made  you  willing, 
depend  upon  it  he  will  make  you  welcome. 
Who  can  tell,  but  instead  of  being  fuel  for 
everlasting  burnings,  it  may  be  said  of 
you — "  Is  not  this  a  brand  plucked  out  of 
the  fire !" 

We  now  gladly  turn  to  the  more  pleas- 
ing part  of  our  text — "  but  the  righteous 
into  eternal  life." 

Who  are  the  righteous  ?  "  There  is  none 
righteous"  upon  the  earth,  saith  the  Scrip- 
ture, "  no,  not  one" — that  is  in  himself.  A 
righteous  man  and  a  sinner  are  two  con- 
traries ;  to  be  righteous,  is  to  keep  the  law 
perfectly,  which  no  mere  man  ever  did ; 
and  no  fallen  man  can;  for  "all  have 
sinned  ;"  sin  being  "  the  transgression  of 
the  law."  How  then  can  any  man,  being 
a  sinner,  become  righteous  !  There  is  but 
ond  way.  It  is  by  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  put  to  the  account  of  an  unright- 
eous man.  This  righteousness  Christ 
wrought  out  by  his  perfect  obedience  to 
the  law.  This  righteousness  is  held  out 
in  the  gospel ;  and  when  a  sinner  is  con- 
vinced that  he  wants  it,  and  must  perish 
without  it,  he  comes  to  God  for  it ;  God 
gives  it  him ;  he  receives  it  by  faith,  puts 
it  on,  wears  it,  lives  and  dies  in  it,  and  be- 
ing "  found  in  Christ,"  he  is  admitted,  in 
this  wedding-garment,  to  the  marriage- 
supper  of  the  Lamb. 

The  persons  called  "  righteous"  in  the 
text  had  thus  put  on  Christ ;  and  the  faith 
whereby  they  did  so,  wrought  by  love. 
The  context  shows  how  their  feith  wrought 
by  works ;  they  loved  the  Members  of 
Christ  for  Christ's  sake,  and  showed  their 
love  to  him,  by  helping  them  in  their  af- 
flictions. These  are  the  persons  who  go 
into  life  eternal. 

What  is  heaven  ?  A  carnal  man  can 
have  no  idea  of  it,  or  none  but  what  is  car- 
nal and  ridiculous.  It  is  not  a  Mahometan 
paradise,  where  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  may 
be  indulged.  No  ;  "  life  and  immortality 
are  brought  to  light  by  the  gospel ;"  and 
there  we  find  it  consists  in  a  complete  de- 
liverance from  all  the  evils  of  the  present 
state ;   and  in  the  enjoyment  of  all  that 


SERMON  XII. 


55 


can  render  the  soul  perfectly  and  for  ever 
happy. 

Need  we  be  told  tliat  "  man  is  born  to 
trouble  !"  This  is  our  sad,  and  only  certain 
inheritance;  mingled  indeed,  with  a 
tliousand  undeserved  mercies.  But  all  the 
sorrows  of  a  believer  shall  cease  at  his 
death.  No  more  excessive  labor  and  fa- 
tigne.  No  pinching  want  and  poverty. 
No  painful,  irksome,  lothesome  diseases. 
The  inliabitant  of  heaven  shall  not  say,  "  I 
am  sick."  Nor  shall  any  of  the  number- 
less sorrows  of  mind,  we  now  feel,  follow 
us  to  glory.  We  shall  not  suffer  in  our 
own  persons,  nor  shall  we  suffer  in  or  by 
our  relations  or  friends.  We  shall  "  drop 
the  body  of  sin,"  in  the  dust ;  and  we  shall 
no  more  be  the  grieved  spectators  of  sin 
in  the  world.  "  God  shall  wipe  away  all 
tears  from  our  eyes ;  and  there  shall  be  no 
more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying ; 
neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain,  for 
the  former  things  are  passed  away,"  Rev. 
xxi.  4. 

But  this  is  not  aU.  Our  knowledge, 
which  is  now  so  very  small,  shall  be  won- 
derfully mcreased.  It  is  eternal  life  to 
know  God ;  but  O,  how  little  do  we  now 
know  of  him !  but  "  tlie  pure  in  heart 
shall  see  God,"  and  know,  in  a  moment, 
more  than  all  the  learned  could  attain  in 
many  years.  "  We  shall  know,  even  as 
we  are  known, — we  shall  have  as  certain, 
immediate,  and  familiar  a  knowledge  of 
divine  things,  as  any  of  our  most  intimate 
friends  now  have  of  us ;  yea,  we  shall 
know  God,  and  Christ,  and  angels,  in  the 
same  kind  of  way  that  they  now  know  us  ; 
not  "  through  a  glass  darkly,"  but  "  face 
to  face,"  as  clearly  and  distinctly  as  one 
man  beholds  another  when  they  converse 
together.  But  the  heaven  of  heaven  will 
be  the  presence  of  Christ,  being  with 
Christ,  and  beholding  his  glory.  This  is 
what  Christ,  as  Mediator,  prayed  for  in 
behalf  of  his  disciples.  "  Father,  I  will, 
that  they  also  whom  thou  hast  given  me, 
be  with  me  where  I  am  ;  that  they  may 
behold  my  glory,"  John  xvii.  24.  This  is 
what  Paul  longed  for  and  wished  to  depart 
to  enjoy  :  "  I  have  a  desire  to  depart  and 
to  be  with  Christ,"  Phil.  i.  23.  And  what 
will  render  the  vision  of  Christ  so  very 
excellent  is,  that  "  we  shall  be  like  him, 
when  we  see  him  as  he  is" — we  shall  bear 
his  amiable  and  illustrious  image  of  light 
and  love,  holiness  and  happiness,  in  our 
souls.  Even  our  bodies,  now  vile  by  reason 
of  sin,  and  which  must  soon  be  viler  still 
m  the  corruption  of  the  grave,  shall,  when 
raised  from  the  dead,  be  made  like  unto 


his  glorious  body.  Add  to  this  another 
most  desirable  blessing  ;  the  constant  com- 
pany of  the  saints.  Believers  shall  sit 
down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob ; 
with  the  prophets  and  apostles ;  and  with 
all  the  redeemed  of  every  nation.  But 
what  tongue  can  tell,  what  heart  can  con- 
ceive, what  God  has  prepared  for  them  that 
love  him  ? 

APPLICATION 

What  more  can  be  said  to  engage  your 
regard  to  religion,  than  what  has  been 
now  said !  Life  and  death,  blessing  and 
cursing,  heaven  and  hell,  have  been  set 
before  you.  Surely  "  one  thing  is  need- 
ful,^^  even  the  care  of  the  soul. 

"  Is  there  a  dreadful  hell !"    Well ;  we 
have  been  warned  of  the  danger,  and  ad- ' 
vised  to  fly  to  Jesus,  the  only  deliverer 
from  the  wrath  to  come. 

How  groat  is  the  evil  of  sin,  seeing  that 
God  will  punish  it  in  this  dreadful  man- 
ner !  Is  there  a  hell  of  eternal  torment  for 
sinners  ?  O  then  be  afraid  of  sin,  however 
pleasant  it  may  be.  W  ho  would  drmk  a 
glass  of  the  most  delicious  liquor,  however 
thirsty  he  might  be,  if  he  knew  that  dead- 
ly poison  was  mixed  with  it  3  Beware 
then  of  sin,  which  infallibly  destroys  the 
soul,  and  shun  it  as  you  would  shun  hell. 

Is  there  a  glorious  heaven  1  We  are  in- 
vited to  seek  it.  There  is  but  one  way  to 
heaven,  and  Christ  is  that  way.  O  what  a 
Savior  is  Jesus !  Can  we,  who  deserve 
hell,  avoid  if?  Yes,  glory  be  to  him,  he 
shed  his  precious  blood  to  redeem  his  peo- 
ple from  it.  His  perfect  righteousness  is 
the  only  title  to  glory;  and  this  righteous- 
ness is  theirs,  who  believe  in  him.  There 
must  also  be  a  fitness  for  this  holy  state, 
and  this  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit.  If  we 
are  found  among  the  redeemed,  we  owe  it 
to  the  Father's  love,  the  Son's  salvation, 
and  the  Spirit's  grace.  God  grant  that  we 
may  so  hear  his  word  at  this,  and  at  all 
times,  that,  mixmg  faith  with  it,  we  may 
profit  thereby;  and  "growing  up  into 
Christ  in  all  things,"  and  looking  for  the 
mercy  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eter- 
nal life,"  we  may  faithfully  and  diligently 
serve  him,  and  our  generation,  according 
to  liis  will;  enjoy  his  gracious  presence 
in  all  the  means  of  grace  ;  experience  tlie 
support  of  his  gospel  in  the  trying  hour  of 
death;  and,  finally,  have  "abundant  en- 
trance afforded  us  into  his  everlasting 
kingdom  and  glory." 

Now  to  the  God  of  our  salvation.  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  be  universal  and 
everlasting  praise. — Amen. 


56 


ViLLAGli:  SERMONS. 


PRAYER. — Almighty  and  most  holy  God, 
thou  hast  now  set  before  us  Life  and  Death, 
Heaven  and  Hell ! — into  one  of  these  eternal 
states  must  each  of  us  soon  enter!  O  sufler  us 
not  to  be  careless  and  unconcerned  about  our 
everlasting  state !  Our  sins  have  exposed  us  to 
thy  dreadful  wrath,  and  it  is  of  thy  mercies  that 
we  are  not  already  consumed;  but  great  has 
been  thy  forbearance !  May  thy  goodness  lead 
us  to  repentance ! — and  may  we  be  seriously  con- 
cerned to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  even  to 
Jesus  Christ,  the  only  deliverer  from  it ! 

Thou  hast  also  set  before  us  a  most  glorious  and 
happy  state,  to  which  believers  are  entitled  by 
the  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  for  which  they 
are  prepared  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  O  that  this 
glorious  prize  of  the  Christian  calling,  may  ever 
be  before  our  eyes ! — and  may  we  so  run  as 
finally  to  obtain  it !  Let  not  the  alluring  vanities 
of  this  world  engage  our  hearts ;  but  may  we 
set  our  affections  on  things  above !  May  our  con- 
versation be  in  heaven,  and  when  we  are  called 
hence  by  Death,  may  God  graciously  afford  us 
an  abundant  entrance  into  his  eternal  kingdom 
and  glory,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord ! 


SERMON  XIII. 

TO   CHILDREN. 

A  NEW  HEART  THE  CHILD'S  BEST 
PORTION. 

Ezek.  xxxvi.  26.    A  new  heart  will  I  give  you. 

My  dear  children,  I  hope  you  will  mind 
what  I  am  going  to  say  to  you.  I  am  going 
to  read  you  a  sermon  made  on  purpose  for 
children,  and  made  so  plain,  that  I  hope 
you  will  understand  it  all.  I  suppose  you 
know  that  you  have  souls,  which  must  live 
when  you  die,  and  must  go  to  heaven  or 
hell  for  ever.  Now  do  you  not  think  it  is 
right  to  mind  your  souls,  so  that  they  may 
not  go  to  hell !  I  know  that  you  love  to 
play,  and  it  is  right  you  should  play  some- 
times ;  but  you  should  mind  sometJiing  else 
besides  play.  You  know  there  is  a  God 
that  lives  in  heaven,  and  it  is  he  who  gives 
you  meat  and  drink,  and  clothes ;  it  is  he 
who  keeps  you  from  being  sick,  and  from 
dying;  and  he  does  this,  that  you  may 
have  time  to  think  of  him,  and  pray  to  him. 
For  I  would  have  you  know,  that  it  is  a 
terrible  thing  for  God  to  be  angry  with  you. 
It  is  a  great  deal  worse  tlian  for  your  father 
and  mother,  or  master,  to  be  angry  with 
you.  Perhaps  they  may  beat  you  when 
they  are  angry:  but  God  Almighty  can 
cast  you  into  hell,  to  be  burned  in  the  fire 
for  ever  and  ever.  Perhaps  you  will  say, 
I  hope  he  will  not  do  so  to  me.  My  dear 
children,  I  hope  so  too ;  and  I  read  this  to 
you,  that  you  may  know  how  to  avoid  that 
misery,  and  that  you  may  learn  the  way  to 
heaven.  Now  Jesus  Christ  is  the  way  to 
heaven.    He  came  down  from  heaven  to 


save  us  from  going  to  hell ;  and  he  did  this 
by  suffering  and  dying  for  our  sins,  that 
we  might  not  suffer  for  them  ourselves; 
just  as  if  one  of  you  was  going  to  be  beat, 
and  punished  for  doing  wrong,  and  another 
person  should,  in  love  to  you,  and  to  keep 
you  from  being  hurt,  be  beat  in  your  stead, 
and  so  you  escape  the  punishment.  The 
first  thing  that  must  be  known,  in  order  to 
your  being  saved,  is  this,  that  you  are  sin- 
ners ;  that  you  have  "  left  imdone  what  you 
ought  to  have  done,  and  that  you  have  done 
the  things  you  ought  not  to  have  done." 
When  your  parents  have  been  angry  with 
you  for  doing  wrong,  you  have,  perhaps, 
tliought  of  it  afterwards,  and  have  been 
very  sorry  for  it ;  and  when  you  feel  sorry 
for  it,  you  want  them  to  forgive  you,  and 
you  go  to  them  and  ask  their  pardon.  You 
also  promise  to  do  so  no  more.  Now  there 
is  something  in  religion  like  this.  We 
have  all  done  what  we  should  not  do,  and 
God  may  justly  be  angry  with  us;  but 
"there  is  forgiveness  with  bun,  that  he 
may  be  feared."  His  dear  Son  Jesus  Christ 
bore  his  anger  for  us;  and  he  sends  hia 
servants  with  the  Gospel,  that  is,  good 
news ;  telling  us,  that  if  we  come  to  him 
by  Jesus  Christ,  he  will  forgive  us,  and  be 
kind  to  us,  and  help  us  to  do  better  for  time 
to  come.  Now  the  text  I  have  read,  is 
God's  kind  promise  to  his  children.  A  7iew 
heart  will  I  give  you.  The  word  heart 
does  not  signify  a  part  of  your  bodies,  but 
it  means  the  mind,  the  spirit,  the  disposi- 
tion ;  that  God  will  make  it  new,  and  right, 
and  good ;  so  that  you  should  love,  and 
serve,  and  enjoy  him,  both  here  and  liere- 
after.  It  is  the  same  thing  that  is  in  an- 
other place  called  being  horn  again.  You 
may  remember  reading  in  the  third  chap- 
ter of  St.  John,  that  an  aged  man,  named 
Nicodemus,  came  to  Jesus  Christ  by  night, 
to  be  taught  by  him ;  and  that  our  Savior 
said  to  him.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
thee,  except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  can- 
not see  the  kingdom  of  God.  By  this  he 
meant  a  change  of  heart,  which  is  made  by 
the  power  and  grace  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 
Now  if  the  heart  was  not  bad,  tliere  would 
be  no  need  to  change  it ;  but  the  heart  of 
every  person,  of  every  child,  is  very  bad, 
til]  grace  alters  it.  We  are  all  born  in  sin, 
and  love  sin,  until  we  are  born  again ;  and 
then  we  love  Christ,  and  every  tiling  that 
is  good.  And  you  will  observe  that  being 
baptized,  or  cliristcned,  is  not  the  same  as 
being  born  again.  Water  cannot  cleanse 
or  change  the  heart;  it  is  "an  outward 
visible  sign  of  grace,"  but  not  grace  itself. 
The  nature  of  this  gracious  change  I  shall 
ncrw  explain  to  you,  by  describing  both  the 


SERMON  XIII. 


57 


old  heart  wliicli  God  takes  away,  and  the 
new  heart  which  God  gives. 

I.  The  heart  is  by  nature  hard;  it  is 
compared  in  the  words  after  the  te.\t  to  a 
stone,  tiiat  feels  nothing :  the  heart  of  man 
by  nature  has  no  feeling;  that  is,  no  feel- 
ing of  spiritual  things.  A  person  who  has 
no  grace  may  be  tender-hearted  to  his  fel- 
low-creatures, and  "  weep  with  them  that 
weep ;"  but  yet  not  mind  what  (iod  says 
to  him  in  the  Bible.  The  Bible  says  we 
are  all  lost  and  ruined  sinners;  that  the 
wrath  of  God  abideth  on  us,  if  we  believe 
not ;  that  God  is  angry  with  the  wicked, 
and  will  turn  them  into  hell.  But  how 
few  people  regard  this  I  They  eat  and 
drink,  and  take  their  pleasure,  even  on  the 
liOrd's  day,  as  if  nothing  was  the  matter. 
Now  is  this  not  owing  to  the  hardness  of 
their  hearts  ?  If  you  were  to  see  a  poor 
wretch  at  the  bar,  condemned  to  die  by  the 
judge,  and  he  was  to  remain  unmoved,  or 
even  laugh  in  his  face,  you  would  think  he 
had  a  very  hard  heart.  Now  this  is  the 
case  of  every  sinner.  My  dear  children, 
is  it  not  your  case  .'  You  are  "  by  nature 
cliildren  of  wrath,  even  as  others ;"  but 
when  was  you  concerned  about  it  1  You 
would  cry  and  be  very  sorry  if  your  parents 
were  angry  with  you,  and  threatened  to 
turn  you  out  of  doors,  and  never  see  you 
any  more ;  but  how  much  worse  would  it 
be,  if  God  should  say  to  you,  "  Depart  from 
me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  burnings." 

The  hardness  of  the  heart  appears  also 
in  not  being  moved  and  melted  with  the 
goodness  of  God.  O  how  good  is  God  to 
us  all !  He  makes  the  sun  to  shine,  and 
the  flowers  to  spring,  and  the  corn  and 
herbs  to  grow.  It  is  he  who  gives  us  food 
day  by  day,  and  rest  by  night;  and  "his 
goodness  should  lead  us  to  repentance." 
"  He  has  also  so  loved  the  world,"  wicked 
as  it  is,  "that  he  sent  his  only-begotten 
Son,  that  wliosoever  believeth  on  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life."  And  he  has  sent  his  ministers  to  us, 
with  the  glad  tidings  of  this  salvation,  and 
they  warn  us  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come ; 
they  invite  and  beseech  us  to  be  reconciled 
to  God.  But  how  hard  is  the  heart  that 
remajns  unmoved  with  all  this  tender  love 
and  goodness !  What  should  you  think  of 
a  child,  who  treated  a  dear  father  or  a  kind 
mother  witii  neglect  and  scorn,  after  they 
had  spoken  and  behaved  in  the  kindest 
manner  to  him?  Would  you  not  tliink 
him  very  brutish  and  wicked  1  Well,  thus 
sinners  treat  the  blessed  God.  And  have 
not  t/nu  done  so  !  It  is  God  who  has  led 
and  fed  you  all  your  days.  He  gave  you 
kind  pareata  and  friends  to  care  for  you 
H 


when  infants,  or  you  must  have  been  starv- 
ed to  death,  and  perished  for  want.  He 
gives  you  clothes,  and  food,  and  health, 
and  pleasures,  and  friends;  and  he  does 
more,  he  gives  you  his  gospel ;  he  sends 
you  the  word  of  salvation,  he  gives  you 
opportunity  to  learn  to  read  it,  and  hear  it; 
and  what  i^turn  have  you  made  for  all  his 
goodness  ?  O  that  your  hearts  may  melt 
in  godly  sorrow  for  sin !  May  the  Lord 
give  you  "  the  heart  of  flesh,"  the  soft 
heart,  the  feeling  heart,  which  "  trembles 
at  his  word,"  and  "  fears  the  Lord  and  his 
goodness."  Then  will  you  be  afraid  of  the 
least  sin ;  you  will  avoid  all  bad  company  ; 
you  will  not  dare  to  take  the  name  of  the 
Lord  in  vain;  you  will  not  play  on  the 
Sabbath  day ;  nor  will  you  behave  badly  to 
your  parents,  or  any  other  persons.  And 
if  you  have  this  soft  heart,  you  will  be 
very  sorry  for  your  sins,  and  sorry  to  think 
you  have  offended  God,  and  sorry  to  think 
that  the  blessed  Jesus  should  suffer  such 
shocking  pains  as  he  did,  for  your  sins. 

II.  The  heart  is  by  nature  proud:  but 
the  new  heart  is  humble.  Man,  as  a  crea- 
ture, has  no  cause  to  be  pjoud,  much  less 
as  a  sinner,  yet  we  are  all  born  proud. 
There  never  was  a  person  born  without  a 
proud  heart ;  though  some  do  not  show  it 
so  much  as  others.  You  that  are  children 
know  how  apt  you  are  to  be  proud  of  new 
clothes,  and  fine  things ;  and  how  fond  you 
are  of  showing  them  to  others ;  and  as  peo- 
ple grow  up,  they  grow  prouder ;  proud  of 
beauty,  riches,  learning,  or  office:  yea, 
proud  of  being  religious.  So  you  read  of 
the  Pharisee,  who  went  up  to  the  temple 
to  pray,  and  with  monstrous  pride  stood  by 
himself,  and  said,  "  God,  I  thank  thee  that 
I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  nor  even  as 
this  Publican:"  and  then  he  boasted  of  his 
good  works.  But  God  abhorred  this  proud 
wretch,  while  he  looked  with  Compassion 
on  the  man  whom  the  Pharisee  despised, 
the  poor  Publican,  whose  heart  was  broken 
for  sin,  and  who  had  nothing  to  say  tor 
himself,  but  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a 
sinner!"  Even  children  are  proud  of  their 
religion ;  they  boast  of  being  better  than 
their  brothers  and  sisters :  they  love  to  tell 
of  their  feults,  and  of  their  own  goodness. 
My  dear  children,  why  do  you  hope  to  go 
to  heaven  ?  Is  it  because  you  arc  not  so 
bad  as  others ;  because  you  say  your  pray- 
ers, and  go  to  church  or  meeting  1  If  so, 
you  are  proud ;  proud  of  your  own  right- 
eousness, which  the  Scripture  calls  "filthy 
rags."  Now,  who  would  be  proiid  of  filthy 
TRssI  But  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is 
like  a  fine  clean  white  robe ;  is  not  that 
better!     And  would  vou  not  be  jrlad  to 


58 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


have  it  ?  Pray  then  to  God  to  clothe  you 
with  it. 

The  new  heart  is  an  humble  heart.  The 
person  who  has  it  tliinks  so  highly  of  the 
great  and  blessed  God,  the  majesty  of 
heaven  and  earth,  that  he  shrinks,  as  it 
were,  into  nothing  before  him.  He  has 
such  a  view  of  the  holiness  of  God,  and  his 
commandments,  and  such  a  ^nse  of  the 
wickedness  and  deceitfulness  of  his  own 
heart,  that  he  lies  as  it  were  in  the  dust, 
"  abhors  himself,  and  repents  in  dust  and 
ashes." 

III.  The  heart  is  by  nature  worldly. 
All  natural  men  are  called  in  Scripture — 
Men  of  the  world,  lohose  portion  is  in  this 
life :  tliey  think  only  of  the  world,  they 
speak  only  of  the  world,  and  all  their  de- 
sires are  worldly.  "  What  shall  we  eat, 
what  shall  we  drink,  and  how  shall  we 
be  clothed!"  After  all  these,  and  only 
such  things  as  these,  do  worldly  men  seek. 
In  this  case  there  is  no  heart  for  religion. 
"  God  is  not  in  all  their  thoughts ;"  and  for 
the  sake  of  the  world,  they  neglect  the 
Gospel,  and  lose  their  own  souls.  They  are 
"careful  about  many  things,"  with  Mar- 
tha, but  do  not  choose  "  the  one  thing 
needful,"  with  Mary.  Now  this  is  a  sad 
state  to  be  in  !  If  we  love  the  world,  the 
love  of  God  is  not  in  us,  1  John  ii.  15.  If 
we  mind  "  earthly  things,"  so  as  to  make 
them  our  chief  good,  our  "  end  will  be  de- 
struction," Phil.  iii.  19.  And  say  now,  my 
dear  children,  are  not  your  hearts  worldly  ! 
Though  you  are  not  engaged  in  worldly 
business,  yet  your  little  hearts  love  only 
the  things  of  this  world.  Are  not  play  and 
pleasure  all  you  seek  and  delight  in.  Per- 
haps you  do  not  like  prayer ;  either  you  do 
not  pray  at  all  in  secret,  or  satisfy  }  our- 
selves with  a  few  formal  words  which  you 
have  got  by  heart,  without  feeling  any  de- 
sire after  Christ,  and  grace,  and  salvation. 
And  when  your  parents  pray  in  their  fam- 
ilies, as  I  hope  they  do,  you  do  not  regard 
wliat  is  said ;  and  when  you  are  in  the 
house  of  God,  perhaps  you  do  not  mind 
what  the  minister  says,  or  content  yourself 
merely  with  remembering  the  text.  But 
this  is  not  religion.  The  worldly  heart 
must  be  taken  away,  and  you  must  have  a 
heavenly,  spiritual  heart,  that  delights  in 
God  and  Christ,  and  prayer  and  praise ;  in 
the  word  of  God  and  spiritual  conversation. 
Blessed  be  God,  there  have  been  many 
such  children ;  perhaps  you  have  read  of 
them  in  the  tracts  publislied  for  children. 
The  Lord  make  you  like  them;  that  so 
you  may  live  to  God,  if  you  are  spared  to 
live  longer ;  or  made  fit  for  heaven,  if  he 
should  be  pleased  to  remove  you. 


IV.  The  heart  is  by  nature  wicked ;  the 
Scripture  says  it  is  desperately  wicked, 
Jer.  xvii.  9.  And  our  Savior  says.  Matt. 
XV.  19,  Out  of  the  heart  proceed  evil 
thoughts,  thefts,  murders,  and  many  other 
bad  things.  Now  you  know  they  must  be 
in  the  heart,  or  they  could  not  come  out 
of  it.  Some  people  will  tell  you  they  have 
good  hearts,  even  though  they  speak  bad 
words,  and  do  bad  actions.  But  this  is  a 
mistake.  A  good  tree  bears  good  fruits ; 
and  a  sweet  spring  does  not  send  forth  bit- 
ter waters.  Now  every  person's  heart  is 
wicked  by  nature ;  and  if  some  people  do 
not  commit  such  wicked  actions  as  others, 
it  is  not  because  their  hearts  are  better  by 
nature,  but  because  God  would  not  let 
them  be  so  wicked  as  they  would;  just  as 
they  chain  up  wild  beasts  to  keep  them 
from  destroying  us.  My  dear  children, 
you  may  see  the  truth  of  this  in  yourselves. 
You  know  how  apt  you  are,  or  were  once, 
to  tell  lies.  Nobody  told  you  how  to  tell 
lies.  You  did  it  naturally.  Now  is  not 
that  a  proof  of  a  wicked  heart  ]  Lying  is 
a  great  sin.  It  is  the  work  of  the  devil, 
who  is  "  a  liar,  and  the  father  of  lies." 
Lying  is  so  hateful  to  God,  that  he  will 
not  let  any  liars  go  to  heaven,  "  nothing  that 
maketh  a  lie,"  Rom.  xxi.  but  he  says,  ver. 
8,  "  All  liars  shall  have  their  part  in  the 
lake  which  burneth  with  fire  and  brim- 
stone." O  pray  to  God  to  forgive  you  this 
great  sin.  You  may  know  that  your  hearts 
are  wicked  by  your  going  into  a  passion 
when  you  are  crossed,  and  great  anger  is 
a  degree  of  murder  in  God's  esteem.  Matt. 
V.  22.  But  the  wickedness  of  the  heart  ap- 
pears most  of  all  in  its  enmity  against  God ; 
for  St.  Paul  says,  Rom.  viii.  7,  "  the  car- 
nal mind  is  enmity  agauast  God;"  and 
have  not  you  shown  this  in  your  dislike  of 
religion,  in  breaking  the  Sabbath,  in  taking 
the  Lord's  name  in  vain,  in  disobeying 
your  parents,  and  in  many  other  ways  1 
See  then  how  needful  is  it  that  you  should 
have  a  new  heart ;  and  the  new  heart  is  a 
pure  heart.  Jesus  Christ  says,  Matt.  v.  8, 
"  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart,  for  they 
shall  see  God."  Now  the  heart  is  "  puri- 
fied by  faith."  When  we  see  what  a  wick- 
ed heart  we  have,  and  are  filled  with  grief 
and  fear,  then  we  fly  for  refuge  to  Jesus 
Christ.  Then  God  pardons  our  past  sins 
for  his  sake,  and  gives  us  his  Holy  Spirit 
to  make  us  hate  sin,  and  fight  against  it ; 
and  make  us  desire  to  know  his  will,  and 
love  to  do  it.  Pray  then  with  David, 
"  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God,  and 
renew  a  right  spirit  within  me,"  Ps.  li.  10. 
Remember,  that  "  without  holiness  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord." 


SERMON  XIII. 


59 


V.  The  heart  by  nature  is  deceitful: 
yea,  the  Scripture  says,  deceitful  above  all 
things.  It  calls  good  evil,  and  evil  good. 
It  clieats  people  with  false  pretences  and 
vain  excuses;  so  that  the  way  of  the  wick- 
ed seems  right  to  them,  although  it  leads 
to  destruction.  There  is  scarcely  any  sin- 
ner, however  great,  that  does  not  flatter 
himself  all  will  be  well  at  last,  though 
God  tells  him  to  the  contrary.  On  this 
account,  '*  he  that  trusteth  his  own  heart 
is  a  fool."  But  when  the  Lord  gives  a 
new  heart,  he  makes  it  sincere.  A  real 
Christian  is  like  Nathaniel,  of  whom  our 
Savior  said,  "  Behold  an  Israelite  indeed, 
in  whom  there  is  no  guile ;"  that  is  no  al- 
lowed hypocrisy  in  his  dealings  with  God 
or  man.  . 

VI.  And  lastly,  The  heart  is  naturally 
an  unbelieving  heart.  It  is  a  sad  thing 
that  man  should  be  more  ready  to  believe 
the  lather  of  lies  than  the  God  of  truth.  It 
was  by  hearkening  to  the  devil,  that  Eve, 
our  first  mother,  sinned;  and  there  has 
been  in  mankind  ever  sincer  "  an  evil  heart 
of  unbelief  in  departing  from  the  living 
God."  It  is  plain  that  people  do  not  be- 
lieve God.  If  they  believed  what  he  says 
of  sin,  tliey  would  not  dare  to  practise  it. 
If  they  believed  what  he  says  of  Christ, 
surely  they  would  come  to  him  for  life  and 
salvation.  And  the  reason  they  do  not,  is, 
they  "  love  darkness  rather  than  light,  be- 
cause their  deeds  are  evil."  But  the  new 
heart  is  a  believing  heart.  The  Christian 
takes  God  at  his  word.  He  believes  his 
threatenings,  and  fears.  He  believes  his 
promises  in  Christ,  and  hopes.  He  believes 
his  commandments,  and  obeys.  Without 
this  faith  "  it  is  impossible  to  please  God ;" 
for  he  that  believeth  not  God  hath  made 
him  a  liar.  But  faith  glorifies  God.  "  He 
that  believeth  on  Christ  hath  everlasting 
life;  and  he  that  believeth  not  shall  not 
see  life ;  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on 
him."  John  iii.  36. 

APPLICATION. 
And  now,  dear  children,  I  have  told  you 
what  sort  of  hearts  we  have  by  nature,  and 
what  the  Lord  can  make  them  by  his 
grace,  I  hope  you  will  consider  what  I 
have  said,  and  consider  what  hearts  you 
have.  Are  they  not  hard,  and  proud,  and 
worldly,  and  wicked,  and  deceitful,  and 
unbelieving  /  I  think  jwu  must  own  they 
are  so  by  nature.  And  does  not  this  show 
you  that  you  must  be  born  again,  and 
have  a  new  heart?  If  your  heart  should 
not  be  changed,  you  will  grow  more  wick- 


ed as  you  grow  older ;  and  if  you  should 
die  in  your  sins,  you  will  be  lost  for  ever. 

But,  my  dear  children,  I  hope  better 
things.  Do  not  you  know  that  Jesus  Christ 
came  "  to  seek,  and  to  save  that  which 
was  lostf  And  do  you  not  remember 
reading  that  some  good  people  brought 
their  little  children  to  him,  and  desired 
him  to  bless  them '!  And  he  said.  Suffer 
little  children  to  come  unto  me.  Would 
you  not  be  very  glad  if  he  was  here  now, 
and  you  could  go  and  kneel  down  to  him, 
and  say.  Blessed  Jesus,  bless  me,  even  me 
also  1  Well,  though  he  is  in  heaven,  you 
may  do  this  now.  He  is  the  same  to-day 
that  he  was  then.  He  loves  little  children 
as  well  as  ever.  And  I  beg  and  beseech 
each  of  you,  when  you  go  home,  to  go  into 
some  private  place,  and  loieel  down,  and 
say,  Blessed  Jesus,  I  have  a  wicked  heart 
that  makes  me  do  wicked  things,  and  I  am 
afraid  of  thy  anger :  but  I  have  heard  in 
the  Gospel,  that  thou  hast  died  for  sinners 
to  save  them  from  hell,  and  sin,  and  the 
world;  O  save  me,  lest  I  perish.  Take 
away  my  heart  of  stone,  and  give  me  a 
heart  of  flesh ;  a  heart  to  knov/,  trust,  and 
love  thee,  that  I  may  serve  thee  in  this 
world,  and  be  for  ever  happy  in  the  world 
to  come. 

Let  none  of  you  say,  "  I  am  not  old 
enough,  or  not  big  enough,  to  be  religious; 
it  is  time  enough  yet."  Dear  children, 
you  are  not  too  young  to  die.  Younger 
than  you  are  in  the  grave.  Besides,  you 
cannot  be  too  young  to  serve  the  Lord. 
Can  you  be  safe  too  soon?  Can  you  be 
happy  too  soon  ?  Can  you  glorify  God  too 
much  ?  Surely  not.  Well,  then,  pray  for 
a  new  heart.  It  is  the  best  gift  that  God 
can  give  you,  or  you  receive;  and  may 
God  Almighty,  for  Christ's  sake,  bestow  it 
upon  every  one  of  you.    Amen ! 


PRAYER. — Bi>EssED  and  gracious  God,  our 
heavenly  Father.  We  are  taught,  by  thy  holy 
word,  that  our  hearts  are,  by  nature,  very  sin- 
ful ;  that  they  are  hard,  and  proud,  and  worldly, 
and  wicked,  and  deceitful,  and  unbelieving:  and 
we  feel  that  this  is  all  true ;  and  we  are  very 
Sony  that  though  we  are  so  young,  our  liearls 
are  so  bad.  But  Oh  !  merciful  God,  do  not  be 
angry  vi'ith  us,  and  punish  ns  as  our  sins  de- 
serve :  but,  for  the  sake  of  .lesus  Christ,  who 
died  to  save  poor  sinners,  have  mercy  upon  us, 
and  forgive  all  our  past  sins,  ."^nd,  as  it  has 
pleased  thee  to  promise  to  give  thy  children  a 
new  heart,  we  pray  thee  to  give  us  new  hearts. 
Give  us  soft  and  feeling  hearts,  humble  hearts, 
heavenly  hearts,  holy  heart.s,  sincere  hearts,  and 
believing  hearts,  that  so  we  may  love  and  serve 
thee  all  our  days,  and  when  we  die  be  received 
into  heaven. 


60 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


SERMON  XIV. 


THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

Matt.  vi.  9,  10,  11,  12,  and  13th  verses.  After  this 
manner  therefore  pray  ye.  Our  t-ather  which  art 
in  heaven ;  hallowed  be  thy  name.  Thy  kingdom 
come.  Thy  will  be  done  in  earth  as  it  is  in  hea- 
ven. Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.  And  for- 
give us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive  our  debtors.  And 
lead  us  not  into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  from 
evil :  for  thine  is  the  kingdom,  and  the  power,  and 
the  glory,  for  ever.   Amen. 

Prayer  to  God  is  the  bounden  duty  of 
all  men.  "  We  live,  and  move,  and  have 
our  being  in  him."  "  Every  good  and  per- 
fect gift  proceeds  from  him."  "  Men  ought 
therefore  always  to  pray,  and  not  faint." 
We  are  .so  sinful,  that  we  always  need 
mercy.  We  are  so  weak,  that  we  always 
need  help.  We  are  so  empty,  that  we  al- 
ways need  supplies.  We  are  so  exposed, 
that  we  always  need  protection.  How  rea- 
sonable then  that  we  should  continue  in 
prayer ! 

But  we  greatly  need  direction  in  prayer. 
We  know  not  how  to  pray,  nor  what  to 
pray  for,  as  we  ought.  Therefore  Christ 
has  been  pleased  to  teach  us  in  these  words, 
which  contain  an  excellent  pattern  for 
prayer.  Not  that  we  are  tied  down  to  use 
these  very  words,  much  less  to  use  them 
always ;  but  after  this  manner  we  are  to 
pray.  Now  as  many  persons  constantly 
use  this  prayer,  it  may  be  very  useful  to 
explain  it ;  because  it  may  be  feared  that 
a  great  many  say  the  words  without  know- 
ing their  meaning,  which  is  formality  at 
best ;  and  many  contradict  every  part  of 
this  prayer  by  their  wicked  lives,  which  is 
base  hypocrisy.  May  we  therefore  be  as- 
sisted by  the  good  Spirit  rightly  to  under- 
stand it,  that  so,  whenever  we  use  it  here- 
after, we  may  ofl'er  up  a  reasonable  and 
spiritual  sacrifice,  acceptable  to  God  by 
Jesus  Christ. 

I.  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven. 
We  should  always  begin  our  prayer  with 
proper  thoughts  of  God.  And  what  thoughts 
of  him  are  so  proper  as  those  suggested 
by  these  words,  namely,  his  goodness  and 
his  greatness?  As  Kfulher  he  is  good.  As 
a  heavenly  father  he  is  great.  Thus  are 
we  taught  to  approach  him  with  confidence 
and  reverence. 

As  the  Creator  of  all  men,  God  may,  in 
a  general  sense,  be  called  the  father  of  all: 
but  it  is  in  a  higher  and  sweeter  sense  that 
he  is  here  called  a  father.  We  are  to  take 
it  in  a  Gospel  view — God  reconciled  to  be- 
lieving sinners  through  faith  in  the  blood 
of  Jesus  Christ.  God  is  angry  with  the 
wicked  every  day.  He  does  not  look  down 
upon  them  with  a  fatlier's  eye,  nor  do  they 


look  up  to  him  with  a  child-like  spirit. 
Therefore  this  prayer  is  not  fit  for  the  use 
of  a  man  who  lives  in  sin,  whose  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  God.  How  dare 
the  swearer,  the  liar,  the  drunkard,  call 
God  a  father  ?  God  will  not  own  the  rela- 
tion. If  such  men  pray,  might  they  not 
rather  cry — Our  father  which  art  in  hell  '! 
for  Christ  said  to  such  persons,  "  Ye  are 
of  your  father  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of 
your  father  ye  will  do."   John  viii.  44. 

But  when  a  person  is  convinced  of  his 
lost  estate  by  sin ;  when  he  is  enlightened 
to  know  Christ  as  a  Savior ;  and  when  by 
precious  faith  he  comes  to  God  through 
him;  then  God  is  reconciled  to  him;  his 
anger  is  turned  away,  and  he  comforts 
hint.  Then  he  may  look  up  to  God  as  a 
merciful  God,  forgiving  iniquity,  trangres- 
sion  and  sin ;  for  "  to  as  many  as  receive 
Christ,  and  the  atonement  through  him,  he 
giveth  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God, 
even  to  them  that  believe  in  his  name ;" 
and  to  such  only  is  "  the  spirit  of  adoption" 
given,  whereby  they  cry  "  Abba,  father." 
For  it  is  one  thing  to  use  the  v/ordi  father, 
and  another  to  approach  him,  as  a  loving 
child  comes  to  a  tender  parent,  with  a  per- 
suasion of  his  bemg  able  and  willing  to 
supply  his  wants.  To  such  persons  this 
name  is  full  of  comfort ;  for  they  are  em- 
boldened to  believe,  that  if  earthly  pa- 
rents, though  evil,  know  how  to  give  good 
gifts  to  their  children,  God,  our  heavenly 
father,  is  much  more  disposed  to  do  them 
good,  and  bless  them  with  all  spiritual 
blessings  in  Christ  Jesus. 

But  this  name  teaches  us  also  the  great- 
ness of  Gofl.  Children  ought  to  treat  their 
earthly  parents  with  great  respect:  but 
what  reverence  is  due  to  the  Father  of 
spirits,  whose  throne  is  in  the  heavens ! 
yea,  "  tlie  heaven  of  lieavens  cannot  con- 
tain him."  God  is  everywhere  present ; 
he  is  not  confined  to  heaven ;  but  he  is 
said  to  dwell  there,  because  there  he  dis- 
plays tlie  brightest  beams  of  his  glorious 
majesty ;  and  there  angels  and  saints  bow 
low  before  his  feet,  crying,  day  and  night, 
"Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  God  Al- 
mighty !"  Such  thoughts  as  these  should 
possess  our  minds  when  we  say,  Our  Fa- 
ther which  art  in  heaven.  Tliink  of  his 
goodness  and  his  greatness  wlien  you  pray. 
Take  care  to  lift  upyour  hearts  to  heaven 
when  you  pray  to  iiun  who  dwells  in  hea- 
ven, or  else  your  prayers  will  never  reach 
his  throne. 

II.  Hallowed  be  thy  name.'  This  is 
the  first  petition;  and  is  placed  first,  to 
show  us  that  our  first  and  chief  desire 
should  be  that  God  may  be  glorified ;  for 


SERMON  XIV. 


61 


tliat  is  the  meaning  of  it.  The  name  of 
God  signifies  God  himself;  as  he  is  pleased 
to  make  himself  known  to  us  by  his  names 
and  titles,  his  words  and  works :  for  as  a 
man  is  known  to  us  by  his  name,  so  God 
has  made  himself  to  us  in  the  gospel. 
There  all  his  glorious  perfections  shine 
and  unite.  There  he  shows  himself  "  a 
just  God  and  a  Savior."  Now,  to  hallow 
God's  name,  is  to  sanctify  it ;  to  hold  it 
sacred;  for  to  sanctify  any  thing  is  to  set 
it  apart  from  every  profane  and  common 
use.  In  this  petition,  then,  we  pray  that 
God  would  enable  us  to  glorify  him  in  all 
things  whereby  he  makes  himself  known. 
We  must  glorify  him  in  our  hearts,  by 
high,  holy,  reverent  thoughts  of  him.  We 
must  glorify  him  by  our  tongues,  by  al- 
ways speaking  of  him  in  the  most  serious 
manner.  We  must  glorify  him  in  all  our 
actions;  not  only  by  acts  of  solemn  wor- 
ship, but  by  the  most  common  actions  of 
life;  for,  whether  we  eat  or  drink,  all 
should  be  done  with  a  view  to  the  glory  of 
God. 

Now,  how  dreadfully  far  from  this  are 
many  who  say  this  prayer,  and  who  no 
sooner  get  up  from  their  knees,  than  they 
profane  and  blaspheme  this  holy  name ! 
Think  of  this,  you  who  curse  and  swear, 
or  take  the  Lord's  name  in  vain.  When 
you  say,  in  a  thoughtless  manner,  God  bless 
us  !  O  God  !  O  Christ !  &c.  is  this  to  hal- 
low the  name  of  God  1  Leave  off  praying, 
or  leave  oft*  swearing:  for  they  cannot 
agree  together. 

But  let  every  one  that  fears  God,  re- 
member, that  the  glory  of  God  is  the  first 
and  chief  thing  that  we  are  to  ask  for,  and 
to  desire,  and  sec,  even  before  our  own 
good.  Now,  that  we  and  others  may  do 
tiiis,  we  are  taught,  in  the  next  place,  to 
pray, 

III.  Thtj  kingdom  come !  Now,  this  does 
not  mean  the  kingdojn  of  God's  provi- 
dence, which  rules  over  all ;  this  cannot 
be  said  to  come,  for  it  is  come  already,  and 
will  never  cease:  but  it  means  that  spirit- 
ual kingdom  which  Christ  came  to  set  up 
in  the  world.  That  kingdom  of  the  Mes- 
siah, which  the  pious  Jews  had  long  ex- 
pected, and  which,  when  this  prayer  was 
given  to  the  disciples,  was  said  to  bo  at' 
hand.  This  kingdom  of  Christ  did  come 
soon  after.  It  was  set  up  when  Christ 
ascended  to  heaven,  and  the  Spirit  de- 
scended from  it  But  still  the  prayer  is  as 
necessary  as  ever ;  for  we  pray  that  this 
kingdom  may  be  established  in  our  own 
hearts,  and  extended  to  all  the  world. 

The  kingdom  of  Christ  is  erected  on 
purpose  to  destroy  the  kingdom  of  Satan. 


The  devil  has  usurped  a  dominion  over  all 
mankind ;  and  though  he  does  not  now 
possess  the  bodies  of  men,  as  he  once  did, 
yet  he  "  ruleth  in  the  hearts  of  the  chil- 
dren of  disobedience,"  who  are  "  led  cap- 
tive by  him  at  his  will ;"  and  in  some  parts 
of  the  world  he  is  still  worshipped  as  God. 
Now,  in  order  to  destroy  this  infernal 
kingdom,  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the 
world;  he  overcame  Satan  in  all  his  at- 
tempts to  seduce  hun  ;  and  on  the  cross  he 
spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  and  con- 
quered when  he  fell;  he  deprived  Satan 
of  his  power,  and  led  captivity  captive. 
Wherever  he  sends  his  gospel,  he  pro- 
claims liberty ;  and  wherever  he  gives  his 
grace  to  any  person,  there  Satan  is  de- 
throned :  and  being  made  willing  to  sub- 
mit to  Christ,  the  believer  is  translated 
out  of  Satan's  kingdom  of  sin  and  darkness 
into  the  holy  and  happy  kingdom  of  God's 
dear  Son. 

Now  when  we  say.  Thy  kingdom  come 
we  pray  that  the  light,  power,  liberty,  and 
glory  of  Christ's  spiritual  kingdom  may  be 
more  fully  experienced  in  our  own  hearts, 
more  fully  established  m  our  own  souls. 
For  as  one  observes — "  In  worship  we  pay 
our  homage  to  God.  In  the  ivord,  we 
come  to  learn  his  laws.  In  the  sacraments, 
we  renew  our  oaths  of  allegiance.  In 
almsgiving,  we  pay  him  tribute.  In 
prayer,  we  ask  his  leave ;  and  praise  is 
our  rent  to  the  great  Lord,  from  whom  we 
hold  our  all." 

Thus  also  we  express  our  soul's  desire 
for  our  poor  fellow-sinners.  Deeply  af- 
fected with  the  state  of  Heathens,  Jews, 
Mahometans  and  wicked  Christians,  we 
pour  forth  our  souls  in  holy  longings  for 
their  conversion,  earnestly  desiring  the 
joyful  day  when  it  shall  be  said — "  The 
kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the 
kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ, 
and  he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever." 
Rev.  xi.  15. 

IV.  Thy  will  be  done  in  earth  as  it  is 
in  heaven.  God,  the  glorious  maker  of  the 
world,  has  a  riglit  to  govern  it.  His  will 
is  the  proper  rule  of  his  creatures'  actions; 
and  it  is  obeyed  by  them  all,  except  men 
and  devils.  God  has  made  known  his  wiU 
to  us  in  liis  word.  The  law  of  the  ten 
commandments  shows  what  obedience  he 
requires  of  us;  but,  as  fallen  creatures, 
we  have  rendered  ourselves  incapable  of 
perfect  obedience  to  it,  and  so  of  obtaining 
life  by  it.  God  has  graciously  given  to  us 
the  law  of  faith,  or  the  gospel  of  salvation 
by  Jesus  Christ;  and  this  is  his  command- 
ment, that  we  should  "believe  on  the 
name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  love 
6 


62 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


one  another."  But  the  natural  man  re- 
fuses obedience  to  this  also;  he  is  either 
unconcerned  about  salvation,  or  dislikes 
the  way  of  it ;  and  while  he  remains  in 
this  state,  he  cannot  do  the  will  of  God  in 
any  respect  acceptably,  for  "  without  faith 
it  is  impossible  to  please  him."  In  short, 
"  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God ;" 
the  will  of  the  flesh  is  directly  contrary  to 
the  will  of  God ;  but  it  accords  with  the 
will  of  Satan,  sinners  being  "  led  captive 
by  him  at  his  will." 

How  necessary  then  is  this  petition — 
Ihy  will  be  done  !    And  it  includes,  1.   A 
desire  to  know  it ;  as  the  Psalmist  prays 
(143.  10.)  "  Teach  me  to  do  thy  will,  for 
thou  art  my  God ;"  or,  as  converted  Saul, 
"  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  V 
2.  A  heart  to  do  it ;  a  heart  on  which  God 
has  written  his  laws.     It  is  related  of  a 
c!fertain  person,  that  when  he  was  teaching 
his  child  to  say  this  prayer,  and  came  to 
this   petition — "  thy   will   be   done,"    the 
child  refused  to  say  it,  and  would  have  it 
"  my  will   be  done."     This   poor  simple 
child  was  far  more  honest  than  many  of  us, 
who  say  thy  will  be  done,  and  yet  de- 
termine to  follow  our  own  will:  but  the 
real  Christian's- desire  is,  "O  that  there 
were  such  an  heart  in  me,  to  fear  God, 
and  to  keep  all  his  commandments  al- 
ways!"   Deut.  v.  29.     We  pray  also,  3. 
For  strength  to  do  the  will  of  God  :  for 
"  to  wilV  may  be  present,  and  yet  how  to 
perform  tliat  which  is  good  we  may  not 
find  ;  but,  knowing  that  the  Lord  worketh 
in  his  people  both  to  will  and  to  do,  we 
hereby  pray  that  he  would  "  make  us  per- 
fect in  every  good  work,  to  do  his  will ; 
working  in  us  that  which  is  well-pleasing 
in  his  sight,  through  Jesus  Christ.     This 
petition  also  includes  holy  submission  to 
the  will  of  his  providence,  however  afflic- 
tive, and  that  we  may  learn  to  bear  it  with- 
out murmuring,  knowmg  that  it  is  his  will, 
and  for  our  good. 

Now,  we  pray  for  grace  to  do  all  this, 
in  imhation  of  the  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect,  and  of  the  sinless  angels  in  heaven. 
"  God's  will  is  done  in  heaveny  The  an- 
gels that  excel  in  strength  do  his  com- 
mandment :  hearken  to  the  voice  of  his 
word :  they  do  it  iiumbly,  cheerfully,  dili- 
gently, constantly;  and  so  do  glorified 
saints  in  heaven,  ""for  there  his  servants 
shall  serve  him."  So  let  it  be  our  meat 
and  drink,  to  do  the  will  of  our  heavenly 
Father,  and  to  bear  Christ's  yoke,  which  is 
easy ;  and  his  burden,  which  is  light." 

V.  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread. 
This  petition  implies  our  dependence  on 
God  for  food,   and   all   the  supports  and 


comforts  of  life.  Man,  as  a  fallen  creature, 
has  forfeited  the  good  things  of  tliis  life, 
and  deserves  to  be  deprived  of  them  all. 
The  earth  was  cursed  for  man's  sake, 
therefore  in  sorrow  and  labor  he  eats  of  it; 
but  it  is  through  tlie  goodness  of  God  that 
he  has  power  to  labor;  that  rain  from 
heaven  and  fruitful  seasons  are  even 
granted.  It  is  "  he  who  gives  us  our  corn, 
and  wine,  and  oil ;"  and,  though  the  poor 
man  works  hard  for  his  daily  bread,  it  is 
no  less  the  gift  of  God.  To  him  also  we 
owe  the  appetite  that  makes  our  food 
pleasant,  and  the  power  of  digestion  that 
makes  it  nourishing. 

Moderation  in  our  desires  is  here  ex- 
pressed. We  are  not  taught  to  ask  for 
riches  and  honors  ;  they  are  often  the  de- 
structive snares  of  those  who  possess 
them ;  but  we  may  lawfully  ask  for  food 
and  raiment,  "  for  our  heavenly  Father 
knoweth  that  we  have  need  of  all  tliese 
things;"  ver.  22;  and  having  these,  we 
ought  to  be  content. 

We  are  not  to  ask  for  weekly  bread,  or 
monthly  bread,  or  yearly  bread ;  but  for 
daily  bread ;  for  we  must  not  boast  of  to- 
morrow, or  depend  on  future  years ;  but 
live  in  daily  dependence  on  God,  without 
anxious  cares  for  a  future  time.  "  Suffi- 
cient to  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof;"  and 
sufficient  for  the  day  is  the  good  thereof; 
so  that  we  are  to  exercise  ourselves  in 
daily  prayer,  and  receive  every  meal,  and 
every  morsel,  as  the  gift  of  a  good  God, 
which  will  make  it  sweeter. 

The  Christian  will  also  ask  for  bread 
for  his  soul  as  well  as  his  body.  Christ  is 
to  the  believer's  soul  what  food  is  to  the 
body.  He  is  "  the  bread  of  life ;"  and  if 
we  are  born  of  God,  we  shall  daily  desire 
to  feed  upon  him  in  our  hearts,  by  faith, 
with  thanksgiving. 

VI.  And  forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we 
forgive  our  debtors.  This  petition  is 
joined  to  the  last  by  the  word  and,  which 
may  teach  us,  that  without  the  forgiveness 
of  sms,  the  comforts  of  this  life  can  do  us 
no  real  good ;  "  for  what  is  a  man  profited, 
if  he  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his 
own  soul  ?"  Every  man  is  a  sinner.  Tliere 
is  not  a  creature  who  wants  daily  bread, 
that  does  not  also  want  daily  pardon  ;  and 
yet  how  few  are  sensible  of  it !  Sin  is 
here  compared  to  a  debt.  There  is  a  debt 
of  duty  we  owe  to  God ;  and,  in  case  of 
failure,  we  contract  a  new  debt  to  tlie  jus- 
tice of  God.  The  debts  we  owe  to  man 
expose  us  to  misery  here ;  but  the  debts 
we  owe  to  God  expose  us  to  eternal 
misery ;  for  "  the  waiges  of  sin  is  death." 
And  be  it  remembered,  we  are  not  able  to 


SERMON  XIV. 


63 


pay  a  single  farthing  of  this  debt ;  if  ever 
we  are  delivered  from  going  to  the  prison 
of  hell,  it  must  be  by  a  free  pardon,  for  so 
we  here  pray — ^^  forgive  us  our  debts  ;" 
or,  as  it  is  elsewhere,  "forgive  us  our 
trespasses."  God  will  take  no  composition. 
We  can  make  no  amends.  It  is  not  taking 
care  not  to  contract  a  new  debt  that  wiU 
discharge  an  old  one  ;  this  will  not  do  with 
our  neighbors,  nor  will  it  do  with  God. 
Free  forgiveness  alone  will  prevent  our 
punishment.  But  be  it  carefully  observed, 
that  though  a  sinner  is  justified  freely,  it  is 
only  "  through  the  redemption  tliat  is  in 
Christ."  It  costs  us  nothing ;  but  it  cost 
him  dear.  And  it  is  only  through  faith  in 
his  blood  that  we  can  receive  it.  With 
believing  and  penitent  hearts  we  must  go 
to  God  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  plead  for  his 
mercy  for  Christ's  sake.  At  the  same 
time  we  are  here  taught  what  is  the  true 
disposition  of  a  gracious  soul — a  forgiving- 
temper — "  as  we  forgive  our  debtors ;" 
that  is,  as  we  forgive  those  who  have  in- 
jured us  in  our  property,  person,  or  name. 
Not  that  our  kindness  to  another  deserves 
forgiveness  at  the  hand  of  God ;  but  that, 
as  we  cannot  expect  pardon  from  God, 
while  we  refuse  it  to  those  who  ask  us  for 
it ;  we  may  liumbly  hope,  that  if  we  are 
enabled  by  grace  to  forgive  others,  God, 
whose  thoughts  and  ways  are  infinitely 
-above  ours,  will  not  reject  our  prayer  for 
pardoning  mercy  through  Jesus  Christ. 

VII.  And  lead  us  not  into  temptation, 
but  deliver  us  from  evil.  Those  whose 
sins  are  forgiven  will  be  afraid  of  sinning 
again ;  and,  knowing  the  power  of  tempt- 
ation, will  pray  to  be  kept  from  it.  Now 
temptation  is  any  thing  which  makes  trial 
of  us,  and  proves  what  is  in  our  hearts. 
Afflictions  are  God's  trials  of  us,  for  .our 
good;  but  all  Satan's  temptations  are  to 
lead  us  into  evil.  The  person  who  uses 
this  prayer  aright  is  afraid  of  sin  ;  knows 
the  plague  of  his  own  heart ;  the  power 
of  his  corruption  ;  the  snares  of  the  world  ; 
and  the  devices  of  the  devil ;  and  he  offers 
up  this  petition  to  God,  that  he  would  keep 
him  out  of  the  way  of  such  trinls  as  would 
be  too  hard  for  him,  or  grant  sufficient 
strength  to  resist  and  overcome  the  devil ; 
"  the  evil  one ;"  the  wicked  one ;  the 
great  tempter,  who  "  goeth  about  like  a 
roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  de- 
vour." But  this  must  be  accompanied 
with  watchinfT,  and  avo'ding  all  wilful  oc- 
casions of  sin,  or  else  words  do  but  mock 
God. 

VIII.  The  conclusion  of  the  prayer  is — 
For  thine  is  the  kingdom,  and  the  power, 


and  the  glory,  for  ever.  Amen.  This 
shows  why  we  should  pray  to  God ;  and 
wliy  we  may  hope  to  be  heard.  The 
kingdom  is  his.  God  is  king  of  all  the 
world,  and  has  a  right  to  dispose  of  all 
things  in  it.  The  power  is  his,  as  well  as 
the  authority ;  whatever  our  wants  are,  he 
can  supply  them;  whoever  our  enemies 
are,  he  can  subdue  them.  He  tlierefore  can 
answer  our  prayers ;  and  as  a  loving  Fa- 
ther we  hope  he  will.  His  then  will  be 
the  glory.  Whatever  God  does  is  for  liis 
own  glory ;  and  if  we  are  disposed  to  give 
him  all  the  glory  of  what  he  does  lor  us, 
we  may  hope  that  our  petitions  will  be 
granted.  This  kingdom,  this  power,  this 
glory  are  ybr  ever  ;  he  will  never  want  the 
power  to  help;  and  if  we  are  saved,  we 
shall  never  cease  to  give  him  praise. 

Tlie  force  of  the  whole  prayer  lies  in  the 
first  and  last  words  of  it — Our  Father, 
and  Amen.  In  the  first  we  apply  to  God 
in  Christ,  as  reconciled  to  us ;  in  the  last, 
we  set  our  seal  to  the  whole,  and  say, 
Amen :  so  let  it  he ;  so  we  humbly  hope, 
it  shall  be  for  Christ's  sake. 
APPUCATION. 

How  awfully  is  this  prayer  abused !  Ig- 
norant people  use  it  as  a  kind  of  charm ; 
and  think  it  enough  to  say  the  words,  with- 
out considering  the  meaning.  O  beware, 
as  you  love  your  souls,  of  mocking  God  by 
thoughtless  praying.  Can  you  call  him  a 
father,  while  you  obey  the  devil  ?  Will  you 
say  "  hallowed  be  thy  name,"  and  yet  you 
profane  it  daily  1  What  do  you  care  for  his 
kingdom,  while  you  belong  to  another  ?  or 
talk  of  God's  will  without  wishing  to  do  if? 
Do  you  not  forget  him  when  you  eat  and 
drink  'i  Are  you  not  careless  about  the  for- 
giveness of  your  sins,  adding  daily  to  the 
dreadful  debt ;  and  perhaps  living  in  malice 
and  wrath  1  How  can  you  pray  that  God 
will  not  lead  you  into  temptation,  when 
you  run  wilfully  into  the  way  of  it;  fre- 
quenting tiie  alehouse,  the  playhouse,  the 
fair,  the  wakes,  and  the  conijjany  of  the 
lewd,  the  protane,  and  the  drunken  ?  Dear 
fellow-creature,  permit  me  to  say,  that  thus 
contradicting  your  prayers  by  your  life, 
you  cannot  expect  to  be  h6ard ;  nay,  God 
may  justly  say  to  you  at  last,  "  (^ut  of  thine 
own  mouth  will  I  condemn  thee,  thou  wick- 
ed servant."  But  God  forbid  !  Think  over 
this  prayer  before  you  use  it  again :  and 
beg  of  God  to  enable  you  to  use  it  with  un- 
derstanding and  sincerity,  that  the  rich 
blessings  asked  for  in  it  may  be  yours,  and 
God  be  glorified  in  your  everlasting  salva- 
tion. 

Those  who  are  "  born  of  God,"  and  have 


64 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


"the  spirit  of  grace  and  supplication," 
teaching  them  to  pray,  will  not  confine 
themselves  at  all  times  to  these  words ;  yet 
they  may  be  used  with  great  comfort  and 
edification.  God  is  your  father ;  he  is  more 
disposed  to  give  than  you  to  ask;  plead 
that  dear  relation.  Let  his  glory  be  your 
first  desire ;  the  increase  of  his  kingdom 
your  highest  wish.  Let  his  will  be  done 
in  love,  by  saints  below  as  well  as  those 
above :  then  fear  not  to  depend  on  his  pro- 
vidence for  daily  supplies.  "  There  is  for- 
giveness with  him,  that  he  may  be  feared ; 
and  he  that  is  for  us  is  greater  than  he  who 
is  against  us.  Though  surrounded  with 
snares,  his  sheep  are  in  his  hand :  and  they 
shall  be  kept  by  his  power,  through  faith, 
unto  salvation.  Then  shall  prayer  be 
turned  into  praise ;  and  all  the  ransomed 
of  the  Lord  shall  unite  in  full  chorus,  and 
say, — "  Thine  is  the  kingdom,  and  the 
power,  and  the  glory,  for  ever  and  ever. 
Amen,  and  Amen. 


PRAYER. — Our  Father  which  art  seated  on  a 
throne  of  glory  in  the  highest  heavens,  help  us  to 
bow  before  thee  with  the  deepest  reverence,  and 
at  the  same  time  with  fiUal  confidence,  believing 
that  thou  art  able  and  willing  to  supply  all  our 
wants. 

We  desire  to  glorify  thy  great  name.  May  the 
whole  race  of  mankind  pay  that  dutiful  venera- 
tion to  thy  divine  Majesty  which  thy  matchless 
perfections  so  justly  demand. 

May  the  kingdom  of  grace,  which  thy  dear 
Son  came  to  introduce  among  men,  be  more  fully 
established,  and  more  widely  extended,  until  all 
the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  be  included 
in  it. 

May  thy  will  which  is  always  wise,  holy  and 
good,  be  done  by  men  on  earth,  as  it  is  done  by 
angels  in  Heaven;  and  may  we  mortals  ever 
submit  to  it  with  becoming  reverence  and  resig- 
nation. 

Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.  We  would 
not  seek  the  great  things  of  this  life ;  but  we 
humbly  desire  a  competent  supply  for  our  present 
necessities,  leaving  future  provision  to  thy  pater- 
nal care. 

And  though  we  have,  in  many  respects,  acted 
like  disobedient  children,  yet  we  beseech  thee, 
O  merciful  Father,  for  Christ's  sake,  to  forgive  all 
our  sins,  and  blot  out  all  our  debts  from  the  book 
of  thy  remembrance,  even  as  we,  by  thy  grace, 
freely  forgive  our  fellow-creatures  who  have  of- 
fended us. 

And  we  pray  to  be  kept  from  such  circumstan- 
ces as  might  render  temptation  exceedingly  dan- 
gerous and  hard  to  be  withstood  ;  and  if  we  are 
so  tempted,  deliver  us  by  thy  mighty  power  from 
the  evil  one,  the  tempter,  that  he  may  not  prevail 
and  triumph  over  us. 

And  these  things  we  are  encouraged  to  ask, 
for  thou  art  the  supreme  king  of  the  world  ;  thou 
hast  almighty  power  to  help  us;  and  to  thee  be 
ascribed  the  glory  of  infinite  perfection,  and  ever- 
lasting praise.    Amen. 


SERMON  XV. 

THE  DANGER  OF  FORMALITY  AND 
HYPOCRISY. 

Matt.  vii.  21.— Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me 
Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  Heav 
en !  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my  Father 
which  is  in  Heaven. 

We  have  before  us  an  eternal  world,  in 
which  there  are  but  two  states,  the  one  in- 
expressively happy,  the  other  inconceiva- 
bly wretched ;  and  in  one  of  these  each  of 
us  must  very  soon  be  fixed. — But,  in 
which  ? — It  is  impossible  we  can  be  indif- 
ferent about  knowing  in  which,  when  an 
hour,  a  moment,  may  place  us  in  one  of 
tliem  1  Perhaps  you  will  say.  How  can  a 
person  know  1  I  answer,  it  may  be  known ; 
clearly  known  by  the  word  of  God ;  for  in 
the  Scriptures  the  characters  of  samts  and 
sinners  are  exactly  drawn.  It  is  plainly 
laid  down  who  shall  go  to  heaven,  and  who 
shall  go  to  hell ;  and  having  this  rule,  we 
are  often  exhorted  to  try  ourselves  by  it ; 
"  to  examine  ourselves  whether  we  be  in 
the  faith ;"  and  thus,  "  to  make  our  calling 
and  election  sure."  The  words  of  the 
text  are  of  this  nature :  and  you  will  re- 
member that  they  are  the  words  of  Jesus 
Christ,  who  is  to  be  our  judge :  so  that  the 
same  lips,  which  declared  this  to  us,  will 
pronounce  upon  each  of  us  the  sentence  of 
life  or  death.  O  that  we  may  now  learn, 
what  all  the  world  shall  then  learn,  that 
true  religion  does  not  consist  in  words,  or 
professions  of  regard  to  Christ,  or  in  gifts, 
or  zeal,  or  usefulness;  but  in  doing  the 
will  of  God  from  the  heart. 

I.  We  learn  from  these  words,  that  at 
the  great  day  there  will  be  an  earnest  de- 
sire in  many  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  By  the  "  kingdom  of  heaven"  is 
sometimes  intended  the  kingdom  of  grace 
in  the  church  of  Christ  on  earth ;  but  here 
it  means  the  state  of  glory  above,  where 
Jesus  shaU^reign  in  all  his  divine  glory,  and 
all  his  subjects  enjoy  perfect  bliss.  That 
this  is  referred  to  appears  from  the  next 
verse — "  Many  will  say  unto  me  in  that 
day,  Lord,  Lord."  In  that  day ;  it  is  not 
said  in  what  day :  nor  was  tliere  any  need 
to  say  what  day ;  for  all  the  disciples  of 
Christ  know  what  is  meant  by  it.  They 
are  often  thinking  on  that  day,  when  they 
shall  "  see  the  Son  of  Man  coming  in  the 
clouds  with  great  glory ;"  "  when  the  Lord 
Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  with 
all  his  mighty  angels  in  flaming  fire." 
This  is  called  the  great  day  ;  a  day  of  the 
greatest  grandeur,  a  day  of  the  greatest 
joy,  and  a  day  of  the  greatest  terror.  It  is 


SERMON  XV. 


65 


also  called  the  day  of  the  Lord,  and  the 
day  of  Christ.  This  is  man\s  day  ;  yea, 
tiie  devWs  day ;  wlien  sinners  triumph, 
and  Satan  reigns ;  but  the  triumph  of  tlie 
wicked  is  sliort,  and  the  prince  of  this 
world  shall  be  judged. 

O  how  careless  are  most  people  now 
about  this  great  day.  Scoffers  abound  in 
these  latter  times,  and  say,  "  Where  is  the 
promise  of  his  coming!"  Now  and  then, 
indeed,  a  just  concern  has  prevailed  for  a 
season ;  as  under  John's  ministry,  "  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  suHered  violence,  and 
ail  men  were  for  pressing  into  it."  When 
a  nation  has  been  frightened  by  an  earth- 
quake or  a  plague,  multitudes  have  been 
alarmed  for  a  while.  A  few  years  ago 
thousands  followed  Mr.  Whitfield  into  the 
open  fields  to  hear  the  word ;  and  we  have 
read  of  great  awakenings  in  this  and  other 
countries.  O  that  we  could  now  see  the 
same  !  O  that  now  when  the  judgments 
of  tlie  Lord  are  abroad  in  the  earth,  this 
sinful  nation  would  learn  righteousness  ! 

But  O,  how  will  it  be  when  the  day  comes  ? 
How  will  it  be  when  the  trumpet  shall 
sound  7  What  terror  will  seize  the  heart  of 
the  wicked  man !  Ah,  he  will  say.  Is  the 
dreadful  day  come  at  last  ?  the  day  I  so  of- 
ten heard  of,  so  often  laughed  at !  O  my 
folly  !  O  my  vain  and  hurtful  lusts !  For 
Avhat  have  I  lost  my  soul !  For  the  sake 
of  my  business,  my  pleasures,  my  compan- 
ions, I  have  lost  my  soul,  my  heaven,  my 
all.  O  that  I  never  had  been  born  !  But, 
perhaps,  recovering  himself  a  little,  he 
may  say — Am  not  1  a  Christian ;  was  I  not 
baptized  and  confirmed,  and  did  I  not  take 
the  Sacrament !  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  me ; 
but  it  will  bo  too  late;  the  door  is  shut; 
many  will  then  seek  to  enter  in,  but  shall 
not  be  able.  The  judge  will  profess  unto 
Uiem,  I  never  knew  you;  depart  from  me, 
ye  workers  of  iniquity.  And  this  leads  us 
to  observe  in  the  next  place,  that, 

II.  A  mere  profession  of  religion  will 
then  be  found  i^isujjicienl.  The  judgment 
of  men  carries  it  now ;  but  it  is  a  small 
matter  to  be  judged  of  man's  judgment. 
Man  looks  only  at  the  outward  appearance, 
but  the  Lord  searcheth  the  heart ;  and  he 
will  then  make  t!ie  result  of  his  search 
public,  ^^he  young  man  may  now  rejoice 
in  his  youtliful  lusts  and  pleasures:  he  may 
walk  in  the  way  of  his  heart,  and  in  the 
sight  of  his  eyes;  but  let  him  know,  and 
O  that  he  may  consider  it,  that  "  for  all 
these  things,  God  will  bring  him  into  judg- 
ment," Eccles.  xi.  0.  Yea,  God  will  bring 
every  secret  thin's  into  judgment ;  what  is 
spoken  in  the  ear  in  the  closet  shall  be  pro- 
claimed on  the  house-top ;  and  tlaen  shall 
I 


the  secrets  of  all  hearts  be  made  manifest 
Then  shall  many  that  were  first  be  last; 
and  many  that  were  last  shall  be  first. 
Then  shall  the  hypocrites  be  detected  and 
exposed.  Then  shall  a  separation  be  made 
between  tlie  tares  and  the  wheat ;  between 
the  sheep  and  the  goats ;  between  the  fool- 
ish and  the  wise  virgins.  Then  shall  he 
say  to  poor  vain  formalists,  I  never  knew 
ijou,  c|-c.  But  let  us  more  particularly  ex- 
amine the  pretensions  of  these  people. 

It  should  seem  that  they  used  to  pray ; 
they  used  to  say.  Lord,  Lord !  It  is  cer- 
tainly a  bad  sign  for  any  one  that  he  does 
not  pray ;  and  it  is  generally  a  good  sign 
wlien  a  person  does  pray ;  but  it  is  not  a 
certain  sign  of  grace.  "  The  wicked  some- 
times pour  out  a  prayer  when  God's  chas- 
tening hand  is  upon  them."  Afflictions  will 
sometmies  extort  prayers  and  vows,  and 
many  duties  of  religion ;  but  when  the  af- 
fliction is  over,  there  is  an  end  of  their  de- 
votion ;  and  they  return  to  their  sins,  as 
the  dog  to  his  vomit.  So  there  may  be 
transient  convictions  of  sin,  and  terrific 
fears  of  hell,  especially  in  the  time  of  sick- 
ness and  apprehension  of  death ;  and  these 
may  lead  not  only  to  a  temporary  reforma- 
tion, but  to  doing  many  things,  as  Herod 
did  when  he  heard  John  gladly,  and  as 
numbers  of  persons  in  popish  countries, 
who  do  penance  for  their  sins ;  but  there 
may  be  all  this,  and  much  more,  while 
men  remain  workers  of  iniquity. 

Again,  these  people  appeared  to  be 
zealous  in  religion,  as  the  repetition  of  the 
word.  Lord,  Lord,  seems  to  intimate ;  and 
we  find  in  the  next  verse,  that  they  "  pro- 
phesied in  the  name  of  Christ,"  Most  of 
the  prophets,  especially  the  stated  prophets, 
were  "  holy  men ;"  but  some,  especially  of 
the  occasional  ones,  as  Balaam,  Saul,  and 
Caiaphas,  were  wicked  men.  So  were 
some  of  the  first  preachers  of  Christianity : 
and  so  are  many  now.  This  is  an  awful 
word  for  the  carnal  clergy  of  any  church, 
and  wicked  preacliers  of  any  denomina- 
tion ;  and  it  shows  that  zeal  for  religion  is 
no  proof  of  sincerity  in  it. 

These  men  did  more  still ; — "  they  cast 
out  devils  in  Christ's  name."  When  Christ 
was  upon  earth,  and  for  some  ages  after, 
the  devil  was  permitted  to  possess  the 
bodies  of  men  ;  but  Christ  and  his  apostles 
were  able  to  cast  them  out;  and  so  did 
common  Christians  for  a  long  time  after, 
by  the  mention  of  his  name.  But  this  and 
other  extraordinarv  gifl-^  were  not  confined 
to  real  Christians:  wicked  professors  some- 
times did  it,  and  here,  we  see,  boasted  of 
it,  and  pleaded  it;  but  the  plea  is  not  ad- 
mitted. Other  "  wonderful  works"  tliev 
6* 


66 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


also  did;  for  so  the  Lord  permitted,  in 
order  to  promote  the  spread  of  Christianity ; 
but  what  availed  all  this,  while  the  devil 
was  not  cast  out  of  their  own  hearts,  and 
the  wonderful  works  of  God's  grace  had 
never  been  wrought  in  their  own  souls? 
Men  may  be  famous  and  useful  in  the 
church,  yet,  after  all,  be  "  castaways." 

These  people  also  professed  obedience 
to  Christ;  they  called  him  Lord.  He  is 
"  Lord  of  all."  He  has  all  power  in  heaven 
and  earth;  and  to  him  every  knee  shall 
bow.  But  it  is  to  no  purpose  to  call  him 
Master  and  Lord,  if  we  do  not  the  things 
which  he  commands.  Christ  is  not  deceiv- 
ed by  compliments,  and  he  will  reject  that 
false  devotion  which  consists  only  in  words. 
"  Saying  and  doing  arc  two  things,  often 
parted  in  the  conversation  of  men.  He  that 
said,  I  go,  Sir,  never  stirred  a  step."  Matt, 
xxi.  30. 

Now,  notwithstanding  all  the  profes- 
sions of  these  people,  it  appears,  from  the 
words  of  Christ  himself,  that  they  were 
workers  of  iniquity.  They  loved  sin,  they 
lived  in  sin,  they  made  a  trade  of  sin ;  it 
was  their  calling  and  business,  at  which 
they  daily  worked,  as  a  man  at  his  proper 
trade.  All  this  they  did  under  the  mask 
of  religion,  and  are  therefore  rejected. 
Depart  from  me,  I  never  knew  you. 

Observe  here,  my  friends,  the  deceitful- 
ness  of  sin,  and  the  deceitfulness  of  the 
heart.  Though  these  formal  professors 
lived  in  sin,  and  must  know  they  did  so, 
yet  they  continued  to  depend  on  their  out- 
ward forms,  and  to  approach  the  bar  of 
God  with  a  lie  in  their  right  hands.  Alas  ! 
how  many  deceivers  live  and  die  deceived, 
and  their  fatal  mistake  is  never  detected 
till  it  is  past  remedy !  Just  like  the  Jews 
of  old,  to  whom  St.  Paul  thus  speaks.  Rom. 
ii.  17.  "  Behold  thou  art  called  a  Jew, 
and  restest  in  the  law,  and  makest  thy 
boast  of  God,  and  knowest  his  will,  and 
approves!  the  things  that  are  more  excel- 
lent, being  instructed  out  of  the  law ;  and 
art  confident  that  thou  thyself  art  a  guide 
of  the  blind,  a  light  to  them  which  are  in 
darkness,  an  instructor  of  the  foolish,  a 
teacher  of  babes ;  which  has  the  form  of 
knowledge,  and  of  the  truth  in  the  law." 
These  outward  things  the  Jews  rested  in, 
presumed  upon,  and  were  proud  of;  while 
they  were  ignorant  of  the  spiritual  design 
of  their  own  rites ;  and  many  of  them  so 
wicked,  that  "  the  name  of  God  was  blas- 
phemed among  the  Gentiles"  by  their  sins. 
"They  were  strangers  to  that  important 
distinction  which  the  apostle  makes,  ver. 
28,  29,  of  that  cliapter,  where  he  says, 
"  He  is  not  a  Jew,  which  is  one  outward- 


ly ;  neither  is  that  circumcision,  which  is 
outward  in  the  flesh ;  but  he  is  a  Jew, 
wliich  is  one  inwardly ;  and  circumcision 
is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  spirit,  and  not 
in  the  letter,  whose  praise  is  not  of  men, 
but  of  God."  Thus  you  see,  there  is  a 
great  difference  between  outward  and  in- 
ward religion;  between  the  religion  of 
form,  and  the  religion  of  the  heart.  What 
circumcision,  sacrifices,  and  the  temple, 
were  to  the  Jews  of  old.  Baptism,  the 
Lord's  Supper,  and  public  worship,  are  to 
professing  Christians  now ;  and  as  the  ig- 
norant Jews  put  their  trust  in  their  church 
privileges,  so  many  nominal  Christians 
now ;  but  if  this  be  all,  their  praise  will 
be,  not  of  God,  but  of  men  only. 

This  is  evident  from  our  text,  in  which 
a  claim  on  Christ,  founded  on  these  things, 
is  rejected.  /  never  knew  you ;  that  is, 
"  I  never  esteemed  or  approved  of  you  as 
my  true  disciples  and  servants ;  nor  will  I 
own  or  accept  you  as  such.  Depart  from 
me :  I  now  banish  you  from  my  blessed 
and  glorious  presence  to  everlasting  misery 
and  despair,  O  all  ye  wilful  transgressors." 
How  dreadful  will  that  word  Depart  be ! 
How  did  Peter  dread  the  thought  of  de- 
parting from  Christ,  when,  many  of  his 
disciples  having  forsaken  him,  he  said  to 
the  Apostles,  "  Will  ye  also  go  away?'''' 
Peter  in  the  name  of  the  rest,  replied, 
"  Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go  ]  thou  hast 
the  words  of  eternal  life."  A  holy  soul 
dreads  the  idea  of  departing  from  Christ 
by  apostasy ;  but  how  terrible  will  it  be, 
to  hear  the  great  Judge  command  us  to 
depart !  God  grant  that  now  we  may  de- 
part from  all  iniquity.  If  there  be  any  in- 
iquity in  us  which  we  know  not,  merciful 
Savior,  discover  it  to  us,  and  deliver  us 
from  it ;  and  never  let  us  hear  thee  say, 
"  Depart  from  me,  ye  workers  of  iniquity." 
We  now  proceed  to  the  last  and  most 
pleasing  part  of  our  subject,  and  observe, 
in  the 

Illd  place.  That  all  true  and  obedient 
believers  will  be  admitted  into  the  heaven- 
ly kingdom.  Here  is  our  Lord's  descrip- 
tion of  them,  of  every  one  of  them ;  He 
that  doelh  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is 
in  heaven.  The  will  rf  God  cannot  be 
known  but  by  his  word.  The  Scriptures 
are  given  us  on  purpose  that  we  may 
know  his  will ;  and  there  are  two  princi- 
pal tilings  in  the  Scriptures,  namely,  wliat 
we  are  to  believe  concerning  God,  and  the 
duly  which  he  requires  of  us ;  or  in  other 
words,  Faith  and  Practice ;  and  both  of 
these  are  equally  necessary ;  for  we  can 
never  do  the  will  of  God  in  holy  obedience 
without  first  believing  in  God  through 


SERMON  XV. 


67 


Jesus  Christ ;  the  whole  of  the  Christian 
religion  consisting  in  this  failli,  which 
worketh  by  love. 

Faith  is  first  necessary  in  order  to  obe- 
dience ;  so  Christ  taught  the  people,  wiio 
asked  him,  What  must  we  do,  that  we  may 
loork  the  works  of  God  !  John  vi.  28,  &,c. 
This  is  the  work  of  God,  said  he,  that  ye 
believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent ;  as  if 
he  had  said,  "  the  great  and  hnportant 
duty  wliich  I  am  come  to  point  out  to  you, 
and  which  leads  the  way  to  all  others,  and 
is  necessary  to  tlie  acceptance  of  your  per- 
sons, and  of  all  your  obedience,  and  which 
therefore  God  commands,  approves,  and  is 
the  author  of,  is  this,  that  ye  cordially  em- 
brace, and  yield  yourselves  up  by  faith  to 
me,  as  the  true  Messiah,  the  only  Media- 
tor, according  to  the  discoveries  I  make  of 
myself,  and  of  the  way  of  salvation  by  me." 
And  St.  Jolm  also  says,  1  John  iii.  23, 
This  is  his  commandment :  That  we 
should  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ.  When  people  read  or  hear 
of  the  commandments,  they  think  the  ten 
commandments  only  are  meant ;  but  this 
is  a  great  mistake,  for  the  very  first  busi- 
ness of  a  poor  guilty  helpless  sinner  is,  to 
come  to  Christ  for  salvation.  We  are  not 
to  suppose  that  we  must  first  prepare,  or 
make  ourselves  worthy,  by  sorrow  for  sin, 
purifying  our  hearts,  or  reforming  our 
lives,  before  we  may  venture  to  trust  in 
Christ ;  all  these  are  the  proper  fruits  and 
etfects  of  faith.  We  must  believe  in  him 
"  who  justifieth  the  ungodly,"  and  not 
think  first  to  make  ourselves  godly,  and 
then  hope  in  liim.  Faith  is  the  first  work. 
Ixx)k  to  Jesus.  Come  to  Jesus.  Trust  in 
Jesus ;  and  then  a  good  liope  of  pardoning 
mercy  will  incline  the  heart  to  love  him, 
and  hate  every  evil  way.  We  cannot  do 
good  works  till  we  are  in  Clirist  by  faitli, 
any  more  than  the  branch  of  a  tree  can 
produce  fruit  when  separate  from  the 
stock.  Christ  is  the  vine,  and  we  are  the 
branches ;  and  by  virtue  of  union  to  him, 
we  become  fruitful  in  every  good  word 
and  work.     n. 

This  also  is  the  will  of  God,  even  nnr 
sanctificatinn.  God  is  holy:  therefore  we 
must  be  holy.  We  are  chosen  in  Christ 
unto  sanctification  and  obedience.  The 
Lord  gives  liis  people  a  new  heart,  upon 
which  he  writes  his  laws,  and  which, 
througli  his  grace,  become  pleasant  to 
them.  Being  crucified  with  Christ,  the 
old  man  of  sin  is  crucified.  They  reckon 
themselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but 
alive  to  God,  tlirough  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord.  The  daily  inquiry  of  a  new-born 
soul  is,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to 


do  !"  "  Teach  me  to  do  thy  will,  for  thou 
art  my  God."  I  will  run  in  the  way  of  thy 
commandments,  when  thou  hast  enlarged 
my  heart."  And  this  disposition  will  show 
itself  in  all  the  relations  and  circumstances 
of  life;  in  the  family,  the  workshop,  and 
in  all  common  actions,  as  well  as  in  the 
house  of  God.  Whether  we  are  husbands, 
wives,  cliildren,  servants,  subjects,  filling 
up  our  places  to  God's  glory  will  be  our 
constant  aim.  Particularly,  shall  we  be 
desirous  to  fulfil  the  royal  law  of  love  to 
our  brethren,  on  which  great  stress  is  laid 
in  the  New  Testament;  for  the  law,  as 
far  as  it  relates  to  our  neighbor,  is  fulfilled 
in  one  word,  Love. 

Now  persons  of  this  character  shall  have 
an  abundant  entrance  into  the  kingdom 
and  glory  of  Jesus  Christ.  While  formal- 
ists and  hypocrites  are  s!mt  out,  the  blessed 
Redeemer  will  smile  upon  thee,  and  say, 
"  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit 
the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world  ;"  and  he  will  men- 
tion, as  the  evidence  of  their  election  and 
fruit  of  their  faith,  the  acts  of  Christian 
love  which  they  performed  to  their  hun- 
gry, thirsty,  naked,  sick,  or  imprisoned 
brethren ;  taking  them  as  kindly  as  if  they 
had  been  done  to  himself;  "  for  inasmuch 
as  ye  did  it  to  one  of  the  least  of  these  my 
brethren,  ye  did  it  unto  me."  See  Matt. 
XXV.  34,  &c. 

APPLICATION. 
And  now,  my  friends,  having  heard  how 
awful  the  fate  of  mere  formalists  and  hypo- 
crites will  prove  at  the  great  day,  it  surely 
becomes  us  seriously  to  examine  of  what 
kind  our  religion  is.  It  plainly  appears, 
from  what  has  been  said,  "  that  the  king- 
dom of  God  is  not  in  word,  but  in  power," 
1  Cor.  iv.  20.  And  as  they  are  many  who 
have  the  form  of  godliness,  but  who  deny 
tlie  power  of  it,  it  is  most  necessary,  as  we 
value  the  salvation  of  our  souls,  to  deter- 
mine whether  our  religion  is  form  or  power, 
that  so  we  may  know  whether  the  great 
Judge  will  own  or  disown  us  at  the  last. 
Consider,  therefore,  what  your  religion 
consists  in,  and  wliat  you  depend  upon.  la 
it  that  you  were  born  and  bred  a  Christian; 
tliat  you  were  baptized  ;  that  you  have 
gone  to  church,  or  meeting  ;  that  you  can 
say  the  Creed,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  the 
Ten  Commandments :  that  you  have  taken 
the  Sacrament,  been  sorry  for  your  sins, 
and  do  to  others  as  you  would  be  done  by  1 
Or  that  you  have  done  your  best,  and  put 
your  trust  in  God  !  Are  these  your  pleas? 
Is  this  your  religion  !  Tlien,  pardon  me, 
if  I  speak  the  truth  in  love,  and  tell  you, 
plainly,  this  will  not  do.     These  emotv 


68 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


boasts  prove  that  you  are  a  stranger  to  true 
heart  religion.  All  these  things  you  may 
imagine  you  have  done ;  but  if  this  be  all, 
it  is  only  crying,  Lord,  Lord.  Had  you 
gone  much  farther  than  this,  and  equalled 
the  Pharisees  in  their  zeal  and  devotion, 
all  would  be  insufficient,  without  a  convic- 
tion of  your  sin  and  misery ;  a  heart  hum- 
bled for  your  iniquities ;  a  view  of  the  only 
way  of  salvation  through  Jesus  Christ; 
and  that  faith  in  him  which  purifies  the 
heart,  works  by  love,  and  overcomes  the 
world.  Be  not  deceived  then.  Satisfy 
yourselves  with  nothing  short  of  that  which 
Christ  will  accept  and  approve  at  last. 
This  is  doing  the  will  of  God :  which  will, 
as  you  have  now  heard,  requires,  in  the 
first  place,  believing  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  coming  to  him  as  a  guilty,  help- 
less sinner,  and  receiving  him  as  your  wis- 
dom, righteousness,  sanctification,  and  re- 
demption. Come,  then,  my  fellow-sinner, 
to  Jesus.  Beg  of  him  to  teach  you.  Beg 
of  him  to  wash  you  in  his  blood.  Beg  of 
him  to  give  you  his  Spirit,  and  enable  you, 
from  a  principle  of  love,  to  forsake  every 
evil  way,  and  cleave  to  him  with  purpose 
of  heart.  Then  shall  ye  know  that  the 
"  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink," 
forms  and  ceremonies,  "but  righteousness, 
peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost." 

Let  me  drop  a  word  of  caution  to  those 
who  perhaps  may  boast  that  they  are  no 
hypocrites,  for  they  do  not  pretend  to  any 
religion.  Can  you  think  that  this  will  be 
admitted  as  an  excuse  ?  Will  you  dare  to 
approach  the  awful  bar  of  God,  and  plead, 
"  Lord,  I  never  pretended  to  serve  thee ! 
I  never  thought  it  worth  my  while  to  know 
or  worship  thee.  I  loved  the  world  and 
my  sins  so  well,  that  I  lived  like  an  Athe- 
ist." O  Sirs,  deceive  not  yourselves.  An- 
swer that  question  if  you  can,  "  How  shall 
we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great  salva- 
tion V  Formalists  and  hypocrites  pay  some 
compliment  to  religion,  by  counterfeiting 
it,  and  imitating  it ;  yet  will  they  perish : 
but  you  despise  it.  You  treat  the  blessed 
God  and  the  gracious  Savior  as  unworthy 
your  notice.  How  then  can  you  expect 
but  to  have  your  portion  with  hypocrites 
and  unbelievers,  and  to  be  turned  into  hell 
with  all  those  who  forget  Godl 

These  words  may  probably  be  very 
alarming  to  the  tender  spirits  of  some  who 
truly  fear  God.  Some  of  the  sincere  and 
humble  followers  of  the  Lamb  may  be 
ready  to  fear,  lest  he  should  bo  angry  with 
them  at  last,  and  say,  "Depart,  I  never 
knew  you."  But,  my  dear  brethren,  tell 
me,  is  it  not  your  heart's  desire  to  know 
and  do  the  will  of  God,  particularly  in 


those  two  grand  points,  fkith  and  holiness? 
Say,  is  not  Jesus  high  in  your  esteem ;  the 
chief  of  ten  thousand,  and  altogether 
lovely ;  and  would  not  you  gladly  be  con- 
formed to  him,  in  cheerfully  doing  and  pa- 
tiently suffering  tiie  will  of  God !  Take 
courage,  then.  These  words  are  as  full 
of  comfort  for  you,  as  they  are  full  of  ter- 
ror to  formalists  and  hypocrites.  The 
Friend  of  sinners  will  say  to  his  dear  peo- 
ple. Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  in- 
herit the  kingdom  prepared  for  you,  and 
for  which  my  grace  prepared  your  souls 
on  earth.  Enter  into  the  joys  of  your 
Lord. 

And  now  are  any  of  you  beginning  to 
say,  I  fear  I  have  been  deceived.  I  fear 
my  religion  will  not  stand  the  test.  I  have 
mistaken  the  shadow  for  the  substance ; 
the  shell  for  the  kernel.  What  shall  I  do  ? 
I  answer,  it  is  an  infinite  mercy  that  you 
have  discovered  your  mistake.  You  might 
have  died  deceived,  and  have  been  rejected 
by  Christ.  But  it  may  be  hoped  that  it  is 
a  token  for  good,  and  the  dawn  of  mercy 
to  your  soul.  Let  your  fears  bring  you  to 
your  knees,  and  at  the  throne  of  grace  im- 
plore divine  aid.  Say,  with  the  Psalmist, 
"  Search  me,  O  God,  and  loiow  my  heart ; 
try  me,  and  Imow  my  thoughts ;  and  see 
if  there  be  any  way  of  wickedness  in  me, 
and  lead  me  in  the  way  everlasting." 


PRAYER.— O  God,  the  great  Searcher  of  all 
hearts,  suffer  us  not  to  deceive  ourselves  with  a 
mere  form  of  godliness,  while  strangers  to  its 
power.  Let  us  not  be  found  amongst  Formalists 
or  Hypocrites.  May  we  take  warning  from  that 
solemn  word  of  admonition  which  we  have  just 
heard,  and  which  proceeded  originally  from  the 
lips  of  him  who  in  the  great  decisive  day  will 
be  our  Judge !  May  we  now  truly  ktiow  and 
diligently  perform  the  will  of  God!  May  we, 
first  of  all,  believe  in  Jesus,  and  receive  him  as 
our  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification,  and  re- 
demption ;  and  also  be  under  the  constant  influ- 
ence and  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  so  that  we 
may  faithfully  do  the  will  of  our  Father  who  is 
in  Heaven  ;  and  finally,  in  the  day  of  judgment, 
be  graciously  admitted  into  the  kingdom  of  glory, 
when  the  Lord  of  all  shall  say  to  his  believing 
and  obedient  people,  "Come,  ye  blessed  of  my 
I'^ather,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you, 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world." 


SERMON  XVI. 

THE*PHARISEE  AND  PUBLICAN. 
Luke  xvi.  10. — God  be  raorciful  to  me  a  sinner. 

There  is  a  time  approaching,  when 
MERCY  will  appear  to  all  mankind  the  most 
valuable  thing  in  the  world.  Figure  to 
yourselves  the  avtful  hour,  when  you  shall 


SERMON  XVI. 


69 


be  about  to  quit  this  mortal  state,  and 
launch  into  an  unkiiovvn  world ;  realize 
the  still  more  awful  moment,  when  the 
trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be 
raised ;  when  the  great  white  throne  shall 
be  erected,  and  the  assembled  world  shall 
appear  before  the  universal  Judge ;  when 
the  grand  sei)aration  shall  be  made  be- 
tween the  rigiitcous  and  the  wicked ;  the 
one  being  placed  at  the  right  hand,  the 
otiicr  at  the  left  of  Christ — then,  my 
friends,  then  will  the  full  value  of  mercy 
be  known.  O  what  a  word  will  mircy  be 
tlien ;  a  world  for  mercy  then !  "  Vessels 
of  mercy,"  obtainers  of  mercy — how  will 
they  shout  and  sing,  "  O  give  thanks  to 
the  Jjord,  for  he  is  good ;  for  his  mercy  en- 
dureth  for  ever."  While  others,  in  all  the 
bitterness  of  fruitless  woe,  shall  cry,  O 
that  we  had  but  known  the  need  of  mercy, 
the  way  of  mercy,  and  the  value  of  mercy, 
while  it  might  have  been  had !  But  now 
tlie  door  is  shut ;  the  mercies  of  God  are 
clean  gone  for  ever,  and  he  will  be  favora- 
ble no  more. 

With  this  amazing  scene  in  prospect, 
let  us  address  ourselves  to  the  text,  and  to 
the  parable  of  the  Pharisee  and  Publican, 
of  which  it  is  a  part.  The  introduction 
to  it,  and  the  conclusion  of  it,  will  be  the 
best  key  to  its  true  meaning.  Ver.  9. 
"  Our  Savior  spake  this  parable  unto  cer- 
tain which  trusted  in  themselves  that  they 
were  righteous,  and  despised  others." 
Here  are  two  bad  things  in  their  charac- 
ter. 1.  They  trusted  in  themselves — 
which  no  man  can  do,  if  he  knows  the  holy 
law  of  God ;  and  2.  Tlicy  despised  others, 
which  wc  cannot  do,  if  we  know  our  own 
hearts.  Tlie  conclusion  shows  how  God 
dislikes  such  people,  while  he  accepts  a 
poor  dejected  sinner ;  for  "  every  one  that 
exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased ;  and  he 
that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted." 
Ver.  14. 

"  Two  men  went  up  into  the  temple  to 
pray ;  the  one  a  Pharisee,  and  tlie  other  a 
Publican."  Ver.  10.  The  Pharisees  were 
a  sect  of  people  in  those  days  in  high  re- 
pute for  religion;  they  separated  them- 
selves from  others,  as  if  more  holy :  they 
distinguished  themselves  by  peculiar  zeal 
for  ceremonies:  but  many  of  them  were 
rank  hypocrites,  neglecting  the  religion  of 
the  heart,  and  indulging  tliemselves  in 
cruelty  and  oppression.  The  Publican 
also  appeared  at  the  same  place,  at  the 
same  time,  and  on  the  same  errand ;  but 
how  different  their  characters !  Had  we 
seen  them  both  together,  we  should  per- 
haps have  thought  far  better  of  the  Phari- 
see than  of  the  Publican ;  "  for  man  look- 


eth  only  at  the  outward  appearance,  but 
God  looketh  at  the  heart."  Very  different 
motives  brought  them  here.  The  Pharisee 
came  because  it  was  a  public  place,  and 
he  wished  to  be  seen  and  admired  ;  the 
Publican  came  because  it  was  "  a  house 
of  prayer,"  and  he  wanted  to  pour  forth 
his  soul  before  God.  Thus,  my  friends,  in 
all  our  places  of  worship  there  is  a  mix- 
ture of  characters ;  but  let  us  remember, 
God  is  the  searcher  of  the  heart,  and  he 
knows  what  brings  us  to  his  house. 

Ver.  11.  "  The  Pharisee  stood  and  pray- 
ed thus  with  himself; — he  stood  by  him- 
self, with  great  formality,  in  a  place  where 
the  people  must  notice  him  ;  he  prayed 
thus  with  himself,  and  to  himself,  not  to 
God :  Ah,  Sirs,  there  are  many  people  who 
pray  to  themselves ;  they  speak  not  to  God ; 
their  words  never  reach  him ;  they  utter 
sounds,  but  not  desires ;  this  praying  will 
do  no  good.  It  is  remarkable,  that  in  all 
the  Pharisee's  prayer  there  is  not  one  peti- 
tion :  he  came  to  pray ;  but  surely  he  for- 
got his  errand,  for  he  asks  nothing.  Praise 
to  God  is  certainly  a  proper  and  a  noble 
part  of  prayer ;  but  though  he  pretends  to 
praise,  he  only  boasts.  But  let  us  hear  his 
fine  prayer  ;  "  God,  I  thank  thee  that  I  am 
not  as  other  men  are."  What  is  this  but 
ignorance,  pride,  and  censoriousness  ?  Be- 
sides, he  begins  his  prayer  with  a  lie.  He 
was  as  other  men  are,  for  all  men  are  sin- 
ners ;  in  this  respect  all  are  on  a  level : 
there  is  no  difference,  as  the  Scripture 
speaks,  Rom.  iii.  22,  23.  It  is  true  that 
some  men  are  restrained  from  sins  that 
others  commit ;  but  the  seeds  of  every  sin 
are  by  nature  in  the  heart  of  every  man  ; 
and  if  we  have  not  actually  committed 
them,  we  owe  it  to  the  restraining  power 
or  the  changing  grace  of  God.  The 
Pliarisee  seems  to  admit  of  this,  by  saying, 
"  God,  I  thank  thee ;"  but  we  have  reason 
to  doubt  his  sincerity  in  so  saying  ;  and  to 
think  they  were  words  of  course  and  form ; 
for  so  proud  a  Iieart  as  his  could  not  be 
duly  sensible  of  his  obligations  to  divine 
grace ;  and  there  are  many,  who,  like  him, 
use  words  of  praise,  but  feel  no  gratitude 
to  God.  His  meaning  was  probably  this, 
"  O  God,  tliou  Author  of  my  being,  I 
thank  thee  for  the  noble  powers  with 
which  thou  hast  endowed  me,  by  my  owtt 
wise  and  careful  improvement  of  which  I 
have  kept  myself  from  being  so  wicked  as 
other  people." 

You  will  observe,  that  there  were  two 
principal  parts  of  the  law;  the  one  re- 
spected morals,  the  other  ceremonials. 
Now  the  Pharisee  takes  care  to  brag  of 
his  regard  to  both  ;  and  first,  to  tlie  moral 


70 


VILIJ\.GE  SERMONS. 


law,  /  am  not  as  other  men  are — well, 
what  are  other  men  ?  Why,  according  to 
his  account,  it  should  seem  that  most  other 
men  are  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers. 
At  all  times  there  are  too  many  such  peo- 
ple as  these ;  but  his  way  of  mentioning 
them  was  merely  for  the  purpose  of  exalt- 
ing hunself  and  his  own  sect,  some  of 
whom  were  equally  criminal,  though  un- 
der the  mask  of  religion.  It  may  be  the 
Pharisee  was  not  an  "  extortioner," — did 
not  cruelly  oppress  his  neighbor ;  but  we 
have  Christ's  authority  for  it,  that  the 
PJiarisees  were  generally  "  covetous,"  and 
some  of  them  "  devoured  widows'  houses." 
He  says  he  was  not  "  unjust" — not  a  knave, 
or  a  cheat :  but  could  he  say  he  had  never 
coveted  his  neighbor's  goods  ?  for  this  is 
heart-robbery  in  the  sight  of  God.  He 
says  he  was  not  an  "  adulterer ;"  it  may  he 
so ;  but  our  Lord  says,  that  "  he  who  look- 
eth  upon  a  woman  to  lust  after  her,  hath 
committed  adultery  already  with  her  in  his 
heart."  Matt.  v.  28.  But  this  was  the 
folly  of  such  men ;  they  washed  the  out- 
side of  the  cup  and  the  platter,  but  within 
they  were  "  full  of  extortion  and  excess ; 
righteous  without,  but  full  of  hypocrisy  and 
iniquity  within ;"  so  Christ  declares.  Matt, 
xxiii.  26,  &c. 

Not  content  with  boasting  of  himself,  he 
must  abuse  the  poor  Publican. — "  I  am  not 
as  this  Publican.  What  business  had  he 
with  the  Publican  1  He  ought  to  have  re- 
joiced to  see  him  in  the  temple ;  he  might 
have  hoped  it  was  a  symptom  of  his  refor- 
mation. He  should  have  gone  and  shook 
hands  with  him,  and  given  him  some  good 
advice.  But  his  proud  heart  spurns  at  the 
broken-hearted  sinner;  just  as  modern 
Pharisees,  who  look  upon  mourning  souls 
as  poor,  canting,  whining  hypocrites,  far 
heneath  their  notice.  There  was  a  great 
.deal  of  cruelty  ui  this;  he  could  not  say 
his  own  prayers,  without  putting  in  a  caveat, 
■as  it  were,  against  the  petition  of  his  poor 
neighbor. 

But  the  Pharisee  has  yet  more  to  boast 
•of  He  had  not  only  "done  nobody  any 
harm,"  as  the  vulgar  phrase  is,  but  he  had 
been  mighty  religious ;  he  kept  Lent  all 
the  year.  I  fast,  said  he,  twice  a  week. 
Occasional  fasting,  in  order  to  humble 
ourselves  before  God  for  our  sins,  is  very 
commendable,  whether  by  private  persons 
or  public  bodies  ;  but  the  Pharisee's  fasting 
was  not  for  that  purpose,  but  for  ostenta- 
tion, and  with  a  view  to  merit  at  the  hand 
of  God,  as  appears  by  his  boasting  of  it. 
Besides  this,  he  tells  God,  he  gave  tithes 
of  all  he  possessed  ;  not  only  of  what  the 
law  of  Moses  required,  but  of  the  herbs  in 


tenth  part  of  all 
"lether  titheable 


his  garden ;  he  devoted 
he  had  to  religious  uses, 
or  not  by  the  law. 

Thus  you  have  the  Pharisee's  prayer  ;  a 
prayer  which  God  rejected ;  for  though  he 
justified  himself,  God  did  not  justify  him. 
And  now,  my  friends,  let  us  examine  cur- 
selves  J  Is  there  nothing  of  the  Pharisee's 
spirit  in  us  !  Do  we  not  hear  people  speak- 
ing the  same  language  sometimes  ?  Is  not 
this  all  the  hope  of  some  persons,  that  they 
never  did  any  person  harm ;  that  they  pay 
every  one  his  due ;  and  perliaps  that  they 
go  to  church  constantly,  behave  decently, 
take  the  sacrament,  give  alms ;  and  so  on  ] 
How  often  do  we  hear  this  language  on  a 
dying  bed  !  Poor  ignorant  souls  rush  into 
the  presence  of  God  with  no  other  founda- 
tion for  their  liope  than  the  Pharisee  had  ; 
while  we  hear  not  a  word  of  true  humility, 
poverty  of  spirit,  sense  of  sin,  or  hope  in 
Jesus,  as  the  sinner's  only  friend  and  hope. 
O  Sirs,  beware  of  resembling  the  Pharisee. 
Pleas  like  his  may  please  men,  but  they 
will  not  succeed  with  God :  rather  let  us 
resemble  the  poor  broken-hearted  Pub- 
lican, whose  character  and  prayer  we  next 
consider. 

V.  13.  "And  the  Publican,  standing 
afar  off,  would  not  lift  up  so  much  as  his 
eyes  to  heaven,  but  smote  upon  his  breast, 
saying,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner !" 
By  a  Publican  you  are  not  to  understand 
the  keeper  of  a  public-house,  but  a  tax- 
gatherer.  The  Jews  were,  at  this  time, 
subject  to  the  Roman  emperor,  and  paid 
him  taxes,  which  were  sometimes  farmed 
by  the  rich  publicans,  who,  in  the  execution 
of  their  office,  were  too  often  dishonest 
and  oppressive  ;  on  account  of  which,  and 
on  account  of  the  taxes  themselves,  which 
were  vexatious  to  the  Jews,  the  name  of  a 
publican  was  abominable,  and  was  classed 
with  those  of  harlots  and  sinners. 

Whether  this  Publican  was  an  extor- 
tioner, or  not,  we  cannot  say.  Doubtless 
he  was  a  sinner ;  and  by  some  means  or 
other  he  became  a  convinced  sinner,  a 
penitent  siimer,  and  a  praying  sinner. 
Perhaps  this  was  the  first  time  that  ever 
he  prayed  in  his  life ;  for  sinning  generally 
keeps  men  from  praying.  It  is  plain  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  had  humbled  his  heart ; 
and  he  was  one  of  those  blessed  men,  who 
are  "  poor  in  spirit,"  and  he  was  one  of 
those  blessed  mourners,  who  "shall  be 
comforted." 

Observe  his  posture — he  stood  afar  off — 
at  a  great  distance  from  tlie  holy  place, 
where  the  priest  officiated ;  he  knew  this 
became  him,  for  he  had  lived  at  a  great 
distance  from  God  as  a  sinner;   and  he 


SERMON  XVI. 


71 


knew  he  deserved  that  God  should  for  ever 
behold  him  afar  off. 

Observe  also  his  dejected  looks :  he  could 
not  look  up ;  he  thought  it  would  be  pre- 
sumptuous in  him  to  lift  up  his  eyes  to 
heaven,  the  habitation  of  God's  glory. 
Other  sinners  have  thought  the  same ; 
David  says,  Ps.  xl.  12.  "  Innumerable 
evils  have  compassed  me  about ;  mine  ini- 
quities have  taken  hold  upon  me,  so  that  I 
am  not  able  to  look  up ;"  but  those  down- 
cast eyes  attracted  the  eyes  of  God ;  lie 
could  not  lift  up  his  eyes,  but  he  lifted  up 
his  heart ;  and  there  is  no  beauty  in  the 
sight  of  God  greater  than  blushing  for  sin. 
"For  to  this  man  will  I  look,"  saith  the 
Lord,  "  even  to  him  that  is  poor,  and  of  a 
contrite  spirit,  and  trembleth  at  my  word." 
Isa.  Ixv.  2. 

Another  mark  of  his  repentance  was  his 
smiting  his  breast ;  he  knew  his  heart ; 
he  did  not  think  it  a  good  heart,  as  some 
very  ignorant  people  speak ;  no,  he  knew 
the  plague  of  his  heart ;  he  knew  it  was 
the  seat  and  source  of  all  his  sins,  and  by 
smiting  on  his  breast  he  seemed  as  if  he 
would  take  revenge  upon  his  own  wicked 
heart ;  it  expresses  his  indignation  against 
himself,  and  the  vehemence  of  his  anger 
against  sin.  Men  and  brethren,  what  do 
you  know  of  such  a  disposition  as  this  ? 
When  were  you  thus  angry  with  your- 
selves, and  filled  with  shame  and  confusion 
of  face  because  of  your  sins  f  Know  this, 
that  such  is  the  temper  of  all  who  are 
taught  of  God ;  and  if  you  have  never  felt 
in  this  manner,  you  are  yet  strangers  to 
true  repentance. 

Now  we  come  to  his  prayer.  It  was 
very  short,  but  ver)'  good;  no  man  ever 
offered  a  better,  or  to  better  purpose.  Not 
that  the  mere  words  are  of  any  avail :  too 
many  people  use  such  words  profanely, 
when  they  say,  on  a  surprise,  God  bless 
us !  or  Lord  have  mercy  on  us  !  but  such 
praying  as  tliis  is  the  way  to  get  a  curse, 
not  a  blessing.  Wlien  the  Publican  said, 
God  be  merciful  to  me,  a  sinner,  he  felt 
what  he  said :  he  felt  he  was  a  perishing 
sinner,  and  he  felt  an  earnest  desire  for 
mercy. 

lie  calls  himself,  a  sinner,  or  the  sin- 
ner, as  some  would  render  it ;  or  the  chief 
of  sinners,  as  Paul  called  himself  The 
word  sinner  was  a  term  of  reproach  among 
the  Jews,  and  seemed  to  be  applied  chiefly 
to  a  harlot,  or  some  notorious  offender; 
but  the  Publican  takes  it  to  himself  It  is 
very  likely  he  spake  this  aloud  in  the 
hearing  of  the  Pharisee,  and  others  who 
did  not  think  themselves  sinners ;  for  he 
'vas  not  unwilling  to  appear  before  men 


what  he  well  knew  he  was  before  God. 
He  would  not  have  been  angry  with  that 
sort  of  preaching  which  lays  men  low ;  nor 
would  he  have  been  displeased  \vlth  a 
friend  who  should  have  said,  You  are  a 
very  great  sinner.  But  say,  my  friends, 
what  would  yon  think  of  a  person  who 
shall  charge  you  in  that  manner  ]  Would 
you  not  be  very  angry,  and  say,  I  am  no 
worse  than  others.  But  a  true  penitent 
can  never  find  words  sufficient  to  express 
the  sense  he  has  of  his  vileness. 

If  we  know  the  meaning  and  extent  of 
the  Ten  Commandments,  we  shall  say 
after  each  of  them,  "  Lord  have  mercy 
upon  us !"  And  if  we  see  any  thing  of 
the  holiness,  majesty,  and  glory  of  the 
great  God,  we  shall  cry,  with  Isaiah, 
"  Woe  is  me,  for  I  am  undone ;"  or  with 
Job,  "  I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing 
of  the  ear,  but  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee  ; 
wherefore  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in 
dust  and  ashes."  No  person  truly  enlight- 
ened will  say,  as  many  have  done,  I  am 
not  a  great  sinner ;  for,  in  fact,  there  can- 
not be  a  little  sinner,  unless  there  were  a 
little  law  to  break,  a  little  God  to  offend, 
and  a  little  wrath  to  incur.  It  is  too  com- 
mon for  persons  to  comfort  themselves 
with  the  idea  that  they  are  not  such  great 
sinners  as  some  others;  many  dying  peo- 
ple do  this,  and  even  wretches  at  the  gal- 
lows have  done  so.  But  this  is  very  ab- 
surd ;  for  the  question  is,  not  whether  we 
have  sinned  as  much  as  others,  but  whe- 
ther we  have  sinned  at  all ;  that  is,  whe- 
ther we  have  broken  the  holy  law  of  God  ! 
If  so,  we  are  sinners,  and  stand  exposed  to 
the  just  wrath  of  the  Most  High  ;  nor  can 
we  escape  it  but  by  partaking  of  that  great 
mercy  for  which  tJie  Publican  prayed. 

You  will  next  observe,  that  his  sense  of 
sin  and  danger  put  him  upon  prayer.  Many 
people  live  without  prayer;  and  what  is 
the  reason  ?  They  do  not  feel  the  need  of 
mercy;  for  this  is  the  first  thing  a  con- 
vinced sinner  prays  for ;  and  it  is  a  good 
sign  of  grace,  when  a  desire  for  mercy 
sends  a  man  to  his  knees.  Angels  rejoice 
on  such  an  occasion,  and  point  to  the  new- 
born soul,  saying,  "  Behold,  lie  prayeth !" 
My  friends,  do  you  pray  for  mercy  1  If 
not,  how  can  you  expect  it;  and  what 
must  become  of  you  without  if?  O  that 
you  may  begin  to  pray ! 

This  poor  man  cried  to  the  Jjord  ;  and 
whither  can  a  creature  fly  for  help  but  to 
God  1  He  is  our  maker ;  he  is  our  govern- 
or; he  is  our  just  Judge;  he  is  able  to 
save  or  destroy:  lie  is  offended  with  our 
sins,  yet  is  he  most  gracious,  and  ready  to 
forgive.     How    reasonable,  then,  that  8 


72 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


guilty,  helpless  sinner,  ready  to  perish, 
should  apply  "  to  him  that  is  able  to  save 
to  the  uttermost  all  who  come  to  hun  by^ 
Jesus  Christ." 

He  begs  for  mercy.  What  is  mercy  1 
We  know  what  it  is  by  our  own  feelings. 
It  is  compassion  to  the  miserable ;  it  is  a 
disposition  to  pity  and  relieve  the  distress- 
ed ;  and  we  never  speak  of  mercy  but  with 
reference  to  misery.  It  is  not,  then,  a  light 
unfeeling  use  of  solemn  words,  that  can 
encourage  us  to  hope  for  mercy  :  it  is  not 
saying,  without  feeling,  Lord  iiave  mercy 
upon  us !  CJirist  have  mercy  upon  us ! 
but  it  is  coming  with  the  Publican's  spirit, 
with  his  broken  heart,  with  his  remorse, 
with  his  desires,  and  in  earnest  prayer 
claiming  this  precious  blessing. 

Observe  it  is  mercy  he  asks.  Here  is 
not  a  word  of  merit.  Mercy  and  merit  are 
opposite  things.  The  Pharisee's  prayer 
was  a  mere  boast  of  meritorious  deeds; 
the  Publican  has  nothing  to  plead;  nor 
does  he  ask  for  wealth,  or  honor,  or  plea- 
sure ;  his  heart  is  dead  to  these :  all  his 
desires  centre  in  one,  and  that  one  is 
mercy. 

"  Mercy,  good  Lord,  mercy  1  ask, 

This  is  the  total  sum  ; 
For  mercy,  Lord,  is  all  my  suit; 

O  let  thy  inercy  come !" 

But  the  petition,  be  merciful,  includes 
sometliing  more  tlian  is  commonly  under- 
stood by  it ;  the  word  translated  merciful 
has  respect  to  the  atonement  made  by 
blood ;  to  the  sacrifice  offered  up  at  the 
temple;  which  were  types  of  Christ, 
"  whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propi- 
tiation, through  faith  in  his  blood."  Rom. 
iii.  25.  At  the  temple,  in  tlie  court  of 
which  the  Publican  stood,  there  was  a 
lamb  offered  every  morning  at  nine  o'clock, 
and  every  evening  at  three ;  and  these 
were  the  hours  of  prayer;  so  that  the 
pious  Jews  came  then  to  pray,  that  by  vir- 
tue of  the  atonement  of  Christ  represented 
by  blood,  and  of  his  intercession  represent- 
ed by  the  incense,  tlieir  prayers  might  find 
acceptance.  His  prayer  then  was — God 
be  propitious  to  me  a  sinner — accept  the 
atonement  m  my  behalf— let  my  soul  be 
cleansed  in  the  blood  of  Christ.  In  this 
manner,  by  faith  in  Jesus,  let  us  seek  the 
mercy  of  God;  Let  us  not  dream  of  mere 
absolute  mercy.  "  A  God  all  mercy  is  a 
God  unjust."  The  mercy  of  God  cannot 
be  bestowed  without  regard  to  his  justice. 
Now  God  has  glorified  liis  justice  by  pun- 
ishuig  sin  in  the  person  of  our  glorious 
Redeemer,  upon  whom  "  he  laid  the  ini- 
quities of  us  all,"  and  through  whom  he  is, 
at  once  "  a  just  Grod  and  a  Savior."     In 


this  w%,y,  and  in  no  other,  can  a  sinner  ob- 
tain mercy ;  for  our  Lord  declares,  that  no 
man  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  him; 
and  no  mercy  cometh  to  the  sinner  but 
through  him;  but  in  his  dear  name  we 
may  "  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace, 
and  so  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help 
in  every  time  of  need.' 

Thus  came  the  Publican,  and  in  this 
way  he  succeeded.  It  was  not  the  depth 
of  his  humility,  the  sincerity  of  his  repent- 
ance, nor  the  fervency  of  his  devotion,  that 
merited  acceptance  ;  these  .  dispositions 
were  the  gifts  of  God,  and  could  merit  no- 
tliing ;  but  it  was  the  merit  of  the  Redeem- 
er's precious  blood,  typified  by  the  blood 
of  lambs,  which  he  pleaded,  and  which 
shall  never  be  pleaded  in  vain.  Our  Lord 
tells  us,  ver.  14,  "  This  man  went  down  to 
his  house  justified  rather  than  the  other," 
or  not  the  other  ;  the  reason  of  which  he 
adds,  "  For  every  one  that  exalteth  him- 
self shall  be  abased ;  and  he  that  humbleth 
himself  shall  be  exalted."  O  what  a  bless- 
ing !  "  He  went  down  to  his  house  justi- 
fied ;"  there  was  no  condemnation  to  him ; 
he  was  accepted  in  the  Beloved ;  he  had 
passed  from  death  to  life !  Happy  man  1  he 
might  "  eat  his  bread  with  gladness,  and 
drink  his  wine,"  or  water  either,  "  with  a 
merry  heart,  for  God  accepted  his  works." 
APPLICATION. 

Shall  we  not  then  "  go  and  do  like- 
wise !"  Are  we  not  sinners  ?  Fly  instantly 
to  the  throne  of  grace.  The  Lord  waits  to 
be  gracious.  This  is  the  accepted  time ; 
lose  it  not  by  delay.  To-morrow  may  be 
too  late.  Now,  then,  with  the  Publican's 
spirit,  let  each  of  us  cry,  God  be  merciful 
to  me  a  sinner ! 

But  O  beware  of  the  Pharisee's  spirit. 
Every  man  is  born  a  Pharisee.  Ask  your 
little  children  why  tliey  hope  to  go  to 
heaven ;  and  if  they  have  not  been  better 
taught,  you  will  find  their  hope  is,  because 
they  are  not  so  bad  as  others.  Would  to 
God  it  were  not  so  witli  grown-up  persons 
too !  But  let  no  one  dare  to  persist  in  a 
self-righteous  course ;  "  for  he  that  exalt- 
etli  himself  shall  be  abased" — abased  even 
to  hell.  Renounce,  then,  your  own  right- 
eousness, as  St.  Paul,  the  converted  Phari- 
see, did,  who  says,  Phil.  iii.  7,  "  W^hat 
things  were  gain  to  me,  those  I  counted 
loss  for  Christ ;  yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count 
all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord,  for 
whom  I  have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things, 
and  do  count  them  but  dunv;  that  I  may 
win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him." 

Tlie  Publican's  i^uccess  is  a  great  en- 
couragement to  every  sensible  sinner  seek- 


SERMON  XVII. 


73 


ing  for  mercy.  Seek  like  him,  and  like 
him  you  shall  obtain  it.  And  O,  let  those 
who  have  obtained  it  be  full  of  joy. 
"  Praise  the  Lord,  for  he  is  good,  for  his 
mercy  endureth  for  ever ;"  and  as  an  evi- 
dence of  having  obtamed  mercy  from  God, 
show  mercy  to  men.  "  Be  ye  therefore 
merciful,  as  your  Father  also  is  merciful." 


PRAYER-— O  Lord  God,  lioHntifjil  artd  gra- 
cious, long-snfieriiig,  and  aljtindaiit  in  goodness 
and  truth ;  iliou  kcepcst  mercy  for  thousands, 
thou  pardonest  iniiinity,  transgression,  and  sin  ; 
neither  dost  thou  retain  liiy  anger,  for  ever,  be- 
cause ihou  dclightest  in  mercy.  Look  down  in 
thai  mercy  on  us,  who  now  humbly  lift  up  our 
hearts  unio  thee.  We,  like  the  penitent  Publican 
of  whom  we  have  heard,  would  approach  thee, 
deeply  sensible  of  the  sin  of  our  nature  and  of 
the  sin  of  our  lives:  and  with  broken  hearts  and 
contrite  spirits,  would  cry,  "  God  be  merciful  to 
us  sinners!"  We  acknowledge  and  bewail  our 
manifold  sins  and  wickedness,  which  we  from 
time  to  time  most  grievously  have  committed,  by 
thought,  word,  and  deed,  against  thy  Divine  Ma- 
jesty: provoking  most  justly  thy  wrath  and  in- 
dignation against  us.  We  do  earnestly  repent, 
and  are  heartily  sorry  for  these  our  misdoings : 
the  remembrance  of  them  is  grievous  iinto  us ; 
the  burden  of  them  is  intolerable.  Have  mercy 
upon  us,  have  mercy  upon  us  most  merciful  Fa- 
ther. For  thy  Son  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ's  sake 
forgive  us  all  that  is  past,  and  grant  that  we  may 
ever  hereafter  serve  and  please  thee  in  newness 
of  life,  to  the  honor  and  glory  of  thy  name, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord !  Amen. 


SERMON  XVII. 

ZEAL  FOR  THE  SALVATION  OF  SINNERS. 

Romans  x.  1. — Brethren,  my  lieart's  desire  and  pray- 
er to  God  for  Israel  is,  tliat  they  might  be  saved. 

True  religion  consists  chiefly  in  love  to 
Ciotl,  and  love  lo  man  :  and  wherever  one 
of  these  is  found  there  is  the  other  also.  It 
was  love  that  brought  the  Savior  down 
.from  tlic  throne  of  glory  to  this  mean  and 
vvrctched  world,  tliat  he  might  "  seek  and 
save  those  who  were  lost."  While  he  lived 
on  earth,  "he  vvent  about  doing  good;" 
and  when  be  returned  to  heaven  lie  com- 
manded his  ministers  and  people  to  follow 
his  example,  and  to  do  good  to  all  men  as 
they  had  opportunity.  The  Apostles  and 
first  Christians  gladly  obeyed,  and  w-ere 
very  active  in  spreading  abroad  the  know- 
ledge of  their  gracious  Master  and  his 
great  salvation.  Among  these,  St.  Paul 
was  one  of  the  mo.-5t  zenlous,  as  his  great 
labors  and  alTectionate  writings  fully  tes- 
tify. Our  text  is  an  expression  of  his 
strong  desires  for  the  salvation  of  Israel, 
or  the  Jews,  who  were  Iiis  countrymen; 
and  the  particular  reason  of  his  anxiety 
K 


about  them  was,  because  he  knew  they 
were  not  in  the  way  to  obtain  salvation.  It 
is  true,  they  had  a  zeal  for  religion,  but  it 
was  not  a  zeal  according  to  knowledge. 
They  were  under  a  very  fatal  mistake, 
which  was  their  seeking  salvation  by  their 
own  works,  for  "  they  stumbled  at  that  stum- 
bling stone,"  as,  alas !  many  people  called 
Christians  do  still.  Knowingtherefore  their 
danger  of  being  eternally  lost,  he  expresses 
his  feelings  m  these  words — "  My  heart's 
desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  Israel  is,  that 
they  might  be  saved."  And  will  you,  my 
friends,  who  live  in  this  place,  permit  us  to 
say  that  we  hope  and  trust  we  are  moved 
by  the  same  desire "!  If  any  person  should 
inquire,  and  it  is  natural  and  proper  for 
them  to  inquire,  why  we  come  here  to 
pray  and  sing,  and  read  a  sermon ;  we 
humbly  reply,  for  no  other  reason  upon 
earth  tiian  this,  that  we  may  promote  your 
salvation;  that  we  may  stir  you  up  to  con- 
sider your  need  of  it ;  that  we  may  show 
you,  from  the  Gospel,  the  only  true  way  of 
it ;  and  that  we  may  put  you  upon  seeking 
it  immediately. 

We  purpose  to  show  you  from  these 
words, 

I.  That  serious  Christians  plainly  see  the 
dangerous  state  in  which  many  of  their 
neighbors  are. 

II.  That  they  earnestly  desire  their  de- 
liverance from  it. 

I.  We  observe,  that  serious  Christians 
plainly  perceive  the  dangerous  state  of  un- 
converted sinners  around  them.  We  can- 
not tell  what  the  grace  of  God  may  do 
hereafter  for  the  worst  of  men ;  and  the 
conditions  of  some  may  be  doubtful ;  but 
in  many  cases,  it  is  too  evident  that  men 
"  are  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  in  the 
bond  of  iniquity,"  as  St.  Peter  said  to  Si- 
mon Magus :  at  least,  so  mucli  may  be  dis- 
covered as  fully  warrants  our  fears  on  their 
behalf  Now  this  sad  condition  of  men  ap- 
pears, 

1.  From  their  living  in  open  sin :  for 
indeed,  "  some  men's  sins  are  open  before- 
hand, going  before  to  judgment,"  some 
proclaim  their  sin  as  Sodom,  and  glory  in 
their  shame.  St.  Paul  says,  "  the  works 
of  the  flesh  are  manifest,"  among  which 
he  names  "  adultery,  fornication,  unclean- 
ness,  wrath,  murder,  and  drunkenness." 
Gal.  V.  19.  Our  Savior  has  directed  us  to 
judge  of  men  by  their  fruits ;  "  for  every 
good  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit,  but  a 
corrupt  tree  oringeth  forth  evil  fruit ;"  and 
he  adds,  (observe  his  solemn  words,) 
"  Every  tree  that  bringeth  not  forth  good 
fruit  is  hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the  fire/' 
Matt.  vii.  17.     We  are  forced  to  conclude, 


74 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


therefore,  that  "  if  men  live  after  the  flesh, 
they  must  die ;"  that  if  they  proceed  in  the 
broad  road,  it  must  be  to  destruction ;  and 
that  "  the  unrigliteous  shall  not  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God."  Some  men  are  evident- 
ly "  men  of  the  world,"  "  servants  of  sin," 
and  captives  of  Satan ;  such  to  whom  our 
Lord  said,  "  Ye  are  of  your  father  the 
devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father  ye  will 
do."  When  we  see  persons  living  in  sin- 
ful pleasure,  we  know,  "  they  are  dead 
while  they  live."  How  can  we  suppose 
the  profane  swearer  has  the  fear  of  God, 
or  that  the  Sabbath-breaker  has  any  regard 
for  his  soul  1 

2.  Carelessness  about  religion  is  an- 
other alarming  symptom  of  a  graceless, 
and  therefore,  dangerous,  state.  There 
are  many  who  have  no  concern  about  their 
souls  or  salvation.  Like  Gallio,  they  care 
for  none  of  these  things.  But  this  care- 
lessness is  as  strong  a  proof  of  being  in  a 
state  of  nature  and  of  wrath,  as  livuig  in 
open  sin  is;  for  it  is  written,  Heb.  ii.  3, 
"  How  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so 
great  salvation  1"  To  neglect  this  salva- 
tion is  to  omit  all  those  duties  which  are 
necessary  to  a  profitable  hearing  and  keep- 
ing the  word  preached.  How  many  are 
there,  who  every  sabbath  turn  their  backs 
on  the  house  of  God,  where  his  Gospel  is 
preached,  and  spend  the  day  in  idleness 
and  sinful  pleasure  !  How  many  are  there, 
who  are  able  to  read  the  Bible,  but  who 
never  look  into  that  sacred  book,  that  they 
may  become  wise  to  salvation  !  How  many 
are  there  who  never  lifl  up  their  hearts  to 
God,  in  prayer  for  his  teaching  and  his 
mercy!  Now^  how  shall  such  escape"! 
Those  who  despised  the  law  of  Moses  died 
without  mercy ;  but  to  despise  the  Gospel 
is  a  greater  crime,  and  deserves  a  greater 
punishment.  Those  who  seek  not  mercy 
now,  according  to  the  Gospel,  shall  never 
have  it.  "  This  is  the  acceptable  time ; 
tliis  is  the  day  of  salvation :"  if  tliis  be 
neglected,  let  poor  sinners  expect  no  more 
to  hear  of  mercy  through  all  eternity. 

3.  Formality  in  religion  is  anotlier  evi- 
dence of  being  in  a  dangerous  condition. 
There  are  some,  who  dare  not  omit  all  re- 
ligious duties,  public  and  private ;  but  they 
are  like  the  Pharisees,  "  who  drew  nigh  to 
God  with  their  mouth,  and  honored  him 
with  their  lips,  but  their  heart  was  far  from 
him ;"  by  many  religious  ceremonies  "  they 
washed  the  outside  of  tlie  cup  and  platter, 
but  within  they  were  full  of  extortion  and 
excesses."  Matt.  xv.  and  xxiii.  How  many 
say  their  prayers  like  parrots,  without 
knowing  their  meaning !  How  many  go  to 
church  only  to  see  and  be  seen ;  and,  when 


they  come  away,  are  full  of  mirth  and  folly ; 
thinking  no  more  of  what  has  passed,  and 
spending  the  rest  of  the  day  in  worldly 
conversation,  or  amusement !  Others  thmk, 
that  because  they  belong  to  a  good  church, 
and  have  been  baptized,  and  say  their 
prayers,  and  take  the  sacrament,  all  is  well 
with  them;  while  they  are  strangers  to 
heart-work  in  religion ;  were  never  alarm- 
ed on  account  of  their  sins ;  never  hum- 
bled for  their  sins ;  never  fled  to  Jesus  for 
refuge  from  their  sins;  and  never  knew 
any  thing  of  that  great  change  of  heart, 
called,  in  Scripture,  regeneration,  or  the 
new  birth.  Now,  when  we  see  our  neigh- 
bors content  with  this  poor  empty  form  of 
godliness,  and  denying  the  power  thereof, 
we  cannot  but  be  deeply  concerned  on  ac- 
count of  their  danger. 

4.  There  is  another  thing  which  alarms 
us  on  their  behalf;  that  is  when  we  see 
them  receive,  for  truth,  great  and  funda- 
mental errors,  as  to  the  doctrine  of  reli- 
gion.   We  know  it  is  commonly  said,  that 
it  does  not  signify  what  a  man  believes,  if 
he  does  but  live  a  good  life.     But  we  tes- 
tify against  this  opinion,  as  destructive  of 
the  souls  of  men.     Did  not  the  great  Re- 
deemer come  into  the  world  to  enlighten 
it  ?     Is  he  not  the  great  Teacher,  wlio,  by 
his  word  and  Spirit,  reveals  the  will  of  God 
for  our  salvation  ?     Has  he  not  promised 
his  people  that  they  shall  "  know  the  truth, 
and  the  truth  shall  make  them  free  ]"  And 
has  he  not  said  that  his  sheep  hear  and 
know  his  voice,  but  will  not  follow  the  voice 
of  a  stranger  1     How  then  can  error  be 
harmless  1       The     Scripture    speaks    of 
"  damnable  heresies"  as  well  as  damnable 
vices.     Surely,  it  is  of  great  hnportance 
that  we  have  right  views  of  the  blessed 
God,  as  to  his  holiness,  justice,  and  mercy ; 
that  we  migJit  have  right  views  of  our- 
selves, as  fallen,  guilty,  helpless  sinners; 
and  especially  that  we  have  right  views  of 
.Tesus  Christ,  and  of  tlie  nature  and  way  * 
of  salvation  through  him  by  faith.     It  was 
the  want- of  these  that  made  St.  Paul  use 
the  words  of  our  text.    The  Jews  rejected 
Christ  and  his  rigliteousness,  and  "  went 
about  to  establish  their  own   righteous- 
ness," ver.  3 ;  thus  they  stumbled  at  Christ; 
and  St.  Paul  knew,  that  if  they  died  in  this 
state  they  must  perish  for  ever :  and  this 
led  him  to  say,   "  My  heart's  desire  and 
prayer  to  God  for  Israel  is,  that  they  might 
be  saved."     And  this  leads  us  to  observe, 
in  the  next  place, 

II.  That  serious  Christians  earnestly 
and  sincerely  desire  the  salvation  of  their 
neighbors,  whom  they  thus  perceive  to  be 
in  a  dangerous  slate. 


SERMON  XVII. 


75 


If  love  to  our  neighbors  requires  that 
we  should  pity  and  help  them  in  time  of 
sickness,  poverty,  or  any  other  kind  of 
temporal  distress,  how  much  more  then 
should  we  care  for  his  soul,  and  labor  to 
prevent  liis  eternal  ruin !  All  tlie  love  and 
politeness  that  worldly  men  show  to  their 
neighbors  is  for  the  perishing  body ;  while 
they  care  not  for  the  soul,  but  perhaps  con- 
tribute much  to  its  eterhal  destruction. 
But  if  the  love  of  God  be  slied  abroad  in 
our  heart,  the  salvation  of  souls  will  be  the 
first  object  we  have  in  view,  and  happy 
shall  we  be,  if  we  can  in  any  wise  be  in- 
struments in  their  future  happiness  ;  for, 

1.  We  tremble  to  tliink  of  their  future 
7iiisery.  We  know  assuredly,  that  "  tlie 
wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  lieavon 
against  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteous- 
ness of  men."  Rom.  i.  18.  We  certamly 
know  that  all  men  are  born  in  sin,  and  are 
children  of  wrath  ;  and  that  without  an  in- 
terest in  Christ  by  faith,  and  a  heart  chang- 
ed by  grace,  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord; 
tliat  the  "  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  every 
unbeliever,"  and  that  "  he  will  render  in- 
dignation and  wrath,  tribulation  and  an- 
guish, upon  every  man  who  dies  in  his 
sins,"  impenitent,  unpardoned,  unrenewed. 
Now,  can  we  thmk  of  our  relations,  our 
friends,  our  neighbors,  being  in  this  state, 
without  pitying  them,  praying  for  them, 
and  exhorting  them  to  "  fly  from  the  wrath 
to  come  V  It  is  impossible  !  If  any  man 
can,  how  dwelletli  the  love  of  God  in  him  1 
When  our  compassionate  Savior  paid  his 
last  visit  to  Jerusalem,  and  from  a  hill  be- 
held that  great  and  wicked  city,  which,  on 
account  of  unbelief,  was  to  be  destroyed 
in  about  forty  years,  he  wept  over  it ; 
though  then  surrounded  with  a  multitude, 
crying  "Hosanna,"  he  lamented  over  it 
with  tears,  saying,  "  If  thou  hadst  known, 
even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the 
things  which  belong  unto  thy  peace !  but 
now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes."  Luke 
xix.  42.  And  may  not  we  be  permitted,  with 
some  small  portion  of  the  same  love  and 
compassion  to  our  perishing  neighbors,  to 
say,  O  how  happy  would  it  be  for  you,  now 
to  know  those  things,  which  are  necessary 
to  your  present  peace  and  pverla-sting  sal- 
vation ;  lest,  ere  long,  God  sliould  deprive 
you  of  tlie  means  of  grace,  and  give  you 
up  to  the  blindness  of  your  minds  and  the 
hardness  of  your  hearts !  It  would  shock 
us  beyond  measure  to  see  one  of  ynu  burn- 
ing in  a  great  fire,  were  it  but  for  a  few 
minutes ;  but  who  can  think  without  hor- 
ror of  everlasting  burnings  ?  We  there- 
fore would,  as  St.  Jude  speaks,  ver.  22, 
"  save  you  with  fear,  pulling  you  out  of  the 


fire ;"  or,  as  St.  Paul  speaks,  2  Cor.  v.  10, 
11,  "  Knowing  the  terrors  of  the  Lord,  we 
persuade  men." 

2.  As  we  wish  to  prevent  your  future 
destruction,  so  likewise  we  earnestly  de- 
sire that  you  may  share  with  us  in  the  joys 
and  glories  of  the  heavenly  world.  We 
believe  "  there  is  a  reward  for  the  right- 
eous ;"  that  "  the  pure  in  heart  shall  see 
God ;"  that  "  in  his  presence  is  fullness  of 
joy,  and  at  his  right  hand  there  are  plea- 
sures for  evermore."  We  believe  that 
Clirist  is  gone  to  heaven  to  prepare  man- 
sions for  his  people,  and  that  in  due  time, 
they  shall  be  with  him,  to  behold  his  glory, 
to  enter  into  his  restj  to  sit  down  with  him 
on  his  tlirone,  and  to  wear  a  crown  of 
glory.  We  humbly  hope,  through  Jesus, 
to  partake  of  these  blessings,  and  we  would 
gladly  take  all  the  world  along  with  us. 
We  are  grieved  to  tliink  that  any  sliould 
despise  the  good  land,  slight  the  invita- 
tions to  Heaven,  or  expect  it  on  false 
grounds.  We  are  grieved  to  think  that 
so  many  cleave  to  the  dust,  and,  for  the 
sake  of  the  short-lived  pleasures  of  sm, 
and  a  portion  of  this  world,  are  in  danger 
of  losing  eternal  joys.  This  therefore  puts 
us  upon  urging  you  to  seek  first  the  king- 
dom of  God,  and  the  righteousness  there- 
of, that  you  may  also  be  admitted  into  the 
kingdom  of  glory. 

3.  We  wish  you  to  know  and  enjoy  the 
present  pleasures  of  true  religion.  Let 
strangers  to  godliness  say  what  they  please, 
we  maintain  that  the  ways  of  wisdom  are 
pleasantness,  and  her  paths  are  paths  of 
peace.  Some  of  us  have  tried  both  the 
pleasures  of  sin  and  the  pleasures  of  reli- 
gion, and  we  are  bold  to  say,  there  is  more 
satisfaction  in  one  hour's  communion  with 
God,  than  in  days  and  months  of  sinful  in- 
dulgence. We  can  say,  with  David,  "  A 
day  in  thy  courts  is  better  than  a  thousand. 
I  had  rather  be  a  door-keeper  in  the  house 
of  my  God,  than  to  dwell  in  the  tents  of 
wickedness."  A  good  hope  through  grace, 
a  knowledge  of  the  pardon  of  our  sins,  a 
persuasion  of  tlie  favor  of  God  towards  us, 
a  belief  that  all  things  are  working  to- 
gether for  our  good,  and  that  we  shall  go 
to  heaven  when  we  die ;  together  with  the 
actual  delight  we  find  in  prayer,  praise, 
Ilea  ring,  reading,  and  conversation  with 
the  peojilo  of  God — tiiese  arc  joys  that 
satisfy  and  sanctify  tlie  mind,  and,  com- 
pared to  which,  all  tlie  frotliy  mirth  and 
carnal  pleasures  of  the  wicked  are  mean 
as  the  toys  of  children,  and  liurtful  as  the 
sports  of  madmen.  We  wish  you  there- 
fore, brethren,  to  be  partakers  of  the  grace 
of  God,  and  we  say  to  you,  as  Moses  to 


76 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


Hobab,  "  Come  thou  with  us,  and  we  will 
do  thee  good:  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken 
good  concerning  Israel."  Numb.  x.  29. 

4.  We  wish  the  salvation  of  others  on 
account  of  the  glory  of  God,  for  which 
we  feel  ourselves  concerned,  and  which 
will  be  promoted  thereby.  We  are  taught 
to  pray,  "hallowed  be  thy  name."  Let 
God  be  glorified  !  And  surely,  when  a  poor 
sinner  ceases  to  be  a  rebel  to  his  Maker, 
throws  himself  at  the  feet  of  mercy,  and 
swears  allegiance  to  the  God  of  his  salva- 
tion, the  Lord  is  glorified.  Satan  loses 
another  subject,  and  one  is  added  to  the 
kingdom  of  Jesus.  The  love  of  Christ 
constraineth  us,  and  our  loyalty  to  the 
King  of  heaven  makes  us  long  to  see  his 
kingdom  flourish.  We  cannot  tell  of  how 
great  importance  may  be  the  value  of  one 
converted  soul :  a  wife,  a  husband,  the 
children  of  the  family,  the  servants,  the 
connexions,  may  all  be  the  better  for  it ; 
the  gospel  may  be  spread ;  more  souls  may 
be  converted ;  and  generations  yet  unborn 
may  derive  benefit  from  it.  We  would 
therefore  compass  sea  and  land  to  make 
one  proselyte,  not  to  our  party,  or  any  par- 
ticular sect,  but  that  Jesus  may  be  exalt- 
ed :  "  for  blessed  be  his  glorious  name  for 
ever,  and  let  the  whole  earth  be  filled  with 
this  glory.  Amen  and  Amen."  Ps.  Ixxii.  19. 

5.  Again,  we  wish  for  the  salvation  of 
sinners  for  the  sake  of  the  good  of  the  na- 
tion where  we  dwell.  True  Christians 
are  the  salt  of  the  earth,  that  keep  it  from 
perishing.  Sodom  would  have  been  pre- 
served from  destruction,  if  ten  riffhteous 
men  could  have  been,  found  in  it.  And 
may  we  not  say,  in  these  threatening  times, 
"  Except  the  Lord  had  left  us  a  seed,  we 
had  been  as  Sodom,  and  been  made  like 
unto  Gomorrah  V  Rom.  ix.  29.  The  pray- 
ers of  God's  people  are  a  greater  defence 
to  tlieir  country  than  all  its  fleets  and  ar- 
mies :  and  tliat  kingdom  is  most  likely  to 
flourish,  in  which  truth  and  righteousness 
most  abound. 

6.  To  say  the  truth,  we  are  not  without 
a  little  selfishness  in  this  matter :  for,  be- 
side all  the  reasons  before  mentioned,  we 
have  so7rw  view  to  our  own  peace  and  hap- 
piness. We  do  find  that  "  the  meanest 
service  of  Christ  has  refreshment  in  it. 
Our  good  Master  sends  not  his  servants  on 
a  warfare  at  their  own  charge.  He  that 
wateretli  the  souls  of  others  shall  himself 
be  watered.  We  think  tlie  conversion  of 
a  soul  to  God  is  the  greatest  honor  and 
liappin(!ss,  next  to  our  own  salvation,  tliat 
we  can  enjoy  ;  and  though  we  know  that 
no  man  has  any  claim  upon  God  ihr  what 
he  does,  all  being  unprofitable  servants, 


that  the  best  action  of  man  has  no  merit 

in  it,  yet  we  believe  that  there  is  a  reward 
of  grace  for  the  faithful  servants  of  Christ, 
who  has  promised  that  so  small  a  gill  as  a 
cup  of  cold  water  given  to  any  one,  be- 
cause he  belongs  to  Christ,  shall  not  be 
forgotten ;  and  as  to  those  whom  he  em- 
ploys in  his  worjc,  "  they  that  be  wise  shall 
shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament ; 
and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness, 
as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever."  Dan.  xii.  3. 
Let  us  now  show  in  what  manner  a  de- 
sire for  the  salvation  of  sinners  ought  to 
be  expressed ;  for  this  desire,  when  true, 
will  not  be  idle,  but  active,  and  will  put 
persons  on  earnest  endeavors  to  accomplish 
it;  and 

1.  By  prayer.  Tlie  conversion  of  a 
soul.  Like  the  creation  of  the  world,  is  the 
work  of  God  alone.  A  real  Christian  is  a 
new  creature,  "  born  not  of  the  will  of  the 
flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God." 
John  i.  13.  St.  Paul,  therefore,  in  our 
text,  mentions,  not  only  his  "heart's  de- 
sire," but  "  his  prayer  to  God"  also.  Those 
who  truly  pray  for  themselves,  will  pray 
for  others  too.  If  a  husband  or  a  wife  has 
a  partner  who  knows  not  the  Lord,  prayer 
will  be  immediately  offered.  If  a  parent 
has  an  ungodly  child,  like  Abraham,  he 
will  cry,  O  that  Ishmael  might  live  before 
thee  !  or  like  the  poor  man,  Malt.  xvii.  15, 
Lord,  have  mercy  upon  my  son.  Thus  Job 
rose  early  in  the  morning,  and  offered  up 
ten  offermgs  for  his  ten  children ;  because 
he  feared  they  had  sinned  against  God  in 
their  feasts  with  each  other. 

2.  We  should  urge  our  friends  to  come 
and  hear  the  gospel.  Do  not  be  ashamed 
to  invite  them  to  hear  that  word,  which 
God  has  made  his  power  to  your  salvation. 
When  Christ  called  Andrew  to  be  his  dis- 
ciple, Andrew  soon  invited  his  brother  Pe- 
ter ;  and  the  day  after,  when  Christ  called 
Philip,  Philip  presently  findeth  Nathaniel, 
and  invited  him  to  come  and  hear  Jesus. 
So,  when  the  Lord  sent  Peter  to  preach  to 
Cornelius,  a  Roman  officer,  he  found  Cor- 
nelius had  called  togetlier  his  kinsmen  and 
friends,  and  they  were  all  gathered  to- 
gether in  a  private  house,  as  you  may  be 
here,  to  hear  all  things  which  God  had 
commanded  Peter  to  preach.  O  how  many 
have  had  reason  to  bless  God  for  ever,  that 
some  kind  friend  first  invited  them  to  go 
and  hear  a  gospel  sermon !  Practise  this, 
my  friends;  all  of  you,  who  have  tasted 
tliat  the  Lord  is  gracrous,  say  to  others, 
"  O  taste  and  see,  that  the  Lord  is  good." 
Sinners,  as  you  all  know,  are  very  active 
to  bring  otliers  into  sin,  and  to  invite  them 
to  plays  and  merry  meetings ;  why  should 


SERMON  XVII. 


77 


not  we  be  more  active  to  save  souls,  than 
sinners  are  to  destroy  them "? 

3.  There  is  another  way  in  which  we 
should  show  uur  desire  for  the  salvation  of 
our  fellow-creatures,  and  that  is,  by  the 
Christian  education  of  children,  our  own, 
and  our  noiglibor's.  Abraliam  was  com- 
mended of  God  for  tliis. — "  I  know  liim, 
said  the  J,ord,  that  he  will  command  his 
children  and  his  liousehold  after  him ;"  and 
parents  were  ordered,  by  tlie  law,  Deut. 
vi.  7,  "  to  teacli  their  children  tlie  words 
of  God  diligently ;  to  talk  of  them  when 
tJiey  sat  down  in  the  house,  wlien  they 
walked  by  the  way,  when  they  lay  down, 
and  when  they  rose  up."  If  parents  wish 
well  to  the  souls  of  their  children,  they 
will  try  to  inform  their  minds,  bring  them 
under  tlie  word,  and  restrain  them  as  much 
as  possible  from  sabbath-breaking,  and 
other  sins.  And  as  there  are  some  parents 
who  will  not,  or  cannot,  instruct  tlieir  own 
children,  let  us  do  what  we  can  for  them. 
Wliy  should  one  of  these  little  ones  perish, 
while  Sunday  schools  may  be  kept  up"? 
The  Lord  prosper  this  good  work  more  and 
more.  And  to  this  we  may  add,  constant 
regard  to  family  worship,  by  those  who 
are  at  the  head  of  families.  Surely,  they 
have  little  regard  to  the  souls  of  children 
and  servants,  who  do  not  daily  read  the 
Scriptures,  and  pray  with  their  families. 

4.  Personal  exhortation  is  a  great  means 
of  good  to  the  souls  of  men.  "  Exhort 
one  another  daily,  while  it  is  called  to-day, 
lest  any  of  you  be  hardened  through  the 
deceitfulness  of  sin.  How  often  has  God 
blessed  one  sentence,  spoken  in  his  fear 
and  love  !  A  "  word  spoken  in  season,  how 
good  is  it !"  O  let  us  try,  whenever  we 
can,  mildly  to  reprove  sin  ;  and  give  a  hint 
on  all  proper  occasions,  ui  companies,  on 
journeys,  at  work,  whereby  we  may  prove, 
if  tlie  Lord  bless  it,  the  instrument  of  our 
neighbor's  conversion. 

5.  To  all  this,  one  thing  more  must  ne- 
cessarily be  added,  and  that  is,  a  holy  life. 
Actions  speak  louder  than  words.  "  Let 
our  light  shine  before  men,  that  they,  see- 
ing our  irood  JuorAs,"  as  well  as  hearing 
our  g-Dod  words,  "  may  glorify  God."  There 
is  a  testimony  for  God  in  the  life  of  a  holy 
man,  that  the  wicked  may  despise,  but 
cannot  resist.  Thus  let  all  Christians  liold 
Ibrth  the  word  of  life,  "that  so  even  the 
prejudiced,  who  will  not  liear  the  word, 
may,  without  the  word,  be  won  by  our  con- 
versation."    1  Pet.  iii.  1. 

APPLICATION. 
Men  and  brethren  :    Is  it  tlie  duty  and 
practice  of  all  real  Christians  to  be  thus 
affectionately  concerned  for  the  salvation 


of  others  1  Should  you  not  be  much  more 
concerned  for  your  own  salvation;  you, 
who  have  hitherto  totally  neglected  it  ?  O 
consider  the  value  of  your  souls.  Are  you 
not  sinners!  And  must  you  not  soon  re- 
ceive the  wages  of  your  sins,  unless  they 
are  pardoned  for  Christ's  sake  .'  And  can 
you  expect  pardon  without  seeking  it !  O 
then  be  wise.  Rouse  yourselves  from  your 
dreadful  stupidity.  Cry  to  God  for  his 
mercy  and  grace,  lest  you  perish.  This  is 
the  day  of  salvation.  To  you  is  the  word 
of  salvation  sent.  O  that  it  may  not  be 
sent  in  vain !  Jesus  Christ  is  a  great  and 
gracious  Savior ;  he  was  never  known  to 
reject  one  perishing  sinner  who  came  to 
him  for  life.  Let  this  be  an  encouragement 
to  you  to  apply  to  him,  and  you  will  find 
him  able  and  willing  to  save  to  the  utmost. 

From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  learn 
the  nature  of  true  grace,  how  it  opens  the 
heart,  and  shows  itself  in  love  to  God  and 
man.  This  may  afford  some  comfort  to  those 
who  fear  they  are  destitute  of  it.  Ask 
your  hearts  whether  they  do  not  long  for 
the  salvation  of  your  fellow-men  !  and 
whether  you  do  not,  with  Christ,  angels, 
and  all  good  men,  rejoice  in  their  conver- 
sion 1  If  so,  it  is  a  good  evidence  of 
grace.  On  the  contrary,  those  selfish, 
souls,  who  can  be  content  to  go  to  heaven 
alone,  while  they  care  not  if  all  around 
them  perish,  while  they  make  no  one  ef- 
fort to  rescue  them  from  destruction ;  such 
persons  have  reason  to  fear ;  tor  if  we 
love  not  our  neighbor  whom  we  have 
seen,  how  can  we  love  God  whom  we  have 
not  seen "? 

Finally,  let  every  serious  hearer  suffer 
the  word  of  exhortation.  See,  in  St.  Paul, 
a  pattern  of  holy  zeal,  and  imitate  it.  Like 
him,  let  it  be  your  heart's  desire  and  prayer 
to  God,  that  Israel  may  be  saved.  Look 
around  you,  and  see,  who  is  there  to  whom 
you  may  be  usefld.  Consider  by  what 
means  you  may  best  advance  tlie  glory  of 
the  great  Redeemer,  by  bringing  souls  to 
him.  Remember  that  life  is  short,  and  all 
opportunities  of  usefulness  will  cease. 
Work  then  while  it  is  day,  for  the  night 
of  death  is  coming,  when  no  man  can  work. 
"  Serve  your  generation  according  to  the 
will  of  God,"  and  then  enter  into  tlie  prom- 
ised rest;  where,  with  all  the  redeemed, 
you  shall  glorify  the  riches  of  free  grace 
to  all  eternity. 


PRAYER.— Almighty  God,  wc  behold  the 
transgressors  and  are  grieved ;  our  souls  are 
vexed  from  day  to  day  with  tlie  filthy  eonversa- 
lion  of  llie  wicked.  We  see  llie  broad  road 
whi(;h  leads  to  destruction  thronged  with  multi- 
tudes, while  few  are  walking  in  the  narrow  way 
7* 


78 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


that  leads  to  life.  We  lament  that  so  many  of 
our  fellow-creatures  are  living  in  open  sin ;  in 
carelessness  about  their  souls,  in  formality,  and 
in  error.  We  tremble  to  thinli  of  their  danger ,' 
we  earnestly  wish  they  may  partake  of  our  hap- 
piness, both  here  and  hereafter ;  that  their  souls 
may  be  saved  ;  that  thy  name  may  be  glorified  ; 
and  that  our  country  may  be  benefited.  For  this, 
O  Lord,  we  lift  up  our  hearts  to  thee,  that  tiiou 
wouldst  be  pleased  to  snatch  these  poor  sinners 
as  brands  out  of  the  fire ;  to  show  them  the  dan- 
ger of  their  present  situation  ;  and  enable  them 
now,  whilst  it  is  called  To-day,  to  hear  thy  voice, 
and  to  cry  to  thee  for  mercy.  And  O !  fill  our 
hearts  with  gratitude,  that  thou  hast  called  us,  as 
we  trust,  by  thy  grace,  out  of  darkness  into  thy 
marvellous  light,  and  translated  us  from  the 
kingdom  of  Satan  into  that  of  thy  dear  Son. 
Keep  us,  O  Lord,  unto  the  end ;  may  we  glorify 
thee  upon  earth,  and  then  be  admitted  into  thy 
presence,  to  see  thy  face,  and  sing  thy  praise  for 
ever  and  ever !   Amen. 


SERMON  XVIII. 

THE  PRODIGAL  SON ;  OR,  THE  PENITENT 
JOYFULLY  RECEIVED. 

Luke  XV.  24.  For  this  my  soa  was  dead,  and  is 
alive  again ;  he  was  lost,  and  is  found.  And  they 
began  to  be  merry. 

Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to 
save  sinners;  he  therefore  behaved  in  a 
kind  and  affable  manner  to  all,  even  to 
some  who  had  been  very  great  sinners. 
This  offended  the  Jews,  and  especially  the 
self-righteous  Pharisees.  They  thought 
that  a  holy  prophet  should  have  nothing  to 
do  with  sucli  bad  people ;  not  considering 
that  he  \yent  among  them  on  purpose  to 
save  them  from  their  sins.  But  Jesus 
Christ  vindicates  his  conduct,  by  appealing 
to  the  custom  of  men  in  general,  who  al- 
ways rejoice  when  they  recover  any  val- 
uable thing  that  was  lost.  In  this  beauti- 
ful and  affecting  parable  we  have, 

I.  The  Prodigal's  sin  and  folly,  in  de- 
parting from  his  father,  and  living  in  a  ri- 
otous manner. 

II.  His  repentance  and  return. 

III.  His  kind  reception. 

IV.  The  envy  of  his  elder  brother  upon 
that  occasion. 

I.  We  have  the  prodigal's  sin  and  folly, 
V.  11 — 13.  "A  certain  man  had  two  sons: 
and  the  younger  of  them  said  to  liis  father. 
Father,  give  me  the  portion  of  goods  that 
falleth  to  me :  and  he  divided  unto  them 
his  living.  And  not  many  days  after,  the 
younger  son  gathered  all  together,  and 
took  his  journey  into  a  far  country,  and 
there  wasted  his  substance  with  riotous 
living." 

The  prodigal  son  is  an  emblem  of  a  sin- 
ner.   He  disliked  the  restraint  of  his  pious 


father.  He  wanted  to  be  his  own  master ; 
to  live  in  a  state  of  independence,  and  to 
be  governed  by  his  own  corrupt  judgment. 
The  language  of  sinners  is,  "  Let  us  break 
his  bonds  asunder,  and  cast  away  his  cords 
from  us ;"  they  say  unto  God,  "  Depart 
from  us ;  for  we  desire  not  the  knowledge 
of  thy  ways.  What  is  the  Almighty,  that 
we  should  serve  him]  and  what  profit 
should  we  have,  if  we  pray  unto  him  !" 
Job  xxi.  1.5.  All  natural  men  are,  like  the 
prodigal,  men  of  the  world,  and  want  their 
portion  in  this  life,  regardless  of  a  portion 
in  heaven :  and,  like  him,  they  wish  to  live 
at  a  distance  from  God,  and,  as  much  as 
possible,  "  without  God  in  the  world." 

But  let  us  stop  a  moment,  and  ask 
whether  this  is  not  a  picture  of  ourselves. 
Has  not  each  of  us,  more  or  less,  acted  the 
same  part  ?  Is  there  not  in  us,  even  in  us, 
an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  in  departing 
from  the  living  God  1  Is  not  this  the  rea- 
son that  so  many  forsake  the  house  of  God, 
even  on  the  Lord's  day — that  they  dislike 
to  hear  God  speak  to  them  in  his  preached 
word — that  they  refuse  to  speak  to  God  in 
their  prayers — and  that  they  despise  truly 
religious  persons,  who  are  of  the  family 
of  God  ?  Surely  all  this  arises  from  hearts 
"  alienated  from  this  life  of  God ;"  this  is 
"  the  carnal  mind,"  which  is  enmity  against 
him. 

Observe,  now,  how  he  behaves  in  the 
distant  country  to  which  he  went.  Prob- 
ably he  told  his  father  that  he  would  traffic 
with  his  money,  and  so  mend  his  fortune  ; 
or  at  least,  that  he  would  travel  for  the 
improvement  of  his  mind ;  but  he  no  sooner 
gets  this  portion  into  his  hands,  and  be- 
comes his  own  master,  than  he  enters  upon 
a  loose,  lewd,  riotous  way  of  life,  in  the 
company  of  bad  women  and  other  wicked 
companions.  Thus  he  wasfed  his  sub- 
stance, and  abused  the  gifts  of  God  ;  gave 
himself  up  to  luxury  and  lasciviousness, 
to  work  all  uncleanness  with  greediness." 

See  the  consequence  of  being  left  to 
ourselves;  the  misery  of  departing  from 
God  !  and  O,  beware  of  wasting  his  gifts ! 
Our  reason,  our  health,  our  strength,  our 
time,  our  money,  our  influence,  are  all 
talents  committed  to  our  trust;  let  them 
be  used  to  promote  the  glory  of  God,  and 
the  salvation  of  our  souls,  and  not  abused 
to  the  purpose  of  sin  and  destruction. 

Mark  now,  my  friends,  how  certainly 
misery  follows  sin.  Ver.  14.  When  he 
had  spent  all,  there  arose  a  mighty  famine 
in  that  land,  and  he  began  to  be  in  want 
Here  is  a  proof  of  the  truth  of  that  old 
proverb — "  Wilful  waste  makes  woful 
want."     See  how  the  pleasures  of  sense 


SERMON  XVm. 


79 


perish  in  tlie  using :  for  as  the  crackling 
of  thorns  under  a  pot,  so  is  tlie  laughter 
of  a  fool ;"  a  noisy  blaze,  succeeded  by  a 
dismal  darlaiess.  Let  this,  as  Solomon 
advises,  "  keep  thee  from  the  evil  woman  ; 
from  the  flattery  of  the  tongue  of  a  strange 
viroman ;  tor  by  means  of  a  whorish  woman 
a  man  is  brought  to  a  piece  of  bread. 
She  hath  cast  down  many  wounded.  Her 
house  is  the  way  to  hell,  going  down  to 
the  chambers  of  doath.'^  Prov.  vi.  24.  and 
vii.  26. 

What  was  become  of  the  prodigal's  gay 
friends  J  Would  none  who  had  feasted  at 
his  table  come  forward  to  supply  his  wants ! 
No:  tliey  all  deserted  him.  Place  no  de- 
pendence on  sinful  companions.  Many 
adore  the  rising  sun,  who  turn  their  backs 
upon  it  when  it  sets.  And  how  just  it  is, 
tliat  he,  who  acts  as  an  enemy  to  God, 
should  not  be  able  to  find  a  friend  among 
men! 

One  should  have  thought  that  now,  in 
his  adversity,  he  would  have  turned  his 
thoughts  homeward.  Surely  this  was  a 
proper  time  for  serious  reflection.  But  he 
was  not  sufficiently  humbled ;  rather  than 
to  go  back  to  his  father,  he  will  submit  to 
the  most  servile  state.  Ver.  15.  "  He  went 
and  joined  himself  to  a  citizen  of  that 
country,  and  he  sent  him  into  his  fields  to 
feed  swine."  It  is  no  disgrace  in  this 
country  to  be  a  servant,  or  to  feed  any  sort 
of  cattle :  but  you  are  to  observe  that  he 
was  a  Jew,  and  as  swine's  flesh  was  for- 
bidden to  the  Jews,  there  could  be  nothing 
more  odious  and  abominable  to  him  tlian 
the  care  of  swine.  It  seems,  too,  that  this 
gay  youth  was  a  poor  worthless  creature, 
and  notwithstanding  his  education,  fit  for 
no  better  employment.  O  how  are  the 
mighty  fallen,  and  how  is  the  fine  gentle- 
man degraded ! 

But  far  ofreater  is  the  disgrace  of  sinful 
men.  Created  at  first  in  the  nnage  of 
God ;  honorable  and  happy  in  communion 
with  him;  see  him  now  fallen  from  his 
higli  estate,  become  a  servant  of  sin,  yea, 
a  slave  of  the  devil ;  a  companion  of  beasts; 
yea,  himself,  as  Bisliop  Hall  speaks,  "  Half 
a  beast  and  half  a  devil !"  Whatever  sin- 
ners may  think  of  themselves,  their  wretch- 
ed business  is  no  other  than  tlie  prodigal's ; 
they  are  "  making  provision  for  tlie  flesh, 
to  fulfil  tlie  lusts  thereof,"  and  that  is  no 
better  than  feeding,  greedy,  dirty,  noisy, 
swine. 

Disgraceful  as  his  employment  was, 
could  he  have  got  wholesome,  though  plain 
food,  he  might  have  made  himself  content. 
But,  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  his  misery, 
we  find  he  was  almost  starved  to  deatL 


Having,  perhaps,  a  bad-hearted  master, 
and  that  in  time  of  famine,  he  had  not  a 
morsel  of  bread  :  he  must  not  only  feed  the 
swine,  but  feed  with  them,  and  eat  the 
same  food.  Ver.  16.  "  He  would  fain  have 
filled  his  belly  with  the  husks  which  the 
swine  did  eat" — wild  chestnuts,  probably, 
or  some  such  trash,  not  fit  for  a  man  to 
eat ;  but  though  he  would  have  been  glad 
of' them,  he  could  not  get  them,  or  not 
enough  of  them,  to  satisfy  his  hunger. 

Here  also  is  a  picture  for  the  sinner. 
Husks  are  food  for  sWine,  not  for  men ;  so 
the  things  of  this  world  are  not  rnore  fit  to 
satisfy  ihe  immortal  soul,  than  husks  to 
feed  the  body.  They  suit  not  our  nature, 
nor  satisfy  our  desires. 

"  Why  seek  ye  that  which  is  not  bread, 

Nor  can  your  hungry  souls  sustain? 
On  ashes,  husks,  and  air,  you  feed  ; 
Ye  spend  your  little  all  in  vain." 

n.  Let  us  now  proceed  to  a  more  pleas- 
ing part  of  the  subject.  "  It  is  a  long  lane, 
they  say,  which  has  no  turning,"  and  yet, 
alas !  thousands  go  on  all  their  days  in  the 
way  to  eternal  ruin !  But  here  we  have 
an  instance  of  a  sinner,  reduced  to  the  last 
extremity,  to  whom  his  afflictions  were 
sanctified,  beginning  to  repent,  and  return 
to  God.  Ver.  17.  "  And  when  he  came  to 
himself,  he  said,  How  many  hired  servants 
of  my  father's  have  bread  enough  and  to 
spare,  and  I  perish  with  hunger !" 

"  He  came  to  himself" — remarkable  ex- 
pression !  He  had  been  beside  himself, 
he  had  acted  the  part  of  a  madman  ;  and 
indeed  "  the  hearts  of  the  sons  of  men  are 
full  of  evil,  and  madness  is  in  their  lieart." 
Eccles.  ix.  3.  Do  madmen  mistake  their 
own  condition,  and  fancy  themselves  kings 
and  emperors!  so  do  poor  sinners;  they 
think  themselves  spiritually  "  rich  and  in- 
creased with  goods,  &c.  and  know  not  that 
they  are  w^retcbed,  and  miserable,  and 
poor,  and  blind,  and  naked."  Madmen  are 
often  desperately  mischievous,  and  even 
self-murderers.  So  are  all  sinners.  Wliat 
madness  can  be  equal  to  thfe  eternal  de- 
struction of  the  soul  for  the  sake  of  a  few 
momentary  pleasures  !  Yes,  we  are  all 
far  from  ourselves,  when  we  are  far  from 
God;  and  we  never  return  to  ourselves, 
till  God,  in  mercy,  return  to  us.  Regard 
not  then  the  foolish  reproach  of  the  world, 
who  will  say,  when  you  are  truly  concern- 
ed for  your  souls,  that  you  are  mad.  No ; 
they  are  the  madmen  who  live  in  sin ;  yo?«, 
who  are  coming  to  God,  have  come  to 
yourselves. 

The  Prodigal  compares  his  own  wretch- 
ed state  with  the  condition  of  his  father's 
meanest  servants.     "  I  am  starving ;  they 


80 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


are  feasting.  I  am  miserable;  tliey  are 
happy."  Just  so,  a  repenting  sinner  plain- 
ly perceives  his  own  miserable  case,  and 
longs  to  partake  of  their  happiness,  who 
live  in  the  liouse  of  God,  and  are  his  de- 
voted servants.  "  I  perish,"  said  he  ;  so 
may  every  man  say  who  lives  in  sin,  "  I  per- 
ish ;  but  there  are  others  (O  that  I  were 
one  of  them  !)  who  dwell  in  the  house  of 
the  Lord  ;  feast  upon  his  rich  grace ;  know 
that  their  sins  are  pardoned,  and  are  full 
of  peace  and  joy  in  believing." 

What  is  the  natural  consequence  of 
such  a  comparison!  Why  an  effort,  an 
immediate  effort,  to  mend  his  condition. 
Hope  springs  up  in  his  heart ;  and  though 
there  was  but  a  may-be,  a  mere  peradven- 
ture,  of  success,  he  makes  the  following 
wise  resolution ;  ver.  18,  19.  "  I  will 
arise,  and  go  to  my  father,  and  will  say 
unto  him.  Father,  I  have  sinned  against 
Heaven,  and  before  thee,  and  am  no  more 
worthy  to  be  called  thy  son ;  make  me  as 
one  of  thy  hired  servants." 

He  resolves  to  return  to  his  father.  Now, 
what  is  conversion,  but  the  sinner's  return 
to  God  1  This  is  what  God  calls,  us  to  in 
his  word — "  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his 
way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts ; 
and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he 
will  have  mercy  upon  him;  and  to  our 
God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon."  Isa. 
Iv.  7.  But  with  what  spirit  will  he  return"? 
Will  he  feign  an  excuse,  and  go  with  a  lie 
in  his  mouth  ]  Will  he  say,  "  I  have  been 
very  unfortunate ;  I  have  been  robbed  of 
my  property ;  been  deceived  by  swindlers ; 
or  had  a  shipwreck  at  sea  1"  Or,  will  he 
plead  his  youth,  and  indiscretion,  and  say, 
"  Though  I  have  done  wrong,  I  had  a  good 
heart  ?"  Such,  my  friends,  are  the  wretch- 
ed excuses  of  unhumbled  sinners.  But  the 
Prodigal  now  perceived  the  plague  of  his 
own  heart ;  he  was  "  poor  in  spirit ;"  he 
would  make  no  excuses;  but  own  his 
guilt,  and  confess  he  was  unworthy  to  be 
treated  as  a  son ;  he  would  be  contented 
and  thankful  to  be  admitted  into  tlie 
kitchen  or  the  scullery.  "  Make  me  as 
one  of  thy  hired  servants."  Thus  it  will 
be  with  every  true  penitent ;  he  will  give 
glory  to  God,  by  making  full  confession  of 
his  sin,  and  will  sincerely  admit  that  he  is 
totally  unworthy  of  the  mercy  and  grace 
of  God." 

Observe ;  he  says,  "  I  have  sinned 
against  Heaven''' — against  the  God  of 
Heaven:  against  the  high  authority  of 
God,  and  against  the  wonderful  goodness 
of  God.  It  is  a  foolish  and  hurtful  mistake 
of  some  people,  when  they  speak  of  'a 
drunkard,  or  some  other  wicked  man,  to 


say — "  He  hurts  none  but  himself"     It  is 
true,   sinners  hurt  themselves;  but  they 
also  offend  and  provoke  the  God  of  Hea- 
ven ;  and  in  true  repentance,  the  sinner, 
like  the  Prodigal,  and  like  the  Psalmist, 
will-  say,  "  Against  thee,  thee  only,  have  I 
sinned,  and  done  this  evil  in  thy  sight." 
Before  thee,   said   he;  the  Prodigal  had 
sinned  against  his  father,  by  throwing  off 
his  easy  yoke :  and  let  young  people  re- 
member,  that   disobedient  and   undutiful 
behavior  to  their  parents  is  a  sin  against 
God,  that  needs  his  pardoning  mercy,  and 
must  be  repented  of  Think  of  this,  children. 
Shall   we   pause   a   moment — and    ask 
ourselves,  whether  we  find  in  our  hearts  a 
disposition  like  that  of  the  Prodigal  ?     We 
have  all  sinned  with  him,  but  which  of  us 
repents  with  him?     Depend  upon  it,  we 
shall  not  think  of  returning  to  God,  till  we 
feel  the  misery  of  departing  from  him.  We 
have  forsaken  God,  we  have  set  up  for  our 
own  guides,  we  have  abused  the  gift  of 
God,  we  have  been  the  slaves  of  sin ;  and 
have  we  not  found  emptiness,  insufficiency, 
dissatisfaction,  misery,  and  danger  in  this 
condition  1  If  not,  may  God  open  our  eyes, 
and  help  us  to  discover  it.     If  we  are  con- 
vinced of  these  things,  let  us  make  the 
Prodigal's  resolution,  "  I  will  arise ;"  and 
not  only  make  it,  but  execute  it ;  for  we 
read,  ver.  19,  He  arose  and  came  to  his 
father.    There  are  many  good  resolutions 
formed,  which  come  to  nothing.     It  has 
been  said,  that  "  hell  is  paved  with  good 
resolutions :"  perhaps  there  is  not  one  un- 
happy creature  there,  who  did  not  at  one 
time  or  other  say,  "  I  will  arise  and  go  to 
my  father ;"  but  their  resolutions  died  away 
The  Prodigal,  however,  arose,  and  began 
his  journey — a  long  journey — for  you  will 
remember  that  he  went  into  "  a  far  coun- 
try."  Ah !  who  can  tell  what  pamful  fears 
and  doubts  assaulted  his  mind  in  the  way  ] 
Hunger  had  brought  him  very  low ;  and  he 
might  have  said  "  How  can  these  trem- 
bling limbs  carry  me  so  many  miles  1     I 
must  beg  my  way ;  perliaps  I  may  die  on 
the  road :  and,  oh  !  if  I  live  to  reach  the 
place,   how  can  I  bear  the  sight  of  the 
house?     My  father,   my  offended  father; 
will  refuse  to  see  me  ;  forbid  me  the  house, 
and  after  all  my  labor,  I  may  be  rejected, 
and  justly  too.     But,  however,  tliough  I 
may  perish  if  I  go,  I  must  perish  if  I  stay. 
"  I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  father."^-He 
goes.     He  continues  his  journey  ;  and,  at 
length,  after  many  a  weary  step,  and  many 
a  toilsome  day,  he  catches  a  glimpse  of  the 
mansion;    he   halts;    his   heart   beats;    a 
thousand  fears  rush  into  his  mind.     Ah! 
what  shall  I  do  ?     What  shall  I  say  1 


SERMON  XVIII. 


81 


Just  then,  for  so  Providence  ordered  it, 
"when. he  was  yet  a  great  way  oft",  his 
fatlier  saw  him,  and  had  compassion,  and 
ran,  and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed  him." 
This  is  tlie 

Hid  thing  we  are  to  consider ;  his  kind 
reception.  God's  eyes  are  upon  all  his 
creatures.  "  He  looketh  upon  men,"  to 
see  if  tliere  be  any  that  regard,  any  that 
return ;  and  the  very  first  motions  of  the 
heart  towards  iiim  are  noticed.  "  He  look- 
eth upon  men ;  and  if  any  say,  I  have 
sinned,  and  perverted  that  which  was  right, 
and  it  profited  me  not ;  he  will  deliver  his 
soul  from  going  down  into  the  pit,  and  his 
life  shall  see  the  light."  Job.  xx.\iii.  28. 

He  had  comjMSsicn.  A  parent  can  rea- 
dily conceive  what  tender  feelings  would 
be  excited  by  the  sight  of  a  long-lost  child 
returning  in  tliis  miserable  plight;  and  by 
these  feelings  the  God  of  mercy  is  pleased 
to  express  his  perfect  readiness  to  receive 
and  tbrj^ive  a  repenting  sinner. 

He  run.  The  prodigal,  perhaps,  stopped 
short,  afraid  to  venture  on  ;  but  the  father 
runs ;  forgetting  his  age,  and  the  gravity 
of  his  character,  he  runs  to  meet  him,  im- 
patient to  embrace  hun. 

He  fell  on  his  neck  and.  kissed  him; 
though  ragged,  though  filthy,  though  lately 
come  from  feeding  swme.  Any  other  than 
a  father  would  have  lothed;  but  the  pa- 
rent loves,  and  manifests  his  love  by  ins '.af- 
fectionate embraces. 

W^hat  a  wonderful  display  is  this  of 
the  love  of  Gotl !  It  is  thus  that  God  pre- 
sents us  with  the  hlessing-s  of  his  good- 
ness. It  is  thus  tliat  repenting  sinners  are 
welcomed  by  the  God  of  mercy.  Hear  it, 
O  my  friends,  hear  it  tor  your  encourage- 
ment, that  our  God  is  "  ready  to  pardon, 
gracious  and  merciful,  slow  to  anger,  and 
of  groat  kindness."  Nehem.  ix.  17.  Hear 
his  own  words ;  Jer.  xxxi.  18.  "  I  have 
surely  lieard  Ephraim  bemoaning  himself 
thus :  Thou  hast  chastised  me,  and  I  was 
chastised,  as  a  bullock  unaccustomed  to 
the  yoke :  turn  thou  me,  and  I  shrJl  be 
turned,  for  thou  art  the  Lord  my  God. 
Surely  after  that  I  was  turned,  I  repented ; 
and  after  tiiat  I  was  instructed,  I  smote 
upon  my  thigh;  I  was  ashamed,  yea,  even 
confounded,  because  I  did  bear  the  re- 
proach of  my  youth."  This  is  the  lan- 
guage of  Epiiraim's  repentance.  Now  hear 
the  la  ngiiage  of  God's  compassion,  ver.  20. 
"  Is  Ei)liraim  my  dear  son  ]  Is  he  a  pleasant 
child  '.  For  since  I  spake  agiiinst  him,  1  do 
earnestly  remendier  liim  still ;  therelbre 
my  bowels  .arc  troubled  for  him:  I  will 
surely  have  mercy  upon  iiim,  saitli  the 
Lord."     Yes,  sirs,  God,  for  Christ's  sake, 


keeps  mercy  in  store  fbr  the  chief  of  sin- 
ners who  return  to  him. 

Now  what  elfect  had  this  kind  behavior 
on  tlie  prodigal .'  Did  it  make  him  suppress 
liis  intended  confession  !  Did  it  prevent  the 
humiliation  he  resolved  upon !  No ;  it 
rather  increased  his  contrition  and  godly 
sorrow.  An  awakened  sinner  is  affected 
and  melted  down  with  the  discoveries  of 
(jlod's  free,  full,  and  pardoning  love  in 
Christ  Jesus,  it  apj)ears  so  great,  so  unde- 
served, and  so  e.xcellent. 

"  Law  and  terrors  do  but  harden, 
All  llie  while  tliey  work  alone; 

Dut  a  sense  of"  blood-bought  pardon 
Soon  dissolves  a  heart  ol"  sUjne." 

The  prodigal  no  sooner  meets  his  father, 
than  he  cries,  "Father,  I  have  siimed 
against  heaven  and  m  thy  sight,  and  am 
no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son." — 
He  was  going  on ;  he  would  have  said 
more;  but  the  father  stopped  him,  and  said 
to  his  servants,  who  witli  surprise  had  fol- 
lowed him,  and  gathered  round  to  behold 
the  affecting  scene, — "  Bring  forth  the  best 
robe,  and  put  it  on  him,  and  put  a  ring  on 
his  hand,  and  shoes  on  his  feet ;  and  bring 
hither  the  fatted  calf,  and  kill  .it;  and  let 
us  eat  and  be  merry ;  for  this  my  son  was 
dead,  and  is  alive  again ;  he  was  lost,  and 
is  found."  Ver.  22—24. 

Tiie  prodigal  was  half  naked ;  he  is 
clothed,  and  that  witli  a  robe ;  the  dress  of 
a  prince  rather  than  of  a  servant.  He  had 
the  appearance  of  a  wretclied  slave ;  the 
ornaments  of  a  free  man  were  put  upon 
liim.  He  was  ready  to  starve ;  the  niost 
delicate  food  is  prepared  fbr  hun.  He  was 
almost  overwhelmed  with  grief;  cheerful- 
ness and  joy  now  fill  his  lieart.  Thus,  the 
lower  the  penitent  sinks  into  humility,  the 
higher  will  God  raise  him,  and  heap  upon 
him  the  greater  benefits.  The  reconciled 
sinner  shall  be  treated  as  a  child  ;  he  shall 
be  clothed  with  the  garments  of  sahation, 
with  the  righteousness  of  Clirist ;  he  shall 
have  the  seal  of  adoption,  and  tiie  graces 
of  the  Spirit  enabling  him  to  walk  in  the 
ways  of  God. 

We  have  scarcely  time  to  notice,  in  tiio 
fourth  place,  the  behavior  of  his  ill-natured 
elder  brother ;  suffice  it  to  say,  it  was  a 
picture  of  the  1'hari.sees;  and  represents 
the  character  of  many  "  wlio  value  them- 
selves on  the  regularity  of  their  own  con- 
duct, and  betray  a  strong  aversion  to  the 
ricli  grace  of  the  gospel,  wliich  is  extend- 
ed to  the  I'-reatest  sinner ;  t!;cy  are  olltMid- 
ed  that  no  peculiar  compliment  is  paid  to 
their  excellence,  and  that  others  wiioni 
t!iey  de^pirttsd  are  jnit  uii  a  level  with 
them."     Thus  Clirist  reproves  them. 


82 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


CONCLI'SION. 
Men  and  brethren:  There  are  two  things 
in  this  parable  which  I  trust  you  will  not 
forget — the  folly  of  sinners,  and  the  com- 
passion of  God.  Let  each  one  of  us  con- 
sider, whether  he  has  not  ungratefully  run 
away  from  God — disliked  his  restraints — 
been  wise  in  his  own  conceit — indulged 
forbidden  lusts — and  abused  the  bounties 
of  heaven  !  And  yet  perhaps  totally  insen- 
sible of  the  evil  of  so  base  conduct.  In  the 
midst  of  prosperity  there  was  not  a  thought 
of  returning  to  God ;  and  even  in  afflic- 
tion trying  any  other  method  rather  than 
that.  But  surely  it  is  high  time  to  bethink 
ourselves.  May  divine  grace  bring  us  all 
to  ourselves,  as  the  necessary  means  of 
bringing  us  to  God.  Let  us  resolve,  without 
a  moment's  delay,  to  humble  ourselves  at 
his  feet ;  and  let  us  be  encouraged  to  do 
so,  by  the  affecting  account  we  have  heard 
of  God's  kindness.  "  He  sees  afar  off  the 
returning  sinners ;  he  pities,  he  meets,  he 
pardons,  he  embraces  them.  He  arrays 
them  with  the  robe  of  the  Redeemer's 
rigliteousness ;  adorns  them  with  the  orna- 
ments of  sanctifying  grace ;  honors  them 
with  the  tokens  of  adopting  love ;  and  in- 
vests them  with  all  the  privileges  of  his 
dear  children."  O  that  we  may  feel  the 
charming  force  of  these  heavenly  attrac- 
tions !  May  there  be  joy  in  heaven  and 
earth  this  day  on  our  account !  and  may 
we,  thus  received  into  the  house  of  God, 
abide  there  all  the  days  of  our  life,  ad- 
miring and  adoring  the  sovereign,  free, 
and  everlasting  grace  of  God:  and  saying, 
"  Behold  !  what  manner  of  love  the  Father 
hath  bestowed  upon  us,  that  we  should  be 
called  the  sons  of  God. 

"  The  mighty  God  will  not  despise 
The  contrite  heart  for  sacrifice ; 
The  deep-fetch'd  sigh,  the  secret  groan, 
Rises  accepted  to  tlie  throne. 

"  He  meets  with  tokens  of  his  grace, 
The  trembling  lip,  ihe  blushing  face. 
His  bowels  yearn,  when  sinners  pray, 
And  Mercy  bears  their  sins  away. 

"  When  fill'd  with  grief,  o'erwhelm'd  with  shame, 
fie,  pitying,  lieals  their  broken  frame  ; 
He  hears  their  sad  complaints,  and  spies 
His  image  in  their  weeping  eyes. 

"  Thus,  what  a  rapt'rous  joy,  possess'd 
The  tender  parent's  throbbing  breast, 
To  see  his  spendthrift  son  return. 
And  hear  him  his  past  follies  mourn  V 

And  now  let  us,  who  long  have  been 
The  wretched  slaves  of  hell  and  sin, 
Repent — made  wiser  by  the  rod — 
Come  to  ourselves,  and  then  to  God. 


PRAYF:R.— Tkacii  us,  O  Lord,  w-  beseech 
tliee.  to  learn  from  what  we  have  now  heard, 


the  egregious  folly  of  sinners,  and  the  wonderful 
compassion  of  thy  lieart.  We  see  in  the  Prodi- 
gal an  emblem  of  ourselves.  We,  like  him,  have 
wickedly  departed  from  thee,  despising  thy  pa- 
renlal  care  and  thy  merciful  restraints;  we  have 
indulged  many  forbidden  lusts,  and  ungratefully 
abused  the  bounties  of  heaven.  But,  blessed  be 
ihy  name,  if  thou  hast,  by  any  means  brought  us 
to  ourselves.  Blessed  be  God  for  his  rod,  as  well 
as  for  his  word.  Happy  afflictions  are  those  which 
cause  us  to  bethink  ourselves,  and  incline  us  to 
return  to  our  Father!  If  never  before,  let  us  now 
say,  "  We  will  arise,  and  go  to  our  Father.  Fa- 
ther !  we  humble  ourselves  before  thee ;  we  are 
ashamed ;  we  are  grieved  that  we  have  offended 
thee,  and  injured  ourselves.  But,  surely,  there 
is  forgiveness  witli  thee,  that  thou  mayest  be 
feared.  We  are  encouraged  by  the  Prodigal's 
reception  to  come  to  thee.  O  receive  us;  pity, 
pardon,  and  embrace  us  as  thy  children.  Admit 
us  into  thy  family,  and  to  thy  table.  Clothe  us 
with  the  robe  of  the  Redeemer's  righteousness, 
adorn  us  with  the  ornaments  of  sanctifying  grace 
and  adopting  love.  Never  more  suifer  us  to  de- 
part from  thee ;  but  may  we  dwell  in  thy  house 
for  ever,  to  adore  the  riches  of  thy  sovereign 
grace,  and  to  glorify  thy  goodness  to  all  eternity! 
Amen. 


SERMON  XIX. 

CHRIST  THE  WAY  TO  GOD  AND 
HEAVEN. 

John  xiv.  6. — I  am  the  way. 

If  we  believe  there  is  a  future  state  of 
happiness,  called  heaven,  and  a  future  statp 
of  misery,  called  hell,  there  can  be  no- 
thing of  greater  consequence  to  us,  than 
we  may  obtain  the  one,  and  escape  the 
other.  If  we  have  any  serious  thoughts 
of  these  things,  we  cannot  but  inquire, 
Which  is  the  true  way  to  heaven  1  Every 
thing  that  calls  itself  Religion,  pretends 
to  be  the  way ;  but,  as  there  are  so  many 
different  ways,  they  cannot  all  be  right : 
yea,  we  are  bold  to  say  they  are  all  wrong, 
except  one,  and  tliat  one  is  declared  in  the 
text ;  "  I  am  the  way,  said  Jesus ;  no  man 
Cometh  to  the  Father,  but  by  me."  Our 
Lord  spake  these  words  to  his  disciples 
when  they  were  full  of  trouble,  because 
he  was  about  to  leave  them.  He  comforts 
them  by  saying  he  was  going  to  heaven, 
his  Father's  house,  to  prepare  a  place  for 
them,  and  that  he  would  come  again,  and 
receive  them  to  himself,  that  where  he 
was  they  also  might  be ;  and  then  he  adds, 
"  Wliither  I  go  ye  know,  and  the  way  ye 
know."  But  Thomas,  wlio  was  rather  of 
a  doubtful  turn  of  mind,  replied — Lord, 
afler  all  thou  hast  said,  we  are  stiR  at  a 
less  about  the  place  where  thou  art  going, 
and  how  then  can  we  know  the  way  to 
follow  thee?  Jesus  answered,  /  arn  the 
way ;  which  is  as  if  lie  had  said,  I  am  the 


SERMON  XIX. 


83 


Mediator  between  God  and  man ;  I  am  the 
means  of  intercourse  between  heaven  and 
earth ;  whatever  comes  from  God  to  a  sin- 
ner, comes  through  me ;  and  whatever,  of 
an  acceptable  kind,  goes  from  a  sinful  man 
to  God,  must  pass  through  my  hands.  In 
treating  upon  these  very  important  and 
useful  words,  we  shall  show — 

I.  To  what  Christ  is  a  xcay ;  and 

II.  What  sort  of  a  way  he  is. 

I.  We  are  to  consider,  What  Christ  is  a 
way  to.  Every  way  or  road  leads  from  some 
place  to  another ;  now,  as  he  is  pleased  to 
call  himself  a  way,  in  condescension  to  our 
mean  capacities,  we  are  to  consider  what 
lie  is  the  way  from,  and  what  he  is  the  way 
to.  We  are  to  remember  that  we  are  fall- 
en, guilty  creatures,  in  a  state  of  sin,  and 
liable  to  all  miseries  here  and  hereafter; 
and  that  we  are  far  from  God,  from  riglite- 
ousness,  and  from  lieaven :  now,  if  ever 
we  are  brought  back  to  God  and  a  state  of 
grace  here,  and  to  a  state  of  glory  hereaf- 
ter, it  must  be  in  and  through  Jesus  Christ 
alone.  We  say,  then,  that  Christ  is  the 
way  to  God,  and  the  way  to  heaven. 

The  first  of  these  is  directly  expressed 
bj'  our  blessed  Lord  in  the  te.xt :  /  am  the 
way,  no  man  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by 
me.  When  man  was  first  created,  he  lived 
in  a  happy  state  of  nearness  to  God ;  he 
knew  God,  and  delighted  in  him  as  his 
chief  good ;  but  sin,  cursed  sin,  soon  made 
a  dreadful  separation ;  and  now  we  come 
into  the  world  "  estranged  from  God,  and 
go  astray  from  the  womb ;"  we  desire  ab- 
sence from  God ;  "  he  is  not  in  all  our 
thoughts;"  but  we  seek  happiness  in  sin 
and  folly.  Yet  is  the  I^ord  our  God  pleased 
to  invite  us  back  to  him,  by  the  promises 
and  blessings  of  his  Gospel,  and  by  the  or- 
dinances of  his  house.  And  although  mul- 
titudes despise  these,  and  madly  resolve  to 
pursue  the  way  of  destruction,  yet  a  happy 
few  there  are,  who  hear  the  voice  of  the 
Son  of  God  in  his  word,  are  made  sensi- 
ble, tliat,  being  far  from  him,  they  must 
perish,  and  that  it  is  good  for  them  to  draw 
nigh  to  him.  But  these  persons  have  of- 
tentimes such  an  awfid  view  of  the  glorious 
ami  dreadful  majesty  of  God,  as  an  infi- 
nitely holy  and  just  being,  and  of  the  dis- 
tance that  sin  lias  occasioned,  that  they 
know  not  how  to  approach  him.  The  pro- 
phet Micah  thus  expresses  the  anxious 
desires  of  such  an  one,  chap.  vi.  G.  "Where- 
with shall  I  come  bef()-e  the  Lord,  and  bow 
myself  before  the  high  God  ]  Shall  I  come 
before  him  with  burnt-offerings,  with  calves 
of  a  year  old  ]  Will  the  Lord  be  pleased 
with  thousands  of  rams,  or  with  ten  thou- 
sands of  rivers  of  oil  ?     Shall  I  give  my 


first-born  for  my  transgression,  the  fruit  of 
my  body  lor  the  sin  of  my  soul  ?"  Blessed 
be  the  Lord,  "  he  hath  showed  us  what  is 
good !"  He  hatli  given  us  a  full  answer  to 
these  inquiries  in  our  text.  Jesus  is  the 
way.  It  is  not  by  costly  otlerings  of  blood 
or  oil,  nor  at  the  dreadful  expense  of  sacri- 
ficing a  darling  child  ;  but  Jesus  is  the  way. 
He  not  only  came  to  shoic  us  the  way,  but 
to  be  the  way.  He  did  not  come  to  tell  us 
how  we  may  "  make  our  peace  with  God," 
as  some  express  themselves,  but  to  be  our 
peace ;  for  "  he  made  peace  through  the 
blood  of  his  cross."  It  is  by  the  death  of 
Jesus  that  we  draw  near  to  God ;  so  St. 
Peter  tells  us,  "  He  suffered  for  our  sins, 
the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring 
us  to  God."  ^^^e  were  far  from  him ;  we 
had  neither  the  will  nor  the  power  to  re- 
turn ;  and  sin,  if  not  atoned  tor,  must  have 
made  an  everlasting  separation  between  a 
holy  God  and  vile  sinners ;  but  Jesus,  who 
was  perfectly  just  and  righteous,  endured 
the  most  shameful  and  painful  sufferings 
upon  the  cross  for  us,  that  is,  in  our  room 
and  stead,  that  he  might  reconcile  us  to 
God,  and  bring  us  to  a  holy  confcfrmity  to 
him,  and  happy  communion  with  him  here, 
and  to  the  eternal  enjoyment  of  him  here- 
after. 

In  this  way,  that  is,  in  Jesus,  we  have 
free  access  to  the  glorious  Majesty  of 
heaven ;  we  may,  by  prayer  in  his  name, 
"come  with  boldness  to  the  throne  of 
grace,"  there  to  "  obtain  mercy,  and  find 
grace  to  help  us."  Hear  what  St.  Paul 
says  of  this  matter,  Heb.  x.  19,  &c.  "  Hav- 
ing, therefore,  boldness  to  enter  into  the 
holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and 
living  way  which  he  hath  consecrated  for 
us,  through  the  vail,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh, 
let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full 
assurance  of  faith."  What  a  glorious 
privilege  is  this !  We  may  approacJi  the 
great  God,  as  our  reconciled  God  and  Fa- 
ther ;  we  may  use  holy  freedom  with  him 
in  our  prayers;  we  have  this  libeity  of  ac- 
cess by  the  merit  of  Christ's  blood,  and  by 
the  application  of  it  to  our  consciences 
through  faith  therein.  This  is  the  wny 
prepared  for  our  use,  even  Jesus,  who  is 
"  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life ;"  he  is 
the  truth  and  substance  of  all  tlie  ordinances 
of  the  Old  Testament;  with  particular 
reference  to  the  rending  of  that  vai!  which 
separated  the  holy  of  holies  in  the  temple 
from  the  holy  place ;  and  which  rending 
took  place  at  the  moment  of  or.r  Savior's 
death ;  which  signified  that  now^  the  way 
to  God  and  heaven  is  laid  open  for  all  be- 
lievers ;  and  that  is  the  second  thing  pro- 
posed. 


84 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


2.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  way  to  heaven. 
This  indeed  follows  the  other ;  for  if  we 
come  to  God  by  Jesus  as  our  recon- 
ciled Father,  if  sin  be  pardoned,  and  we 
are  admitted  to  a  life  of  holy  communion 
with  liim  here,  it  is  certain  that  we  shall 
also  liave  "  an  abundant  entrance  into  his 
heavenly  kingdom  and  glory."  Jesus  died, 
to  " redeem  us  to  God"  to  his  favor  and 
image  here,  and  to  his  glory  hereafter.  He 
died,  to  "  bring  many  sons  to  glory ;"  that 
they  may  be  satisfied  with  the  goodness  of 
his  house,  even  to  his  holy  temple;  that 
tliey  may  be  pillars  in  that  temple,  never 
more  to  go  out;  that  they  may  approacli  him 
in  a  more  sublime  way  of  worship  than  at 
present,  without  the  help  of  means  and  or- 
dinances ;  that  they  may  "  see  him  face  to 
face,"  without  a  cloud  to  hide  his  glory 
from  them,  and  without  the  clog  of  sinful 
flesh  and  blood.  Now  Jesus  is  the  only  v/ay 
to  heaven.  This  is  the  record  of  the  Gos- 
pel— "  God  has  given  to  us  eternal  life,  and 
this  life  is  in  his  So?i."  There  it  is,  and 
nowhere  else :  and  whoever  thinks  to  get 
to  heaven  another  way,  misses  the  true 
road,  and  will  be  eternally  disappointed. 
There  are  many  ways  to  hell,  but  only  one 
to  heaven;  and  if  Jesus  be  not  our  way, 
we  shall  never  get  thither.  As  sinners,  we 
have  forfeited  heaven  and  deserved  hell ; 
but  Jesus  Christ  has  not  only  redeemed  his 
people  from  the  curse,  that  they  may  not 
go  to  hell,  but  by  liis  perfect  obedience  or 
righteousness  he  has  procured  for  them  a 
title  to  heaven.  The  righteousness  of 
Christ  is  "to,  and  upon,  all  who  believe  in 
him ;"  it  is  transferred  to  them,  imputed  to 
them,  or  reckoned  to  their  account,  as  if 
they  had  themselves  performed  it ;  and  on 
this  ground  it  is  tliat  they  are  admitted  into 
the  realms  of  light  and  glory;  ^^ therefore 
are  they  before  the  throne,  because  they 
have  washed. ^leir  robes,  and  made  them 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb ;"  and  not 
on  account  of  any  goodness,  virtue,  or  good 
works  of  tlicir  own. 

Besides  this,  there  is  a  Jitncss  for  hea- 
ven, a  meetness  of  disposition  and  capacity 
of  enjoyment,  for  that  Iioly  state,  without 
which  no  man  can  sec  the  Lord:  for  it  is 
plain  that  a  wicked  man,  a  carnal  man, 
could  not  enjoy  heaven,  were  he  admitted 
into  it ;  there  must  tlicrefore  be  a  change 
of  heart,  a  love  of  God  and  liolincss,  as 
well  as  a  title  to  glory.  Tliis  also  we  liavc 
from  Jesus  Christ.  We  are  not  pardoned 
by  his  blood,  and  then  sanctified  by  our 
own  endeavors  (these  also  are  to  be  used,) 
but  "Christ  is  made  unto  us  sanctifica- 
tion."  It  is  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  dwell- 
ing  and  working  in  us,  that  we  are  renew-  J 


ed  in  the  spirit  of  our  minds ;  the  love  and 
power  of  sin  mortified ;  the  world,  with  all 
its  vanities,  crucified  to  us ;  and  we  led  into 
a  spiritual  life  of  communion  with  God 
here,  as  the  preparation  and  pledge  of  our 
eternal  happiness  in  heaven.  Thus  is  Je- 
sus, in  every  point  of  view,  the  way  to 
heaven. 

Having  briefly  shown  that  Christ  is  the 
way  to  God  and  heaven,  let  us  stop  a  mo- 
ment, and  ask  ourselves  whether  we  have 
any  desire  tliat  lie  may  be  onr  way  in  these 
respects  ]  Are  there  not  some  who  are  so 
far  from  wishmg  to  draw  nigh  to  God,  that 
their  hearts  and  lives  plainly  say,  "  Depart 
from  us,  for  we  desire  not  the  knowlege  of 
thy  ways]"  You  dare  not  say  so  in  words; 
but  your  actions  say  so.  God  and  sin  can- 
not reign  in  the  same  heart ;  and  when 
you  choose  sin,  and  indulge  it,  you  do  in 
effect  say — "  God,  begone  !  1  hate  your 
company,  I  love  your  enemy,  I  love  sin, 
and  will  submit  to  the  devil's  rule.  I  will 
have  nothing  to  do  with  you.  I  hate  prayer. 
I  hate  the  Bible.  I  hate  the  saints."  This 
is  horrid  language,  and  you  dislike  the 
sound  of  tlie  words  ;  but  is  not  this  the  fair 
language  of  your  profane  cursing  and 
swearing,  of  your  lust  and  lewdness,  for- 
nication and  uncleanness  ?  Is  not  this  the 
language  of  your  sabbath-breaking,  and  con- 
tempt of  religious  ordinances  and  means  of 
grace  1  When  you  get  drunk,  and  swear, 
and  lie,  or  steal,  or  commit  any  bad  action, 
do  you  not  say.  Depart  from  me,  and  let  sin 
and  Satan  have  me  ?  O  my  friends,  con- 
sider what  will  be  the  end  of  these  things. 
You  must  die,  and  then  appear  before  God ; 
a  holy,  just,  and  offended  God;  and  should 
you  not  inquire.  How  may  I  come  before 
him  acceptably  1  Remember  then  that  Je- 
ans is-  the  way,  and  O  that  you  may  be 
made  "  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power,"  to 
come  to  him  foi*' pardon  and  life  ;  for  "he 
is  able  to  save  to  tlie  uttermost,  all  who 
come  to  God  by  him." 

The  same  may  be  said  of  Christ  as  the 
way  to  heaven.  Oli !  how  many  care  no- 
thing about  heaven  !  "  And  can  it  be  sup- 
posed that  any  man  will  ever  come  to  hea- 
ven, who  never  thought  of  it  before  lie 
came  thitlier  ?  No,  indeed,  it  is  "  tiie  prize 
set  before  us,"  and  the  Christian  must  "so 
run  as  to  obtain  it,"  and  there  is  no  Way  to 
run  in,  but  in  Jesus  Christ.  Most  men 
hope  to  go  to  heaven  wlien  they  die ;  and 
yc^t  few  consider  wliother  they  are  in  the 
riglit  way.  As  Christ  only  is  the  way,  let 
any  person  inquire,  when  any^anff  is  pro- 
posed to  him  as  tlie  way.  Is  it  'G^jpBl^tJf 
men  say,  Good  works  are  the  JTteg^fck, 
Are  good  works  Christ?    If  they  sayi^^Ssp' 


SERMON  XIX. 


§5 


tism  and  the  Lord's  supper  arc  the  way, 
ask  again,  Are  these  Christ !  Is  repentance 
Christ !  Are  ahns  Christ !  This  is  a  very 
easy  method  of  coming  to  tlie  trutli. 
Christ  is  the  w.iy  ;  and  therefore,  whatever 
is  not  Christ  is  not  tlie  way.  He  then, 
onlij,  being  the  way,  let  us, 

11.   Show  what  sort  of  a  way  Christ  is. 

1.  Christ  is  a  new  way ;  so  lie  is  called, 
Ileb.  X.  22.  Not  that  the  way  of  salvation 
by  Christ  is  a  new  invention,  for  he  is 
"  the  Lamb  slain  from  the  tbundation  of  the 
world."  Adam,  Abel,  and  Abraham,  went 
to  heaven  in  this  way;  but  it  is  called 
new,  because  there  was  one  before  it.  The 
tirst  way,  in  which  it  was  proposed  tor 
man  to  be  happy,  was  by  his  own  innocence 
and  perfect  obedience  :  and  if  Adam  had 
not  sinned,  this  would  have  been  his  way 
to  heaven ;  but  as  soon  as  he  sinned,  and 

.'fell,  and  we  in  him,  this  way  was  shut  up 
tor  ever :  so  that  there  never  was  a  soul 
got  to  heaven  m  the  way  of  works,  nor 
ever  will.  This  way,  by  grace,  came  after 
the  other,  and  instead  of  it,  and  is  there- 
fore called  a  new  way. 

It  is  called  new,  because  it  was  newly 
made,  when  the  New  Testament  was 
written.  Jesus  Christ  had  lately  died  to 
become  this  way.  It  Ls  new,  because 
newly  and  more  plainly  revealed  in  Gos- 
pel times  than  it  was  before  ;  and  because 
it  will  always  be  new,  and  never  give  place 
to  any  other. 

2.  It  is  a  living-  way.  This  way  to 
heaven  was  by  Christ's  dying ;  yet  it  is 
called  a  living  way,  because  all  our  life 
springs  from  his  death.  Christ  is  tlie  life 
of  all  who  live  spiritually  or  eternally. 
This  way  is  trodden  onlj-  by  such.  All 
who  are  in  this  way  are  alive  to  God,  and, 
what  is  more,  they  shall  never  die.  The 
eternal  life  of  all  who  ai'e  in  Christ,  and 
walk  in  him,  is  secure ;  for  because  ho 
live.s,  they  sliall  live  also.  No  man  ever 
died  upon  this  road.  "  I  am,"  saith  Clirist, 
"  the  resurrection  and  tlio  life ;  lie  Ihat  be- 
lievelh  in  me,  tliougli  he  were  dead,  yet 
shall  he  live ;  and  whosoever  livetli  and 
believeth  in  me  sliall  never  die." — Tiie 
body  indeed  must  die,  because  of  sin, 
tliough  that  is  more  properly  called  slcrp, 
in  the  New  TcL-tament,  and" the  body  shall 
be  raised  in  glory;  "  but  the  spirit  is  life, 
because  of  rigliteou.snoss,"  and  shall  never 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life. 

3.  It  is  a  pidin  way.  come  ways  are 
hard  to  find ;  have  many  turnings  and 
windhigs  and  cross-paths ;  but  this  way 
is  easy  to  find,  and  to  keep.  The  prophet 
Isaiah,  speaking  of  it,  says,  "  the  way- 
faring men,  though  fools,  shall  not  err 


therein."  Isa.  xxxv.  8.  It  is  an  infinite 
mercy,  that  the  things  which  belong  to  our 
peace  are  not  difficult.  There  are,  it  is 
true,  deep  and  difficult  things  in  the  Bible ; 
but  the  grand  truths  which  concern  our 
salvation  are  perfectly  plain  and  easy. 
What  can  be  plainer  than  what  is  said 
about  our  fallen,  sinful,  helpless  state,  as 
suuiers  !  or  about  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  only 
all-sufficient  Savior!  or  about  our  duty, 
and  saved  sinners,  towards  God  as  man  7 
It  is  a  great  blessing  to  poor  people,  that 
these  things  are  so  plain,  and  that  God  by 
his  Spirit  makes  them  so,  even  to  "  babes 
and  sucklings ;"  for  "  the  entrance  of  his 
words  giveth  light:  itgiveth  understanding 
to  the  simple." 

4.  It  is  a  free  way.  There  are  private 
ways  that  belong  to  great  men,  and  they 
are  open  to  few ;  it  would  be  a  trespass  for 
a  stranger  to  be  found  in  them  ;  but  this  is 
a  public  way,  the  king's  high-way.  St. 
Paul  says,  it  is  consecrated,  that  is,  ap- 
pointed, dedicated,  devoted  to  this  purpose, 
and  free  for  the  use  of  all  who  desire  to 
travel  in  it.  There  are  no  bars  or  toll- 
gates,  where  travellers  must  pay  for  per- 
mission to  enter  or  proceed  ;  for  salvation 
is  "  without  money  and  without  price." 
Isa.  Iv.  1.  It  is  a  way  prepared  on  purpose 
for  the  use  of  sinners,  who  are  returning 
to  God ;  and  no  objections  are  made  to 
such  persons.  No  worthiness,  nor  qualifi- 
cations, nor  conditions,  are  required  of  the 
traveller ;  whosoever  will,  may  come  and 
welcome.     It  is  a  free  way. 

5.  It  is  a  safe  and  sure  way.  It  is  a 
firm  solid  road,  there  is  no  danger  of  sink- 
ing in  it,  for  Christ  is  the  rock  of  ages.  It 
suffers  no  alterations  by  rains  and  floods, 
as  other  ways  do ;  it  is  passable  at  aJI 
times ;  there  is  nothing  at  any  time  to 
hinder  our  access  to  God,  and  progrc-^s  to 
heaven.  Nor  is  there  any  occasion  to  fear 
enemies  upon  it.  There  are  such ;  but 
they  cannot  prevail.  "  The  devil  (says 
one)  has  been  busy  upon  this  road  tor 
about  five  thousand  years,  but  yet  never 
slew  one  believer;  for  every  traveller  is 
"  kept  by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith, 
to  salvation."  -So  that  he  may  walk  on 
with  boldness,  and  fear  no  evil ;  rejoicing 
to  think  that  every  believer,  that  once  set 
liis  foot  in  this  way,  has  been  enabled  to 
proceed,  and  not  one  of  them  failed  of 
"  receiving  the  end  of  his  foith,  even  the 
salvation  of  his  soul." 

6.  It  is  a  pleasant  way.  The  Scripture 
says,  "  the  ways  of  wisdom  are  pleasant- 
ness, and  all  her  paths  are  peace."  Satan 
invites  men  to  travel  in  the  ways  of  sin, 
under  the  notion  of  their  being  pleasant 

8 


86 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


and  there  certainly  are  pleasures  in  sin ; 
but  they  are  for  a  short  season;  they  are 
now  mingled  with  bitter  pains  and  pangs 
of  conscience,  and  they  will  issue  in  misery 
everlasting.     But  "  the  ransomed  of  the 
Lord,"  who  return  to  the  heavenly  Zion, 
"  shall  come  with  songs  and  everlasting 
joy    upon    their    heads."     Believers    are 
called   upon   to    "  rejoice   always   in   the 
Lord."     Those  who  travel  in  this  way  are 
not  only  secure  from  harm,  as  you  have 
heard,  but  the  Lord  has  engaged  for  their 
supply  on  the  road  ;  he  has  promised  that 
"  they  shall  be  abundantly  satisfied  with 
the  fatness  of  his  house,  and  drink  of  the 
rivers  of  his  pleasure."     They  shall  "  sit 
under  his  shadow  with  great  delight,  and 
his  fruit  be  sweet  to  their  taste."     They 
shall  enjoy  the  company  of  the  saints  as 
their  fellow-travellers,   with   whom  their 
communion  shall  be  sweet.    Yea,  the  Lord 
of  the  way  himself  has  promised  to  bear 
them  company,  and  has  said  "  Fear  not, 
for  I  am  with  thee ;"  and  "  I  will  never 
leave  nor  forsake  thee." 

Lastly,  It  is  the  only  way.     Many  ways 
to  God  and  heaven  have  been  proposed  by 
mistaken  men,  under  the  influence  of  the 
great  deceiver,  the  devil :    and  it  is  too 
commonly  supposed  that  any  way  will  do, 
if  a  man  is  but  sincere  in  it.     But  this 
cannot  be  true ;  for  if  any  way  of  man's 
invention  might  suffice,  what  occasion  was 
there  for  Christ  to  come  from  heaven,  obey 
the  law,  and  endure   the  curse,  that  he 
might   become   our  way  ]  for,  "  if  right- 
eousness come  by  the  law,"  or  men  can  be 
tlieir  own  Saviors,  or  partake  of  the  mercy 
.of  God  without  an  atonement,  all  the  vast 
•expense  of  Christ's  sufferings  and  death 
might  have  been  spared ;  yea,  in  that  case 
"  the  grace  of  God  is  set  aside,  and  Christ 
is  dead  in  vain."     Gal.  ii.  21.     But  Christ 
crucified  is  the  only  way  ;  so  St.  Peter 
solemnly  declares,  Acts.  iv.  12.    "  Neither 
is  there  salvation  in  any  other ;  for  there 
is  no  name  under  heaven,  given  among 
men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved."    There 
is  salvation  in  his  name ;  it  was  procured 
by  him,  and  he  ever  lives  to  bestow  it;  it 
is  also  published  by  divine  authority ;  it  is 
given  forth  in  the  preached  gospel;  but 
there  is  no  other,  under  heaven,  given  for 
that  purpose ;  none  given  by  God's  orders ; 
if  any  others  are  given,  it  is  by  impostors 
and  deceivers.     Jesus  only  is  the  way  to 
God   and    heaven.     Thus   you    see    that 
Christ   is  a  new  way — a  living  way — a 
free  way — a  safe  way — a  pleasant  way, 
and  the  only  way. 

APPLICATION. 
My  dear  friends,  suffer  me  to  remind 


you,  that  as  certainly  there  is  a  way  to 
heaven,  and  Christ  is  that  way,  so  certainly 
there  is  a  way  to  hell,  and  sin  is  tliat  way  ; 
and  so  surely  as  the  believer  in  Christ  sliall 
arrive  at  heaven,  so  surely  shall  the  sinner 
going  on  in  his  wicked  way,  go  to  hell  at 
last.     O,  Sirs,  do  not  despise  this !   Do  not 
laugh  at  it !    It  becomes  you  to  be  serious 
in    serious    matters.      "  Now,    therefore, 
thus  saith  the  Lord,  consider  your  ways." 
The  Scripture  speaks  of  a  false  way,  a 
crooked  way,   a  j^^^verse  way,  a  tvicked 
way.     Now  what  is  your  way  !    Is  it  the 
way  of  the  flesh,  the  way  of  the  world  ! 
Then,  give  me  leave  to  tell  you,  "  it  lead- 
eth   to  destruction."     The   Lord's  eye  is 
upon  you.     He  knows  the  way  you  take  ; 
"  and  the  way  of  the  wicked  is  an  abomi- 
nation to  him."     Now,  it  is  possible  you 
may  be  deceived  concerning  the  way  you 
are  in ;  you  may  think  it  safe,  while  you 
are  in  the  utmost  danger  ;  for  the  way  of 
the  wicked  seducelh  them,  Prov.  xii.  20 ; 
and  the  Scriptures  declare,  that  there  is  a 
way  which  seemeth  right  to  man  ;  but  the 
end  thereof  are  the  ways  of  death.    Prov. 
xiv.  12.     Is  it  not  then  your  wisdom,  to 
examine  very  carefully  whether  you  are 
in  the  right  way  or  not  ?  and  as  the  heart 
is  very  deceitfiil,  let  me  recommend  it  to 
you  to  pray  for  the  Lord's  help,  lest,  after 
all,  you  should  be  deceived.     Let  me  ad- 
vise you  to  use  that  prayer  which  you  will 
find  in  the  139th  Psalm,  the  23d  verse — 
Search  me,  O  God,  and  know  my  heart ; 
try  me,  and  know  my  thoughts :  and  see 
if  there  he  any  wicked  way  in  me,  and 
lead  me  in  the  way  everlasting. 

Listen  to  the  voice  of  heaven,  which  in 
vites  you  in  these  words — Let  the  wicked 
forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man 
his  thoughts:  and  let  him  return  unto  the 
Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  vj)on  him, 
and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly 
pardon,  Isa.  iv.  7.  Let  it  be  your  prayer, 
that  God  would  teach  you  his  way  and 
convert  you  from  the  error  of  your  own 
ways  :  and  for  this  purpose,  read  and  hear 
the  word  of  God.  Say  to  your  companions, 
in  the  words  of  the  Prophet — Co7ne  ye, 
and  let  us  go  to  the  house  of  God,  and  he 
will  teach  us  of  his  ways,  and  we  will 
walk  in  his  paths.  Isa.  ii.  3.  O  that 
God  may  direct  your  feet  into  the  ways  of 
peace ! 

Is  Christ  the  way  to  God  ?  then,  believ- 
ers, make  daily  use  of  him  as  such.  Come 
boldly  to  a  throne  of  grace.  This  is  a  way 
consecrated  for  you,  and  free  for  your  use. 
Draw  near  to  God,  and  he  will  draw  near 
to  you.  Remember,  he  is  a  living  way. 
Live  upon  him,  and  live  to  him.  Let  others 


SERMON  XX. 


87 


see  you  are  in  Christ,  by  your  walking 
not  according  to  the  flesh,  but  according  to 
the  Spirit.  Remember,  he  is  a  sure  way ; 
you  may  walk  with  confidence  in  it,  with- 
out fear  of  miscarrying :  "  He  is  faithful 
who  has  promised."  Christ  hath  promised 
to  keep  his  sheep,  and  that  none  shall  pluck 
them  out  of  his  hand.  The  world  may  op- 
pose, and  Satan  oppose,  but  greater  is 
"  He  that  is  in  you,  than  he  that  is  in  the 
world,"  and  "  if  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be 
again.st  us !" 

Is  Christ  the  way  to  heaven?  and  are 
any  of  you  in  him  .'  look  forward  with  joy- 
ful hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  Bless  him 
for  bringing  you  out  of  the  paths  of  destruc- 
tion, and  leading  you  into  the  way  of  peace. 
Love  Jesus,  for  becoming  your  way  at  such 
an  expense  to  himself;  and  be  concerned 
to  walk  even  as  he  walked.  Thus  shall 
you  recommend  this  way  to  others,  and 
constrain  them  to  say.  We  will  go  with 
you,  for  God  is  with  you  of  a  truth. 

"Jesus,  my  all,  to  heaven  is  gone, 
He  whom  I  fix  my  hopes  upon : 
His  track  I  see,  and  I'll  pursue 
The  narrow  way  till  him  I  view. 

"  The  way  the  holy  prophets  went, 
The  road  that  leads  from  banishment  ; 
The  king's  high-way  of  holiness 
I'll  go,  for  all  his  paths  are  peace. 

"  Thus  will  I  tell  to  sinners  round, 
What  a  dear  Savior  I  have  found ; 
I'll  point  to  thy  redeeming  blood, 
And  say,  Behold  the  way  to  God !" 


SERMON  XX. 


PRAYER.— Glory  be  to  thee,  O  God,  that  life 
and  immortahty  are  brought  to  light  by  the  gos- 
pel ;  and  although,  as  siimers,  we  have  deserved 
thy  dreadful  wrath  in  a  future  state,  yet,  that 
there  is  a  world  of  light,  and  glory,  and  happi- 
ness provided  for  the  redeemed ;  and  tliat  tliou 
hast,  in  infmite  mercy,  revealed  to  us  the  path  of 
life.  We  rejoice  to  learn  that  there  is  a  way  to 
the  Father  and  to  Heaven,  and  that  Jesus  Christ 
himself  is  the  way.  Holy  Fatlier,  we  humbly 
approach  thee  in  his  name.  In  the  new  and  liv- 
ing way,  consecrated  for  us  by  his  precious  blood, 
we  come  to  thee ;  and  we  desire  to  do  tiiis  with 
confidence  and  boldness,  in  the  full  and  assured 
belief  of  the  truth,  and  with  cheerful  hope  of  a 
gracious  acceptance,  believing  that  this  is  the 
true  way,  the  living  way,  the  sure  way :  and  in 
this  way  we  desire  to  walk  all  the  days  of  our 
life.  And  while  we  are  in  this  world,  we  desire 
to  walk  so  as  to  please  (iod,  not  according  to  the 
flesh,  but  according  to  the  Spirit;  not  according 
to  the  way  of  tiie  world,  but  in  the  highway  of 
holiness,  adorning  tlie  doctrine  of  God  our  Savior 
in  all  things.  And  we  desire  to  look  forward 
with  joyful  liope  of  future  and  everlasting  glory ; 
that  after  a  life  of  (-onininnion  with  God  here,  we 
may  be  brought  to  Heaven,  there  to  be  satisfied 
with  the  goodness  of  his  house,  even  of  his  holy 
temple,  and  to  serve  him  in  a  superior  manner  for 
ever  and  ever !    Amen. 


COMING  SINiNERS  WELCOME  TO  CHRIST. 

John  vi.  37.— He  tliat  cometli  to  me,  I  will  in  no 
wise  cast  out. 

Two  things  are  necessary  to  encourage 
a  convinced  sinner  to  come  to  Christ  for 
salvation:  the  one  is,  that  he  is  able  to 
save ;  the  other  is,  that  he  is  willing.  Of 
the  former,  few  comparatively  doubt.  And 
who  can  doubt  at  all,  if  he  believes  that 
Christ  is  the  great  Creator  of  the  world  1 
For  "  is  any  thing  too  hard  for  the  Lord  V* 
Nor  is  there  the  least  reason  to  doubt  of 
his  good-will  to  save.  And  yet  how  many 
are  distressed  with  fear  on  this  account? 
There  are  few  who  say — "  If  thou  canst 
do  any  tliing,  help  us !"  but  there  are  many 
who  cry — "  Lord,  if  thou  loilt,  thou  canst 
make  me  clean  !"  Happy  the  soul  that 
comes  thus  far.  Jesus  will  answer,  as  he 
did  of  old,—"  /  icill,  Be  thou  clean."  This 
assurance  he  gives  us  in  many  parts  of  the 
Scripture,  but  in  none  so  fully  as  in  the 
text.  Our  Lord  is  here  speaking  to  a  mul- 
titude of  the  Jews,  who,  having  seen  the 
miracle  of  feeding  five  thousand  people 
with  five  loaves,  followed  him  a  great  way, 
in  hope  of  seeing  such  another  miracle, 
and  perhaps  of  living  upon  his  bounty.  But 
he  exhorts  them  to  seek  the  bread  of  life 
for  their  souls;  laments  their  unbelief;  but 
comforts  himself  in  this,  that  all  who  were 
given  to  him  by  the  Father  should  cer- 
tainly come  to  him ;  and  declares  his  per- 
fect readiness  to  receive  every  coming  soul. 
This,  my  friends,  is  indeed  good  news; 
glad  tidings  of  great  joy  to  those  of  you 
who  are  seeking  salvation,  and  who  know 
that  it  is  to  be  had  only  in  Jesus;  espe- 
cially if  your  fearful  hearts  have  been 
tempted  to  think  he  will  not  receive  you. 
Be  no  longer  faithless,  but  believing;  he 
says,  that  if  you  come,  he  will  in  no  wise 
cast  you  out — he  will  on  no  account  what- 
ever reject  or  refuse  you,  but  readily  em- 
brace you  in  the  arms  of  liis  mercy,  and 
give  you  pardon,  peace,  holiness,  and  hea- 
ven. Now,  that  we  may  clearly  understand 
this,  and  get  the  full  comfort  of  it,  let  us 
consider, 

I.  What  is  meant  by  coming  to  Christ , 
and, 

II.  The  encouragement  held  out  m  our 
text  to  all  corners. 

I.  What  is  meant  by  coming  to  Christ. 
None  can  suppose  it  is  coining  to  him  with 
our  bodies.  This  is  now  impossible;  for 
the  heavens  have  received  him  out  of  our 
sight;  and  tliough  his  divine  presence  is 


88 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


everywhere,  his  glorified  botly  is  only  in 
heaven.  And  were  he  on  earth,  as  he  once 
was,  coming  to  him  with  our  bodies  only 
would  be  of  no  use,  as  appears  froai  this 
chapter,  ver.  56,  wiiere  he  says  to  the  peo- 
ple who  were  round  about  liim — "  Ye  also 
have  seen  me,  and  believed  not."  Nor  is  it 
merely  commg  to  his  house,  where  he  is 
preached ;  nor  to  his  table,  where  he  is  set 
forth.  Many  do  all  this,  who  are  none  the 
nearer  to  Christ.  Ezek.  xxxiii.  31.  But 
this  coming  is  to  be  understood  spiritually ; 
it  is  the  coming  of  the  heart ;  it  is  the  mo- 
tion of  the  mind ;  it  is  "  the  flight  of  the 
soul  to  Christ."  It  is  therefore  much  the 
same  as  believing  in  Christ ;  see  ver.  35 ; 
"  and  Jesus  said  unto  tliem,  I  am  the  bread 
of  life ;  he  that  cometh  to  me  shall  never 
hunger ;  and  he  that  believeth  on  me  shall 
never  thirst ;"  the  same  person  is  intended, 
and  tlie  same  act  of  the  mind. 

But  you  will  observe,  that  such  a  comer 
to  Christ  is  convinced  of  his  sin  and  dan- 
ger, and  comes  to  Christ  for  help ;  just  as 
it  is  said  by  the  prophet  Isaiah  (xxvii.  13.) 
"The  great  trumpet  shall  blow,  and  be 
blown,  and  they  shall  come  which  were 
ready  to  perish."  No  man  will  go  and 
beg  for  bread  till  he  is  pinched  with  want. 
The  prodigal  son  never  said,  "  I  will  arise, 
and  go  to  my  father,"  till  he  was  ready  to 
perish  with  hunger.  It  is  a  sense  of  sin 
and  a  fear  of  liell,  together  with  a  hope  of 
mercy,  that  puts  a  man  upon  coming  to 
Christ;  for  he  himself  declares,  when 
speaking  to  the  Jews,  "  Ye  will  not  come 
to  me,  that  ye  might  have  life."  Life,  you 
see,  is  what  a  sinner  must  come  for ;  the 
life  of  his  soul,  for  he  now  sees  that  he  is 
exposed  by  sin  to  eternal  death.  Now,  "  all 
that  a  man  hath,  will  he  give  for  his  life." 
When  this  is  in  danger,  he  will  be  in 
earnest ;  he  will  be  in  haste  ;  and  the  lan- 
guage of  the  coming  sinner  is — "  What 
shall  I  do  to  be  safe  1" — "  Lord,  save,  or  I 
perish !" 

This  coming  of  his  soul  to  Christ  sup- 
poses faitii.  No  man  can  come  to  him  tUl 
he  has  heard  of  him;  and  no  man  can 
hear  of  him  but  by  the  Gospel.  Now  the 
Gospel  means  good  news ;  glad  tidings. 
The  Gospel  tells  us  that  "  Jesus  Clu-ist  is 
come  into  the  world  to  save  sinners ;"  tliat 
"  he  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which 
is  lost :"  that  "  his  blood  cloanseth  from  all 
sin."  The  Gospel  also  calls  and  invites 
poor  sinners  to  apply  to  Jesus,  that  they 
may  have  life.  For  instance,  Jesus  says, 
Matt.  xi.  28.  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  la- 
bor and  are  lie.avy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest."  Now  t!ic  sinner  hears  these 
gracious  words.     The  Holy  Spirit  gives 


him  light  to  understand  £hem.  He  mixes 
faith  with  them.  He  believes  them  to  be 
true.  Now  he  cannot  believe  tliese  things 
without  being  ahected  with  them  ;  without 
having  a  desire  to  be  mterested  in  them. 
If  he  is  persuaded  of  the  freeness,  fullness, 
and  suitableness  of  the  salvation  that  is  m 
Christ,  his  thoughts  must  and  will  be  much 
engaged  about  it;  his  afiections  will  be 
moved ;  in  other  words,  he  comes  to  Christ, 
his  mind  flies  to  huna  for  refuge,  and  there 
it  rests. 

Now  this  application  of  the  soul  to  Je- 
sus has  a  respect  to  the  various  offices  and 
characters  which  he  sustains  for  our  salva- 
tion. For  instance.  Is  he  called  a  tSarior, 
that  is,  a  deliverer  1  the  soul  desires  and 
hopes  for  deliverance  from  sin  and  liell  by 
him  alone.  Is  he  a  Prophet  ?  the  soul, 
sensible  of  its  woful  ignorance,  comes  to 
him,  with  an  humble  teachable  spirit,  to  be 
taught  and  made  wise  to  salvation.  Is  he  a 
Physician  ?  the  convinced  sirmer,  sick  to 
death  of  sin,  eagerly  applies  to  him  for 
health  and  cure.  Is  he  a  Priest  J  the  sin- 
ner, longing  for  pardoning  mercy,  depends 
alone  upon  the  merit  of  his  sacrifice.  Is  he 
a  King  ?  the  soul,  heartily  weary  of  Sa- 
tan's tyranny,  willingly  submits  to  his  mild 
government,  and  relies  on  his  heavenly 
protection.  In  a  word,  he  "  receives  Christ 
Jesus  the  Lord,"  as  offered  to  him  in  the 
Gospel. 

Here  let  us  stop  a  moment,  and  put  a 
question.  We  have  been  told  what  believ- 
ing is  ;  what  coming  to  Christ  is  ;  now,  my 
friends,  the  question  is,  Do  we  thus  come 
to  Christ  ?  He  tliat  cometh  shall  be  saved ; 
hut  he  that  cometh  not,  shall  not  be  saved. 
O  let  us  not  neglect  this  great  concern ! 
"  How  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  tliis 
great  salvation  V  Thmk  of  a  dying  hour. 
Think  of  tJie  judgment  day. 

And  O!  how  dreadful  would  it  be,  if 
Christ  should  say  to  any  one  of  us — 
"  Wretched  creature,  ruined  sinner,  your 
destruction  lies  at  3'our  own  door !  You 
were  told  of  your  danger ;  you  were  in- 
vited to  believe  m  mc  ;  you  were  assured, 
that  if  you  came  to  me,  I  would  save  you; 
but  you  refused ;  you  would  not  come  to 
me,  that  ybu  might  have  life.  Perish 
therefore.  Perish  v;ithout  pity.  Perish 
without  remedy !"  God  forbid  tliat  we 
sliould  hear  such  dreadful  words  !  rather 
let  us,  one  and  all,  this  very  moment,  fly, 
in  tlie  wishes  and  desires  of  our  hearts,  to 
this  compassionate  Friend  of  sinners. 

But  perliaps  there  are  some  here  who 
earnestly  desire  to  be  saved,  yet  their 
hearts  are  full  of  fear,  lest  they  should  be 
rejected.     They  have  such  a  sight  of  the 


SERMON  XX. 


89 


greatness  of  their  sine — of  their  ignorance 
— of  their  unworthiness — of  the  wicked- 
ness of  their  hearts,  that  they  are  afraid 
to  come,  lest  tiie  Lord  should  cast  tliem 
out. 

This  is  a  very  common  case.  You  must 
think  that  scarcely  any  one  feels  and  fears 
as  you  do.  Were  you  to  talk  with  serious 
per.sons  m  general,  you  would  lind  that  al- 
most all  of  tiiem,  especially  at  first,  have 
had  the  very  same  fears,  and  have  been  so 
uuicli  distressed  at  times,  that  they  were 
almost  in  despair.  Jesus  Christ  knew  be- 
foreliand  tliat  it  would  be  tluis;  and  he 
therefore  graciously  spoke  these  kind  en- 
couraging words,  on  purpose  to  comfort 
poor,  doubting,  trembling,  coming  sinners 
— "  Hun  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  hi  no 
wise  cast  out."  Tliat  we  may  take  the 
comfort  of  these  precious  words,  let  us, 

II.  Consider  the  encouragement  held 
out  in  the  text  to  all  comers;  I  say  to  all 
comers — "  him  that  cometh ;"  let  him  be 
who  lie  may :  high  or  low :  rich  or  poor : 
young  or  old:  learned  or  ignorant:  yea, 
even  great  sinners ;  the  chief  of  sinners ; 
all  who  come  shall  be  welcome.  Great 
smners  need  great  encouragement;  and 
liere  they  have  it.  What  words  could 
have  been  spoken  more  comfortable  to  the 
distressed  sinner!  Many  are  afraid  that 
there  is  something  peculiar  in  their  case ; 
something,  on  account  of  which  they  sliall 
certainly  be  cast  out:  but  our  gracious 
Lord,  who  well  knew  what  timid  creatures 
his  people  are,  lias  provided  in  these  words 
an  effectual  antidote  to  their  fears.  This 
word,  Him,  takes  in  all  sorts  of  persons, 
in  all  ages  and  places :  all  sorts  of  sinners, 
even  the  greatest :  it  includes  liars,  drunk- 
ards, harlots,  tliieves,  murderers,  and  all 
other  kinds  and  degrees  of  siimers  whom- 
soever. If  any  doubt  of  the  truth  of  this, 
let  them  turn  to  tlic  following  texts;  Isa. 
i.  18.  Matt.  xii.  31.  ]\Iatt.  xxi.  31.  Mark 
xvi.  15,  16.  Acts  xiii.  39.  Only  let  them 
come,  they  shall  be  received ;  no  difficul- 
ties made ;  no  objections  started :  what- 
ever they  have  been,  whatever  they  liave 
^done,  they  shall  not  be  cast  out.  Nay, 
more,  Jesus  says — "  I  will  in  no  wise  cast 
him  out."  I  will  not  by  any  means,  or  on 
any  account  whatsoever,  let  it  be  what  it 
may,  cast  him  out:  though  he  may  de- 
serve it:  though  he  may  dread  it;  let  him 
take  my  word  for  it.  I  will  receive  and 
embrace  him;  I  will  show  him  all  the 
mercy  lie  needs,  for  pardon,  peace,  and  holi- 
ness :  I  will  save  him  for  ever.  Sucii  is  the 
import  of  these  most  glorious  words.  And 
this  might  be  cnougii,  were  it  not  tliat  sin- 
ners, who  ajo  coming  to  Christ,  are  com- 
M 


monly  fruitful  in  fears  and  objections,  and 
can  scarcely  be  persuaded  of  this  truth : 
it  seems  too  great  and  too  good  to  be  true, 
at  least  as  applied  to  them,  who  see  their 
unworthiness  and  feel  tlieir  guilt.  For  the 
greater  satislaction,  then,  of  such  trem- 
bling souls,  let  us  attend  to  a  few  consid- 
erations, from  which  it  will  appear,  that 
Jesus  Christ  will  heartily  welcome  every 
coming  sinner. 

1.  Consider  the  gracious  nature,  the 
kind  disposition  of  Christ  towards  sinners. 
"God  is  love."  Jesus  is  love  incarnate. 
He  is  the  God  of  love  in  human  nature. 
"  His  licart  is  made  of  tenderness,  his  bow- 
els melt  with  love."  We  are  to  remember 
that  he  is  the  brother  of  our  nature.  Be- 
cause we  are  flesh  and  blood,  he  became 
such,  that  he  might  be  a  merciful  high- 
priest,  and,  through  deatli,  abolish  death. 
Heb.  ii.  14.  17.  "  Ye  know  the  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that,  tliough  he  was 
rich,  he  became  poor,  that  we  through  his 
poverty  miglit  be  rich."  Had  he  not  loved 
sinners,  he  had  never  forsaken  the  throne 
of  heavenly  glory ;  condescended  to  be 
born  of  a  poor  virgin ;  to  be  laid  in  a  man- 
ger ;  to  be  always  a  man  of  sorrows,  la- 
bors, and  sufferings ;  to  endure  the  contra- 
diction of  sinners  against  himself;  and, 
after  all,  to  be  betrayed,  falsely  accused, 
scourged,  smitten,  spit  upon,  crowned  with 
thorns,  and  nailed  to  a  cross.  Who,  that 
considers  this,  can  doubt  whether  Jesus 
loves  sinners ! 

Tlie  names  of  Christ,  both  in  the  Old 
and  New  Testament,  point  out  his  gracious 
nature.  Simeon  waited  for  the  consolation 
of  Israel.  Now,  if  Jesus  had  not  a  gra- 
cious heart,  his  appearance  in  the  world 
would  liave  been  no  consolation  to  sinful 
men.  The  prophet  Isaiah  says,  "  He  sliall 
feed  his  flock  like  a  Shepherd:  he  shall 
gather  the  lambs  with  liis  arm,  and  carry 
them  in  his  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead 
those  that  are  witli  young."  Jesus  is  this 
good  and  gracious  shepherd,  who  even  laid 
down  his  life  for  the  sheep;  who  feeds 
them  in  his  pleasant  pastures,  and  guards 
them  with  his  almighty  hand.  He  is  tlie 
tender  and  skilful  Piiysician,  who  heals 
the  sick,  disordered,  and  dying  souls :  who 
never  refuses  a  patient,  nor  fails  in  the  most 
desperate  case.  He  is  the  Good  Samaritan, 
who  pities  and  helps  the  wounded  and  dying 
traveller,  neglected  and  forsaken  of  men. 
He  is  the  Husband  of  his  church,  a  name 
that  implies  tender  care  and  a  kind  aflec- 
tion;  and  whose  love  is  tiie  pattern  for 
mortals  to  imitate.  In  short,  he  is,  as  his 
enemies  reproachfully  fai(J,  tlie  Friend  of 
sinners;  not  of  sin,  as  they  pretended^ 
8* 


90 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


but  that  best  of  friends,  who  "  delivers  us 
from  our  sins." 

2.  Consider  the  Office  of  Christ,  as  an- 
other argument  to  prove  his  readiness  to 
receive  a  coming  sinner.  Jesus  Clirist,  as 
touching  his  godhead,  is  equal  with  the 
Father ;  but  he  condescended  to  become  a 
servant  for  our  salvation.  As  such  he  of- 
ten speaks  of  being  "sent;"  and  of  doing 
"  not  his  own  will,  but  the  will  of  his  Fa- 
ther." And  what  is  the  will  of  the  Fa- 
ther, think  you  ?  "  7%js,"  saith  Jesus,  "is 
the  Father's  will  ichich  hath  sent^me,  that 
of  all  which  he  hath  given  me  I  should 
lose  nothing :  but  that  every  one  which 
seeth  the  Son,  and  believeth  on  him,  may 
have  everlasting  life."  John  vi.  39,  40. 
Jesus  Christ  is  "  the  Apostle  and  High- 
Priest  of  our  profession."  The  high-priest 
was  an  officer  of  the  Jewish  church,  whose 
business  it  was  to  offer  gifts  and  sacrificee ; 
it  was  necessary  for  him  to  be  tender- 
hearted to  the  ignorant,  and  those  who 
were  out  of  the  way,  and  to  be  faithful  to 
God  and  man.  Thus  Jesus,  our  great 
High-Priest,  is  compassionate ;  "  is  touch- 
ed with  the  feelings  of  our  infirmities; 
was  tempted  in  all  points  like  as  we  are ; 
and  being  made  perfect  through  sufferings 
became  the  author  of  eternal  salvation 
unto  all  them  that  obey  him."  Heb.  iv.  15. 
v.  9.  Now  it  is  the  office  and  business  of 
Jesus  Christ  to  save  sinners.  The  high- 
priest  of  old  had  nothing  to  do  but  with 
Burners.  It  was  an  office  on  purpose  for 
sinners ;  and  this  was  the  only  errand  of 
Christ  to  our  world.  He  came  "not  to 
condemn  the  world  :  he  declined  any  thing 
of  that  sort;  as  you  may  remember  re- 
specting the  woman  taken  in  adultery,  he 
would  not  condemn  her."  John  viii.  He  ab- 
horred her  sin,  but  it  was  not  his  office  to 
condemn ;  he  came  only  to  save.  And  as 
to  proud,  self-righteous  people,  he  had  no- 
thing to  do  with  them ;  for  "  he  came  not 
to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners,  to  re- 
pentance." Look  then  upon  Jesus,  as  a 
public  officer,  appointed  by  divine  authority 
to  dispense  mercy  and  pardon  to  every 
coming  sinner;  to  every  one  v/ho  comes 
to  God  for  mercy  through  him.  As  it  is 
the  duty  of  a  judge  to  dispense  the  laws, 
and  do  justice  between  man  and  man  ;  or 
as  it  is  the  duty  of  the  pliysician  of  an 
hospital  to  take  care  of  all  the  sick  who 
are  in  it;  so  it  is  the  gracious  office  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  to  dispense  mercy,  pardon, 
grace,  life,  and  salvation,  to  all  who  ajiply 
to  him ;  and  were  it  possible,  we  speak  it 
with  the  deepest  reverence,  were  it  possi- 
ble, wliich  it  is  net,  that  the  blessed  Jesus 
should  refuse  and  reject  one  sinner  who 


comes  to  him  for  life,  he  would  be  unfaith- 
ful ;  but  this  can  never  be ;  we  have  his 
word  for  it  in  the  text,  "  I  will  in  no  wise 
cast  out  him  that  cometh." 

3.  Consider,  once  more,  the  gracious 
conduct  and  behavior  of  our  Savior  when 
he  was  upon  earth.  "  He  went  about  doing 
good."  And  who  were  the  objects  of  his 
regard  1  Were  they  the  princes  and  rulers, 
the  rich  and  prosperous,  the  wise  and 
learned  !  No.  These,  in  general,  despised 
and  rejected  him.  He  turned  his  attention 
to  the  poor  and  needy,  the  sick  and  mise- 
rable ;  yea,  to  publicans  and  harlots,  that 
he  might  reclaim  and  save  them.  This 
was  his  reproach — "  a  friend  of  sinners." 
Did  he  see  a  multitude  of  ignorant  people 
following  him  for  instruction  ?  How  did  he 
exert  himself  in  teaching  them ;  in  houses, 
in  synagogues,  in  the  temple,  in  a  ship,  on 
a  mountain !  How  plainly,  how  sweetly, 
how  forcibly  did  he  lead  them  into  divine 
knowledge  !  Nor  did  he  forget  their  bodies. 
Were  they  hungry,  and  ready  to  faint  ? 
he  had  compassion  on  them,  and  worked 
miracles  to  supply  them  with  food.  See 
also  what  vast  numbers  of  diseased  per- 
sons apply  to  him;  the  blind;  the  deaf; 
the  dumb ;  the  diseased  with  fever,  leprosy, 
palsy ;  and  others  possessed  with  the  devil ; 
he  heals  them  all.  You  never  read  of  one 
poor,  sick,  miserable  creature  that  he  re- 
jected ;  if  they  came,  they  were  welcome : 
he  never  sent  them  away  disappointed, 
and  do  you  think  he  will  show  less  pity  to 
the  sorrows  of  the  mind,  to  the  diseases  of 
the  soul  ?  Surely  not ;  for  the  salvation  of 
one  soul  is  of  more  consequence  than  all 
the  thousands  of  bodily  cures  he  wrought 
upon  earth.  Every  man  and  woman  that 
Christ  healed,  died  at  last ;  but  he  whom 
Jesus  saved  "  shall  never  die,  but  have 
everlasting  life."  And  yet  this,  great  as 
it  is,  is  as  easy  to  him  as  to  say  to  a  leper, 
Be  thou  clean.  Come  but  to  him,  fellow- 
sinner,  and  he  will  directly  say.  Be  thou 
saved. 

Remember,  too,  what  a  kind  attention 
Jesus  paid  to  mourning  sinners.  Remem- 
ber the  penitent  harlot  in  the  Pharisee's 
house :  she  came  behind  him,  and  washed 
his  feet  with  penitential  tears:  she  was 
despised  by  the  Pharisee,  because  she  had 
been  a  great  sinn^;  but  Christ  speaks 
kindly  to  her,  and  says,  "  Thy  sins  are  for 
given  thee."  Remember  what  he  said  to 
another  great  sinner,  the  Samaritan  wo- 
man at  the  well  of  Sychar — "  If  thou 
knewest  the  gift  of  God,  and  who  it  is 
that  speaketh  to  thee,  thou  wouldest  have 
asked,  and  he  would  liave  given  thee  liv- 
ing water."  John  iv.  10. — If  you  knew  tlie 


SERMON  XX. 


91 


worth  of  salvation,  and  would  ask  it  of 
Christ,  you  should  have  it;  and  he  says 
the  very  same  to  us :  "  If  you  knew  the 
value  of  my  salvation,  felt  your  need  of  it, 
and  would  apply  to  me  for  it,  you  should 
not  be  denied."  Remember,  my  friends, 
how  Jesus  mourned  and  wept,  when  har- 
dened sinners  were  about  to  perish  in  their 
unbelief;  remember  liow  he  wept  to  think 
of  Jerusalem's  approachmg  destruction. 
Remember,  too,  how  he  rejoiced  at  the 
prospect  of  a  sinner's  salvation  !  though  he 
was  a  man  of  sorrows,  tliis  filled  him  with 
joy ;  and  can  you  doubt,  after  all  this, 
whether  Jesus  will  receive  you  or  not :  O 
be  not  faithless,  but  believing.  Stagger 
not  at  tliis  precious  promise  through  unbe- 
lief; but  be  strong  in  faith,  glorifying  God. 
APPLICATION. 

From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  learn 
what  an  important  thing  it  is  to  come  to 
Christ.  We  are  all,  by  nature,  at  a  dread- 
ful distance ;  and  "  they  that  are  far  from 
him,"  if  they  die  so,  "  must  perish."  This 
then  is  the  first  and  cliief  thing  in  religion, 
to  come  to  Christ;  that  is,  so  to  believe 
the  Gospel,  as  to  apply  in  heart  and  mind 
to  him  for  salvation.  It  is  not  enough  to 
come  to  church,  or  come  to  meeting,  or 
come  to  sacrament ;  all  is  in  vain,  if  we  do 
not  come  to  Christ :  for  salvation  is  to  be 
had  of  none  but  Christ,  and  not  of  hini 
neither,  without  coming  for  it. 

Come  then,  you- who  never  came  before. 
You  shall  have  heaven  if  you  come ;  hell 
must  be  your  portion  if  you  do  not  come. 
Pray  to  God  to  draw  you.  "  Draw  me," 
says  the  church,  "  we  will  run  after  thee." 
Come  quickly.  You  may  be  less  disposed 
to  come  to-morrow  ;  yea,  to-morrow  itself 
may  never  come  to  you.  Consider  the  en- 
couragement that  these  words  of  Christ 
afford.  "  Come  to  me,"  said  Jesus,  "  for  I 
am  meek  and  lowly  of  heart."  You  need 
not  be  afraid  to  come,  for  he  says,  and  you 
may  believe  him,  "  he  will  ua  no  wise  cast 
you  out."  Make  no  excuses.  Say  not  I 
am  ignorant.  Come  to  him,  and  lie  will 
teach  you.  Say  not  I  have  a  hard  heart. 
Come  to  him,  and  he  will  soften  it.  Say 
not  I  have  a  corrupt  heart.  Come  to  him, 
and  he  will  sanctify  it.  Say  not,  I  am  a 
great  sinner — tiiis  is  the  very  reason  why 
you  should  come.  "  This  man  receiveth 
sinners ;"  he  came  on  purpose  to  save  them, 
and  bids  you  come,  that  he  may  save  you. 
Think  not  foolishly,  first  to  mend  yourselves, 
and  then  come  to  him ;  you  will  never  be 
better  till  you  do  come. 

"  Come  needy,  come  guilty,  come  lothesome  and 

bare; 
You  can't  come  too  filihy ;  come  just  as  you  are." 


And  you  who  have  come — adore  the 
grace  that  inclined  you  to  come ;  that  made 
you  Vv'illing  in  the  day  of  God's  gracious 
power,  and  that  made  you  welcome  in  the 
day  of  his  wonderful  mercy. 

"  'Twas  the  same  love  that  spread  the  feast, 

That  sweetly  forc'd  us  in  ; 
Else  we  had  still  refus'd  to  taste, 

And  perish'd  in  our  sin." 

What  hath  God  wrought?  Is  it  not  good 
to  draw  near  to  God  .'  Have  you  not  tasted 
that  the  Lord  is  gracious !  "  God  hath 
strewed  all  the  way  from  the  gate  of  hell 
where  thou  wast,  to  the  gate  of  heaven, 
whither  thou  art  going,  with  flowers  out 
of  his  own  garden.  Beliold,  how  the 
promises,  invitations,  calls,  and  encourage- 
ments of  the  Gospel  lie  round  about  thee." 
O  keep  near  to  thy  Savior ;  there  is  safety, 
there  is  peace. 

This  last  affords  to  every  believer  a  sure 
mark  of  his  election.  Do  you  sometimes 
fear  whether  your  name  is  written  in 
heaven ;  whether  you  are  among  his  elect  1 
Behold  the  certain  proof.  "All  that  the 
Father  hath  given  to  me  shall  come  to 
me."  Have  you  come  to  Christ?  Well, 
then,  this  is  the  proof  ©f  your  being  one  of 
those  who  were  given  to  him.  Thus  make 
"  your  calling  and  election  sure ;"  your 
election,  by  your  calling. 

Finally,  let  those  who  have  come  to 
Christ,  by  faith,  rejoice  to  think,  that  in  the 
heavenly  world  they  shall  come  to  him  in 
a  superior  manner.  "  Now  we  see  through 
a  glass  darkly,  but  then  face  to  face :  Faith 
shall  be  changed  into  sight,  and  hope  into 
possession.  "  So  shall  we  be  for  ever  with 
the  Lord." 

"  Come  weary  souls  with  sin  distress'd, 
Come,  and  accept  the  promis'd  rest; 
The  Savior's  precious  calls  obey, 
And  cast  your  gloomy  fears  away.  » 

"  Oppress'd  with  guilt,  a  painful  load, 
O  come,  and  spread  your  woes  abroad  ; 
Divine  compassion,  mighty  love, 
Will  all  the  painful  load  remove. 
Lord,  we  accept,  with  thankful  heart, 
The  hope  thy  gracious  words  impart: 
Wc  come  with  trembling,  yet  rejoice, 
And  bless  the  kind  inviting  voice. 

Dear  Savior  !  let  thy  pow'rful  love 
Confirm  our  faith  ;  our  fears  remove, 
And  sweetly  influence  ev'ry  breast. 
And  guide  us  to  eternal  rest." 


PRAYER. — O  God  of  all  grace,  we  are  greatly 

encouraged  by  that  most  gracious  promise  which 
W'e  have  now  been  considering.  Blessed  Jesus, 
thou  art  the  only,  the  all-suiruiont  Savior.  Thou 
art  ahle  lo  save  to  the  uticrniosi  all  who  come  to 
the  Faiher  by  thee  ;  and  we  have  now  been  as- 
sured that  thou  art  as  wdUm;  to  save  as  thou  art 
able, — that  thou  wilt  not  reject  any  sinner  who 
comes  to  tliee  for  salvation.    Blessed  Lord,  lliy 


92 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


name  and  thy  nature  is  Love ;  thy  love  brought 
thee  down  from  Heaven,  laid  thee  in  the  man- 
ger, and  nailed  thee  to  the  cross.  Thou  didst  go 
about  doing  good,  and  didst  never  refuse  to  lielp 
the  sick  and  the  miserable,  when  they  came  to 
thee  for  relief;  and  we  believe  thou  art  tlie  same 
gracious  Lord,  now  tliou  art  in  Heaven :  that 
thou  art  rich  in  grace  and  mercy  to  all  who  call 
upon  thee.  Thou  art  still  saying,  "  Come  unto 
me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I 
will  give  you  rest."  Adorable  Savior,  we  come 
at  thy  call.  We  are  ignorant;  we  come  unto 
thee,  to  teach  us.  We  are  guilty ;  we  come  unto 
thee,  as  the  great  Atonement  for  sin.  We  are 
weak  and  exposed ;  we  come  to  thee,  to  strengthen 
and  defend  us  :  O  do  thou  be  all  in  all  unto  us, 
for  body  and  for  soul ;  for  time  and  for  eternity  ; 
and  we  will  ascribe  blessing  and  honor,  glory 
and  power  unto  thee  for  ever  and  ever!  Amen. 


SERMON  XXL 

THE    VAIN  EXCUSES  OF  SINNERS  EX- 
POSED. 

Luke  xiv.  18. — And  they  all,  with  one  consent,  be- 
gan to  make  excuse. 

The  blessings  of  the  Gospel  in  Christ 
are,  in  the  parable  of  which  the  text  is  a 
part,  fitly  compared  to  the  dainties  of  a 
noble  and  costly  feast  "  A  certain  man 
made  a  great  supper,  and  bade  many," 
ver.  16.  So  Christ  has  made  plentiful 
provisions  in  his  Gospel  for  the  souls  of 
men,  and  freely  invites  all  who  hear  it  to 
be  partakers.  "  And  he  sent  his  servants 
at  supper-time,  to  say  to  them  that  were 
bidden.  Come,  for  all  things  are  now  ready," 
ver.  17.  So  Christ  having  called  the  Jeios 
by  his  own  ministry,  sent  the  apostles  after 
his  resurrection  to  renew  the  invitation, 
and  to  say  that  tlie  work  of  redemption 
was  finished,  and  that  he  was  willing  to 
receive  all  who  should  come  by  faith  to 
him  ;  and  this  is  the  language  of  the  Gos- 
pel wherever  it  is  preached. 

If  we  consider  the  nature  of  a  feast,  we 
shall  see  how  properly  our  Savior  compares 
the  blessings  of  our  salvation  to  it.  In  a 
feast  we  expect  roholesome  provision — 
plenty — variety — elegance — company,  and 
the  whole  gratis.  All  these,  and  more, 
Jesus  gives  us  in  his  Gospel.  Here  is 
"  the  bread  of  life  which  came  down  from 
heaven,"  without  which  we  must  for  ever 
perish ;  but  eating  which  secures  our  eter- 
nal life.  Here  is  plenty,  for  in  our  Father's 
house  there  is  bread  enough  and  to  spare  ; 
and  however  many  tlie  guests  who  come, 
still  "  there  is  room."  Here  is  variety ; 
pardon,  peace,  holiness,  adoption,  joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost,  communion  with  God, 
perseverance  to  the  end,  and  glory,  to 
crown  tlae  whole.  Here  is  elegance ;  dam- 


ties  worthy  God  to  bestow ;  dainties  fttched 
from  heaven ;  dainties  purchased  at  a  cost 
beyond  the  value  of  a  thousand  worlds — 
for  "  Christ's  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  his 
blood  is  drink  indeed  !"  Here  is  good  com- 
pany ;  for,  sitting  dovi^n  at  the  Gospel  feast, 
"  we  come  to  an  innumerable  company  of 
angels :  to  the  general  assembly  and  church 
of  the  first-born ;  and  to  God,  the  Judge 
of  all ;  and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect ;  and  to  Jesus."  And  what  is  best 
of  all,  it  is  gratis — "  without  money,  and 
without  price" — "  the  poorer  the  wretch, 
the  welcomer  here." 

Now  if  these  great  and  glorious  bless- 
ings are  considered,  how  necessary,  how 
free,  how  precious  and  delightful !  one 
would  naturally  suppose  that  all  men,  to 
whom  the  Gospel  offers  them,  would  as 
readily  and  joyfully  receive  them,  as  they 
usually  accept  an  invitation  to  a  plentiful 
and  agreeable  entertainment.  But,  alas,  it 
is  not  so !  If  we  examine  the  word,  or 
look  into  the  world,  Ave  shall  find  it  quite 
otherwise. — "They  all  with  one  consent 
begin  to  make  excuses  ;"  for  all  men,  till 
changed  by  the  grace  of  God,  are  blind, 
and  lame,  and  deaf,  and  dead,  as  to  all 
spiritual  things ;  seduced  by  the  Devil's 
lies,  and  in  love  with  the  world,  they  vainly 
strive  "  to  fill  tlieir  belly  with  the  husks 
of  swine,"  but  have  no  more  relish  for  sal- 
vation, than  a  sick  man  for  wholesome 
food ;  yea,  like  him,  "  their  soul  lotheth 
dainty  meat." 

Yet  amidst  this  awful  depravity,  to  the 
honor  of  Scripture  and  the  truths  of  God, 
men  are  ashamed  to  give  a  direct  refusal ; 
conscience  admits  the  value  of  the  Gospel : 
and  therefore,  to  make  their  neglect  of  it 
appear  justifiable,  they  have  recourse  to 
various  excuses,  with  which  they  strive  to 
satisfy  themselves  and  tlieir  neighbors,  and 
vainly  hope  to  satisfy  God.  To  describe 
these  excuses,  and  to  answer  them;  to 
show  what  they  are,  and  the  folly  of  them, 
is  the  business,  which,  with  the  Lord's  assist- 
ance, I  shall  now  attempt ;  and  O  that  the 
Spirit  of  our  God  may  succeed  what  shall 
be  said  to  the  conviction  of  these  excusers, 
and  sweeping  away  all  their  refuges  of 
lies. 

We  shall  first  notice  the  three  excuses 
which  follow  our  text ;  and  then  proceed 
to  mention  other  excuses  and  objections 
which  are  often  made. 

I.  The  first  said — I  have  bought  a  piece 
of  gronnd,  and  I  must  needs  go  and  see 
it ;  I  pray  thee  have  me  excused. 

Til  is  is  the  plea  of  a  rich  man,  who  had 
been  adding  field  to  field.  He  was  under 
no  kind  of  necessity  to  view  the  land  he 


SERMON  XXL 


93 


iiad  bought :  probably  he  had  seen  it  before 
he  hud  bought  it ;  if  not,  he  might  have 
stayed  till  another  day,  and  liave  tbund  the 
field  in  tiie  same  condition ;  but  he  wanted 
to  feast  his  eyes  ajTOn  his  new  purchase. 
See  here  an  instance  of  the  inordinate  love 
of  the  world,  the  pride  of  possession,  the 
deceitfulness  of  riches.  This  was  "  a  man 
of  the  world,  whose  portion  was  in  this 
life,"  for  the  sake  of  which  he  was  deaf  to 
the  call  of  Christ.  O  how  hardly  shall  they 
who  are  rich  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
licaven !  so  great  is  the  danger  of  loving 
the  world  too  much. 

2.  And  another  said — /  have  bought 
Jive  yoke  of  oxen,  and  I  go  to  prove  thein: 
1  pray  thee  have  lue  excused.  Here  is  the 
man  of  business :  the  former.was  taken  up 
with  pleasure ;  this  with  care.  "  Too 
much  leisure,  or  too  much  business,  are 
equally  dangerous  to  the  soul."  This  was 
a  frivolous  excuse  like  the  former ;  another 
day  would  have  done  as  well  for  proving 
oxen  in  tlie  plow,  for  the  purcliase  was 
already  made;  but  anxiety  for  the  vi^orld 
prevailed  over  his  spiritual  interest.  And 
what  is  this  but  the  common  excuse  of 
tradesmen,  laborers,  and  women  who  have 
families]  /  have  no  time  to  spare  for  re- 
ligion. Let  me  ask  you.  What  is  your 
time  for  ?  Is  not  the  care  of  the  soul  the 
one  thing  needful  ?  Should  you  not  seek 
first  the  kmgdom  of  God  and  his  right- 
eousness] Besides,  "what  will  it  profit, 
if  you  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  your 
own  soul."  And  let  me  tell  you,  there  is 
time  enough  to  mind  the  alTairs  of  both 
worlds,  and  both  are  best  minded  together : 
the  one  need  not  shut  out  the  other.  Re- 
ligion will  not  make  men  idle;  it  will 
make  an  idle  man  industrious;  it  tends 
even  to  worldly  prosperity.  "  Godliness  is 
profitable  for  all  things,  having  the  prom- 
ise of  this  life,  and  of  that  which  is  to 
come." 

How  can  any  man  say  he  has  no  time 
for  religion,  when  the  Sabbath-day  is  ap- 
pointed for  that  very  purpose ;  yet  that 
holy  day  is  profaned  by  many,  by  business, 
idleness,  or  taking  pleasure.  There  are 
fifty-two  days  in  every  year,  wliich  ought 
to  be  wholly  employed  in  public  or  private 
duties  of  religion.  Wliat  account  will 
they  give  to  God  of  their  time,  who  have 
squandered  away  their  precious  hours  in 
their  sin  and  tolly,  and  wiio  have  turned 
their  backs  on  the  means  of  grace,  wliich 
might  have  made  tlieni  wise  to  .«alvation. 

Permit  me  also  to  observe,  tliat  some, 
who  cannot  find  time  to  serve  God,  can 
find  tune  to  sin :  they  can  find  time  to 
curse  and  swear,  to  talk  and  sing  obscene- 


ly, to  be  drunken,  and  to  be  wanton.  Yea, 
some  of  these  people  comj)lain  of  too  much 
time ;  and  therefore  they  invent  amuse- 
ments to  kill  time.  O,  if  the  hours  that 
some  consume  at  tlie  ale-house,  the  fairs, 
and  merry  meetings,  were  spent  in  hearing 
and  reading  the  word  of  God,  in  prayer, 
and  singing  his  praises,  to  how  much  bet- 
ter account  would  they  turn  out ! 

3.  The  excuse  of  a  third  person  was,  / 
have  married  a  wife,  and  therefore  cannot 
come.  Here  is  an  excuse  of  another  kind, 
which  takes  in  too  great  a  regard  to  crea- 
tures, and  too  much  fondness  for  domestic 
enjoyments,  and  the  pleasures  of  this  life. 
It  was  a  very  weak  excuse ;  for  though  he 
had  married  a  wife,  he  might  surely  liave 
left  her  for  a  few  hours,  without  a  breach 
of  proper  aflection ;  or  he  might  have  taken 
her  with  him  to  such  a  great  feast  as  this, 
where  so  many  were  bidden,  and  none  for- 
bidden ;  or  he  might  have  gone  alone,  if 
he  could  not  persuade  her  to  go  with  him. 
How  many  perish  by  the  unlawful  use  of 
lawful  thuigs,  and  undue  regard  to  carnal 
relations  !  Husbands  and  wives,  who  ought 
to  help  each  other  in  the  great  concerns 
of  salvation,  are  often  deadly  hindrances ; 
and  will  reproach  each  other  to  all  eternity 
for  being  such.  Thus  Adam  ruined  him- 
self and  all  his  posterity  by  carnal  fond- 
ness, and  loving  the  creature  more  than 
the  Creator.  Let  married  persons  be  on 
their  guard ;  and  remember  that  not  only 
houses  and  lands,  but  wives  too,  must 
sometimes  be  forsaken,  rather  than  for 
their  sakes  we  should  forsake  Christ. 

All  these  excuses  were,  as  you  see, 
frivolous  and  foolish ;  they  were  all  of  a 
worldly  kind ;  and  indeed  it  is  the  world, 
in  some  form  or  other,  that  proves  the 
great  hindrance  of  men's  salvation.  But 
there  are  many  other  excuses  which  peo- 
ple are  apt  to  make,  equally  absurd.  I 
shall  proceed  to  notice  some  of  them. 

Religion,  says  one,  is  a  hard  and  dijfi- 
cult  thing ;  hard  to  understand,  and  diffi- 
cult to  practise.  I  answer.  Is  it  necessa- 
ry 1  Christ  sa)%  it  is  the  one  thing  neces- 
sary. It  is  just  as  necessary  as  salvation 
Ls.  And  do  you  object  to  every  thing  ne- 
cessary, because  it  is  difficult?  Do  not 
you  find  hardships  in  your  trade  or  busi- 
ness] and  yet  you  pursue  it.  Consider, 
also,  it  will  be  nmch  harder  to  bear  the 
torments  of  hell,  than  to  practise  tlie  du- 
ties of  religion.  A  person,  who  wanted 
one  of  the  martjTs  to  recant,  said,  "  Life 
is  sweet  and  death  is  bitter."  "  True  (said 
he)  but  eternal  life  is  sweeter,  and  eternal 
death  is  more  bitter."  Will  not  heaven 
make  amends  for  all  our  pains  and  labors'* 


94 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


Do  you  think  there  is  a  saint  in  heaven, 
that  repents  of  what  he  did  or  sutFered  for 
Christ  J  but  in  fact,  true  religion  is  not  so 
difficult  as  you  may  imagine :  the  path  is 
so  plain,  that  "  the  way-faring  man,  though 
a  fool,  shall  not  err  therein."  And  Jesus 
says,  "  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  for  my 
yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  is  light ;  his 
commands  are  not  grievous,  and  grace 
makes  them  pleasant.  Religion  is  far  from 
beuig  a  gloomy  business.  "  Wisdom's  ways 
are  pleasantness,  and  all  her  paths  are 
peace."  Can  it  make  a  man  unhappy  to 
love  God,  and  be  loved  by  him  ]  It  is  a 
gloomy  thing  to  be  at  peace  with  God,  to 
know  that  our  sins  are  pardoned,  and  to 
have  the  earnest  of  glory !  There  are  joys 
in  religion  far  beyond  any  that  the  world 
can  pretend  to,  and  such  as  wicked  men 
would  be  glad  to  possess,  when  they  come 
to  lie  on  a  dying  bed :  then  is  the  value  of 
true  religion  known,  when  the  world  can 
afford  no  further  help. 

5.  Some  object,  and  say,  Your  religious 
people  are  hypocrites ;  after  all  their  pre- 
tences, they  are  like  other  folks.  I  answer 
by  a  question — Are  they  all  hypocrites? 
If  so,  then  there  is  no  such  thing  as  reli- 
gion in  the  world ;  if  so,  the  Bible  is  all  a 
lie,  and  Christ  must  have  shed  his  blood  in 
vain ;  for  he  died  to  redeem  us  from  the 
world,  and  our  vain  conversation  in  it,  and 
to  make  us  a  holy  people  zealous  of  good 
works.  It  is  admitted  there  are  some  hyp- 
ocrites ;  and  woe  be  to  them !  There  was 
a  hypocrite,  a  Judas,  even  among  the  apos- 
tles :  but  religion  did  not  cease  because  of 
him.  If  there  was  not  a  reality  and  an 
excellency  in  religion,  there  would  be  no 
hypocrites ;  if  guineas  and  bank-notes  were 
not  valuable,  there  would  be  no  counter- 
feits ;  and,  I  presume,  you  do  not  refuse  to 
take  any  money,  because  there  is  base 
rCoin ;  nor  would  you  excuse  yourself  from 
paying  your  rent  to  your  landlord,  because 
you  are  afraid  of  takmg  bad  money.  If 
tliere  are  hypocrites,  as  you  say,  and  we 
allow,  then  there  is  the  greater  need  to 
iook  to  yourself,  that  you  are  sincere ;  but 
I  greatly  doubt  the  sincerity  of  those  who 
make  this  excuse ;  and  their  hearts  tell 
them  it  will  not  be  admitted  at  the  bar  of 
God.  Besides,  it  is  censorious  and  v/icked 
to  judge  another  man,  and  to  call  him  a 
hypocrite,  unless  his  life  is  bad ;  but,  be- 
cause you  can  find  no  blemish  in  the  life 
of  a  truly  religious  person,  you  presume  to 
searcli  his  heart,  and  call  him  a  hypocrite. 
The  truth  is,  you  would  be  glad  to  prove 
him  such,  as  an  excuse  for  your  own  want 
of  religion. 

6.  Methmks  I  hear  another  person  say — 


/  see  no  occasion  to  make  so  much  fuss 
about  religion. — You  say  truly ;  you  do 
not  see :  but  your  not  seeing,  is  a  proof  of 
nothing  but  your  own  blindness ;  a  blind 
man  sees  nothing.  If  you  examine  the 
word  of  God,  you  will  find  the  Christian 
life  compared  to  a  warfare ;  now  a  soldier's 
life,  in  the  tune  of  actual  service,  is  not 
idle.  It  is  also  compared  to  a  race,  in  which 
great  exertion  and  activity  are  necessary, 
if  a  man  would  so  run  as  to  obtain  the 
prize.  A  Christian  is  represented  in  Scrip- 
ture as  "  crucifying  the  old  man  of  sin," 
and  "  mortifying  the  deeds  of  the  flesh  ;" 
and  can  these  things  be  done  by  the  sloth- 
ful man,  who  is  a  stranger  to  zeal  himself, 
and  hates  to  see  it  in  another  ?  Has  not 
God  required  you  to  love  him  with  all  your 
heart,  and  all  your  soul,  and  all  your  mind, 
and  all  your  strength ;  and  do  you  know 
anybody  that  does  more  than  this?  Let 
me  also  ask  you.  Why  it  is  that  you  com- 
mend industry  in  worldly  business,  and 
despise  it  in  religion  1  If  there  be  a  hell 
to  avoid,  and  a  heaven  to  obtain,  and  sm 
to  destroy,  and  a  God  to  serve,  and  a  soul 
to  save — why  should  you  not  be  as  earnest 
in  religion  as  you  are  in  the  world  1  why 
should  not  a  Christian  love  God  as  much 
as  you  love  money,  or  sin  ?  I  know  the 
answer  your  heart  makes. 

7.  Another  cries — I  shall  do  as  well  as 
my  neighbor :  and  if  I  perish,  God  help 
thousands  !  I  reply.  If  you  do  not  better 
than  the  thousands  that  perish,  God  help 
you  !  Jesus  Christ  has  said,  "  Wide  is  the 
gate,  and  broad  is  the  way,  that  leadeth  to 
destruction,  and  many  there  be  which  go  in 
thereat ;"  while  the  narrow  way  to  life  is 
found  and  trod  by  few.  Think  not  well  of 
your  state,  because  you  are  like  others: 
you  have  greater  cause  to  suspect  it. 
Christ's  flock  is  small ;  but  the  devil's  herd 
is  large.  "  The  whole  world,"  says  St. 
John,  "  lieth  in  wickedness."  Follow  not, 
then,  the  multitude  to  do  evil,  but  consider 
their  end,  and  be  wise.  It  is  a  very  affect- 
ing and  useful  story  that  Mr.  Baxter  re- 
lates in  his  "  Call  to  the  Unconverted  ;" 
"  I  remember,"  says  he,  "  a  circumstance 
that  a  gentleman  told  me  he  saw  upon 
Acham-bridge,  over  the  Severn,  near 
Shrewsbury.  A  man  was  driving  a  flock 
of  fat  lambs ;  and  something  meeting  them, 
and  hindering  their  passage,  one  of  the 
lambs  leaped  on  the  walls  of  the  bridge, 
and  his  legs  slipping  from  under  liim,  he 
fell  into  the  stream :  the  rest,  seeing  him, 
did,  one  after  one,  leap  over  tlie  bridge 
into  the  stream,  and  were  all,  or  almost 
all,  drowned.  Those  that  were  behind  did 
little  know  what  was  become  of  them  that 


SERMON  XXI. 


95 


were  gone  before,  but  thought  they  miglit 
venture  to  follow  their  companions ;  but  as 
soon  as  ever  they  were  over  the  wall, 
and  falling  headlong,  the  case  was  altered. 
Even  so  it  is  with  unconverted  carnal  men. 
One  dieth  by  them,  and  drops  into  hell, 
and  another  follows  the  same  way;  and 
yet  they  will  go  after  them,  because  they 
think  not  whither  they  are  gone.  O !  but 
when  death  Jiath  once  opened  their  eyes, 
and  they  see  what  is  on  the  other  side  of 
the  wall,  even  in  another  world,  then  what 
would  they  give  to  be  where  they  were  1" 

8.  Another  objector  says — But  I  hope  to 
do  better  than  many,  for  I  am  not  so  bad 
a  sinner  as  some.  I  answer.  You  are  not 
to  be  compared  with  others,  but  with  the 
law  of  God,  which  requires  perfect  obedi- 
ence. Now,  compared  with  this,  you  will 
be  found  a  sinner ;  and  it  is  not  being  a 
less  sinner  than  another  that  will  save 
you;  but  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
whose  righteousness  is  "  to  and  upon  all 
that  believe  in  him."  Besides,  the  folly 
of  such  an  excuse  is  manifest ;  for  if  find- 
insr  another  man  worse  than  one's-self 
would  do,  then  all  smners  might  escape 
except  that  one,  who  is  worst  of  all. 

9.  Perhaps  another  person  will  say — It 
is  true  I  am  a  sinner  bad  enough ;  but  I 
do  some  good  things,  and  will  not  they 
atone  for  my  sins  ?  St.  Paul  shall  answer. 
"  Without  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no 
remission;"  the  good  works  of  men  were 
never  appointed  to  the  office  of  a  Savior ; 
for  "  if  righteousness  come  by  the  law, 
Christ  is  dead  in  vain."  Why  do  we  call 
Jesus  a  Savior,  and  yet  hope  to  be  saved 
by  our  works  1  which  is  to  become  our 
own  Savior.  But  the  word  of  God  has 
settled  this,  and  declares,  Eph.  ii.  8,  "  By 
grace  are  we  saved,  through  faith;  and 
that  not  of  ourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God ; 
not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast." 
And  to  say  the  trutli,  no  man  can  do  works 
good  in  the  sight  of  God  until  he  is  first 
justified  by  faith,  for  even  "  the  prayers 
of  tlie  wicked  are  an  abomination  to  him ;" 
and  the  thirteenth  Article  of  the  Church 
of  England  truly  says,  that  "  Works  done 
before  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  the  inspi- 
ration of  his  Spirit,  are  not  pleasant  to 
God ;  and  we  doubt  not  but  they  have  the 
nature  of  sin." 

10.  Unwilling  to  humble  himself,  and 
cry  for  mercy,  another  says — /  a7n  no 
scholar,  and  God  expects  no  more  than  he 
gives.  I  answer.  You  may  be  a  true  Chris- 
tian, and  yet  no  scholar.  God  hath  sent 
you  his  word,  and  you  can  hear  it,  if  you 
cannot  read  it ;  not  to  say,  that  since  Sun- 
day schools  have  been  set  up,  every  person 


almost  may  learn  to  read,  if  he  will.  But 
know  this,  my  friends,  that  ignorance  wUI 
excuse  none.  Where  knowledge  is  a 
duty,  ignorance  is  a  sin.  It  is  not  your 
want  of  opportunity  to  know  the  Gospel, 
but  your  want  of  inclination  to  it,  that 
keeps  you  ignorant.  You  take  pains  to 
know  how  you  may  get  food  and  raiment, 
or  charity ;  why  then  remain  contentedly 
ignorant  of  "  the  things  Vv'hich  belong  to 
your  everlasting  peace  !"  Isa.  xxvii.  11.  2 
Thess.  i.  8. 

11.  Another  person,  advanced  in  years, 
says — /  «?«  too  old  to  change  my  religion. 
What  do  you  call  religion !  Is  it  a  set  of 
notions  and  ceremonies  ?  Is  it  an  attach- 
ment to  certain  ministers  and  buildings  I 
This  is  not  religion.  Religion  is  the  de- 
votedness  of  the  heart  to  God ;  and  without 
this  the  most  pompous  forms  are  of  no  avail. 
Nicodemus  was  an  old  man  when  he  came 
to  Christ,  who  said  to  him  as  we  say  to  you, 
"  Except  a  man  be  born  again  he  cannot 
see  the  kingdom  of  God."  In  a  word,  if 
your  religion  has  not  changed  you,  it  is 
high  time  to  change  your  religion. 

12.  Methinks  I  hear  another  say, — /  in- 
tend to  be  better,  at  some  future  time.  So 
did  Felix,  who  trembled  when  Paul  preach- 
ed, and  said  to  him,  "  When  I  have  conve- 
nient season,  I  will  call  for  thee ;"  but 
that  season  never  came.  Hell  is  paved 
with  good  intentions.  Should  you  die  in 
your  sins,  which  God  forbid  I  out  of  your 
own  mouth  will  you  be  condemned ;  for 
you  are  forced  to  admit  that  all  is  not 
right ;  and  yet  you  venture  to  go  on  in  sin, 
though  you  know  not  what  a  day  may 
bring  forth. — Go  to  the  sick  and  dying  bed 
of  a  neighbor,  and  hear  him  groan  and 
complain  of  an  acliing  head  and  a  sick 
stomach ;  observe  his  shaking  hand  and  dis- 
ordered pulse ;  the  rattling  throat,  the  con- 
vulsed limbs,  and  the  cold  sweat ;  and  say, 
is  this  a  time  for  repentance '!  Are  these 
poor  dregs  of  life  all  you  should  offer  to 
God?  O  be  wiser;  nor  leave  the  service 
of  God,  or  the  salvation  of  your  soul,  to  so 
improper  a  season. 

But,  after  all,  the  true  reason  remains 
untold.  May  not  all  your  excuses  be 
summed  up  in  this  one  ! — /  love  sin,  and 
cannot  part  with  it ;  but  observe,  you  must 
part  with  sin,  or  part  with  heaven.  You 
must  turn  or  burn.  And  are  you  content 
to  enjoy  the  present  pleasures  of  sin  for 
a  moment,  and  endure  everlasting  pains, 
which  are  their  certain  consequence  ?  It  is 
related  of  a  man,  wlio,  by  his  excesses,  was 
in  danger  of  losing  his  sight ;  and  being 
told  by  the  physician  that  he  must  change 
his  course  or  lose  his  sight,  replied,  "  Then 


96 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


farewell  dear  light !"  Thus  many,  by  per- 
sisting in  sinj  seem  to  say, — Farewell  God 
of  mercy,  Savior  of  sinners.  Spirit  of  holi- 
ness !  farewell  ye  people  of  God  !  farewell 
life  of  happiness,  heaven  and  glory  !  and, 
for  the  sake  of  dear  sin,  welcome  devils, 
welcome  darkness,  despair  and  misery,  for 
evermore. 

APPLICATION. 
Thus,  Sirs,  we  have  taken  notice  of  some 
of  those  excuses  which  smners  often  make, 
wlio  love  darkness  rather  than  liglit ;  who 
follow  lying  vanities,  and  forsake  their 
own  mercies.  But  it  is  plain  tliat  all  these 
excuses  arise  from  the  darkness,  worldli- 
ness,  and  enmity  of  our  fallen  nature,  and 
they  sliow  the  necessity  of  having  "  a 
new  lieart,  and  a  right  spirit."  These  ex- 
cuses v/ill  scarcely  now  satisfy  those  who 
make  them ;  they  will  miserably  fail  them 
in.  the  prospect  of  death  ;  and  they  cannot 
be  accepted  at  the  bar  of  God.  In  his 
parable  before  us,  it  is  said,  that  "  when 
the  servant  showed  his  Lord  these  things, 
he  was  angry,  and  said,  None  of  those  men 
which  were  bidden  shall  taste  of  my  sup- 
per." God  forbid  this  sentence  should  go 
forth  against  any  person  here.  As  yet, 
our  gracious  Lord  commands  us  to  "  go 
out  into  the  high-ways  and  hedges,  and 
compel  them  to  come  in,  that  his  house 
may  be  filled."  In  his  name  we  come,  and 
call  you  to  the  Gospel-feast.  Knowing  the 
terrors  of  the  Lord,  we  persuade  you ;  and 
knowing  the  bounty  of  the  Lord,  we  invite 
you.  None  ever  repented  of  coming ;  nor 
were  any  rejected  who  came.  Come  then 
to  Jesus.  "  The  Spirit  and  the  Bride  say. 
Come ;  and  let  him  that  heareth,  say. 
Come ;  and  let  liim  that  is  athirst.  Come  : 
and  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  of  the 
water  of  life  freely." 

"  All  things  are  ready,  come  away, 

Nor  weak  excuses  frame ; 
Crowd  to  your  places  at  the  feast, 

And  bless  the  founder's  name." 


PRAYER. — Merciful  Father !  how  great  is 
thy  goodness  to  the  children  of  men!  Our  sins 
deserve  thy  wralh,  and  justly  we  might  be  con- 
demned, and  punished  for  ever.  But  such  is  thy 
grace,  that  thou  hast  provided  for  us  a  great  sal- 
vation, wliich  it  hath  pleased  thee  to  compare  to 
a  royal  feast ;  and  thou  hast  sent  thy  servant  to 
invite  us  to  it,  saying  "  Come,  for  all  things  are 
now  ready."  O  maiie  us  heartily  willing,  and 
truly  glad  to  come  at  thy  call,  and  partake  of  that 
heavenly  food,  of  those  rich  dainties,  which  will 
secure  our  eternal  hfe.  O  that  by  faith  we  may 
feed  upon  Christ,  "  whose  flesh  is  meat  indeed, 
and  whose  blood  is  drink  indeed." 

We  are  asliamed  to  think  that  we,  or  any  of 
our  fellow-sinners,  should  refuse  tliy  invitation  ; 
preferring  the  world,  the  flesh,  anil  sin,  to  the 
Gospel.    O  that  they  may  no  longer  make  vain 


and  wicked  excuses,  lest  thou  shouldst  be  angry, 
and  swear  in  thy  wrath  that  they  shall  never 
taste  of  thy  supper!  But  O  make  us  willing  in 
the  day  of  ihy  power,  thankful  and  glad  to  re- 
ceive ihy  proliered  benefits,  without  money  and 
without  i)rice,  tliat  so  we  may  be  happy  both 
here  and  hereafter,  and  glorify  thy  name  to  all 
eternity!  and  this  we  beg  for  the  sake  of  Jesus 
Christ  our  Savior.    Amen. 


SERMON  XXII. 

CHRIST  THE  BREAD  OF  LIFE,  AND  THE 
NATURE  OF  FAITH  IN  HIM. 

John  vi.  27.  Labor  not  for  tlio  meat  which  perish- 
eth,  but  for  tliat  moat  which  endureth  unto  ever- 
lasting life,  which  the  Son  of  Man  shall  give  unto 
you. 

When  our  Savior  had  fed  five  thousand 
people  with  five  loaves  and  two  fishes, 
they  were  so  struck  with  the  miracle,  that 
they  determined  to  proclaim  him  for  their 
king — the  Messiah.  But  he  refused  their 
offer,  and  got  out  of  their  way.  They  fol- 
lowed him  next  day  to  a  great  distance  ; 
but  our  Lord,  who  knew  their  hearts, 
told  them  plainly  that  tiiey  acted  from  a 
corrupt  principle  in  following  hun,  ver.  26. 
"  Jesus  said.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
Ye  seek  me,  not  because  ye  saw  the  mira- 
cles, but  because  ye  did  eat  of  the  loaves 
and  were  filled."  There  may  be  a  great 
show  of  zeal  in  ruiming  after  prayers  and 
preaching,  without  a  spark  of  grace.  Few 
persons  seek  Christ  for  his  own  salce,  or 
for  spiritual  blessings  only.  Many  follow 
him  for  loaves,  not  for  love.  Let  us  be- 
ware of  hypocrisy.  These  people  had 
come  many  miles  in  hopes  of  another  mira- 
cle; air  their  labor  in  coming  so  far  was 
for  bread.  Now  Ciirist  sliows  them  a  more 
excellent  way ;  he  puts  tliem  upon  a  better 
plan :  he  bids  them  be  more  moderate  in 
their  worldly  pursuits,  and  more  diligent 
in  their  heavenly  pursuits.  But  when  lie 
says,  "  Labor  not  for  the  meat  which  per- 
isheth,"  you  cannot  suppose  that  he  forbids 
men  to  labor  in  an  lionest  way  to  get  their 
daily  bread.  No ;  for  God  has  laid  tliat 
burden  on  all  tlie  cliildren  of  Adam  :  "  In 
the  sweat  of  thy  brow  shalt  thou  eat 
bread ;"  and  "  He  that  will  not  work,  nei- 
ther let  him  eat."  But  we  are  to  under- 
stand it  comparatively.  Labor  not  for 
worldly  bread  in  the  first  and  chief  place  ; 
it  must  not  be  our  principal  care  and  con- 
cern ;  and  for  tiiis  good  reason — it  perish- 
eth  :  not  only  our  necessary  food,  but  the 
wealtli,  lienor,  and  pleasure  of  the  world, 
whicJi  men  hunger  for,  like  meat,  perish  ; 
they  perish  in  the  using,  and  they  who  use 
them  must  soon  perish  in  the  grave.    This 


SERMON  XXII. 


97 


shows  the  folly  of  bping  too  eager  in  tlie 
pursuit  of  them ;  and  at  tlie  same  time 
should  put  us  upon  the  greatest  diligence 
in  seeking  for  the  food  of  our  immortal 
souls ;  even  Christ  himselti  who  is'  the 
bread  of  life,  as  he  largely  shows  in  this 
chapter.  Now  to  help  you  in  doing  this 
we  shall, 

I.  Consider  Jesus  Christ  under  the  em- 
blem of  Food;  and, 

II.  Impure  into  tlie  nature  of  that  la- 
bor wliich  is  here  recommended,  in  order 
to  obtain  it. 

I.  Let  us  consider  Jesus  Clirist  under 
the  emblem  of  Food.  As  we  cannot  un- 
derstand any  thing  tliat  is  spiritual,  but  as 
it  is  compared  to  something  that  is  natural, 
God  is  pleased  in  his  word  to  use  many 
similitudes,  whereby  to  set  forth  the  ex- 
cellencies of  the  Lord  Jesus  Clirist,  and 
recommend  him  to  us.  Hence  he  is  called 
a  Sun,  to  signify  Light ;  a  Rock,  to  signify 
Support ;  a  Refuge,  to  signify  Safety ;  and 
here  he  compares  himself  to  Food.  And 
this  way  of  teaching  not  only  helps  us  to 
understand  spiritual  things,  but  it  serves  to 
put  us  in  mind  of  them ;  so  that  when  we 
see  the  sun,  it  may  remind  us  of  Christ 
our  light ;  and  when  we  take  our  meat,  it 
may  put  us  in  mind  of  Jesus,  the  meat 
which  endureth  to  eternal  life.  This  is 
part  of  that.spiritual-mindedness,  which  to 
enjoy  is  life  and  peace.  A  few  particulars 
will  convince  you  how  properly  Christ  is 
compared  to  food. 

1.  Because  Christ  is  as  necessary  to  the 
life  of  the  soul  as  meat  is  to  the  support  of 
the  Hody.  You  know  God  has  so  formed 
our  bodies,  that  we  caftnot  live  long  with- 
out fjod.  Christ  is  no  less  necessary  for 
the  soul ;  so  it  is  written  in  this  chapter, 
ver.  Ii3,  "  For  the  bread  of  God  is  he  which 
Cometh  down  from  iieaven,  and  givetli  life 
to  the  world ;"  and  again,  ver.  J35,  "  I  am 
the  bread  of  life ;"  and  ver.  51,  "  If  any 
man  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  for 
ever."  The  same  is  asserted  again  and 
again  throughout  the  chapter ;  the  whole 
of  which  you  will  do  well  to  read  when 
you  go  home. 

2.  All  kinds  of  food  are  the  gift  of  God ; 
no  man  in  the  world  can  make  any  thing 
eatable.  Man  can  plant,  and  sow,  and 
rear  cattle ;  he  also  can  cook  his  food  with 
endless  variety,  when  he  has  got  the  mate- 
rials ;  but  he  can  make  none  of  them.  No 
man  can  give  life  to  a  plant,  or  to  a  beast. 
Every  thing  we  eat  is  the  gift  of  a  good 
God.  Just  so  Christ,  the  bread  of  litl^  is 
tlie  gift  of  (iod.  "God  gave  his  Son." 
"  Blessed  be  God  for  his  unspeakable  gift. !" 
The  manna  that  God  sent  down  to  feed  Is- 

N 


rael  in  the  wilderness  was  a  lively  type  of 
Jesus ;  "  for  the  bread  of  God  is  he  which 
cOmeth  down  from  heaven,"  ver.  33. 

3.  Most  kinds  uf  food  are  prepared  for 
our  use  by  Jire.  So  Christ,  as  our  sacri- 
iice,  endured,  in  the  garden,  and  on  the 
cross,  the  dreadful  wrath  of  God,  as  "a 
consummg  lire."  This  was  set  forth  in  a 
lively  manner  by  the  sacrifices  of  old, 
which  were  burnt  on  the  altar,  which  re- 
presented that  Christ  was  to  be  consumed 
by  the  flames  of  his  love  for  his  Father  and 
his  elect,  and  at  the  same  time  by  the 
flames  of  the  divine  wrath  against  sin, 
which  he  had  undertaken  to  bear.  But  the 
Paschal-lamb  was  not  wholly  consumed ; 
after  it  was  roasted  with  fire,  it  was  eaten 
by  the  ancient  believers ;  the  same  sacri- 
fice which  procured  their  safety  became 
their  food ;  and  thus  it  is  with  us,  if  by 
faith  we  feed  upon  Christ  crucified.  And 
this  leads  to  another  remark. 

4.  Food  must  be  actually  received,  eat- 
en, and  digested,  in  order  to  support  life. 
It  is  not  hearing  of  food,  nor  seeing  it,  nor 
smelling  it,  tliat  Avill  satisfy  hunger  or 
nourish  the  body ;  nor  will  merely  hearing 
of  Christ,  nor  attending  ordinances,  nor 
partaking  of  sacraments,  nourish  the  soul 
unto  eternal  life.  By  true  faith,  every  be- 
liever receives  Christ  for  himself,  depends 
upon  him  for  his  own  salvation,  and  feeds 
upon  him  in  his  heart  with  thanksgiving-. 
This  eating  is  absolutely  necessary  to  sal- 
vation, as  Christ  declares,  ver.  53.  "  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you.  Except  ye  eat  the 
flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  ye  have  no  life  in 

you." 

5.  There  is  pleasure  and  delight  in  the 
reception  of  food,  if  persons  arc  in  health; 
and  so  there  is  in  feeding  upon  Cln-ist  by 
faith.  But  then  there  must  be  spiritual 
healtli  and  appetite.  The  disordered  stom- 
ach of  a  sick  man  "lotheth  dainty  meat;" 
and  there  are  those  who  abhor  the  doCLrinc 
of  salvation  by  Christ ;  but  the  man  who 
is  alive  to  God,  who  hungers  and  thirsts 
after  righteousness,  finds  sweet  and  hea- 
venly delight  in  partaking  of  Christ  and 
his  benefits.  His  love,  hia  grace,  his  blood, 
his  righteousness,  his  intercession,  his 
glory,  are  sweeter  to  the  taste  than  honey 
to  the  palate.  He  sits  down  to  the  Gospel 
table,  and  finds  there  a  feast  of  fat  things 
full  of  marrow,  and  can  say  with  the  spouse 
in  the  Canticles,  "  I  sat  under  his  shadow 
with  great  delight,  and  his  fruit  was  sweet 
to  my  taste." 

6.  We  may  remark,  that  when  Christ  is 
compared  to  food,  it  intimnfes  the  rousdin' 
CI/  with  which  believers  must  make  u;-e  of 
hhn.  Manvof  t'.ie  busines-sesand  pleasures 

9 


98 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


of  life  are  occasional  only  ;  but  we  cannot 
live  without  "  daily  bread."  Just  so  it  is, 
that  "  the  life  we  live  in  t!ie  flesh  must  be 
by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God."  "  The 
just  shall  live  by  his  faith ;"  and  he  who 
has  once  tasted  that  the  Lord  Jesus  is 
gracious,  will  say,  "  Evermore  give  me  this 
bread !" 

II.  We  now  proceed  to  inquire  into  the 
nature  of  that  labor  which  Christ  recom- 
mends in  tlie  te.xt ;  for  he  not  only  directed 
the  people  to  moderate  their  worldly  pur- 
suits, saymg,  "  Labor  not  for  the  meat  that 
perisheth,"  but  he  directed  them  to  employ 
themselves  diligently  in  the  pursuit  of 
heavenly  things ;  as  if  he  had  said,  "  Labor 
for  the  meat  which  endureth  unto  eternal 
life."  But  we  are  not  to  suppose  that  any 
sort  of  labor  is  intended  by  which  a  sinner 
can  merit  eternal  life,  or  that  any  diligence 
in  religion  "''U  make  a  man  worthy  of 
Clirist,  or  ths  mercy  of  God,  through  him. 
This  is  a  common  and  a  very  dangerous 
iriistake ;  but  this  would  be  to  subvert  the 
whole  Gospel,  which  teaches  us,  that  "  not 
by  works  of  righteousness  which  we  have 
done,"  but  "  by  grace  are  we  saved, 
through  faith ;  which  faith  itself  is  the  gift 
of  God."  The  Lord  will  beat  down  all 
human  pride,  and  glory  in  self  He  alone 
must  be  exalted  in  our  salvation.  And  it 
is  evident,  from  the  latter  part  of  the  text, 
that  merit  is  entirely  out  of  the  question ; 
for,  of  this  bread  of  life  it  is  said — which 
the  Son  of  man  shall  give  you.  If  then  it 
be  given,  tiie  labor  required  cannot  be  in 
order  to  merit  or  purchase  it. 

The  nature  of  this  labor  may  be  learned 
from  the  following  verses :  the  people  ask- 
ed our  Lord  what  it  was.  What  shall  we 
do,  that  we  may  work  the  works  of  God  ? 
They  wanted  to  know  whether  he  required 
any  other  worlis  than  Moses  did  :  they 
thought  something  very  great  was  neces- 
sary, which  they  called  "the  works  of 
God ;"  and  they  seemed  to  think,  that  by 
some  of  their  good  deeds  they  might  merit 
this  l^read.  Now  observe  Christ's  plain 
answer,  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye 
believe  on  him  whom  hr  hath  sent — "  'J'his 
is  the  great  duty  which  is  necessary  to  the 
acceptance  of  your  persons  and  your 
works:  this  is  what  God  commands,  ap- 
proves, and  is  the  Autlior  of;  namely,  that 
ye  receive  me,  and  rest  your  souls  on  me 
for  salvation,  as  appointed  of  the  Father 
for  that  j)urpose,  and  plainly  authorized  and 
approved  by  the  miracles  I  have  wrouglit." 

Faith,  then,  is  the  work  intended.  Be- 
lievhig  in  Christ  is  tliat  labor  which  he  re- 
commends to  us,  in  order  to  our  living 
upon  this  heavenly  food.     You  will  ask — 


What  is  faith  1  I  answer  in  the  words  of 
the  late  reverend  Mr.  Roinaine:  "Faith 
signifies  the  believing  the  word  of  God.  It 
relates  to  some  words  spoken,  or  to  some 
promise  made  by  him,  and  it  expresses  the 
belief  which  a  person  who  hears  it  has  of 
its  being  true.  He  assents  to  it,  relies  upon 
it,  and  acts  accordingly.  This  is  faith." 
We  are  to  believe  all  that  the  word  of  God 
declares ;  but  faith,  as  connected  with  sal- 
vation, chietly  relates  to  the  divine  testi- 
mony, or  record  of  Christ,  concerning 
Jesus  Clirist.  All  faith  relates  to  some  tes- 
timony, human  or  divine.  Now,  saith  St. 
John,  if  we  receive  the  witness  (or  testimo- 
ny) of  men,  the  witness  (or  testimony)  of 
God  is  greater :  for  this  is  the  witness  (or 
testimony)  which  he  hath  testified  of  his 
Son.  lie  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of 
God  hath  the  witness,  that  is,  the  testimo- 
ny of  Christ,  in  himself,  in  his  own  mind 
or  conscience :  he  that  believeth  not  God 
hath  made  him  a  liar ;  because  he  believ- 
eth not  the  record  that  God  gave  of  his 
Son.  And  this  is  the  record :  that  God 
hath  given  to  us  eternal  life ;  and  this  life 
is  in  his  Son.  1  John  v.  9 — 11.  The  Holy 
Spirit  enlightens  the  mind  unto  the  true 
meaning  of  this  blessed  testimony  ;  and 
the  believer  is  persuaded  of  its  truth,  ex- 
cellence, and  everlasting  unportance.  He 
assents  to  it  as  true.  He  delights  in  it  as 
good,  and  rests  his  eternal  all  on  this 
foundation ;  expecting  that  God,  who  is 
faithful  to  his  promise,  will  not  suffer  him 
to  perish,  but  give  him  eternal  life.  Or, 
as  the  renowned  Witsius  expresses  it, 
"  As  faith  is  an  assent  given  to  the  divine 
truth,  it  includes  in*  it  the  acceptance  of 
the  benefit  offered  by  the  covenant  of  grace. 
Here  is  my  Son,  says  God,  and  salvation 
in  him:  I  offer  him  to  whoever  desires 
hun,  and  believes  that  be  shall  find  his  sal- 
vation in  him.  Who  desires  him  !  Who 
believes  this?  I  do,  says  the  believer;  I 
greatly  long  for  liiin ;  I  believe  my  salva- 
tion to  be  laid  up  in  him :  I  take  him  as 
thus  offered  to  mc.  Be  it  so,  saith  the 
Lord." 

Perliaps  you  will  now  ask  me.  But  why 
is  this  called  labor  .'  Is  there  any  difficulty 
in  all  this  ?  Yes ;  much  every  day :  for, 

1.  Believing  in  him  alone  for  salvation, 
i-3  quite  foreign  to  the  notions  of  men,  by 
nature,  and  quite  contrary  to  tlie  terms  of 
the  covenant  of  works,  which  all  natural 
men  are  under,  and  to  which  even  awa- 
kened sinners  are  mucli  inclined.  St.  Paul 
laments  the  state  of  the  Jews,  who,  "be-  • 
iug  ignorant  of  God's  righteousness,  and 
going  about  to  ♦:stablish  their  own  right- 
eousness, would  not  submit  themselves  to 


SERMON  XXII. 


99 


the  righteousness  of  God."  Rom.  x.  3. 
They  sought  righteousness  by  their  works, 
"they  stumbled  at  the  stumbling-stone." 
Rom.  ix.  [i2.  Now  it  is  one  of  the  hardest 
things  in  the  world  to  bring  oil'  a  moral, 
devout  man  from  dejjendence  on  his  good 
works,  to  trust  his  salvation  on  Christ 
alone ;  tlierefore  is  believing  called  a  labor. 

2.  There  are  many  other  people  who 
think  that  believing  in  Christ  tor  salvation 
is  too  easy,  ciicap,  and  common  a  thing ; 
they  would  rather  do  some  hard  and  diffi- 
cult task :  sometiiing  that  looks  great  and 
meritorious ;  such  as  building  a  churth,  or 
an  hospital;  giving  a  great  deal  to  the 
poor,  or  wearing  sackcloth,  or  living  in  a 
monastery,  or  going  a  pilgrimage.  There 
iiave  been  people  that  have  walked  with 
spikes  in  their  shoes,  and  others  who  have 
burnt  their  children  in  the  fire,  to  appease 
their  gods.  But  only  to  believe  in  Christ 
seems  too  simple  and  easy  a  thing,  and  on 
that  very  account  it  is  hard  to  them.  Thus 
we  read  in  the  Old  Testament  of  a  Syrian 
general  who  had  the  leprosy,  and  went  a 
long  journey  to  be  cured  by  Elisha  the 
prophet.  When  this  great  man  came  to 
the  door,  the  prophet  sent  out  a  messenger 
desiring  him  to  wash  in  the  river  Jordan, 
and  he  should  be  healed.  This  you  will 
say  was  an  easy  thing.  So  it  was:  but 
that  very  circumstance  made  it  hard,  for 
it  put  the  great  man  in  a  rage.  "  I  thought, 
said  he,  that  he  would  surely  come  out  to 
me,  and  stand,  and  call  upon  his  God,  and 
strike  his  hand  over  the  place;"  so  he 
went  away  in  a  passion.  But  one  of  his 
servants  wisely  said,  "  If  the  prophet  had 
bid  thee  do  some  great  thing,  wouldst  thou 
not  have  done  it .'  How  much  rather,  then, 
when  he  saith  to  thee.  Wash,  and  be  clean  ?" 
He  took  the  hint,  and  was  perfectly  healed. 
1  Kings  v. 

3.  Another  thinnf  makes  believino-  a  la- 
bor.  Many  think  that  if  much  stress  is 
laid  upon  faith,  it  will  make  people  neg- 
lect good  works,  and  so  be  hurtful  to  the 
interests  of  virtue  and  morality.  Some 
think  it  is  not  amiss  to  talk  of  Christ  and 
his  merits  to  dying  people,  because  they 
cannot  live  to  abuse  the  doctrine  ;  but  that 
little  should  be  preached  about  free  grace 
and  the  blood  of  Christ,  lest  it  should  lead 
to  licentiousness.  Alas,  for  such  persons  ! 
It  is  evident  they  are  "the  wliole,  who 
need  not  the  physician."  If  ever  they  had 
been  convinced  of  sin,  and  led  to  fear  the 
wrath  of  a  just  and  holy  God,  they  would 
gladly  fly  to  tlie  only  refuge  for  a  sinner: 
and  they  would  know  by  experience,  that 
the  Gospel  is  as  good  a  doctrine  to  live  by, 
as  it  is  to  die  by.     And  indeed  it  is  an 


abominable  reproach  upon  the  Holy  Gos- 
pel to  charge  it  with  so  bad.  a  tendency. 
In  fact,  we  know  from  the  word  of  God, 
from  experience,  and  from  observation, 
that  faith  purities  the  heart,  works  by  love, 
and  produces  all  the  fruits  of  righteous- 
ness and  goodness. 

4.  But  the  great  thing  that  makes  be- 
lieving in  Christ  so  laborious,  is,  the  awful 
view  that  a  convmced  sinner  often  has  of 
his  guilt.  He  sees  he  has  broken  the  law 
of  God,  and  is  exposed  to  its  dreadful 
curse.  He  knows  the  corruption  of  his 
nature,  and  the  plague  of  his  heart.  He 
feels  that  his  heart  is  deceitful  above  all 
things,  and  desperately  wicked.  He  ranks 
himself  among  the  chief  of  sinners;  thinks 
there  is  not  another  sinner  in  the  world  so 
bad  as  himself;  he  fears  there  is  something 
singular  in  his  case :  perhaps  he  is  ready 
to  fear  that  he  has  committed  the  unpar- 
donable sin :  he  complains  that  he  is  beset 
with  blasphemous  thoughts :  and  on  all 
these,  and  perhaps  on  many  other  accounts, 
is  afraid  there  is  no  help  tor  him  in  God. 

Besides,  the  Devil  is  very  busy  with  a 
convinced  sinner.  He  is  afraid  of  losing 
a  subject; -and  as  it  was  of  old  with  a 
young  man  who  was  coming  to  Christ  for 
a  bodily  cure,  "  while  he  was  yet  a  com- 
ing, the  Devil  threw  him  down  and  tare 
him ;"  so  Satan  tries  all  his  skill,  and  em- 
ploys all  his  agents,  to  J<eep  the  soul  from 
Chrisl ;  he  will  oppose  nothing  so  much  as 
his  flying  to  Christ  by  faith. 

Add  to  these  difficulties  one  more.  The 
convinced  and  enlightened  soul,  who  is  fully 
persuaded  there  is  no  salvation  but  in 
Christ,  is  apt  to  think  it  would  be  presump- 
tion in  him  to  go  to  Christ,  as  he  is  so 
guilty,  so  filthy,  so  unworthy.  He  thinks, 
when  he  is  more  reformed,  more  deeply 
humbled,  and  has  obtained  more  knowledge 
and  sanctity,  then  he  may  venture  to  hope 
in  Christ.  But  this  is  a  great  mistake,  a 
hurtful  error  ;  it  is  turning  the  Gospel  up- 
side down.  The  sinner's  first  business  is 
to  lly  to  Christ;  to  believe  the  record  of 
God  concerning  him ;  to  believe  that  his 
blood  cleanscth  from  all  sin  ;  that  every 
coming  sinner  will  be  welcome  ;  Christ 
castctii  out  none  that  come  to  him. 

These  considerations  fully  siiow  how 
properly  our  blessed  lord  speaks  in  the 
text,  Labor  fo7-  the  meal  zvhich  cndureth 
to  clcrnal  life.  And  yet,  blessed  be  God, 
who  is  "  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  our 
faith;"  he  can  render  this  easy  to  the  soul, 
by  the  power  of  his  holy  Spirit;  for  "he 
workotii  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do  ac- 
cording to  his  good  pleasure."  "  Our  suf- 
ficiency," in  this  respect,  "is  of  God:" 


100 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


and  hard  as  it  may  seem  at  first,  it  be- 
comes easier  as  we  continue  in  the  school 
of  Christ,  and  there  "  grow  in  grace,  and 
in  the  knowledge  of  Jesus." 
APPLICATION. 

1.  This  subject  reproves  us.  So  our 
Lord  intended  it ;  so  let  us  receive  it.  How 
many  among  us  labor  hard  !  but  for  what! 
A  morsel  of  bread.  Si.x  long  days  in  a 
week  are  spent  in  toil,  to  procure  a  few 
shillings.  All  this  is  right.  This  is  no 
more  than  what  God  requires.  "  Six  days 
shalt  thou  labor,  and  do  all  thy  work."  But 
is  this  all !  Is  there  no  concern  for  the 
soul  ]  Do  not  think,  my  dear  friends,  that 
laboring  for  the  body  will  excuse  you  from 
"the  one  thmg  needful,"  which  is  "the 
care  of  the  soul."  You  must  mind  both 
worlds;  and  both  will  be  best  minded, 
when  they  are  minded  together.  "  Seek 
first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  right- 
eousness, and  all  these  things  (food  and 
raiment)  shall  be  added  to  you."  Think 
of  the  vanity  of  this  world.  Remember 
that  earthly  things  perish  in  the  usuig : 
but  Christ,  the  bread  of  life,  endureth  for 
ever ;  and  he  that  eateth  of  this  bread  shall 
never  die. 

2.  Do  you  ask.  How  shall  I  get  faith  1  I 
answer.  It  is  the  gift  of  God,  and  is  to  be 
sought  for  by  earnest  prayer,  and  daily  at- 
tention to  the  Gospel,  the  word  of  faith. 
Faith  Cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by 
the  word  of  God.  Attend,  therefore,  where 
Christ  is  preached.  Christ's  sheep  know 
his  voice  ;  they  know  it  from  a  stranger's 
voice.  May  you  learn  to  distinguish ;  and 
while  you  li.sten  to  tlie  truth,  pray  earnestly 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  of  truth  may  enlighten 
your  minds,  and  enable  you  to  mix  faith 
with  it ;  so  shall  it  profit  your  souls. 

3.  We  may  also  learn  from  this  text 
that  many  labor  in  vain,  even  in  religion. 
They  follow  after  righteousness ;  they  want 
to  be  good,  and  hope  to  be  saved ;  but  they 
attain  not  tlieir  desires.  What  is  the  mat- 
ter 1  "  They  seek  it  not  by  faith,  but  as  it 
were,  by  the  works  of  the  law,"  Rom.  ix. 
31.  Avoid  tliis  rock,  on  which  so  many 
split;  and  remember,  that  the  first  busi- 
ness in  religion  is,  to  believe  in  Jesus.  Be- 
gm  with  Christ,  and  every  thing  will  fol- 
low in  its  due  order. 

4.  To  conclude.  Have  any  of  you  by 
precious  faith  received  Clu'ist?  Do  you 
take  hhn  as  the  bread  of  life,  the  food  of 
poor  souls '!  Rejoice  then  in  the  assurance 
which  God  gives  you  of  eternal  life.  Tliose 
wlio  ate  the  manna  in  the  Vi'ildorness  all 
died ;  but,  saith  Christ,  ver.  51,  /  am  the 
living  bread  lohich  came  down  from  hea- 
ven ;  if  any  man  cat  of  this  bread,  he  shall 


live  for  ever.  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh  and 
drinheth  my  blood,  hath  eternal  life  ;  and 
I  will  raise  liim  up  at  the  last  day.  Be- 
lieve this,  and  be  happy. 

And  now,  what  doth  the  Lord  require 
of  thee,  happy  believer  in  Jesus'?  He  re- 
quireth  thee  to  walk  in  his  ways,  and  la- 
bor in  his  service.  When  Elijah  was  ready 
to  starve,  the  Lord  provided  food  for  him ; 
he  ate,  and  drank,  and  laid  down  to  rest. 
The  angel  touched  him  a  second  time,  and 
said,  "  Arise,  and  eat,  because  the  journey 
is  too  great  for  thee.  And  he  arose,  and 
did  eat  and  drink,  and  went,  in  the  strength 
of  that  meat,  forty  days  and  forty  nights, 
unto  the  mount  of  God."  1  Kings  xix.  7,  8. 
Thus,  Christian,  feed  upon  Christ,  "  whose 
flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  whose  blood  is 
drink  indeed,"  and  in  the  strength  derived 
from  Jesus,  thou  shalt  "  run  without  wea- 
riness, and  walk  without  faintmg,"  till  thow 
reach  the  mountain  of  God,  and  sit  dow) 
at  the  marriage-feast  of  the  Lamb. 

"  Jesus,  we  bow  before  thy  feet ; 

Thy  table  is  divinely  stor'd  ; 
Thy  sacred  flesh  our  souls  liave  eat; 

'Tis  living  bread ;  we  thank  thee,  Lord ! 
"Joy  to  the  Master  of  the  feast; 

His  name  our  souls  for  ever  bless ; 
To  God  the  King,  and  God  the  Priest, 

A  loud  Hosanna  round  the  place." 


PRAYER.— O  God,  we  thank  thee  for  the 
meat  which  perisheth,  and  by  which  our  perish- 
ing bodies  are  sustained  during  our  continuance 
in  the  present  world ;  but  we  thank  thee  still 
more  for  the  meat  which  endureth  to  everlasting 
life,  and  which  is  the  free  gift  of  Jesus  Christ  to 
a  lost  world.  O  that  we  may  sincerely  cry 
"  Evermore  give  us  of  this  bread,"  this  bread  of 
life,  which  came  down  from  Heaven;  and  of 
which,  if  any  man  by  faith  partake,  he  shall  not 
die,  but  iive  for  ever! 

O  let  us  not  be  indifferent,  or  careless,  with 
regard  to  this  food.  We  labor,  and  use  dihgehce, 
for  the  supply  of  our  bodily  wants;  may  we  be 
still  more  diligent  to  obtain  food  for  our  souls. 
May  we  carefully  improve  Sabbaths,  Bibles, 
Sermons,  and  all  the  means  of  grace;  and,  while 
using  those,  may  the  Holy  Spirit  of  grace  and 
truth  enlighten  our  minds,  and  glorify  Christ  in 
our  hearts,  that,  daily  feeding  by  faith  on  him, 
we  may  be  strengthened  to  pursue  our  Christian 
course,  and  linally  obtain  everlasting  life. 


SERMON  XXIII. 

A  SINNER  CHANGED  BY  GRACE. 

1  Pet.  iv.  n,  4.— For  the  time  past  of  our  life  may  suf- 
fice us  to  have  wrmifrln  tlie  will  of  the  Gentiles, 
whoii  we  walkuil  in  lasciviousness,  Idsts,  excess 
of  wiiiR,  r^vcllincs,  hamiuptiiigs,  anil  abominable 
iiliilatrirs:  wlu'ioin  llii\v  think  it  strange  that  ye 
run  not  with  tlieni  to  the  same  excess  of  riot, 
speaking  evil  of  you. 

Sin,  that  accursed  thing.  Sin,  was  the 
occasion  of  our  Savior's  death;   and  he 


SERMON  XXIII. 


101 


died,  not  only  to  save  us  from  jjuilt,  that 
we  rniglit  not  be  condemned,  but  t(j  save 
us  also  from  its  power,  that  it  niii^lit  not 
rule  over  us.  Tiiis  double  benelit  of  the 
Redeemer's  death  was  signified  by  the 
water  and  the  blood  wiiich  issued  from  liis 
pierced  side;  for  St.  Jolm  observes,  1  John 
V.  6,  "  This  is  he  that  came  by  water  and 
blood,  even  Jesus  Christ;  not  by  water 
only,  but  by  water  and  blood."  By  the 
blood,  we  are  justified  from  tlie  guilt  of 
sin;  by  the  water,  our  polluted  nature  is 
purified.  Thus  is  Jesus  a  complete  Sa- 
vior. Both  tliese  are  equally  necessary; 
and  what  God  has  joined  together,  let  no 
man  put  asunder ;  lor  as  they  were  united 
in  the  Redeemer's  design,  so  are  they 
united  in  the  experience  of  all  who  believe. 
When  a  sinner  is  awakened  and  brought 
to  Christ  for  pardon,  then  he  also  feels  an 
earnest  desire  for  this  second  benefit  of 
his  death,  a  deliverance  from  the  power  of 
sm.  So  St.  Peter  teaches' us  in  this  chap- 
ter, v.  1.  Forasmuch  then  as  Christ  halh 
suffered  for  us  in  the  Jlesh,  arm  your- 
selves likewise  tvith  the  same  mind ;  that 
is,  all  Christians  should  be  armed  with  the 
same  resolution  against  sin,  and  for  holi- 
ness, as  Christ  was.  But  Christ  having 
sufiered  in  the  flesh  for  sin,  lived  in  the 
spirit  unto  God ;  therefore  should  we  also 
cease  from  sin,  and  live  no  more  to  the 
lust  of  men,  but  to  the  will  of  God ;  for, 
saith  the  Apostle,  "  the  time  past  of  our 
life  may  suffice."  Yes,  we  have  had 
enough,  and  too  much  of  sin :  it  has  taken 
up  too  much  of  our  time  and  affection  ; 
henceforth  may  we  live  to  God.  In  tliese 
useful  words  we  have  the  four  following 
things : 

I.  The  walk  of  a  natural  man  described. 

II.  Tlie  great  change  that  grace  makes 
in  such  a  man. 

III.  The  reasonableness  of  that  change : 
and 

IV.  The  usage  which  a  changed  person 
may  expect  from  the  world. 

1,  The  walk  of  a  natural  man  described 
— He  works  the  will  of  the  (tcntiles,  and 
lives  in  sin.  It  is  not  certain  whetlier  St. 
Peter  wrote  this  epistle  to  the  Jews  only, 
or  to  Gentiles  also ;  nor  is  it  of  any  conse- 
quence to  us ;  for  there  is  no  great  differ- 
ence between  a  carnal  Jew,  a  carnal  Gen- 
tile, or  a  carnal  Christian.  All  unconvert- 
ed people  live  not  according  to  the  will  of 
God.  The  will  of  God  is  the  proper  rule 
of  our  actions;  but  who  inquires  after  tliis  ? 
who  says  with  converted  Saul,  "  Ixird, 
what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?"  No  natu- 
ral man  says  so;  only  those,  who,  like 
Saul,  "  arc  converted  to  God."    And  here 


is  the  grand  difference  between  real  Chris- 
tians and  all  other  people.  The  latter 
walk  according  to  the  fesh  ;  the  former, 
according  to  the  Spirit ;  for,  as  Paul 
largely  shows  in  the  8th  chapter  to  the 
Romans,  they  that  are  after  the  flesh  do 
mind  the  things  oj  the  flesh  ;  but  they 
that  are  after  the  Spirit,  the  things  of  the 
Spirit.  And  what  are  all  tlie  thoughts, 
words,  desires,  pursuits,  and  delights  of 
carnal  men  about,  but  something  of  a 
fleshly  kind:  they  have  no  knowledge  of, 
nor  care  for,  no  delight  in,  any  tiling  that 
is  spiritual  or  heavenly,  nor  can  they, 
while  in  that  state ;  for  as  our  Lord  says, 
John  iii.  6,  I'hat  which  is  born  of  the 
flesh  is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  born  of 
the  Spirit  is  Spirit.  Till  a  man  is  born 
again,  he  works  the  will  of  the  Gentiles ; 
he  walks  according  to  the  flesh.  The 
Lord,  in  his  mercy,  discover  to  those  who 
are  in  this  state  the  danger  of  it,  and  de- 
liver them  out  of  it  by  his  changing  grace  ! 

Observe  in  the  text,  the  readiness  with 
which  men  sin ;  they  run  to  it,  it  is  their 
delight;  their  feet  are  swift  to  do  evil, 
while  to  every  thing  good  they  are  dull 
and  slow. — Observe  also,  that  men  sin  in 
company,  and  encourage  each  other  in 
sin :  "  they  tliink  it  strange  that  ye  run 
not  with  them.''''  Adam  fell  in  company, 
and  for  the  sake  of  company ;  and  all  his 
children  are  not  only  corrupt,  but  corrupt- 
ers ;  beware  then  of  "  evil  communica- 
tions, which  corrupt  good  manners,"  and 
take  the  wise  man's  advice,  "  My  son, 
if  sinners  entice  thee,  consent  thou  not." 
Remark  likewise  the  constancy  with  which 
men  sin ;  they  "  wrought  tlie  will  of  the 
Gentiles:"  they  worked  at  sin  as  a  man 
works  at  his  trade,  not  occasionally,  but 
daily.  Hence  sinners  are  called  workers 
of  iniquity,  and  as  such  sentenced,  by 
Christ  the  Judge,  to  eternal  misery. 

Let  us  now  take  notice  of  the  particu- 
lars of  this  wicked  course.  Lasciciousness 
is  first  mentioned.  Tliis  means  wanton- 
ness expressed  in  looks,  words,  and  ac- 
tions. Lusts,  or  criminal  desires  and  pur- 
suits after  unlav.-ful  embraces.  Exc(s.s  of 
wine;  that  is,  immoderate  drinking  of  any 
strong  liquors.  Revelling  and  lianquet-- 
ings,  feasting  with  songs  and  music, 
including  the  amusement  of  the  play- 
house, and  similar  diversions,  wiiich  are 
Satan's  traps  to  catcli  unwary  souls. 
Altominable  idolatries,  or  the  worship  of 
idols,  whicli  is  an  abominable  affront  to  the 
only  living  and  true  God;  and  which  was 
generally  attended  with  abominable  lewd- 
ness and  drunkenness,  and  oth?r  vicos. 
These  were  the  practices  of  the  heathen ; 
9* 


102 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


and  are  they  not  also  the  practices  of  many 
called  Christians  J  Is  there  not  in  every 
place  some  persons  who  run  to  this  excess 
of  riot  ?  O,  tliat  such  may  sec  the  error 
of  their  ways,  and  cry  to  tlie  Lord  for  his 
mercy  and  grace  !  And  this  is  next  to  be 
considered. 

II.  The  great  change  that  the  grace  of 
God  maltCS  in  a  natural  man. 

The  .change  we  mean  is  far  more  than 
the  mere  reformation  of  a  sinner's  life;  it 
is  an  inward,  supernatural  change,  wrought 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  by  means  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ.  So  we  read,  ver.  6,  of 
this  cliapter,  For  this  cause  was  the  Gos- 
]>el  jjreached  also  to  them  that  are  dead ; 
tliat  is,  to  those  believers  who  were  dead 
when  St.  Peter  wrote,  as  well  as  to  those 
who  were  tlien  living :  that  they  might  he 
judged  according  to  men  in  the  flesh ; 
that  they  might  judge  and  condemn  them- 
selves for  their  fleshly  lusts,  and  mortify 
their  carnal  appetites ;  and  so  be  dead  to 
sin,  but  live  according  to  God  in  the 
Spirit ;  that  being  quickened  from  the 
death  of  sin  to  the  life  of  righteousness, 
they  might,  being  helped  by  the  Spirit,  be 
conformed  to  the  will  of  God,  and  do  those 
things  which  are  pleasing  in  his  sight. 

It  is  by  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  that 
this  change  is  generally  effected  ;  for  it  is 
the  Gospel  only,  which  is  "  the  power  of 
God  to  salvation."  This  is  God's  mighty 
instrument  for  "  pulling  down  the  strong 
hold  of  the  devil,"  for  opening  men's  eyes, 
and  turning  them  from  darkness  unto 
light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto 
God." 

The  sinner  is  usually  first  alarmed  by 
the  Law,  as  contained  in  the  ten  com- 
mandments. If  his  eyes  are  opened  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  he  sees  that  "  the  law  is 
spiritual,"  and  reaches  to  the  secret 
thoughts  of  his  heart;  and  that  having 
broken  the  law,  he  is  under  its  curse. 
Tills,  though  before  lie  was  "  alive  with- 
out the  law,"  the  commandment  comes 
with  power  to  his  conscience,  sin  revives, 
and  he  dies :  that  is,  he  now  sees  he  is  a 
dead  man  in  law ;  justly  condemned  to 
eternal  death  on  account  of  his  sins. 

But  the  law  alone  is  insufficient  to  de- 
stroy the  power  of  sin.  Tlie  Gospel  is  the 
instrument  employed  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
for  this  purpose.  Sin  never  appears  to  the 
believer  so  sinful  as  when  he  beholds 
Christ  crucified  for  it.  Jesus  Christ,  as 
crucified  for  sin,  was  the  grand  subject  of 
apostolic  preaching.  The  first  ministers 
of  Christ  "  determined  to  know  nothing 
among  the  people  but  Jesus  Christ,  and 
him  crucified."  And  O,  how  glorious  were 


the  triumphs  of  the  cross !  It  was  this 
which  subdued  tlie  hearts  of  poor,  wretch- 
ed, beastly,  devilish  men,  among  the  hea- 
then. Those  who  had  wallowed  in  the 
filth  of  sin,  and  reduced  human  nature  to 
the  most  degraded  state,  became  holy, 
humble,  chaste,  temperate,  honest,  pious, 
gentle,  usefnl  men.  This  it  was  that 
changed  St.  Paul  from  a  bloody  persecutor 
of  the  saints  to  an  liumble  disciple  and 
flaming  preacher  of  Christ.  So  he  says. 
Gal.  vi.  14.  "  God  i()rbid  that  I  should 
glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  by  whom  tlie  world  is  crucified 
unto  me,  and  I  unto  tiie  world."  So  that 
every  believer  may  say  and  sing, 

"  It  was  the  sight  of  thy  dear  cross 

First  wean'd  my  heart  from  earthly  things. 

And  taught  me  to  esteem  as  dross 

The  mirth  of  fools  and  pomp  of  kings," 

And  this  shows  that  the  very  first  busi- 
ness of  a  convinced  sinner,  who  "  hungers 
and  thirsts  after  righteousness,"  is  to  come 
to  Christ.  We  have  no  strength  and 
ability  in  ourselves,  by  nature,  to  become 
holy,  and  subdue  our  sins ;  we  must  begin 
to  live  to  God  in  a  new  way,  by  faith  in 
Christ.  The  efforts  of  a  natural  man  to- 
wards holiness  are  all  forced  and  unnatural ; 
we  must  have  a  new  nature  and  new  pow- 
ers ;  and  thes6  we  can  have  only  in  and 
fi-om  Christ,  and  by  virtue  of  union  to  him, 
through  faith.  Christ  dwells  in  the  hearts 
of  believers,  and  they  dwell  in  him.  They 
are  "  Members  of  his  body,  and  are  so 
joined  to  him  as  to  become  one  spirit." 
They  are  branches  of  Christ  the  tree ; 
separate  from  him  they  can  do  nothing: 
but  from  union  to  him  proceed  all  their 
good  works,  and  sincere  acceptable  obedi- 
ence. -Thus  the  soul  is  brought  to  cleave 
to  Christ  with  purpose  of  heart,  to  hate 
every  false  way,  and  to  deny  ungodliness 
and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  soberly,  and 
righteously,  and  godly,  in  this  present  evil 
world.  TJiis  is  the  great  change  that  grace 
makes. 

III.  We  proceed  to  speak  of  the  reason- 
ableness of  this  change. 

"  The  time  past,  (says  our  holy  apostle) 
the  time  past  of  our  lite  may  suffice  us  to 
have  wrought  the  will  of  the  Gentiles." 
Not  as  if  sin  was  entitled  to  any  portion 
of  our  short  and  mortal  lives.  No.  A 
moment  given  to  sin  is  a  moment  too  much. 
But  it  may  well  be  said,  "  the  tune  past* 
may  suffice  ;  for, 

"  Sin  is  a  dreadful  waste  of  precious 
time.  Life  is  very  short."  Time  flies  on 
swift  wings ;  and  when  once  gone,  is  gone 
for  ever.  We  can  never  recall  a  lost  hour. 
And  yet,  how  is  time  squandered  away  ? 


SERMON  XXIII. 


103 


O  visit  dying  beds,  to  learn  the  value  of 
time.  What  would  some  dying  people 
give  for  a  few  weeks  or  a  few  hours  I  There 
have  been  instances  of  rich  men,  who  have 
offered  physicians  half  their  estates,  if 
they  could  prolong  their  lives  for  a  few 
weeks  !  And  what  is  "  the  worm  that  never 
dies,"  but  the  horrid  remorse  of  a  damned 
sinner,  rcHecting,  with  intolerable  anguish, 
upon  the  loss  of  his  time  and  abuse  of  his 
mercies  in  a  life  of  sin  ! 

Sin  is  also  a  nsdcss  thing.  "  What  fruit 
liad  ye  1"  said  St.  I'aul  to  the  converted 
Roman  ;  "  what  fruit  had  ye  then  in  those 
things  whereof  ye  are  now  ashamed!" 
What  profit,  honor,  or,  pleasure,  did  ye 
find  in  your  former  sinful  courses,  even 
while  pursuing  them  ?  Were  they  not  at- 
tended with  remorse,  trouble,  mischief,  and 
stings  of  conscience  ^  And  what  bitter 
fruits  do  they  produce  in  reflection !  as  holy 
Job  says,  "Thou  writest  bitter  things 
against  me,  and  makest  me  to  possess  the 
sins  of  my  youth !"  Sin  is  extremely  hurt- 
ful and  dangerous  to  ourselves  and  others. 
The  sinner  is  like  "  the  madman,  who 
casteth  abroad  fire-brands,  arrows,  and 
deatii,  and  saith.  Am  I  not  in  sport '!  You 
would  shudder  to  see  a  child  playing  with 
a  razor,  or  with  the  fire ;  or  standing  on 
the  brink  of  a  deep  precipice  at  the  sea- 
side !  Yet  such  is  the  state  of  every  man 
in  his  sins.  Such  was  once  our  state :  and 
may  not  the  time  past  suffice  to  have 
wrought  the  will  of  the  flesh,  yea  the  will 
of  the  devil,  who  was  aiming  at  our  de- 
struction ■?  "  for  the  end  of  those  things  is 
death :"  the  direct  tendency  and  due  desert 
of  these  sinful  practices  is  nothing  less 
than  death  temporal  and  eternal.  How 
dreadfully  mischievous  is  the  sinner  to  his 
neighbor !  He  cannot  be  content,  to  perish 
alone.  Like  the  Devil,  he  labors  to  bring 
others  into  the  same  condemnation  witli 
himself  He  is  a  soul-murderer.  What 
a  melancholy  reflection  to  a  considerate 
mind ! — Perhaps  there  are  souls  now  in 
hell,  who  perished  by  my  means.  It  was 
the  dread  of  such  a  reflection  that  probably 
made  Dives  v,'i.sh  that  a  message  might  be 
sent  to  his  five  brethren,  to  prevent  their 
coming  to  that  place  of  torment ;  for  it  is 
likely  they  had  been  led  into  sin  by  his 
infidel  counsel  and  wicked  example ;  and 
he  knew  that,  if  they  came  there,  they 
would  upbraid  him  as  the  author  of  their 
ruin.  Now  surely  tlie  time  past  may  suffice 
to  have  been  so  hurtful  to  ourselves  and 
others. 

It  is  also  reasonable  to  forsake  sin,  "  be- 
cause it  is  so  highly  dishonorable  to  the 
blessed  God."    Surely  God  deserves  to  be 


loved  and  obeyed  by  all  his  creatures  ;  but 
sin  is  an  act  of  robbery ;  it  defrauds  God 
of  his  just  rights,  and  transfers  to  Satan 
the  obedience  due  to  him.  It  is  an  act  of 
treason  and  rebellion  against  the  Majesty 
of  heaven.  Yea,  it  is  a  kind  of  atheism  ; 
for  in  vain  we  profess  "  to  know  God,  if  in 
works  we  deny  him  ;"  if  we  live  in  sin,, 
we  live  "  without  God  in  the  world." 

Once  more,  a  life  of  sin  is  directly 
"contrary  to  our  Christian  profession." 
Why  do  we  call  ourselves  Christians,  if 
we  neither  obey  nor  resemble  Christ !  Why 
call  we  him  Master  and  Lord,  if  we  do  not 
the  things  which  he  commands  1  Were  wo 
not  baptized  unto  Ciiristl  and  does  not  our 
baptism  signify  "a  deatli  unto  sin,  and  a 
new  birth  unto  righteousness.'"  a  re- 
nouncing the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
devil  !  To  be  a  Christian  indeed,  is  to  be 
a  follower  of  Christ,  to  have  the  same 
miiid  in  us  as  was  in  him,  and  to  walk  even 
as  he  walked ;  but  what  a  horrid  contra- 
diction there  is  in  such  names  or  charac- 
ters as  these — a  drunken  Christian — a  ly- 
ing Christian — a  lewd  Christian — a  pro- 
fane Christian.  It  is  said  of  Alexander 
the  Great,  that  he  had  a  soldier  in  his  army 
of  his  own  name,  but  understanding  that 
he  was  a  base  cowardly  fellow,  he  called 
hun  into  his  presence,  and  reproaching  him 
with  cowardice,  said,  "  Either  change  your 
name,  or  fight  better !"  And  how  properly 
might  the  great  and  holy  Redeemer  say  to 
wicked  men,  professing  to  be  Christians, 
Renounce  the  name  of  Christians,  or  live 
better  !  How  reasonable  then  is  it  to  for- 
sake sin,  seemg  it  is  such  a  waste  of 
precious  time ;  so  useless,  so  hurtful  to  our- 
selves and  others ;  so  dishonorable  to  God  ; 
and  so  contrary  to  our  holy  profession  as 
Christians  !  Rather  let  us  obey  the  exhort- 
ation of  St.  Paul,  Rom.  xii.  1.  "  I  beseech 
you,  tlierefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of 
God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a  living 
sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God,  which 
is  your  reasonable  service ;"  it  is  fit  and 
right,  as  we  are  the  crcatares  of  God,  the 
author  of  all  our  powers,  and  especially  if 
we  are  partakers  of  liis  grace  and  love  in 
Ciirist  Jesus; — "for  of  him,  and  through 
him,  and  to  him,  are  all  things  :  to  whom 
be  glory  for  ever.    Amen  !" 

IV.  Lastly,  we  are  to  consider  the  usage 
which  a  changed  person  marj  expect  to 
meet  with  from  a  wicked  world :  "  they 
think  it  strange  that  ye  run  not  with  them 
to  the  same  excess  of  riot;  speaking  evil 
of  you.  tliey  wonder  what  is  come  to  you, 
that  you  have  so  suddenly  forsaken  their 
company  and  their  pleasures  ;  they  cannot 
account  for  such  a  strange  alteration,  and 


104 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


they  despise  you  as  stifF,  unsociable,  foolish 
creatures,  or  as  mad  entliusiasts. 

Now  here  observe,  that  wJiere  such  a 
change  as  this  takes  place,  it  is  visible  ;  tor 
if  the  world  did  not  see  it,  they  could  not 
hate  it.  And  indeed,  when  persons  who 
have  lived  in  open  sin  become  serious  and 
holy,  the  cliange  cannot  be  hid.  It  is  said 
of  Barnabas,  that  "  when  he  came  to  An- 
tioch,  and  had  seen  the  grace  of  God,  he 
was  glad :  the  grace  of  God,  as  a  spiritual 
principle  in  the  heart,  cannot  be  seen  by 
bodily  eyes  ;  but  the  eliects  of  it  in  a  holy 
life  and  conversation  must  and  will  be 
seen.  Cln-istians,  however  humbled  and 
retired,  are  like  "  a  city  set  upon  a  hill, 
which  cannot  be  hid ;"  they  are  like  "  a 
candle  that  giveth  light  unto  all  that  are 
in  the  house ;"  and  their  "  light  must  so 
shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  their 
good  works,  and  glorify  their  Father  who 
is  in  heaven."  Matt.  v.  14,  15,  16.  Yes, 
the  change  we  speak  of  will  be  observed. 
Carnal  companions  will  be  deserted,  places 
of  vain  amusement  forsaken.  No  oath  or 
filthy  jest,  or  light  expression,  will  proceed 
from  the  mouth;  the  places  where  the 
Gospel  is  preached  will  be  frequented,  the 
Sabbath  day  will  be  carefully  kept  holy, 
and  the  whole  behavior  and  appearance 
will  be  such  as  become  godliness. 

This  will  excite  hatred.  "  The  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  God,"  and  every 
thing  godly,  and  godlike.  When  God 
permits,  persecution  will  follow;  and  if 
this  is  not  public  by  the  magistrate  (which 
blessed  be  God,  our  laws  prevent)  yet  re- 
lations, friends,  and  neighbors,  show  their 
dislike.  "  Every  one  who  is  godly  in 
Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer  persecution  ;"  so 
the  Scripture  declares,  and  so  serious  per- 
sons will  be  sure  to  find  it.  Nor  let  them 
wonder  Or  be  offended  at  this,  for  from  the 
beginning  it  was  so.  "  He  that  was  born 
afler  the  flesh  persecuted  him  that  was 
born  after  the  Spirit."  And  every  believer 
must  bear  the  cross ;  if  not  AbeFs  cross, 
yet  Isaac's ;  if  not  martyrdom,  yet  mock- 
ing. They  think  it  strange,  and  then 
speak  evil:  perhaps  they  will  falsely  ac- 
cuse you ;  they  will  say  you  are  hypo- 
crites, and  take  up. a  profession  of  religion 
to  answer  some  wicked  purposes.  But  be 
not  offended ;  this  is  rather  "  a  token  for 
good,"  on  your  behalf,  while,  on  tlieirs,  it 
is  an  awful  evidence  of  their  Christless, 
dangerous  state ;  for,  as  it  follows  in  the 
next  verse,  "  They  shall  give  account  to 
him  that  is  ready  to  judge  the  quick  and 
the  dead;"  they  must  answer  for  all  "  their 
ungodly  deeds  and  hard  speeches;"  and 
what  will  they  answer  to  Jesus,  on  whom 


their  reproaches  fall,  when  he  shall  say, 
"  Why  persecute  ye  me?"    Let  persecu- 
tors consider  how  they  will  answer  'this, 
APPLICATION. 

We  have  considered,  in  the  first  place, 
the  walk  of  a  naiural  man ;  and  may  we 
not  say,  I  iord,  what  is  man !  What  a 
wretched,  fallen,  guilty  creature  is  man ! 
How  is  our  nature  depraved,  which  in- 
clines us  to  such  a  course,  and  what  abun- 
dant cause  is  there  for  mourning  and  la- 
mentation on  this  account.  And  say,  my 
friends,  what  sort  of  a  walk  is  ours '!  Whose 
will  do  we  follow  \  Is  it  the  will  of  the 
flesh,  or  the  will  of  God  !  Which  of  these 
do  rjou  consult  f  Do  you  consider  in  your 
daily  walk,  Will  this  action  I  am  going  to 
do,  this  pleasure  I  am  going  to  take,  please 
God  or  not !  Can  I  ask  his  blessing  upon 
it !  Are  you  not  rather  led  captive  by  your 
smful  passions,  your  sensual  inclinations, 
and  the  custom  of  the  world!  But  you 
plainly  see  from  the  text  that  tliis  way  leads 
to  destruction,  and  you  must  forsake  it,  or 
perish. 

Learn  also  that  the  commonness  of  sin 
affords  no  excuse  for  it.  The  will  of  the 
Gentiles,  or  the  way  of  the  world,  is  the 
broad  way  to  ruin.  Follow  not  the  multi- 
tude to  do  evil.  Forsake  the  foolish  and 
live.  The  narrow  road  that  leads  to  hea- 
ven has  but  few  travellers ;  God  grant  we 
may  be  found  among  the  number  i 

From  what  has  been  said,  the  necessity 
of  regeneration  evidently  appears.  Is  the 
heart  of  man  so  corrupt  ?  Is  he  so  strongly 
inclined  to  the  will  of  the  world,  and  tiie 
beastly  lusts  of  the  flesh  !  what  then  can 
effect  an  entire  change  and  alteration,  first 
in  the  heart,  and  then  in  the  life  1  "  Can 
the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or  the  leop- 
ard his  spots  !"  With  man  this  is  impossi- 
ble ;  but  nothing  is  too  hard  for  the  Lord. 
The  people  to  whom  St.  Peter  wrote  had 
felt  this  change,  and  so  have  thousands  in 
all  ages.  For  this  purpose  the  Lord  hath 
sent  his  Gospel  hither.  Salvation  has 
come  to  this  house.  To  you  is  the  word 
of  this  salvation  sent.  The  Lord  open  your 
hearts,  as  he  did  Lydia's,  to  attend  to  tlie 
word.  Which  of  you  is  willing  to  be 
saved ;  to  be  saved  71010 ;  to  be  saved  from 
sin ;  to  be  saved  by  Jesus !  He  is  able  to 
save  to  the  uttermost;  it  is  his  office  to 
save  ;  it  is  his  delight  to  save  ;  and  there- 
fore he  sends  us,  in  his  name,  to  invite  you 
to  come  to  him ;  to  beseech  you  to  be  re- 
conciled to  God.  Come,  then,  fellow-sin- 
ners, all  things  are  ready.  Come  to  this 
great  and  loving  Savior,  and  lie  will  wash 
you  from  all  your  past  sins  in  t])e  fountain 
of  his  precious  blood,  and  give  you  a  new 


SERMON  XXIV. 


105 


heart,  a  heart  to  love  him,  and  walk  in  his 
holy  pleasant  ways.  O,  that  we  could  per- 
suade you  to  forsake  your  sins,  and  come 
to  Jesus  for  life.  But  this  is  his  work.  The 
Lord  make  you  "  willing  in  the  day  of  his 
power." 

Christians !  with  what  holy  shame  and 
grief  may  you  review  the  former  part  of 
your  lives !  May  not  "  the  time  past  suf- 
fice to  have  wrought  the  will  of  the  Gen- 
tiles]" Did  you  not  live  long  enough  in 
sin  ?  Ah,  you  will  say,  too,  too  long !  O, 
the  vanity  of  my  childhood  and  youth !  O, 
misspent  sabbaths !  O,  my  youtliful  w-an- 
tonness,  lusts,  and  revellings.  I  look  back 
upon  them  with  a  mi.xture  of  shame  and 
indignation.  I  blush  to  lift  up  my  face  to 
» lioly  God.  I  smite  my  breast  with  the 
publican,  and  say,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner !" 

Well,  God  has  been  merciful  to  you.  Is 
not  tliis  a  brand  plucked  out  of  the  fire  ! 
O,  what  debtors  are  we  to  the  free,  sove- 
reign, almighty  grace  of  Jesus.  You  were 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins :  you  hath  he 
quickened,  and  saved  by  his  grace.  "  Such 
were  some  of  you ;  but  ye  are  washed,  but 
ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified,  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  by 
the  Spirit  of  our  God."  1  Cor.  vi.  11. 

And  now,  my  friends,  what  doth  the 
Lord  require  of  us?  Have  we  lost  so  much 
time  while  we  were  in  our  sins !  O  let  us 
be  doubly  diligent  in  future.  Let  us  re- 
deem the  time,  for  the  days  are  few  and 
evil.  Let  us  be  active  for  God,  for  our  own 
souls,  and  for  others.  Let  us  lay  ourselves 
out  for  usefulness.  And  instead  of  run- 
nin<r  with  the  wicked  in  the  ways  of  sin, 
let  us  run  with  enlarged  hearts  in  the  ways 
of  God.  Let  us  exhort  one  another  daily, 
and  so  much  the  more  as  we  see  the  day 
approaching.  Let  us  provoke  one  another 
to  love  and  to  good  works.  Let  us  prove 
our  love  to  Jesus,  our  great  Deliverer,  by 
holy  obedience  and  grateful  praise. 


PRAYER. — Most  holy  God,  we  arknowledge 
with  shainp  and  grief  tno  depravity  of  our  na- 
ture, wliicli  inclines  us  to  pnrsnc  the  broad  viay 
tliat  leads  to  destriiclion.  We  have  followed  the 
deviees  and  desires  of  our  own  hearts  loo  mnch, 
and  walked  accordiiisj  to  the  eoin-se  of  this  vain 
and  wicked  world.  But  we  desire  that  the  time 
past  may  sudlce  to  have  acted  this  hase  and  (()ol- 
ish  part.  We  now  perceive  that  we  have  wasted 
much  of  our  precious  time,  and  that  sin  is  a  use- 
less, hurtful,  and  dangerous  thing,  dishonorable 
to  ihee'our  God,  and  contrary  to  our  Christian 
profession; — create  in  us,  therefore,  we  beseech 
thee,  clean  hearts,  and  renew  rijrht  spirits  within 
us;  make  us  new  creatures,  and  write  thy  holy 
law  on  our  minds,  that  so  the  rest  of  our  lives 
may  be  pure  and  holy.  IIolp  us,  hv  thy  Spirit, 
to  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  and  to  crucify 

o 


the  old  man  with  his  fleshly  lusts;  and  being 
uniteil  to  Christ  by  faith,  may  wc  obey  his  pre- 
cepts, and  imitate  his  example.  Grant,  we  be- 
seech thee,  that  wc  may  so  laithfuUy  serve  thee 
in  this  life,  that  we  fail  not  liiially  to  attain  thy 
heavenly  promises,  through  the  merits  of  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.    Amen. 


SERMON  XXIV. 

DIVES  AND  LAZARUS: 

OR,  THE  SUFFICIE.NCV   OF  SCRIPTURE  FOR  THE 
PURPOSES   OF  SALVATION. 

{Intended  as  a  check  to  Infidelity.) 

Luke  xvi.  31.  If  tliey  hoar  not  Moses  and  the  Proph- 
ets, neitlier  will  tliey  be  persuaded,  though  one 
rose  from  the  duad. 

Eternity  is  at  hand !  Let  us  take  a  view 
of  it — A  view  set  before  us  by  Jesus  Christ 
himself:  by  him  "who  brought  life  and 
immortality  to  light,"  and  who  best  knew 
how  to  describe  the  state  of  a  saint  in  hea- 
ven, and  a  sinner  in  hell.  "  Our  te.\t  is  the 
close  of  a  parable,  designed  to  reprove  the 
Pharisees,  who  were  covetous  and  worldly. 
Here  we  have  an  account  of  a  very  wick- 
ed man,  who  was  rich,  and  a  very  good 
man,  who  was  poor.  Death  came  and 
ended  all  the  pleasures  of  the  one,  and  all 
the  pains  of  the  other.  The  rich  man,  be- 
ing in  hell,  desires  the  poor  man  may  be 
sent  from  heaven  to  convert  his  bretliren 
on  earth ;  but  he  is  told  in  these  words, 
that  if  they  will  not  mind  their  Bible,  they 
would  mind  nothing  else.  This  text,  my 
friends,  is  chosen  on  purpose  to  recommend 
the  Bible  to  you,  tliat  you  may  not  neglect 
the  only  book,  which,  under  God,  is  able 
to  save  your  souls. 

We  read  in  the  lf)th  verse — "There 
was  a  certain  rich  man,  who  was  clothed 
in  purple  and  fine  linen,  and  fared  sump- 
tuously every  day."  It  is  not  a  siri  to  be 
rich ;  nor  is  it  a  sin  for  the  rich  to  wear 
handsome  clothes,  nor  keep  good  tables: 
but  it  is  very  dangerous  to  the  soul  to  be  ^ 
rich;  because  those  who  have  mucli  oftlic 
world  are  tempted  to  love  the  world  too 
much,  to  forget  God,  and  to  neglect  tlicir 
souls.  A  life  of  ease,  pleasure,  and  honor, 
is  so  contrary  to  a  life  of  faith,  repentance, 
and  self-denial,  that  few  ricii  men  are 
saved. 

Ver.  20,  21.  "  And  there  was  a  certain 
beggar,  named  Lazarus,  who  was  laid  at 
his  gate  full  of  sores,  and  desiring  to  be 
fed  with  the  crumbs  which  fell  from  the 
rich  inan's  table :  moreover,  the  do.fs  came 
and  licked  his  sores."  Learn  from  this, 
that  wo  caimot  judge  of  any  man's  state, 


106 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


before  God,  by  his  circumstances  in  the 
present  world.  A  wicked  man  may  be 
very  prosperous,  and  a  good  man  may  be 
in  great  affliction.  Poor  Lazarus  was 
Aeip/ess  indeed,  as  his  name  signifies:  it 
is  hard  to  be  poor,  but  harder  still  to  be 
sick  and  poor.  Lazarus  could  not  work, 
or  he  would  not  have  begged.  He  could 
not  even  walk.  Somebody  was  kind  enough 
to  bring  him  to  the  rich  man's  gate  (tor 
there  was  no  parish  relief  in  those  days) 
in  hopes  that  he  would  be  observed,  pitied, 
and  relieved.  Poor  Lazarus  was  very 
modest  and  humble.  A  bit  of  broken  meat 
was  all  he  wanted ;  but  tliis  was  denied. 
The  wanton  pampered  dogs  came  and 
licked  his  runnmg  sores ;  which  shows 
that  he  had  not  a  bit  of  linen  to  cover  them, 
and  keep  them  from  the  air;  and  he  was 
so  weak  that  he  could  not  keep  off  the 
dogs,  which  seemed  ready  to  devour  him. 

What  a  picture  is  this  of  a  hard-hearted 
rich  man,  and  a  patient  beggar !  "  Dives 
could  not  plead  that  he  was  oppressed  by  a 
number  of  beggars,  for  Lazarus  was  alone ; 
nor  that  he  was  unknown  to  him,  for  he 
lies  at  the  gate ;  nor  could  he  say  he  was 
idle,  and  might  work,  for  he  lay  helpless 
on  the  ground ;  nor  that  he  wanted  a  great 
deal,  for  he  would  have  been  contented 
with  crumbs:  not  that  his  servants  took 
care  of  him,  for  not  one  of  them  relieves 
him !"  Well !  if  man  will  not  pity,  God 
will. 

"  It  came  to  pass  that  the  beggar  died, 
and  was  carried  by  angels  into  Abraham's 
bosom." 

No  doubt,  death  was  welcome  to  him. 
He  had  nothing  in  this  world  to  set  his 

•  I 

heart  upon ;   that  is  an  advantage  which 
the  poor  have  above  the  rich.  Poor  Lazarus 
sunk  at  last  under  his  heavy  burdens.  Per- 
haps his  wounds  mortified  ;  or  he  might  be  \ 
starved  to  death.  But  blessed  are  the  dead 
that  die  in  the  Lord ;  they  cease  from  their 
labors  and  troubles,  and  are  at  rest.     An-  [ 
gels,  who  are  ministering  spirits  to  the  ! 
saints,  carried  his  departing  soul  to  glory ; 
where,  like  an  honored  guest  at  a  feast,  he  , 
was  placed  next  to  the  father  of  the  faith- 
ful, in  whose  steps  no  doubt  he  had  trod, 
having  been  a  partaker  of  the  same  pre- 
cious faith  in  Christ. 

The  rich  man  also  died,  qnd  was  buried. 
"  Riches  profit  not  in  the  day  of  wrath." 
Money  will  not  bribe  cleatli.  Divers  was 
bound  to  the  world  by  a  thousand  silken 
cords  and  golden  chains ;  but  deatli  broke 
them  all  in  a  moment,  and  linrried  away 
his  guilty,  unprepared  soul  to  the  torments 
of  hell.  What  availed  his  pompous  fune- 
ral ]  The  pampered  carcass  must  be  the 


food  of  worms,  while  his  wretched  spirit  is 
confined  in  the  region  of  despair. 

"  And  in  hell  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being 
in  torments,  and  seeth  Abraham  afar  off| 
and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom;  and  he  cried 
and  said.  Father  Abraham,  have  mercy  on 
me,  and  send  Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip  the 
tip  of  his  finger  m  water,  and  cool  my 
tongue ;  for  I  am  tormented  in  this  flame." 
Ver.  23,  24. 

His  eyes,  once  fixed  on  earth  and  earth- 
ly things,  and  which  were  always  turned 
away  from  God  and  his  word,  are  now 
forced  to  look  upward :  and  the  glimmering 
of  light  only  serves  to  discover,  at  a  dread- 
ful distance,  the  happiness  he  had  lost  by 
his  sins,  and  the  bliss  of  that  neglected 
child  of  God,  who  once  lay  and  perished  at 
his  gate. 

Observe.  Now  he  prays.  He  should 
have  prayed  on  earth,  then  he  would  have 
been  heard.  He  prays  to  a  saint;  he  should 
have  prayed  to  God.  He  pleads  relation  to 
Abraham,  callmg  him  Father.  Church 
privileges,  or  relation  to  pious  people,  will 
not  save  wicked  professors.  He  asks  for 
mercy,  but  he  asks  too  late ;  the  door  of 
mercy  is  for  ever  shut.  He  does  not  ex- 
pect deliverance,  he  asks  only  a  moment's 
partial  ease ;  but  this  he  asks  in  vain ;  and 
how  just  it  is,  that  he  who  refused  a  crumb, 
should  be  denied  a  drop !  Observe  the  an- 
swer— ver.  25.  "Abraham  said.  Son,  re- 
member that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  received 
thy  good  things,  and  likewise  Lazarus  evil 
things ;  but  now  he  is  comforted,  and  thou 
art  tormented." 

Mark  this  well,  you  who  place  your  hap- 
piness in  eating  and  drinking,  and  putting 
on  fine  clothes.  Are  these  our  . "  good 
things  7"  Poor  portion  indeed  !  No  man 
can  have  a  greater  curse  than  to  be  rich, 
and  take  his  pleasure,  and  enjoy  himself 
continually,  if  this  be  his  all ;  if  his  heart 
is  set  on  these  things,  while  he  lives  in 
sin,  neglects  his  soul,  and  is  alienated  from 
the  life  of  God.  The  remembrance  of  such 
a  carnal  state  will  be  tiie  hell  of  hell.  Re- 
morse for  such  cursed  folly  is  "  the  worm 
that  never  dies,"  and  will  add  fuel  to  the 
fire  that  shall  never  be  quenched.  Lazarus 
had  all  his  evil  tilings  on  earth.  He  had 
borne  the  cross,  as  every  one  must  do,  who 
follows  Christ.  Not  that  he  was  saved  by 
his  poverty  and  afflictions.  There  is  no 
merit  in  these  things.  Christ  alone  can 
save  us  from  our  sins ;  and  there  are«iany 
who  are  miserable  here,  who  will  be  mis- 
erable also  in  hell.  But  Lazarus  was  a 
pardoned  sinner,  and  was  born  of  God. 
Perhaps  his  afflictions  led  him  to  God ; 
and  it  is  happy  for  poor  people  when  their 


SERMON  XXIV. 


107 


troubles  are  sanctified  to  them,  when  they 
learn  the  evil  of  sin  in  tlie  evil  of  suffering, 
and  having  no  comfort  of  a  worldly  kind, 
seek  comtbrt  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
and  true  religion. 

"  And  besides  all  this,  said  Abraham,  be- 
tween us  and  you  there  is  a  great  gulf 
fi.xed ;  so  that  they  which  would  pass  from 
hence  to  you  cannot ;  neither  can  tiiey  pass 
to  us,  that  would  come  from  thence ;"  ver. 
26.  Awful  separation !  Now  saints  and 
sinners  meet  in  the  same  church ;  but  the 
distinction  will  soon  be  made,  and  no  more 
intercourse  be  suffered  for  ever.  The  kindest 
relation,  the  dearest  friend,  cannot  come  to 
speak  one  word  of  comfort  to  the  lost  soul ; 
nor  can  the  prisoner  of  hell  ever  make  his 
escape,  or  obtain  a  release  for .  a  single 
hour.  But  though  the  miseries  of  the 
damned  admit  of  no  relief,  they  are  capa- 
ble of  addition.  Should  their  relations 
come  thither,  seduced  to  sin  by  their  coun- 
sel or  example,  it  would  add  to  their  tor- 
ments. This  was  what  Dives  dreaded,  and 
therefore  he  cries  to  Abraham,  ver.  27, 
28.  "  I  pray  thee,  therefore.  Father,  tliat 
thou  wouldest  send  him  to  my  father's 
house,  for  I  have  five  brethren,  that  he 
may  testify  unto  them,  lest  they  also  come 
into  this  place  of  torment." 

Dives  felt  the  hell  which  he  formerly 
disbelieved.  He  had  made  a  jest  of  hell 
many  a  time,  and  laughed  at  the  fears  of 
religious  people,  and  their  pains  to  avoid  it. 
He  iiad  taught  his  brothers  to  do  the  same  ; 
and  encouraged  by  his  example  to  persist 
in  a  sinful  course,  he  had  reason  to  expect 
each  of  them  would  follow  him  to  hell,  ac- 
cuse him  as  their  tempter,  and  charge 
their  ruin  to  him.  This,  he  knew,  would 
increase  his  sufferings. 

Let  this  be  a  warning  to  those  who  en- 
courage their  acquaintance  to  drunkenness, 
whoredom,  dishonesty,  or  other  sins.  Great 
is  the  guilt  of  enticing  others  to  sin,  and 
great  will  be  their  torment,  when  a  new 
sufferer  arrives  to  lay  his  ruin  at  their  door. 

Ver.  29.  "  Abraham  saith  unto  him,  they 
have  Moses  and  the  prophets;  let  them 
hear  them."  From  this  answer  it  is  plain, 
that  in  the  judgment  of  Christ  there  was 
enough  in  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament to  convince  men  that  there  is  an- 
other life  after  this ;  a  future  state  of  re- 
wards and  punishments,  wliatever  some 
pretend  to  the  contrary.  It  was  tlie  privi- 
lege of  the  Jews  to  have  this  testimony ;  it 
was  sufficient  for  their  conviction ;  and  it 
was  the  sin  and  ruin  of  those  who  disre- 
garded it.  We,  my  friends,  have  the  same 
advantage,  and  a  much  greater  added  to  it. 
We  have  Christ,  the  Evangelists  and  the 
Apostles ;  let  us  hear  them. 


Dives  was  not  satisfied  with  this  reply 
but  said,  ver.  30,  "  Nay,  Father  Abraham, 
but  if  one  went  unto  them  from  the  dead, 
they  will  repent."  He  carries  with  him  to 
hell  the  same  slight  tlioughts  he  had  of  the 
Bible  when  on  earth.  He  presumes  to  be 
wiser  than  God,  and  to  dictate  a  more  ef- 
fectual mean  of  conversion  than  God  was 
pleased  to  appoint.  It  is  as  if  he  had  said, 
"  They  do  not  mhid  the  Bible ;  its  doctrines, 
commands,  and  threatenings,  are  grown 
familiar  to  them ;  nay,  they  make  a  jest  of 
it  all.  But  an  apparition  would  startle 
them :  if  Lazarus,  whom  they  Imew  to  be 
a  good  man,  were  to  appear  to  them,  and 
tell  them  how  happy  he  is  in  heaven,  and 
how  miserable  I  am  in  hell,  they  would  be 
alarmed,  converted,  and  forsake  their  sins." 

Observe,  now,  the  final  answer  that 
Abraham  gives — "  If  they  hear  not  Moses 
and  the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be  per- 
suaded though  one  rose  from  the  dead." 
This  answer  well  suits  the  present  times ; 
when  many  wicked  men,  with  a  boldness 
unknown  in  former  days,  try  to  rob  us  of 
our  Bibles,  and  cheat  us  out  of  eternal  life. 
There  is  nothing  new,  my  friends,  under 
the  sun.  The  Devil  began  his  works  of 
destruction  by  persuading  Eve  to  disbe- 
lieve the  word  of  God.  He  has  carried  on 
his  murderous  designs  by  the  same  means 
ever  since :  and  he  is  making  a  bold  push, 
by  his  infam.ous  agents  at  this  day,  to  keep 
people  in  their  sin-^,  by  denying  the  truth 
of  Scripture,  and  so  taking  away  all  mo- 
tives to  true  religion,  arising  from  the 
hope  of  heaven  or  the  fear  of  hell. 

Cortsider  for  a  moment  ivhat  the  Scrip- 
tures testify —  Why  we  should  receive  their 
testimony,  and — that  if  their  testimony  is 
rejected,  no  other  would  be  effectual. 

The  Scriptures  certainly  testify  that  the 
soul  of  man  does  not  die  with  the  body — 
that  there  is  a  glorious  heaven  and  a  dread- 
ful hell.  It  seems  that  Dives  laughed  at 
all  this ;  perhaps  you  do.  Certainly  he  did 
not  believe  it.  or  why  should  Lazarus  be 
sent  to  certify  it  to  Ins  brethren  ]  Had  he 
believed  it,  he  would  have  led  a  very  dif- 
ferent life :  he  would  not  have  lived  a  life 
of  luxury,  but  a  life  of  self-denial  and  holi- 
ness; nor  could  he  have  been  so  hard- 
hearted to  tlie  poor.  Do  we  believe  there 
is  a  hell  for  sinners  1  We  shall  fly  from 
the  wrat'i!  to  come.  Do  we  believe  there 
is  a  heaven  for  the  people  of  God  ?  We 
shall  strive  to  enter  in.  Let  our  jjractice, 
sirs,  prove  v/hether  we  are  believers  or  in- 
fidels. Where  there  is  faith  there  must 
be  works.     All  the  rest  is  hypocrisy. 

The  Scriptures  also  testify  that  all  man- 
kind arc,  by  the  fall  of  Adam,  in  a  pollut- 
ed, apostate  state:  guilty  before  God,  and 


108 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


exposed  to  his  dreadful  anger.  But  tliey 
also  testify  that  God  has  so  loved  the  world 
as  to  send  his  Son  to  be  a  Savior — to  sat- 
isfy divine  justice  by  shedding  his  blood  ; 
and  that  he  has  sent  his  Spirit  also  to  re- 
new by  his  grace  the  hearts  of  men,  and 
make  them  new  creatures :  and  that  who- 
ever believes  in  the  Son  of  God  shall  not 
perish  in  hell,  but  be  saved  from  sin  and 
brought  to  glory.  Many  other  things  the 
Scriptures  teacli,  but  these  are  the  greatest. 

Now,  my  brethren,  if  we  are  asked 
why  we  believe  these  things  I  we  are  able 
to  give  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  us. 
There  is  no  evidence,  that  an  unbeliever, 
like  Dives,  can  now  desire,  that  has  not  al- 
ready been  given.  Dives  asked  for  a  mir- 
acle, God  wrought  many  miracles  by  Mo- 
ses, and  more  by  Jesus  Christ ;  and  these 
are  more  credible  than  the  apparition  of  a 
deceased  friend  would  be.  Moses  perform- 
ed many  miracles  in  Egypt  and  the  Wil- 
derness ;  for  the  truth  of  which  he  appeals 
to  the  whole  multitude  of  Israel.  Now,  is 
it  possible  that  a  million  of  people  could 
be  persuaded  that  they  saw  and  heard 
things  which  they  did  not  see  nor  hear ! 
Would  they  not  have  contradicted  hmi ! 
Could  they,  for  instance,  have  believed  that 
they  had  passed  through  the  Red  Sea,  and 
that  they  had  subsisted  upon  marma,  in  a 
miraculous  manner,  for  many  years,  and 
their  garments  had  not  worn,  out,  if  no  such 
things  had  liappened  ! 

But  not  to  dwell  on  Moses  or  the  pro- 
phets, let  us  consider  the  wonderful  works 
of  Jesus  Christ ;  wlio,  by  the  way,  confirms 
the  character  of  Moses ;  so  that  the  char- 
acter of  Moses  and  of  Christ  must  stand 
or  fall  together. 

Jesus  Christ  appealed  to  his  miracles  for 
the  proofs  of  his  mission.  To  the  disciples 
of  John,  who  inquired  whether  he  were 
the  true  Messiah  or  not,  he  said,  "  Go  and 
show  John  again  those  things  which  ye  do 
hear  and  see:  the  blind  receive  their 
sight,  and  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are 
cleansed,  and  tJie  deaf  hear,  and  the  dead 
are  raised  up,  and  t'.ic  poor  have  the  Gos- 
pel preaclicd  to  them."  Malt.  xi.  4,  5.  All 
these  things  are  truly  miraculous,  and 
such  as  Divine  Power  alone  is  able  to  per- 
form :  but  they  were  perfectly  easy  to  him, 
and  they  fully  proved  his  divine  authority. 
These  things  were  not  done  in  a  corner ; 
they  were  done  openly,  and  some  of  them 
before  thousands  of  witnesses.  His  great 
enemies,  the  Jews,  could  not,  did  not,  deny 
them  ;  they  only  wickedly  ascribed  them 
to  the  power  of  the  Devil.  The  Evangel- 
ists wrote  an  account  of  these  miracles  in 
the  very  country  where  they  were  per- 


formed, and  near  the  time  ;  so  that  if  they 
had  not  been  done,  thousands  would  have 
risen  up  and  contradicted  their  testunony. 
The  Apostles  went  forth  into  various  coun- 
tries, preaching  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and 
confirming  its  truth  by  their  miraculous 
works ;  and  surely  they  cannot  be  accused 
of  priestcraft.  Did  not  they,  as  well  as 
the  prophets,  forfeit  the  esteem  of  men  and 
endure  great  hardships,  even  death  itself] 
And  was  not  their  whole  conduct  an  evi- 
dence of  their  sincerity .' 

But  our  faith  does  not  rest  only  on  the 
miracles.  Prophecy,  or  predicting  events 
long  before  they  happened,  is  a  proof 
equally  strong.  We  could  give  many  un- 
answerable proofs  of  this  kind,  but  our 
limits  forbid. 

The  excellent  effects  of  the  Christian 
religion,  wherever  it  is  truly  received,  is 
another  argument  in  its  favor.  We  daily 
see,  that  by  the  preaching  the  Gospel  sin- 
ners are  converted  to  God ;  that  bad  men 
are  made  good  men ;  they  become  "  new 
creatures,"  as  the  Scripture  calls  them. 
So  it  was  at  the  first ;  some  of  the  great- 
est persecutors  became  Clu-istians,  and 
whole  nations  forsook  their  idols;  and 
thousands  in  those  nations  forsook  their 
detestable  practices,  and  became  sober, 
just,  devout,  and  benevolent.  Now,  this 
is  a  continued  miracle ;  we  see  it  wrought 
to  this  day.  May  God  give  you,  my 
friends,  to  know  the  power  of  divine  truth 
in  your  own  hearts,  and  its  holy  influence 
upon  your  temper  and  conduct,  and  then 
you  will  bear  the  witness  or  testimony  in 
yourselves  to  the  truth  of  Christianity ; 
and  this  will  be  more  satisfactory  than  all 
other  evidences  put  together. 

And  now  say,  my  friends,  if  any  other, 
any  new  testimony  is  wanting,  to  confirm 
the  truth  of  Scripture.  Dives  wished  that 
a  person  might  rise  from  the  dead  to  con- 
vince his  brethren ;  and  perhaps  there  are 
some  people  in  America  who  would  wish 
the  same.  Suppose  God  should  grant  their 
wish.  Suppose  that  in  the  silent  hours  of 
darkness  something  should  appear,  some- 
thing exactly  like  one  of  our  friends,  whom 
we  knew  was  dead,  and  buried  a  month 
before.  Suppose  he  should  say,  "  I  am 
sucli  a  one — I  am  come  to  tell  you  that 
there  is  a  holy  God — there  is  a  glorious 
jieaven — there  is  a  dreadful  hell. — Forsake 
your  sins,  and  believe  in  Jesus,  or  you  will 
perish  for  ever !"  What  effect  do  you 
think  such  a  vision  would  have  !  Probably 
it  would  frighten  you  to  death ;  or  if  you 
survived  it,  and  were  deeply  impressed 
with  it,  it  is  likely  that  the  cares  ana  plea- 
sures of  life  would  wear  off  the  hi.pressioo 


SERMON  XXIV. 


109 


in  a  little  time.  As  to  your  friends,  they 
would  not  believe  you ;  they  would  try  to 
laugh  or  reason  you  out  of  your  fancies ; 
they  would  say  it  was  a  dream,  or  you 
were  mad;  and  if  your  heart  were  not 
changed  by  grace,  you  would  yourself  be- 
gin to  doubt,  and  judge  that  you  were 
someliow  or  otlier  imposed  upon  ;  so  woidd 
you  remain  just  what  you  are,  or  perhaps 
become  worse. 

But  not  to  argue  on  supposition,  let  us 
resort  to  matter  of  fact.  TJie  exjjeriment 
has  been  tried,  and  was  ineti'cctual.  You 
remember  to  have  read,  in  the  11th  of 
•John,  an  account  of  the  resurrection  of 
anotlier  Lazarus,  who  lived  and  died  at 
Bethany,  about  two  miles  from  Jerusalem. 
Jesus  Christ  went  to  his  tomb,  and,  in  tlie 
presence  of  many  people,  cried  aloud, 
"  I^azarus,  come  forth ;"  the  dead  heard 
the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  lived  ;  he 
that  had  been  dead  four  days  came  fortli  in 
his  shroud,  and  walked  home  to  his  house. 
This  miracle  was  never  denied;  it  was 
acknowledged  and  dreaded  by  the  chief 
priests  and  rulers :  the  neighbors  saw  him, 
conversed  with  him,  ate  and  drank  with 
him ;  but  what  effect  had  it .'  Some  indeed 
believed ;  others  turned  informers,  and 
went  and  told  his  enemies,  who  said,  "  this 
man  dotii  many  miracles;  if  we  let  him 
alone,  all  men  will  believe  on  him."  From 
that  day,  therefore,  they  sought  to  murder 
hun.  So  that  we  see  outward  evidence  alone, 
however  strong,  is  insufficient  of  itself  to 
produce  faith  m  the  carnal  heart. 

Take  another  uistance.  Our  Lord  Jesus 
often  declared  that  he  would  rise  again 
upon  the  third  day  after  his  deatli.  The 
appointed  hour  arrived,  and  behold  there 
was  a  great  earthquake,  the  Savior  rose, 
tiie  keepers,  the  soldiers  were  terrified, 
tliey  became  as  dead  men  !  But  were  tlieij 
converted  ]  No ;  the  chief  priest  and 
elders  hired  the  soldiers,  who  saw  the  re- 
surrection, to  tell  a  lie,  and  say,  tliat  while 
they  slept,  the  disciples  of  Jesus  stole  him 
away.  A  foolish  lie  it  was,  for,  if  they 
were  asleep,  as  they  pretended,  how  could 
they  know  what  happened !  and  if  not 
asleep,  the  pretended  robbery  was  impos- 
sible :  for  it  proves  that  the  most  sen.^ible, 
the  most  awful  evidence  will  not  convince 
or  convert  men,  witliout  the  concurrent 
operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  In  like  man- 
ner, we  might  siiow  that  the  most  singular 
and  awful  providences,  such  as  tjj^  deatli 
of  near  relations,  and  remarkable  escapes 
from  death,  and  tiie  most  dreadfiil  views 
of  eternity,  and  the  most  solemn  vows  and 


resolutions  made  at  such  times,  prove  in- 
sufficient to  make  men  truly  religious. 

Let  us  now  hear  the  conclusion  of  the 
whole  matter.  Be  thankful  for  your  Bible ; 
prize  your  Bible ;  read  and  study  your 
Bible  daily,  praying  to  God  to  give  you  his 
Spirit,  that  you  may  rightly  understand  it, 
and  be  thereby  made  wise  unto  salvation. 
Avoid  bad  books  and  bad  men  as  you  would 
poison.  Regard  not  their  objections ;  they 
can  make  none  that  have  not  been  answer- 
ed a  thousand  times.  Their  cavils  are 
mere  trifling,  like  a  man  who  despises  such 
a  building  as  St.  Paul's  church,  on  account 
of  a  small  flaw  or  two  in  the  surface  of  a 
stone.  The  Scriptures  are  fulfilling  daily 
before  your  eyes ;  and  the  very  objections 
of  infidels  arc  a  proof  of  their  truth ;  for, 
as  our  Savior  declared,  "  Men  love  dark- 
ness rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds 
are  evil ;"  and  this  is  the  grand  source  of 
infidelity,  ancient  and  modern.  Sinners 
are  against  tlie  Bible,  because  the  Bible  is 
against  them. 

Read  this  parable  again  when  you  go 
home ;  and  learn  from  it  not  to  envy  sin- 
ners, however  rich  and  prosperous.  Re- 
pine not  at  poverty;  but  pray  it  .may  be 
sanctified  to  your  soul's  benefit.  Be  con- 
tent with  the  evidence  God  hath  given 
you  of  a  future  state ;  be  concerned,  by 
faith  in  Jesus,  to  avoid  the  miseries  of 
hell ;  and  to  be  made  meet,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  to  enjoy,  with  all  the  redeemed, 
the  unspeakable  joys  of  the  heavenly 
world,  for  ever  and  for  ever.  God  grant 
this  may  be  the  happiness  of  each  of  us, 
for  Christ's  sake.     Amen ! 


PRAYER.— Glorious  God!  we  thank  thee 
for  setting  before  us,  in  thy  word,  these  great 
things  whicli  belong  to  our  peace.  We  have 
seen,  in  this  parable,  what  will  be  the  end  of  the 
righteous  and  of  the  wicked.  Suffer  us  not  to  be 
like  the  rich  sinner,  who  had  his  portion  in  this 
life.  Rather  would  we  resemble  the  poor  suffer- 
er, whose  evil  things  were  confined  lo  the  present 
world.  O  let  us  not  make  provision  lor  the  (lesh, 
and  be  anxious  about  what  we  shall  eat,  drink, 
and  wear,  while  we  are  neglecting  our  sonls  and 
their  salvation  ;  for  what  would  it  profit  us, 
could  we  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  our  own 
souls  ? — but  enable  us,  we  beseech  thee,  by  thy 
Holy  Spirit,  to  take  heed  to  thy  woni.  W'v  ha\  e 
not  only  Moses  and  the  prophets,  but  we  have 
also  Christ  and  the  apostles;  we  have  those 
Scriptures  which  are  able  to  make  us  wise  unto 
salvation.  O  may  wo  thereby  be  eflectually 
taught  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to'  come  ;  to  (lee  to 
.lesus  Christ,  as  our  refuge  and  our  riglileousne.ss, 
that,  being  found  in  him,  and  made  meet  for 
glory,  we  may,  when  removed  i)v  death,  sit 
down  with  Abraliain,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  in  the 
heavenly  kingdom.  O  grant  us  this  happiness  for 
Jesus  Cfirist's  sake.    Amen. 

10 


no 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


SERMON  XXV. 

THE  PLEASURES  OF  RELIGIOiV. 
{Addressed  particularly  to  youth.') 

Prov.  iii.  17.    Her  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness, 
and  all  her  paths  are  peace. 

It  is  a  maxim  admitted  by  all  the  world, 
that  "Every  one  is  drawn  by  pleasure." 
But  it  is  the  misery  of  our  fallen  nature, 
that  we  are  not  drawn  so  much  by  the  best 
pleasures,  as  by  the  worst ;  that  the  plea- 
sures we  generally  prefer  end  in  pain ; 
and  that  the  pleasures  we  commonly  neg- 
lect are  such  as  would  make  us  happy 
for  ever. — These  are  the  pleasures  of  reli- 
gion, called  in  our  text,  the  ways  of  wis- 
dom ;  by  which  we  may  understand  the 
ways  prescribed  to  us  by  Clirist,  who  is 
Wisdom  itself,  and  the  pursuit  of  which  is 
the  true  wisdom  of  man ;  for  "  the  fear  of 
the  Lord,  that  is  wisdom;  and  to  depart 
from  evil,  that  is  understanding." 

All  men  seek  happiness ;  but  few  know 
where  to  find  it.     They  may  be  compared 
to  a  number  of  seamen,  sailing  from  differ- 
ent ports,  in  quest  of  a  very  rich  and  beau- 
tiful country,  which  they  have  heard  much 
of,  but  never  saw ;  and  the  greater  part  of 
whom  set  out  without  a  map  or  a  compass : 
Is  it  any  wonder  if  few  of  them  ever  reach 
the  desired  spot  ?     Just  so  it  is  with  young 
persons  who  are  eagerly  desirous  of  plea- 
sure ;  they  are  willing  to  take  any  pains, 
or  run  any  risk  for  it ;  but  they  never  se- 
riously inquire  what  is  true  happiness; 
and   how   may   we    certainly   acquire   it. 
Now,  if  we  will  take  Jesus  Christ  for  our 
.counsellor,  and  "  none  teacheth  like  him," 
he  will  assure  us  that  "  his  ways  are  ways 
K)f   pleasantness,   and   all   his    paths    are 
peace."     Satan  indeed  says,  that  the  ways 
of  sin  are  pleasantness :  so  he  told  Eve. 
She  believed  him ;  and  you  know  the  con- 
sequence.    Satan  also  says,  that  the  ways 
of  religion  are  painful  and  irksome.     But 
whom  will  you  believe?  the  God  of  truth, 
or  "  the  father  of  lies ;"  he  that  "  cannot 
lie,"   "or  he   that  deceiveth  the   whole 
world  ?"  God's  testimony  is  true ;  and  it  is 
confirmed  by  ten  thousand  witnesses.    All 
the  good  men  tliat  ever  lived  will  bear 
witness  to  the  pleasures  of  religion ;  yea, 
Ihe  death-beds  of  wicked  men  are  con- 
strained to  confess  the  same. 

Let  us  now  consider,  what  the  pleasures 
of  religion  are ;  and  we  may  rank  them 
under  the  following  heads ; 

1.  The  possession  of  Christian  graces. 
2.  The  enjoyment  of  Christian  privi- 
leges;  and  3.  The  performance  of  Chris- 
tian duties. 


1.  The  possession  of  Christian  graces 
is  a  source  of  pleasure. 

The  great  thing  which  distinguishes  a 
real  Christian  from  another  man  is,  his 
having  the  Spirit.  "  If  any  man  have  not 
the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his ;" 
and  whoever  has  the  Spirit,  has  the  seal 
of  God,  and  the  earnest  of  heaven.  "  The 
water  that  I  shall  give  him,"  said  Christ, 
when  speaking  of  the  Spirit,  "  shall  be  m 
him,  a  well  of  water  springing  up  unto 
everlastmg  life."  Now,  the  Spirit  of  God 
is  the  author  of  a  new  and  divine  life  in 
the  soul  of  a  believer.  He  is  born  of  God. 
He  is  a  new  creature.  Every  grace  is 
implanted  in  the  soul;  the  exercise  of 
which  is  natural,  and  pleasant  to  the  new 
natu-e  as  the  due  exercise  of  our  senses 
unto  the  natural  man. 

Knowledge ;  the  knowledge  of  God  in 
Christ  is  pleasant.  It  is  to  the  soul,  what 
the  light  of  the  sun  is  to  the  body. 
"Truly  the  light  is  sweet,  and  a  pleasant 
thing  it  is  for  the  eyes  to  behold  the  sun." 
St.  Paul,  who  was  blessed  with  this  loiow- 
ledge,  "  counted  all  things  but  loss  for  the 
excellency  of  it ;"  and  was  so  delighted 
with  it,  that  "  he  determined  to  know  no- 
thing else." 

Faith  is  a  present  grace.  It  gives  sub- 
sistence to  things  unseen.  It  realizes  the 
world  to  come.  It  beholds  Jesus,  though 
invisible  to  the  carnal  eye.  It  sees  him 
on  the  cross,  and  on  the  throne  ;  and  see- 
ing him,  it  "  rejoices  with  joy  unspeakable 
and  full  of  glory."  This  is  the  grace  that 
"  receives  the  promises  :"  the  "  exceeding 
great  and  precious  promises,"  and  derives 
infinite  sweetness  and  satisfaction  from 
them. 

Repentance  has  its  pleasures  too — our 
Lord  himself  being  judge.  "  Blessed  are 
they  that  mourn,  for  they  shall  be  com- 
forted." If  there  be  any  thing  in  religion 
that  seems  unpleasant,  it  is  this ;  and  yet 
there  is  more  satisfaction  in  the  tears  that 
are  shed  for  our  sins,  than  there  was 
pleasure  in  the  commission  of  them.  Be- 
sides, "  he  that  sows  in  tears  shall  reap  in 
joy ;"  and  it  is  far  better  to  smart  for  sin 
on  earth,  than  to  burn  for  it  in  hell. 

Hope  is  certainly  a  pleasant  grace. 
Hope  is  the  cordial  of  life.  The  believer's 
hope  is  well  founded.  It  is  "  a  good  hope, 
through  grace  !"  not  the  hope  of  the  hypo- 
crite, which  is  a  flash  of  light,  followed  by 
the  blackness  of  eternal  darkness.  It  is 
"a  lively  hope,"  that  shall  never  make 
ashamed,  for  it  is  founded  on  Jesus,  the 
Rock  of  ages. 

Love  is  undoubtedly  pleasant — the  love 
of  God.     God  reconciled  in  Clirist,  is  the 


SERMON  XXV. 


IIL 


proper  object  of  the  creature's  love.  All 
the  misery  that  mortals  ever  knew  is  in 
consequence  of  forsaking  God,  and  trans- 
ferring their  love  to  sin  ;  nor  can  true  hap- 
piness ever  be  known,  till  the  soul  returns 
to  God.  The  love  of  our  neighbor,  too, 
affords  unspeakable  pleasure.  There  is 
no  luxury  upon  earth  equal  to  that  of  do- 
ing good.  It  resembles  the  happiness  of 
God  himself 

2.  The  enjoyment  of  Christian  privi- 
leges is  another  spring  of  religious  plea- 
sure. 

It  is  the  Christian's  privilege  to  have 
peace  with  God,  through  faith  in  the  blood 
of  Christ.  Whoever,  under  a  sense  of  his 
sin  and  misery,  flies  to  the  refuge  of  the 
Savior's  arm,- is  gladly  received,  and  freely 
pardoned.  In  the  fountain  of  his  blood,  he 
is  washed  from  all  sin.  In  the  righteous- 
ness of  Jesus,  he  is  justified  from  all  accu- 
sations. He  is  no  longer  in  a  state  of  con- 
demnation; he  "has  passed  from  death 
unto  life."  And  what  condition  can  equal 
this !  If  a  number  of  prisoners  were  in 
jail  under  sentence  of  death,  and  one  was 
brought  out  by  the  governor's  pardon,  wlio 
would  be  thought  happy]  the  pardoned 
man,  though  clothed  with  rags,  or  the 
cruninals  within,  though  clothed  with  pur- 
ple, and  faring  sumptuously  every  day? 
The  pardoned  man,  however  poor,  would 
be  reckoned  far  happier  than  the  con- 
demned malefactors,  however  rich.  And 
so  in  this  case — "  Blessed  is  he  whose 
transgression  is  forgiven,  whose  sin  is  cov- 
ered." A  sense  of  this  in  the  conscience 
is  the  greatest  happiness  upon  earth ;  it  is 
"  the  peace  that  passeth  all  understand- 
ing." And  it  is  sad  to  think  that  the 
greater  part  of  mankind  live  witiiout  this; 
and  are  deluding  themselves  with  a  false 
peace — for  "  there  is  no  peace  to  the  wick- 
ed," or  none  but  the  devil's  peace.  O,  how 
can  wicked  men  enjoy  themselves  at -all  ! 
If  their  eyes  were  open,  they  would  be  like 
Belshazzar  at  his  impious  feast :  the  hand- 
writing upon  the  wall  spoiled  all  his  mirth. 
So  would  it  be  with  the  ungodly  man  at 
the  play-house,  the  card-table,  the  ale-house, 
or  the  dancing-room :  he  would  see  Sin, 
Wrath,  Death,  Jud foment,  and  Hdl,  writ- 
ten, as  it  were,  in  flaming  letters  on  the 
wall ;  he  would  tremble  with  fear,  and 
take  no  rest,  till  he  obtained  the  blessed 
privilege,  "  peace  with  God,"  by  the  blood 
of  Christ. 

Their  holy  calm  sometimes  swells  into 
eacred  Joy,  yea,  "Joy  unspeakable  and 
full  of  glory  :"  for  the  kingdom  of  God 
is  not  only  "  righteousness  and  peace,  but 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."    What  joy  results 


to  a  believer  from  the  consideration  of  the- 
hell  he  has  escaped,  the  pardon  he  has  ob- 
tained, the  grace  he  has  received,  and  the 
glory  which  awaits  him  !  Every  thing  that 
can  contribute  to  human  joy,  and  ten  thou- 
sand times  more,  unite  to  make  him  a  hap- 
py man.  The  contemplation  of  Christ 
alone  is  enough.  What  wonders  of  grace 
and  glory  meet  in  him  !  All  that  is  great, 
noble,  amiable,  heavenly,  is  seen  in  Jesus. 
All  power,  wisdom,  patience,  grace,  mercy, 
love,  aVid  faithfulness,  are  combined  in  him. 
"  He  is  the  chief  among  ten  thousand,  and 
altogether  lovely."  And  when  the  be- 
liever can  add,  "  This  is  my  beloved,  and 
this  MY  friend  !"  his  joy  is  full.  And  well 
may  that  object  create  bliss  in  the  heart, 
which  is  the  heaven  of  heaven  above ;  for 
we  have  no  higher  ideas  of  celestial  feli- 
city, tlian  that  it  consists  in  "  being  with 
Christ,  and  beholding  his  glory." 

Wliat  a  privilege  is  Adoption  into  the 
family  of  God  !  "  To  as  many  as  have  re- 
ceived Christ,  he  hath  given  power  to  be- 
come the  sons  of  God."  And  O,  "  what 
manner  of  love  is  this  !"  Pardoned  rebels 
taken  into  the  house  of  God,  into  the  arms 
of  God,  yea,  into  the  heart  of  God  !  "  I 
will  be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall 
be  my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord 
Almighty."  And  this  is  not  a  formal  title, 
or  an  empty  name,  like  many  of  those 
nominal  honors  which  distinguish  the  sons 
of  men :  No.  It  is  connected  with  free- 
dom of  access  into  a  father's  presence ; 
holy  boldness  and  familiarity  as  with  a 
parent;  a  constant  share  of  his  tender 
love,  gracious  communications,  and  provi- 
dential bounty.  He  who  created  and 
governs  the  world,  bids  us  "  cast  all  our 
care  upon  him,"  unbosom  all  our  sorrows, 
and  commit  all  our  concerns  for  time  and 
eternity  to  his  management,  for  lie  "  careth 
for  us."  He  promises  never  to  forget  us  ; 
to  withhold  no  good  thing  from  us ;  and  to 
make  all  things  work  together  for  our 
good. 

These  are  some  of  the  believer's  privi- 
leges in  life.  But  religion  never  shows  its 
real  value  more  tlian  in  a  dying  hour. 
And  then  nothing  else  avails.  Wicked 
men,  who  have  despised  it  all  their  lives, 
are  forced,  at  last,  to  have  recourse  to  its 
form ;  and  in  general,  they  who  have 
lived  without  its  power,  are  contented  and 
cheated  with  its  forms  when  they  die. 
They  bear,  however,  a  strong  testimony  to 
the  excellency  of  religion  ;  for,  commonly, 
"  Men  may  live  fools,  but  fools  they  cannot 
die."  lAke  wTCtched  Balaam,  they  wish 
"  to  die  the  deatli  of  the  righteous ;"  but 
most  men  die  as  they  live.     Yet  divine 


112 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


grace  has  wrought  miracles  of  mercy  at 
the  eleventh  hour. 

But,  O,  the  privilege  of  dyiog  in  the 
Lord.  "  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die 
in  the  Lord."  Mark  the  end  of  the  Chris- 
tian ;  it  is  peace.  The  God  whom  he  has 
feared,  and  loved,  and  served,  will  not  for- 
sake him  now.  The  Savior  who  died  for 
him  will  support  him  m  dying.  Death 
has  lost  its  sting ;  and  blessed  is  the  death 
of  him  that  has  an  interest  in  the  death  of 
Christ. 

Our  limits  oblige  us  very  briefly  to  turn 
over  the  Christian's  privileges ;  let  us 
open  another  source  of  his  pleasures, 
namely, 

3.  The  performance  of  Christian  duties. 
Of  these.  Prayer  is  the  first  and  chief 
"  Behold  he  prayeth  !"  was  the  first  mark 
of  Paul's  conversion.  And  this  is  so  pleas- 
ant to  the  Christian,  that  he  cannot  live 
without  it.  As  well  might  a  man  live 
without  breathing,  as  a  Christian  without 
praying.  He  esteems  it  a  blessed  privilege 
to  "  call  upon  the  Lord  in  the  day  of  trou- 
ble," and  to  be  graciously  heard  and  de- 
livered. He  loves  tlie  Lord,  who  hears 
the  voice  of  his  supplication,  and  deter- 
mines to  call  upon  him  as  long  as  he  lives. 
The  duty  of  Praise  is  also  very  pleasant. 
It  is  not  only  a  comely  but  a  pleasant  thing 
to  be  thankful.  "Is  any  man  merry," 
saith  St.  James,  "  let  him  sing  Psalms." 
Singing  the  praise  of  God  with  the  heart 
is  a  delightful  service,  akin  to  the  joys  of 
heaven.  Reading  and  hearing  the  word 
of  God  is  also  exceedingly  pleasant.  As 
new-born  babes  desire  the  breast,  so  new- 
born souls  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the 
word,  that  they  may  grow  thereby.  "  The 
law  of  thy  mouth,"  saith  David,  "  is  better 
to  me  than  thousands  of  gold  and  silver. 
How  sweet  are  thy  words  to  my  taste,  yea, 
sweeter  than  honey  to  my  palate  !  They 
are  more  to  me  than  my  necessary  food." 
Yes,  whoever  is  born  of  God,  loves  the 
word ;  and  whoever  dislikes  it,  cavils  at  it, 
neglects  it,  has  a  sure  evidence  of  being 
in  a  carnal  state.  The  Lord's  day,  and 
the  public  ordinances  of  God's  house,  are 
very  pleasant  to  a  believer.  From  his  very 
soul,  he  calls  the  Sabbath  "  a  delight,  holy 
of  the  Lord,  and  honorable ;"  he  esteems 
a  "  day  in  his  courts  as  better  than  a  thou- 
sand ;"  he  is  "  glad,  when  it  is  said,  Let 
us  go  up  to  the  iiouse  of  the  Lord,  and  he 
will  teach  us  his  ways,  and  we  will  walk 
in  his  paths."  O,  if  poor  carnal  sinners 
knew  the  pleasures  of  the  godly  in  the 
worship  of  their  Lord,  they  would  be 
ashamed  of  their  poor,  mean,  idle,  worldly 
amusements,  and  gladly  forsake  them  for 


the  more  solid,  refined,  and  heavenly  joys 
of  the  children  of  God.  These  are  but  a 
small  part  of  the  Christian's  pleasures. 
We  might  add,  his  sacred  joy  at  tlie  table 
of  the  Lord ;  liis  sweet  meditations  on  di- 
vine subjects :  his  profitable  conversations 
with  fellow  Christians;  the  supports  he 
finds  under  afilictions;  and  the  prospects 
he  enjoys  of  eternal  felicity.     . 

And  as  all  these  are  good  and  pleasant 
in  themselves,  so  they  appear  to  greater 
advantage,  if  you  compare  them  with  the 
pleasures  of  the  world.  They  are  certainly 
far  more  solid  and  satisfying ;  far  more 
rational  and  noble ;  and  above  all,  far  more 
durable.  "  The  most  innocent  of  our  car- 
nal pleasures,  such  as  eating,  drinking, 
sleeping,  and  the  like,  are  the  badges  of 
our  weakness,  and  a  sort  of  reproach  upon 
our  nature ;  and  it  is  our  inclination  to 
them,  rather  than  any  excellence  in  them, 
that  makes  them  alluring."  They  are 
needful,  it  is  true,  at  present ;  but  when 
our  nature  shall  be  glorified,  we  shall  be 
"as  the  angels,"  and  require  none  of  these 
things.  And  when  a  man  places  his  hap- 
piness in  sensual  pleasures,  and  carries 
them  to  excess  in  gluttony,  drunkenness, 
uncleanness,  and  so  on,  he  becomes  a  brute 
rather  than  a  man,  and  the  Scripture  pro- 
nounces him,  dead  while  he  liveth.  "  The 
good  man  is  satisfied  from  himself;"  he 
has  an  inward  source  of  joy;  but  the  carnal 
man,  who  roves  abroad  for  happiness,  is 
never  satisfied.  "  The  eye  is  not  satisfied 
with  seeing,  nor  the  ear  with  hearing." 
The  best  of  his  pleasures  perish  in  his 
usmg.  Solomon  says,  "  As  the  crackling 
of  thorns  under  a  pot,  so  is  the  laughter 
of  the  fool" — a  noisy  blaze,  and  soon  over. 
Let  a  wise  man  listen  to  the  impertinent, 
vain,  foolish,  proud,  profane  conversation 
of  a  set  of  gay  and  loose  people  in  a  tav- 
ern :  what  a  mass  of  nonsense  and  wick- 
edness does  it  appear !  and  could  it  be 
written  down,  and  sliown  to  the  company 
themselves,  surely,  they  would  be  ashamed 
of  it !  How  childish  are  the  amusements 
of  the  card-table !  How  strange,  that  a 
number  of  rational  and  innnortal  beings 
should  spend  hours  upon  hours  in  playing 
with  bits  of  painted  paper !  How  ridicu- 
lous for  a  company  of  grown  people  to  be 
jumping  and  running  about  a  I'oom  in  their 
dancing  assemblies !  How  foolish  for  thou- 
sands of  men  and  women  to  trail  many 
mifes  to  a  race-ground,  just  to  see  one 
horse's  head  before  another !  Not  to  men- 
tion other  pleasures  of  the -world,  which 
are  as  criminal  as  they  are  mean,  which 
will  by  ne  means  bear  reflection,  but  fill 
the  mind  with  painful  remorse.    Ah !  what 


SERMON  XXV. 


113 


real  pleasure  can  that  man  enjoy,  who  is 
forced  to  look  back  on  the  past  with  re- 
gret, and  the  present  with  confusion, 
and  the  future  with  dread  and  dismay. 
The  carnal  pleasure-taker  is  a  hypocrite 
in  his  mirth.  "  Even  in  laUgiiter  tiie  heart 
is  sorrowful ;  and  the  end  of  that  mirth  is 
heaviness."  It  is  recorded  in  the  life  of 
Colonel  Gardiner,  that  before  his  conver- 
sion, when  he  gave  a  loose  to  all  his  car- 
nal passions,  and  lived  in  many  guilty 
pleasures,  when  he  was  tliought  by  his 
companions  so  happy,  that  they  called  him 
the  liappy  rake ;  he  was  even  then  so 
miserable,  at  times,  through  the  stings  of 
his  conscience,  that  he  has  envied  a  dog 
that  came  into  the  room,  wishing  rather  to 
have  been  that  dog,  than  a  man,  who 
"must  give  an  account  of  himself  to  God." 
This  is  just  what  wise  and  holy  Job  long 
ago  observed — "  Though  wickedness  be 
sweet  in  his  mouth  ;  though  he  hide  it  un- 
der his  tongue;  though  he  spare  it,  and 
forsake  it  not,  but  keep  it  still  within  his 
mouth ;  yet  his  meat  in  his  bowels  is  turn- 
ed; it  is  the  gall  of  asps  within  him." 
IIow  just  is  the  comparison!  Sin  is  the 
food  of  a  carnal  man ;  it  is  his  meat  and 
drink,  to  do  the  will  of  his  father  which  is 
in  hell.  This  food  is  very  sweet  to  him, 
sweeter  than  honey,  and  the  honey-comb ; 
so  sweet  that  lie  is  unwilling  to  lose  the 
relish  of  it,  but  tries  to  enjoy  it,  as  long  as 
possible.  But  what  is  the  consequence  1 
Is  this  sweet  food  wholesome  ]  No.  It  is 
turned  in  his  bowels  to  poison.  It  is  the 
gall  of  asps  within  him.  The  bite  of  an 
asp  was  deadly.  There  was  no  remedy 
for  it :  it  killed  in  four  hours,  and  yet  it 
killed  with  little  pain.  Thus  Cleopatra, 
queen  of  Egypt,  destroyed  herself  Just 
to  the  sinner  dies;  lie  may  be  stupified, 
and  feel  no  terrors  in  his  soul ;  but  the  bit- 
terness that  flows  from  sin  is  the  bitterness 
of  everlasting  death. 

APPLICATION. 
We  have  now  taken  a  view  of  the  plea- 
sures of  religion,  in  tJie  possession  of  Chris- 
tian graces,  the  enjoyment  of  Christian 
privileges,  and  tlie  performance  of  Chris- 
tian duties.  And  now,  dear  young  people, 
are  you  not  almost  persuaded  to  be  Chris- 
tians ]  May  God  persuade  you  altogether  ! 
If  you  doubt  the  truth  of  what  w-e  have 
asserted,  we  appeal  to  Christ  himself  Hear 
him.  "  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn 
of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart ; 
and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  soul ;  for 
my  yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  is  light." 
Do  you  love  pleni;ure?  I  know  you  do. 
Seek  it  then  in  Christ's  way,  and  not  in 
the  ways  of  sin.     There  is  nothing  in  re- 


ligion that  is  really  irksome  and  unpleasant. 
Even  that  which  seems  to  be  so,  as  repent- 
ance, self-denial,  and  the  mortification  of 
sin,  is  rendered  easy  by  the  grace  of  God. 
And  were  it  not  so,  what  are  the  pains  of 
a  moment  to  the  pains  of  eternity '.' 

"Who  would  not  give  a  trifle  to  prevent 

What  he  would  give  a  thousand  worlds  to  cure  ?" 

But  the  fact  is,  there  is  far  more  plea- 
sure in  religion  now,  than  there  is  in  sin ; 
and  we  are  sure  that  it  will  end  better. 
What  will  it  avail  any  of  you  a  hundred 
years  hence,  that  you  were  gay  and  merry, 
that  you  saw  every  fine  sight,  and  indulged 
every  sensual  pleasure .'  but  it  will  avail 
you  a  thousand  years  hence, that  you  re- 
gard the  one  thing  needful,  and  "  choose 
the  good  part."  And  let  it  be  observed, 
that  the  person  who  can  take  no  pleasure 
in  religion,  is  not  at  all  qualified  for  the 
joys  of  heaven,  nor  could  he  be  happy 
there  if  he  were  admitted.  If  you  can 
take  no  pleasure  in  the  things  of  God,  in 
singing  his  praises,  in  conversing  with  his 
people,  in  observing  the  Sabbath,  what 
would  you  do  in  heaven,  where  the  de- 
lights are  not  carnal,  such  as  you  love,  but 
wholly  spiritual,  such  as  you  hate  ?  Does 
not  this  convince  you  that  something  is 
wrong  1  that  your  state  and  disposition  is 
not  what  it  should  be  1  "  Verily,  verily,  I 
say  unto  thee.  Except  a  man  be  born  again, 
he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  It 
is  regeneration  that  makes  the  important 
change  in  a  person's  views  and  taste,  for 
"  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh," 
and  therefore  caii  relish  only  carnal  things; 
but  "  that  w'hich  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is 
spirit,"  and  therefore  enjoys  spiritual  plea- 
sures. O  look  up  to  God  in  earnest  prayer, 
that  you  may  experience  tliis  blessed 
change.  Then  will  sin  be  the  object  of 
your  h.itred,  and  holiness  that  of  your  de- 
liglit.  Depend  upon  it,  you  will  be  no  loser 
by  religion.  "Godliness  is  profitable  to 
all  things,  having  the  promises  of  this  life, 
and  of  that  to  come."  What  can  you  wish 
for  more?  While  your  eternal  hajipiness 
is  secured,  you  will  enjoy  "  a  conscience 
void  of  offence  towards  God  and  man." 
Your  way  may  be  directed,  your  crosses 
sanctified,  and  your  earthly  comforts 
doubled.  "  O  taste  and  see  that  the  Lord 
is  good." 

PRAYER.— O  God  of  all  comfort,  thou  hast  in 
rich  mercy  provided  for  the  peace  and  pleasure 
of  thy  sinful  creatures,  even  in  the  present  evil 
world.  Man  is,  indeed,  born  to  trouble,  because 
born  in  sin ;  and  while  he  Uvea  in  sin  he  can 
(ind  no  true  happiness.  We  lament  our  folly  in 
having  ever  sought  for  pleasure  in  the  ways  of 
iniquity ;  but  now,  haly  Father,  we  desire  to  turn 
10* 


114 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


from  our  sins  unto  thee,  being  fully  convinced 
that  the  ways  of  Wisdom  are  ways  of  pleasant- 
ness, and  that  all  her  paths  are  peace.  O  let  us 
henceforth  seek  and  hnd  our  happiness  in  the 
possession  of  Christian  graces,  in  the  enjoyment 
of  Christian  privileges,  and  in  the  performance 
of  Christian  duties.  O  persuade  the  young  that 
Christ's  yoke  is  easy,  that  his  burden  is  light,  and 
that  his  cominandinents  are  not  grievous  j  and 
may  we  know  by  experience  that  peace  which 
passeth  all  understanding,  and  that  joy  which  is 
unspeakable  and  full  of  gloiy,  abounding  in  hope 
through  the  Holy  Ghost ;  who,  with  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  is  one  God  over  all,  blessed  for  ever. 
Amen. 


SERMON  XXVI. 

THE  VALUE  OF  THE  SOUL. 

Matt.  xvi.  26.  For  what  is  a  man  profited,  if  he  shall 
gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul?  or 
what  sha.'l  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ? 

In  all  the  Bible,  I  know  not  a  more 
weighty  sentence  than  this.  Were  it  duly- 
considered,  what  a  religious  world  would 
this  become !  The  disregard  of  it  makes 
the  world  that  scene  of  mischief  and  folly 
which  you  behold.  To  give  these  words 
their  full  force,  remember  whose  they  are. 
They  are  the  words  of  Jesus  Christ,  the 
incarnate  God,  the  Creator  of  the  world. 
And  who  so  able  to  determine  that  the  soul 
is  worth  more  than  tlie  world,  as  he  wlio 
made  them  both  1  He  made  the  soul,  and 
he  made  the  world ;  yea,  the  price  he  paid 
for  the  redemption  of  the  soul  was  his  own, 
precious  blood.  Surely  tlien  he  knew  the 
value  of  the  soul.  Regard  these  words, 
my  friends,  as  full  of  truth,  and  truth  of 
the  greatest  importance  to  yourselves. 
And  O  that  he  who  first  spake  them  to  his 
disciples,  may  now  speak  them  to  our 
hearts  by  his  Holy  Spirit ! 

In  the  text  there  are  three  things  which 
require  our  attention : 

I.  Every  man  has  a  soul  of  the  greatest 
value. 

II.  There  is  a  possibility  of  a  man's 
losing  his  soul,  yea,  great  danger  of  it. 

III.  The  whole  world  can  make  no 
amends  for  the  loss  of  the  soul. 

I..  Every  man  has  a  soul  of  the  greatest 
value. 

The  nature  of  the  human  soul  is,  at 
present,  but  imperfectly  known.  God  lias 
not  told  us  so  much  about  it,  as  to  gratify 
our  curiosity;  but  enough  to  assist  our 
faith.  From  the  Scriptures  alone  we  learn 
any  thing  satisfactory  concerning  our  souls; 
and  there  we  find  that  the  soul  is  a  some- 
thing distinct  from  tlic  body ;  a  thinking 
immortal  substance ;  and  capable  of  living 


separately  from  the  body  in  another  world. 
TJiis  appears  from  Matt.  x.  28,  where  our 
Lord  says  to  his  disciples — "  Fear  not  them 
which  kill  the  body ;  but  are  not  able  to 
kill  the  soul ;  but  rather  fear  him,  which 
is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in 
hell."  In  like  manner,  we  learn  from  the 
parable  of  Dives  and  Lazarus,  that  the  soul 
of  the  former  was  tormented  in  hell,  while 
his  body  lay  buried  in  earth.  Jesus  Christ 
assured  the  penitent  thief  on  the  cross, 
that  he  should  be  with  him  that  very  day 
in  paradise,  while,  as  we  know,  the  body 
of  Jesus  was  laid  in  the  tomb.  It  is  said 
of  Judas,  that  he  went  to  his  own  place, 
which  certainly  was  hell ;  but  his  wretch- 
ed carcass  was  on  earth.  St.  Paul  de- 
clared, that  death  would  be  gain  to  him, 
because,  when  absent  from  the  body,  he 
should  be  present  with  the  Lord;  useful 
as  he  was  in  the  church,  and  happy  in  that 
usefiilness,  he  rather  desired  to  die,  to  de- 
part, to  be  with  Christ,  which  was  far  bet- 
ter. 

Now  this  immortal  soul  is  of  immense 
value :  and  its  excellency  may  be  argued 
from  the  following  considerations : 

1.  Its  origin ;  it  came  immediately  from 
God.  Something  peculiar  is  said  of  the 
formation  of  man,  Gen.  i.  26.  "  God  said, 
Let  us  make  man  in  our  image  after  our 
likeness."  Surely  it  was  the  soul  of  men, 
rather  than  his  earthly  body,  that  bore  the 
divine  resemblance. 

2.  Consider  again  the  vast  and  noble 
powers  of  the  soul.  When  these  powers 
are  assisted  by  learning,  how  does  the  phi- 
losopher survey,  measure,  and  describe  the 
heavenly  bodies,  or  search  into  the  hidden 
secrets  of  nature !  And  in  an  ordinary 
way,  how  skilfully  does  the  mechanic  form 
various  instruments  and  engines  for  tlie 
common  purposes  of  life  !  The  farmer  cul- 
tivates and  improves  tlie  earth,  and  pro- 
duces from  it  the  foodful  grain.  Artificers 
of  various  names  furnish  us  with  useful 
and  ornamental  articles  of  clothes  and  fur- 
niture :  while  the  scholar,  like  the  indus- 
trious bee,  collects  the  wisdom  of  all  coun- 
tries and  ages.  And  what  is  far  better,  the 
soul  is  capable,  by  divine  grace,  of  know- 
ing God,  by  being  renewed  in  his  holy 
image,  of  paying  him  cheerful  service,  and 
of  enjoying  him  for  ever  in  a  better  world. 

2.  Once  more,  consider  the  worth  of  the 
soul  in  the  amazing  'price  paid  down  for 
its  redemption.  "  Forasmuch  as  ye  know 
that  ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corrupti- 
ble things,  as  silver  or  gold ;  but  with  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ,  1  Pet.  i.  18,  19. 
Thousands  of  rams,  or  ten  thousands  of 
rivers  of  oil,  would  not  have  sufficed :  no- 


SERMON  XXVI. 


115 


thing  but  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  of  God 
could  atone  for  sm. 

"The  ransom  was  paid  down:    the   fund   of 

heav'n, 
Heaven's  inexhaustible,  exhausted  fund, 
Amazing,  and  amaz'd.  poured  lijrih  the  price, 
All  price  beyond !" — 

Surely  the  ransom  price  of  the  soul  be- 
speaks its  infinite  value.  O !  let  us*learn 
to  value  our  souls ! 

4.  Consider  again,  the  contention  of 
heaven  and  hell  for  the  soul  of  man. 
Heaven  from  above  invites  us  to  come  to 
God.  .  Jesus  Christ  came  down  on  purpose 
to  show  us  the  way;  yea,  to  be  himself 
the  way.  The  ministers  of  the  gospel 
"  watch  for  souls  ;"  for  this  they  study  and 
pray,  and  travel  and  labor,  that  they  may 
snatch  perishing  souls  from  the  devouring 
flames.  They  are  "  instant  in  season  and 
out  of  season,"  and  are  "  all  things  to  all 
men,"  that  they  may  win  some.  Your  se- 
rious relations,  friends,  and  neighbors,  long 
for  your  conversion ;  for  this  purpose  they 
pray  for  you,  speak  to  you,  and  lend  you 
books.  Yea,  the  angels  of  God  are  waiting 
around  us,  longing  to  be  the  messengers 
of  good  news  to  heaven,  that  sinners  are 
repenting  on  earth. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  the  business  of 
the  devil  to  tempt  and  destroy  the  souls  of 
men.  As  a  subtle  serpent  he  lies  in  wait 
to  deceive,  or  as  a  roaring  lion  he  roams 
about  to  destroy.  Gladly  would  he  seduce 
you  into  sin  by  the  love  of  pleasure,  or  get 
you  to  neglect  salvation  by  the  love  of 
business,  or  prejudice  your  minds  against 
the  Gospel  of  life.  What  is  the  reason 
that  preaching  the  Gospel  is  so  much  op- 
posed ;  and  stonns  of  persecution  raised 
against  it !  Satan  is  afraid  of  losing  his 
prey.  He  knows  that  "  the  Gospel  is  the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation;"  he  would, 
therefore,  keep  men  from  hearing  it,  lest 
any  should  be  "  turned  from  darkness  to 
light,  and  from  the  power  of  the  devil  to 
God."  Learn  then  the  worth  of  your  souls, 
from  the  strife  there  is  between  heaven 
and  hell  to  obtain  them ;  and  say,  whether 
you  would  wish  to  gladden  angels  or  grati- 
fy devils  ? 

5.  Above  all,  consider  the  immense 
value  of  the  soul,  in  that  vast  eternity  of 
bliss  or  woe  that  awaits  it.  We  are  but  in 
an  embryo  state  at  present,  like  a  bird  in 
the  egg,  or  an  infant  in  the  womb.  We 
shall  soon  die  iiito  eternity.  We  shall 
soon  begin  a  state  of  being  that  will  never 
end.  The  present  life  is  merely  tiie  seed- 
time of  eternity,  and  "  what  a  man  sowcth 
that  also  shall  he  reap;  he  that  .soweth 
iniquity  shall  reap  vanity" — he  shall  meet 


with  nothing  but  disappointment.  "  He 
that  soweth  to  the  flesh  shall  reap  corrup- 
tion ;  but  he  that  soweth  to  the  spirit  shall 
reap  life  everlasting."  Gal.  vi.  20.  Con- 
sidering the  endless  duration  of  a  soul,  the 
happiness  or  misery  of  one  saved  or  damn- 
ed sinner  will  be  far  greater  than  the  tem- 
poriJ  happiness  or  misery  of  all  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  earth  for  a  hundred  years. 
Eternity  stamps  infinite  value  on  the  soul ; 
and  this  is  the  reason  of  the  comparison 
made  in  our  text  between  one  single  soul 
and  the  whole  world,  and  of  the  question 
proposed  in  it,  "  Wliat  shall  a  man  give  in 
exchange  for  his  soul  ]"  The  expression 
seems  to  allude  to  the  customs  of  those 
countries,  which  do  not  use  money  in  their 
traffic,  but  exchange  one  article  for  an- 
other: now,  what  can  be  exchanged  for  / 
the  soul! — Can  any  thing  be  offered  of 
equal  valued  Certainly  not,  for  every 
thing  in  this  world  is  temporal,  but  the 
soul  of  man  is  eternal.  How  dreadful  then 
its  loss !     And  this  leads  us  to  show, 

IL  That  a  man  may  lose  his  soul,  and 
that  he  is  in  danger  of  so  doing. 

The  soul  of  man  cannot  be  lost  by  ceas- 
ing to  be  :  for,  being  immortal  in  its  na- 
ture, that  is  impossible.  And  O  how  gladly 
would  a  damned  soul  cease  to  be,  if  it 
were  possible !  But  for  a  soul  to  be  lost  is, 
for  it  to  be  lost  to  that  happiness,  here  and 
hereafter,  which  is  suited  to  its  nature.  It 
is  to  lose  all  the  present  pleasures  of  reli- 
gion, "  the  consolation  that  is  in  Christ," 
"the  comfort  of  love,"  the  "peace  that  pass- 
eth  all  understanding,"  and  "  the  joy  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  which  is  unspeakable  and  full 
of  glory."  Whatever  Satan  and  wicked 
men  affirm,  we  know  assuredly  that  the 
truly  religious  man  is  the  only  happy  man ; 
and  therefore,  he  wlio  lives  without  reli- 
gion, lives  without  the  true  happiness  of 
life ;  and  though  he  may  pretend  to  defy 
the  danger  that  awaits  him,  yet  conscience 
will  sometimes  speak,  and  in  the  midst  of 
his  sinful  mirth,  will  whisper  in  his  ear, 
"  What  will  all  this  profit,  if  thy  soul  be 
lost  at  last  ?" 

But,  O,  who  can  tell  the  fearful  import 
of  that  word  lost,  as  it  respects  the  future 
and  eternal  world !  The  following  is  re- 
lated of  a  boy,  who  was  sent  upon  some 
errand  on  a  cold  winter's  evening,  was 
overtaken  by  a  dreadful  storm,  wlicn  the 
snow  fell  so  thick,  and  drit\ed  in  such  a 
manner,  that  he  missed  his  way ;  and,  con- 
tinuing several  hours  in  that  coiidition, 
was  ready  to  perish.  About  midnight,  a 
gentleman  in  the  neighborhood  thought  he 
heard  a  sound,  but  could  not  distinguish 
what  it  was,  till,  opening  his  window,  he 


116 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


heard  a  human  voice,  at  a  great  distance, 
pronouncing  in  a  piteous  tone — Lost !  lost ! 
lost !  The  poor  boy,  in  some  hope  of  help, 
kept  crying  out  at  intervals,  lost !  lost ! 
lost !  Humanity  led  the  gentleman  to  send 
persons  diligently  to  seek  for  the  lad,  who 
was  at  length  tbund  and  preserved.  Happy 
for  him  that  he  perceived  his  danger,  that 
he  cried  for  help,  and  that  his  cry  was  heard ! 
So  will  it  be  happy  for  us,  if,  sensible  of 
of  the  value  of  our  souls,  and  their  danger 
of  perishing  in  hell,  we  now  cry  for  mercy 
and  help  to  that  dear  and  gracious  "  friend 
of  sinners,"  that  great  and  generous  de- 
liverer, who  "  came  to  seek  and  to  save 
that  which  was  lost.'''' — But  if  this  be  neg- 
lected, the  soul  will  be  lost  indeed,  lost 
without  remedy,  lost  for  ever.  He  who  is 
now  a  Savior,  but  will  shortly  be  a  Judge, 
has  marked  out  the  characters  of  the  wick- 
ed, and  has  said — "  These  shall  go  into 
everlasting  punishment."  Awful  words. 
Everlasting  punishment !  He  will  say  to 
them,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into 
everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and 
his  angels."  In  the  fearful  expectation  of 
this,  a  gentleman  of  considerable  standing 
in  the  political  and  literary  world,  but  who 
had  neglected  his  soul  and  religion,  kept 
crying  out  on  his  dying  bed,  "  Lost,  lost, 
my  soul  is  lost  for  ever !" 

Now,  would  we  escape  this  dreadful 
end  ]  Ijet  us,  then,  seriously  consider  the 
danger  of  losing  our  souls.  That  there  is 
danger  of  doing  so,  the  word  of  God  abun- 
dantly declares.  Remember  what  Christ 
himself  said,  "  Enter  ye  in  at  the  strait 
gate ;  for  wide  is  tlie  gate,  and  broad  is  the 
way,  that  leads  to  destruction,  and  many 
there  be  who  go  irt  thereat."  Is  there  no 
danger  then  !  Mark  again  what  is  said  by 
the  Psalmist.  "  The  wicked  shall  be  turn- 
ed into  hell,  and  all  the  nations  that  forget 
God."  The  word  of  God  describes  the 
very  people.  See  a  list  of  them  in  1  Cor. 
vi.  9,  and  mark,  whether  any  of  you  are 
there  described.  "  Know  ye  not  that  the 
unrighteous  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom 
of  God !  be  not  deceived ;  neither  forni- 
cators— nor  adulterers — nor  effeminate ;" 
that  is,  persons  of  lascivious  tempers  and 
practices,  however  private  and  alone — 
"  nor  sodomites — nor  thieves— nor  covet- 
ous— nor  drunkards — nor  revilers — nor  ex- 
tortioners, shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God."  Look  over  this  black  catalogue 
again,  and  if  you  find  your  name  there, 
own  it.  Blush  and  tremble  to  think  what 
must  it  be  to  be  shut  out  from  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  so  lose  your  own  soul ;  and 
then  say,  is  it  worth  while  1o  lose  your 
fioul  for  any  of  these  sinful  pleasures  and 


practices  7  will  you,  with  your  eyes  open, 
exchange  your  soul  for  any  of  these  things "? 
I  find,  again,  that  all  impenitent  persons 
— all  unconverted  persons — all  unrcgener- 
ate  persons,  and  all  neglecters  of  the  Gos- 
pel, will  lose  their  own  souls;   and  that 
you  may  be  sure  of  this,  I  will  mention  the 
chapter  and  verse  where  it  is  so  declared. 
All  impenitent  people,  Luke  xiii.  3.    "  Ex- 
cept ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  per- 
ish."— All  unconverted  people.  Matt,  xviii. 
3.    "  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Except  ye  be 
converted,  ye  shall,  not  enter  the  kingdom 
of   heaven." — All    unregenerate    people, 
John  iii.   3.     "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
thee.  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  can- 
not see  the  kingdom  of  God."     To  these 
characters  we  add — All  neglecters  of  the 
Gospel,  Heb.  ii.  3.  "  How  shall  we  escape, 
if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation  !"     How 
can  we  in  our  conscience  expect  to  avoid 
condemnation  for  our  sins,  if,  through  care- 
lessness and  unbelief,  we  despise  and  reject, 
or  disregard,  and  do  not  embrace  the  Gos- 
pel which  brings  salvation  to  lost  sinners  ? 
And  again,  2  Cor.  iv.  3.     "  If  our  Gospel 
be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are   lost." 
The  Gospel  is  glorious  light,  and  leads  sin- 
ners to  salvation ;  but  if  it  be  liid,  if  it  be 
covered  and  concealed  from  the  minds  of 
them  that  hear  it,  so  that  they  cannot  un- 
derstand or  receive  it,  because  of  the  veil 
of  ignorance  and  blindness  that  remains  on 
their  hearts,  it  is  a  proof  of  their  being  yet 
in  the  lost  and  ruined  state  into  which  they 
were  plunged  by  the  fall,  and,  if  they  die 
in  that  state,  they  will  be  lost  for  ever. 
The   Apostle    adds— "  The    God   of   this 
world,"  that  is,  the  devil,  whom  the  hea- 
thens worship,  and  carnal  men  obey,  he 
"hath  blinded  the  eyes  of  unbelievers,  lest 
the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel  should  en- 
lighten them."     If  people  who  have  the 
Gospel  are  lost,  it  is  not  the  fault  of  the 
Gospel,  but  it  is  owing  to  men's   wilful 
blindness,   and   the   advantage   the    devil 
takes'of  it  to  keep  them  in  the  way  to  hell. 
Mr.  Flavell  illustrates  this  by  the  following 
comparison ;  "  Let  us  suppose  a  number  of 
blind  men  on  an  island,  where  tliere  are 
many  smooth  paths,  all  leading  to  the  top 
of  a  steep  cliff,  and  these  blind  men  going 
on  continually,  in  one  or  other  of  the-se 
patiis    which    lead   to   the   brink  of  ruin, 
which  they  see  not,  it  must  needs  follow, 
if  they  all  move  forward,  the  whole  num- 
ber will  in  a  short  time  perish,  the  island 
be  cleared,  and  its  inhabitants  lost  in  the 
bottom  of  the  sea.     This  is  the   case  of 
carnal  men ;  they  are  now  in  this  habitable 
globe  surrounded  with  tiie  vast  ocean  of 
eternity :  there  arc  many  paths  leading  to 


SERMON  XXVI. 


117 


eternal  misery,  and  every  man  turns  to  his 
own  way ;  one  to  the  way  of  drunkenness, 
another  to  the  way  of  swearing,  anotlier  to 
the  way  of  lewdness,  another  to  pride,  an- 
other to  covetousnoss,  and  so  on.  Forward 
they  go,  not  Once  making  a  stand,  or  tliink- 
ing  to  what  end  it  will  bring  them ;  till, 
at  death,  over  they  go,  and  wc  hear  no 
more  of  them  in  tliis  wurkl.  Tlius  one 
generation  of  sinners  follows  another,  and 
they  who  come  after  applaud  the  miserable 
wretches  that  went  before  them.  So  hell 
fills,  and  the  world  empties  its  inhabitants 
daily  into  it." 

Thus  it  is  plain,- that  the  soul  may  be 
lost,  and  that  there  is  great  danger  of  it. 
Why  else  did  the  Son  of  God  come  down 
from  heaven  1  Why  has  he  sent  his  Gos- 
pel to  us?  Why  else  do  the  ministers  of 
Christ  cry  aloud  and  spare  not?  Why 
else  do  they  warn  every  man,  and  teach 
every  man,  but  that  they  may  convince 
sinners  of  their  danger,  and  prevent  them 
from  losing  their  own  souls?  We  now 
proceed  to  show,  that 

III.  The  whole  world  can  make  no 
amends  for  the  loss  of  a  soul. 

"  What  is  a  man  profited,  if  he  shall  gain 
the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ? 
It  is  not  here  supposed,  that  it  is  in  the 
power  of  any  man  to  conquer  or  possess 
the  whole  world.  No  man  ever  yet  saw 
all  the  world,  and  life  would  be  too  short 
for  that  purpose.  But  it  is  to  gain  all  the 
riches,  iionors,  delights,  and  pleasures,  that 
a  man  can  possibly  enjoy.  It  is  to  have 
every  idea  accomplished,  every  sense  grat- 
ified. It  is  to  have  the  lust  of  tlie  flesh, 
the  lust  of  tlie  eye,  and  the  pride  of  life 
indulged,  in  the  highest  perfection.  All 
that  can  please  tlie  palate ;  the  luxuries  of 
all  countries  collected  on  the  table  of  the 
epicure;  all  the  delightful  charms  of  mu- 
sic ;  all  the  elegancies  and  conveniences 
of  a  noble  palace ;  all  tliat  can  gratify  the 
smell  and  the  touch ;  all  the  pleasures  of 
imagination,  arising  from  grandeur,  beauty, 
and  novelty ; — and,  supposing  all  this  ob- 
tained— Solomon  obtained  it  all.  And  wliat 
a  poor  all  it  proved — "  Vanity  and  vexation 
of  spirit"  was  the  total  amount. 

And  is  tliis  the  whole  of  that  for  which 
men  risk  their  souls?  Foolish  barter! 
Wretched  exchange !  Was  Emu  wise, 
who  sold  his  birthright  for  a  mess  of  pot- 
tage? Was  Jiiilds-  wise,  who  sold  his 
master,  and  his  own  soul  too,  for  thirty 
pieces  of  silver?  Just  as  wise  as  the 
worldly  man,  who  parts  with  heaven  for 
the  sordid  and  short-lived  pleasures  of 
earth.  I  remember  reading  of  a  woman, 
whose  house  was  on  fire.  She  was  very  ac- 


tive in  removing  her  goods,  but  forgot  her 
child,  wlio  was  sleeping  in  the  cradle.  At 
length  she  remembered  the  babe,  and  ran 
with  earnest  desire  to  save  it.  But  it  is 
now  too  late.  The  flames  forbade  her  en- 
trance. Judge  of  her  agony  of  mind, 
when  she  exclaimed,  "O  my  child,  my 
child  !  I  have  saved  my  goods,  but  lost  my 
child !"  Just  so  it  will  be  with  many  a 
poor  sinner,  who  was  all  his  life  "  careful 
and  troubled  about  many  things,"  while 
"  the  one  thing  needful"  was  forgot.  What 
will  it  then  avail  for  a  man  to  say — "  I  got 
a  good  place,  or  a  good  trade,  but  lost  my 
soul !  I  got  a  large  fortune,  but  lost  my 
soul.  I  got  many  friends,  but  God  is  my 
enemy.  I  lived  in  pleasure,  but  now  pain 
is  my  everlasting  portion.  I  clothed  my 
body  gaily,  but  my  soul  is  naked  before 
God."  Our  Lord  exposed  this  tolly  in  the 
parable  of  the  worldly  rich  man,  Luke  xii. 
16,  &c.  His  wealth  increased  abundantly. 
He  was  about  to  enlarge  his  barns.  And 
then  he  promised  himself  a  long  life  of 
idleness,  luxury,  and  mirth.  "But  God 
said  to  him,  Thou  fool,  this  night  sliall  thy 
soul  be  required  of  thee :  then  whose  shall 
those  things  be  which  thou  hast  provided  ?" 
Here,  for  tlie  sake  of  the  body,  the  soul 
was  forgot.  While  he  was  dreaming  of 
years  to  come,  death  was  at  the  door ;  and 
little  did  he  think,  "  that  the  next  hour  his 
friends  would  be  scrambling  for  his  estate, 
the  worms  for  his  body,  and  devils  for  his 
soul." 

APPLICATION. 
Is  the  soul  so  valuable?  Then  do  we 
act  as  if  we  believed  it  so  to  be  ?  Are  our 
chief  desires  and  endeavors  for  the  body, 
or  the  soul  ?  It  is  true,  that  the  business 
of  life,  and  the  support  of  tlie  body,  require 
our  daily  care  and  labor.  But  God  has 
placed  no  man  in  such  a  state  as  to  allow 
no  time  for  the  care  of  the  soul.  One 
whole  day  in  seven  is,  by  his  authority, 
appointed  for  the  care  of  the  soul  and  the 
worship  of  God.  Every  man,  however 
busy,  finds  some  time  for  meals  and  rest 
and  conversation  on  other  days  ;  and  if  the 
heart  were  set  on  God  and  heaven,  as  it 
ought  to  be,  many  a  moment  would  be 
found  for  spiritual  exercises,  without  liin- 
drance  to  worldly  business.  Yea,  a  proper 
regard  to  true  religion,  and  tlie  blessing  of 
God  procured  by  prayer,  would  render 
worldly  business  more  easy,  and  more 
prosperous  too.  But  were  it  otherwise, 
remember  the  text,  "  What  shall  a  man 
give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?"  Is  it  rea- 
sonable, think  you,  that  the  nobler  part,  the 
immortal  soul,  should  have  no  share  in 
your  thoughts  and  cares  and  endeavors? 


118 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


Shall  the  brutal  part  of  man  engross  all  his 
affections]  If  it  does,  the  event  will  be 
fatal,  "  If  ye  live  after  tiie  flesh,  ye  shall 
die ;  but  if  ye,  through  the  Spirit,  mortify 
the  deeds  of  tlie  body,  ye  sliall  live." 

2.  Is  there  danger  of  losing  the  soul! 
then  beware ;  be  on  your  guard ;  watch 
and  pray,  lest  you  should  lose  your  souls. 
Remember  that  sin,  and  ignorance,  and 
carelessness,  and  unbelief,  will  certainly 
ruin  the  soul.  Tliough  the  flesh  may  plead 
for  these  things,  and  you  may  have  the 
majority  of  the  world  on  your  side,  yet 
God  has  said,  "  The  end  of  these  things  is 
death." 

But  wliy  sliould  you  lose  your  souls  1  Is 
there  not  a  Savior,  and  a  great  one  1  He 
came  from  heaven  on  purpose  to  save  that 
which  was  lost.  Do  you  ask,  "  What  shall 
I  do  to  be  saved!  We  reply  with  the 
Apostle  Paul,  "  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  There  is 
no  name  under  heaven  given  among  men 
whereby  we  must  be  saved,  but  that  of 
Jesus.  He  is  the  only  deliverer  from  the 
wrath  to  come.  Take  care  that  you  trust 
in  nothing  else.  Make  not  your  good 
works,  as  they  are  called,  your  dependence. 
Virtue  and  morality  are  excellent  thmgs, 
and  promote  the  peace  and  welfare  of  soci- 
ety, but  they  are  not  saviors.  He  that 
trusts  them  leans  on  a  broken  reed,  builds 
on  the  yielding  sand,  and  will  be  wofuUy 
disappointed  at  last.  By  grace  alone  are 
sinners  saved,  through  faith ;  and  faith  is 
the  gift  of  God.  Many,  who  have  some  con- 
cern for  their  souls,  perish  through  their 
ignorance  of  Christ.  They  think  them- 
selves moral  and  devout,  and  doubt  not  that 
God  will  accept  them.  But  this  is  a  ruin- 
ous mistake.  Such  moral  persons  are  in  as 
much  danger  as  the  most  profane.  This  is 
tlie  fatal  stumbling-block  of  thousands. 
But  know  this,  Christ  alone  can  save  our 
souls.  He  must  be  your  wisdom,  your 
rigliteousness,  your  sanctification,  and  re- 
demption ;  your  all  in  all.  Fly  then  to 
him  without  delay.  If  you  would  not  lose 
your  soul,  call  upon  him  to  save  it.  This 
is  his  office :  he  is  the  Savior.  It  is  his 
delight:  he  waits  to  be  gracious.  His 
open  arms  are  ready  to  receive  the  trem- 
bling sinner.  Turn  ye  to  the  strong  hold, 
ye  prisoners  of  hope.  Believe  in  him,  and 
you  are  safe.  You  may  then  say,  with  St. 
Paul,  "  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,  and 
am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that 
which  I  have  committed  to  him,"  namely, 
the  immortal  soul,  with  all  its  eternal  con- 
cerns, against  that  day,  the  day  of  final 
judgment.     Yea,  you  may  say, 


"  Firm  as  the  earth  thy  Gospel  stands, 

My  Lord,  my  hope,  my  trust: 
If  I  am  Ibund  in  Jesus'  hands, 

My  soul  can  ne'er  be  lost." 

Finally.  Can  the  whole  world  make 
no  amends  for  the  loss  of  a  soul  ]  Then 
prize  the  world  less,  and  the  soul  more. 
Learn  to  think  of  the  world  now  as  you 
will  think  of  it  on  a  dying  bed.  "  A  dying 
man  would  give  all  tlie  world  for  his  soul ; 
when  in  health  he  does  not  so  much  as 
think  of  it.  Whilst  he  is  able,  he  will  do 
nothing  at  all ;  and  he  would  fain  do  all, 
when  he  is  no  longer  able  to  do  any  thing. 
What  strange  delusion  is  this !  will  man- 
kind never  recover  from  it,  after  so  many 
fatal  examples!"  Be  moderate  in  your 
pursuit  of  tlie  world.  "  Be  diligent  in 
business,"  but  take  care  to  be  "  fervent  in 
spirit"  also.  Time  is  short:  eternity  is 
long.  Live  for  eternity.  Show  your  re- 
gard for  your  souls,  by  earnestness  and 
diligence  in  all  the  means  of  grace.  If 
you  prize  your  souls,  you  will  prize  Sab- 
baths, and  Bibles,  and  Sermons,  and 
Prayers,  and  serious  friends.  Redeem 
then  the  time.  "  Hear  the  voice  of  God 
while  it  is  called  to-day ;  for  this  is  the  ac- 
ceptable time ;  this  is  the  day  of  salvation. 
Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling,  for  it  is  God  that  worketh 
in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleasure."  Were  religion  painful  and 
miserable;  still,  as  necessary  to  eterna'. 
happiness,  it  would  be  your  wisdom  to  be 
religious ;  but  to  be  religious  is  to  be  happj 
now  and  happy  for  ever.  On  the  contrary 
the  wicked  man  is  miserable  now,  and  will 
be  miserable  for  ever.  So  that  the  choice 
which  is  proposed  to  every  man  on  this 
subject  is  this :  "  Will  you  have  a  foretaste 
of  heaven  now,  and  then  heaven  for  ever; 
or  will  you  have  a  foretaste  of  hell  now, 
and  then  hell  for  ever  !"  "  Will  you  have 
two  hells,  or  two  heavens  ?" 


PRAYER.— O  Thou,  who  art  the  Fatlier  of 
our  spirits,  enable  us  by  thy  special  grace  deeply 
to  consider  their  unspeakable  value,  and,  above 
all  things,  to  seek  their  eternal  salvation.  Suffer 
us  not  to  be  so  foolish  and  brutish  as  to  |)refer  the 
ease  and  gratification  of  our  mortal  bodies  to  the 
safety  and  everlasting  happiness  of  our  immortal 
souls !  and  as  sin  has  endangered  our  souls,  and 
made  them  liable  to  everlasting  misery,  may  we 
nOw  earnestly  seek  and  obtain  the  salvation  that 
is  in  Christ.  As  he  is  able  to  save  to  the  utter- 
most all  who  come  to  thee  through  him,  may  we 
believe  in  him  to  the  saving  of  our  souls;  and 
knowing  whom  we  iiave  believed,  and  being 
fully  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep  what  we 
have  committed  unto  him,  may  we  experience 
joy  and  peace  ;  and  after  having  served  the  Lord 
with  our  redeemed  bodies  and  spirits,  may  both 


SERMON  XXVII. 


119 


be  finally  made  happy  and  glorious  in  the  realms 
of  eternal  felicity,  ihrough  him  who  loved  us 
and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood, — 
to  whom  be  glory  in  all  the  churches,  world 
without  end.   Amen. 


SERMON  XXVII. 

CONVICTION  OF  SIN. 

1  Cor.  xiv.  24,  25. — If  all  prophesy,  and  there  come 
in  one  that  beliuvL'th  not,  or  one  unlearncil,  hu  is 
convinced  of  all,  he  is  judged  of  all:  and  thus  are 
the  secrets  of  his  heart  made  manifest;  and  so 
fallinf:  down  on  his  face,  he  will  worsliip  God,  and 
report  that  God  is  in  you  of  a  truth. 

In  these  words  we  have  an  account  of 
the  power  of  the  Gospel  in  the  times  of 
the  apostles.  We  see  here  what  was  the 
design  .and  effect  of  the  word  of  God  in 
primitive  times.  And  it  should  be  our 
concern  that  the  same  Gospel  may  be 
blessed  in  the  same  manner  among  our- 
selves. In  those  early  days  there  were 
miraculous  gifts  in  the  church:  for  in- 
stance, speaking  in  a  language  which  they 
had  never  learned ;  and  this  was  to  enable 
the  preachers  to  address  themselves  to  the 
people  of  all  nations.  It  was  then  reckon- 
ed very  honorable  to  possess  the  gift  of 
tongues,  and  some  coveted  it  too  much. 
St.  Paul,  in  this  chapter,  shows  that  it  was 
far  more  desirable  to  prophesy  or  preach  : 
"  Follow  after  love,"  saith  he,  "  and  desire 
spiritual  gifts,  but  rather  that  ye  may  pro- 
phesy ;  for  he  that  prophesieth,  (or  preach- 
eth)  speaketh  unto  men  to  edification,  and 
exliortation,  and  comfort."  And,  in  our 
text,  he  mentions  the  blessed  effects  of 
preaching,  in  the  conversion  of  a  person  to 
God.  lie  supposes  a  case,  which  no  doubt 
often  happened :  A  heathen,  or  other  igno- 
rant person,  led  by  curiosity,  happens  to 
come  into  an  assembly  of  Christians,  in  a 
house,  or  barn  perhaps,  wishing  to  see  or 
hear  something  of  this  new  religion ;  he 
listens  to  what  one  or  other  of  the  preach- 
ers drops,  and,  the  Spirit  of  God  opening 
his  eyes,  and  touching  his  heart,  he  is  con- 
vinced that  he  is  a  sinner,  he  feels  hiinself 
condemned,  lie  is  surprised  to  find  the  se- 
cret thoughts  of  his  heart  laid  open  ;  and 
so,  struck  with  an  awe  of  the  Divine  Ma- 
jesty, he  earnestly  implores  the  mercy  of 
God,  and  is  convinced  that  God  is,  in  a 
special  manner,  present  with  his  people. 

True  religion  is  always  the  same.  The 
Gospel  is  always  the  "  power  of  God  ;" 
and  when  lie  is  pleased  to  own  and  bless 
the  preaching  or  reading  of  it,  the  same 
blessed  effects  are  produced.  Men  are 
fully  convinced  of  sin,  and  converted  to 
God.     The  Lord  grant  that  such  may  be 


tlie  effect  of  his  word  among  us  at  this 
time  ! 

1.  We  may  first  observe,  that  Preach- 
ing the  Gospel  is  an  ordinance  of  God, 
and  constantly  used  in  the  primitive 
church.  Our  Savior,  when  leaving  tliis 
world,  directed  his  disciples  to  "  go  and 
teach  all  nations ;" — to  "  go  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every 
creature ;"  he  graciously  promised  to  be 
with  the  preachers  of  it,  even  to  the  end 
of  the  world ;  and  added  this  solemn  sanc- 
tion— "  lie  that  bclieveth,  and  is  baptized, 
shall  bo  saved ;  but  he  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  dqjuned."  Thus  it  appears  tliat 
believing  in  Christ  is  necessary  to  salva- 
tion; and  preacliing  the  Gospel  is  generally 
necessary  to  believing,  for  "  how  shall  tliey 
call  upon  him  in  vvliom  tliey  have  not  be- 
lieved .'  and  how  shall  they  believe  in  him 
of  whom  they  have  not  heard !  and  how 
shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher!" 
Despised  as  preaching  tlie  Gospel  was  at 
first,  and  still  is  by  many,  "  it  hath  pleased 
God  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  to 
save  them  that  believe."  Mark.  xvi.  16. 
Rom.  X.  14.  1  Cor.  i.  21.  A  portion  of  this 
blessing  may  be  expected  by  all  those  who 
meet  together,  at  any  time  or  place,  for 
reading  or  hearing  the  Scriptures,  or  the 
explanation  of  them,  with  a  view  to  their 
own  edification,  or  that  of  their  neighbors. 
May  we  enjoy  it  now  ! 

II.  Curiosity  freqvently  led  persons  to 
the  Christian  assemblies.  Tlie  religion 
of  Christ  made  a  great  stir  in  the  world. 
The  true  knowledge  of  God  was  so  lost  in 
general,  that  wherever  the  Gospel  was 
first  preached,  it  excited  great  attention  ; 
it  seemed  a  new  religion ;  it  brought 
strange  things  to  men's  ears.  Some  were 
greatly  prejudiced  against  it.  Many  false 
and  inalicious  reports  were  spread,  and 
when  it  was  brought  to  a  town,  some  would 
say — "  Tlie  men  that  turn  the  world  upside 
down  are  come  here  also."  Men  who 
loved  sin,  and  lived  in  sin,  disliked  the 
light  of  the  Gospel,  because  it  discovered 
tiieir  evil  deeds.  And  persons  long  used 
to  superstition,  error,  and  devil  worship, 
were  unwilling  to  forsake  their  own  reli- 
gion, as  they  called  it.  But  when  tliey 
saw  miracles  performed  before  their  eyes; 
when  they  saw  numbers  of  sick  people 
liealed  with  a  word  or  a  touch ;  when  tliey 
saw  some  of  their  neighbors  forsake  the 
altars  of  tlieir  idols,  and  become  moral  and 
lovely  in  their  conduct,  they  were  forced 
to  stop,  and  consider  how  these  tilings 
could  be,  and  some  of  them  would  of  course 
go  and  hear  for  tlienisclvcs.  Our  te.xt 
supposes  such  u  thing ;  "  If  there  come  in 


120 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


one  that  believeth  not,  or  one  unlearned," 
an  unbeliever,  an  infidel ;  or  an  ignorant 
person,  one  unacquainted  with  Christ  and 
salvation.  God  otten  overruled  this  kind 
of  curiosity  for  good.  Zacchcus,  a  rich 
publican,  wished  much  to  see  Christ  when 
he  passed  through  Jericho.  He  only 
wanted  to  gratify  his  curiosity  in  •  seeing  a 
man  who  was  so  much  talked  of;  but 
Christ  in  mercy  called  and  converted  him. 
It  is  good  to  be  near  Christ;  he  often 
meets  with  those  that  are  "  in  the  way," 
and  "  is  found  by  those  who  sought  him 
not."  And  it  is  happy  for  many  that  they 
did  not  suffer  their  own  prejudices,  or  the 
fear  of  man,  to  prevent  their  going  among 
serious  persons,  to  hear  and  judge  for 
themselves. 

III.  We  observe  further,  that  primitive 
preaching  had  a  tendency  to  convince  men 
of  their  being  sinners,  in  a  state  of  guilt 
and  danger. 

It  was  a  principal  part  of  the  work  of 
the  prophets  of  old,  to  cry  aloud  and  tes- 
tify against  the  sins  of  the  people.  John 
the  Baptist  preached  repentance.  So  did 
our  Lord  himself.  And  he  commanded 
that  "  repentance  and  remission  of  sins 
should  be  preached  in  his  name  among  all 
nations" — repentance,  in  order  to  remis- 
sion. As  "  the  whole  need  not  the  phy- 
sician, but  the  sick ;"  as  the  disease  must 
be  felt  before  the  remedy  can  be  desired  ; 
so  must  all  men  know  the  diseased  and 
dangerous  state  of  their  souls,  before  they 
can  believe  in  Christ  "  to  the  saving  of 
their  souls."  Accordingly  we  find  St. 
Peter,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  charging 
sin  upon  the  people  of  Jerusalem  ;  the  ef- 
fect of  which  was,  "  they  were  pierced  to 
the  heart,  and  said  to  Peter  and  to  the  rest 
of  the  apostles,  "  Men  and  brethren,  what 
shall  we  do  V  Thus  in  our  text — the  un- 
believer, coming  into  the  assembly,  is  con- 
vinced of  all,  of  all  the  preachers ;  who- 
ever preached,  his  doctrine  had  this  ten- 
dency, to  convince  the  man  of  sin.  This 
is  done,  not  merely  by  the  power  of  the 
word,  but  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
going  along  with  the  word.  This  is  one 
of  the  great  works  of  the  Spirit,  as  our 
Savior  promised,  John  .\vi.  8.  "  When  he 
is  come  he  shall  reprove,  or  convince  the 
world  of  sin ;"  it  is  the  same  word  as  in 
the  text ;  it  signifies  to  convince  by  way 
of  argument;  to  stop  the  mouth  of  the 
guilty  person,  convict  him  by  his  own  con- 
science, and  leave  him  without  excuse. 

The  word  of  God  is  the  chief  mean  of 
convincing  people  of  sin.  Reason  and 
conscience  alone  are  not  sufficient.  It  is 
true,  that  those  wlio  "  have  not  a  written 


law,  or  the  Bible,  are  a  law  unto  them- 
selves ;  they  show  the  work  of  the  Jaw 
written  in  their  hearts,"  and  their  con- 
sciences accuse  them  when  they  do  evil, 
and  excuse  them  when  they  do  well ;  but 
all  this  is  done  in  a  weak  and  imperfect 
manner.  The  light  of  nature  discovers 
some  sins,  but  not  all.  It  discovers  scarcely 
any  sins  but  those  that  hurt  our  neighbor. 
It  discovers  that  there  is  a  God,  and  that 
he  should  be  worshipped,  but  it  does  not 
tell  us  how.  It  does  not  tell  us  half  the 
duties  we  owe  to  God,  and  therefore  not 
half  the  sins  we  commit  in  not  performing 
them.  The  light  of  nature  does  not  show 
us  the  root  of  sin,  in  our  fallen  nature.  It 
does  not  show  us  what  hearts  we  have, 
"deceitful  and  desperately  wicked,"  as 
they  really  are.  It  cannot  show  us  that  a 
lustful  glance,  an  angry  thought,  or  a  cov- 
etous desire,  is  sinful,  as  our  Lord,  in  his 
Sermon  on  the  Mount,  declares  them  all 
to  be.  Besides,  natural  conscience  is  often 
stupid  and  unfaithful.  When  men  live  long 
in  sin,  the  conscience  becomes  callous  and 
unfeeling,  "  seared,  as  it  were,  with  an  hot 
iron."  It  is  corrupt,  like  all  the  other 
powers  of  our  souls,  and  it  is  too  weak  and 
feeble,  without  superior  aid,  to  convince 
us,  in  a  due  manner,  of  our  sinful  and  dan- 
gerous condition. 

The  Law  of  God,  contained  in  the  ten 
commandments,  is  an  instrument  of  mighty 
power,  in  the  hand  of  the  Spirit,  to  con- 
vince men  of  sin.  The  words  of  the  law, 
as  printed  in  a  book,  or  laid  up  in  the 
memory,  or  fixed  up  in  a  church,  are  not 
of  themselves  sufficient  for  this  purpose. 
No,  they  must  be  spiritually  understood, 
and  applied  to  the  heart.  St.  Paul  himself 
is  a  notable  instance :  "  I  was  alive,"  saith 
he,  "  without  the  law  once,  but  when  the 
commandment  came,  sin  revived,  and  I 
died."  He  never  was  without  the  ivords 
of  the  law,  he  knew  tliem  from  a  child — 
but  he  was  without  the  true  knowledge  of 
the  law,  as  a  spiritual  law,  requiring 
"  truth  in  the  inward  parts,"  and  condemn- 
ing a  sinful  thought.  It  was  the  tenth 
commandment  that  opened  his  eyes.  "I 
had  not  known  sin,"  he  saith,  "  except  the 
law  had  said.  Thou  shalt  not  covet ;"  by 
this  he  saw  tliat  a  desire  might  be  sinful ; 
and  seeing  tliis,  he  was  convinced  of  sin. 
Where  natural  conscience  sees  one  sin, 
the  law  sliows  a  thoiisand.  What  natural 
conscience  tliought  a  mole-hill,  the  law 
shows  to  be  a  tnountain.  What  natural 
conscience  thought  merely  not  quite  right, 
the  law  shows  to  be  a  daring  act  of  rebel- 
lion, and  worthy  of  eternal  death. 

For  besides  being  ^^  convinced  of  all," 


SERMON  XXVII. 


121 


our  text  adds,  "  he  is  judged  of  all :"  he  is 
tried,  cast,  and  coudenined.  The  consid- 
eration of  liis  own  sin  is  tixed  on  his  mind  : 
he  cannot  forget  it,  he  cannot  get  rid  of  it. 
"  My  sin  is  ever  before  me,"  said  the 
Psalmist.  It  is  brought  home  to  his  con- 
science, as  when  Nathan  said  to  David, 
"  Thou  art  tlie  man  !"  The  truly  convinced 
simier  receives  "  the  sentence  of  deatli  in 
hhnself."  The  law  says,  "the  soul  that 
sinneth  shall  die."  •  The  conscience  says, 
"  1  have  sinned,  and  therefore  I  must  die." 
The  law  says,  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that 
continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law  to  do  them."  The  con- 
science says,  "  I  have  not  continued  in  all 
things,  therefore  I  am  cursed."  It  is  the 
office  of  an  enlightened  conscience  to  an- 
ticipate the  judgment  of  the  great  day ; 
Now  to  inspect  the  books  that  will  be 
opened  tiien,  and  so  to  judge  ourselves  that 
we  may  not  be  judged ;  so  to  condemn  our- 
selves that  we  may  not  then  be  condem.ned. 
]\Iost  men  have  such  notions  of  the  mercy 
of  God,  as  to  forget  his  justice  and  holi- 
ness ;  they  fortify  themselves  in  his  mercy 
against  his  justice.  But  when  a  person  is 
convinced  of  sm,  he  sees  that  God  is  holy 
and  just;  and  he  cannot  but  dread  these 
terrible  attributes,  till  he  learns  from  the 
Go-spel  how  God  is  at  once  "  a  just  God 
and  a  Savior :  just,  yet  the  justifier  of  the 
ungodly,"  wiio  believe  in  Jesus. 

IV.  Another  obseryation  we  make  on 
the  text  is,  Preaching  the  word  tends  to 
disclose  the  secret  workings  of  the  heart, 
which  were  unobserved  before.  And  tJnifi 
are  the  secrets  of  his  heart  made  mani- 
fest. 

Most  men  are  so  busied  in  worldly  af- 
fairs, or  stupified  with  worldly  pleasures, 
that  they  are  great  strangers  to  themselves. 
They  are  also  lulled  asleep  by  the  soft 
preaching  of  virtue  and  morality,  and  sin- 
cere obedience,  which  they  flatter  them- 
selves tliey  have,  so  that  they  give  them- 
selves no  trouble  about  religion.  But  tlie 
faithful  preaching  of  God's  word  has  a  ten- 
dency to  rouse  men  from  their  supineness. 
Tlie  word  of  God  is  a  mirror  that  does  not 
flatter.  It  shows  men  their  hearts.  It  does 
not  only  tell  men  wiiat  they  ought  to  be, 
but  shows  them  what  they  are.  It  leads 
them  from  observing  the  streams  of  their 
evil  actions,  to  trace  them  up  to  the  foun- 
tain ;  the  corrupt  fountain  of  tiicir  fallen 
nature.  Thus  when  David  confesses  his 
sin  of  adultery,  in  Psalm  li.  he  acluiow- 
ledges  the  spring  of  this  horrid  evil.  "  Be- 
hold, I  was  shapen  in  iniquity,  and  in  sin 
did  my  mother  conceive  me."  So  when 
our  Lord  would  convince  Nicodenius  that 
Q 


he  must  be  born  again,  he  showed  him 
that,  "  what  was  born  of  tiic;  flesh,  was 
flesh,"  nothing  more,  nothing  better,  no- 
thing but  corruption  and  detilcment;  as 
Paul  confesses,  "  In  my  flesh  there  dwell- 
eth  no  good  thing ;"  and  elsewhere,  "  tlie 
carnal  mind  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of 
God,  neither  can  it  be."  So  God  declared 
of  the  old  world — "  Every  imagination  of 
man's  heart  is  only  evil  continually."  Now 
a  convinced  sinner  knows  this,  feels  this ; 
and  thus  "the  secrets  of  his  heart  are 
made  manifest." — "  The  Lord  opens  the 
root  of  bitterness;  makes  us  smell  the 
stink  of  sin ;  discovers  the  dunghill  whence 
all  these  little  serpents  were  bred ;  shows 
us  the  rotten  core,  as  well  as  the  worm- 
eaten  skin ;  that  the  nature  of  the  person 
lies  in  wickedness,  as  a  mole  in  the  earth, 
or  a  carcass  in  putrefaction,  (1  John  v.  19.) 
all  under  sin ;  no  good  spring  in  the  heart : 
that  there  is  a  poison  in  the  heart  that 
taints  every  work  of  the  hand,  imagina- 
tion, fancy,  thoughts  of  tlie  mind,  and  mo- 
tions of  the  will.  He  brings  a  man  from 
the  chamber  of  outward  sins  to  the  closet 
of  inward  iniquities,  till  he  arrives  at  the 
large  room  of  nature  ;  bids  him  see  if  he 
can  find  out  one  clean  corner  in  the  heart; 
and  so  conducts  him  to  the  first  sin  of 
Adam ;  makes  him  behold  the  first  foun- 
tain whence  all  issued ;  and  all  little 
enough  to  make  the  proud  licart  stoop  to 
God ;  this  makes  a  man  vile  in  his  own 
eyes,  so  that  he  cannot  look  upon  himself 
but  with  confusion  and  a  universal  blush." 
So  speaks  the  excellent  Mr.  Chamock. 

Persons  who  have  not  been  used,  to  hear 
the  Gospel,  are  frequently  surprised,  when 
they  sit  under  a  powerful  ministry,  to  hear 
tlieir  own  case  and  character  so  exactly 
described.  It  is  not  uncommon  for  them 
to  charge  their  friends  with  having  been 
to  the  ministers  beforehand,  to  tell  them 
their  case.  But  this  is  no  new  things  Tlie 
remembrance  of  one  sin  leads  to  the  re- 
membrance of  another.  Sins  that  have 
been  forgotten  many  years,  have  a  kind  of 
resurrection  in  the  mind,  so  that  they  seem 
to  surround  and  terrify  the  soul  of  an 
awakened  sinner. — Thus  it  was  with  the 
woman  of  Samaria,  who  was  converted  by 
our  Lord  at  the  well ;  having  detected  her 
in  the  lewd  course  of  life  which  she  led ; 
and  being  convinced  that  lie  was  a  pro- 
phet, she  ran  to  call  her  neiglibors,  saying, 
"  Come,  see  a  man  that  told  me  all  things 
that  ever  I  did:  is  not  this  the  Christ  1" 
This  is  the  proper  and  powerful  eflfect  of 
the  word  of  God,  wliich  carries  with  it  a 
mighty  and  convincing  argument  of  its 
truth,  as  being  the  word  of  him  "  who 
°        II 


122 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


searcheth  tlie  heart,  and  trieth  the  reins 
of  the  children  of  men."  The  person 
who  thus  hears  the  word  to  purpose, 
"  knows  the  plag-ue  of  his  own  heart."  He 
boasts  no  more  of  a  good  heart.  He  sees 
it  is  full  of  sin ;  which  he  no  longer  de- 
lights in,  nor  excuses.  He  sees  its  horrid 
evU,  described  in  Scripture  as  dirt,  dung, 
plague,  ulcers,  and  putrefying  sores ;  and 
seeing  this  in  his  own  heart,  he  lothes  him- 
self, and  cries  with  Job,  "  Lord,  I  am  vile  ! 
I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and 
ashes !" — And  this  leads  us  to  another  ob- 
servation. 

V.  When  a  man  is  converted  to  God,  he 
always  begins  to  pray.  The  person  in  our 
text  already  convinced  of  sin, — "  falls  down 
on  his  face,  and  worships  God."  A  blind 
Pagan  till  now.  If  he  worshipped  before, 
it  was  Bacchus,  or  Venus  perhaps :  or  a 
more  heathenish  Christian  ;  one  who  never 
worships  at  all.  For  how  many  are  there 
among  us,  who  so  entirely  live  without 
God  in  the  world,  that  they  never  pray ! 
But  see  the  effect  of  God's  word  when  car- 
ried to  the  heart.  Regardless  of  the  eye 
of  man,  he  prostrates  himself  in  the  dust 
of  abasement  before  his  offended  Maker 
and  Judge.  This  was  the  symptom  of 
Paul's  own  conversion :  "  Behold,  he  pray- 
eth,"  said  Christ  concerning  him,  as  a  proof 
that  he  was  another  man :  a  new  man. 

It  is  sad  to  think  that  so  many  people  never 
pray.  A  short  form  of  words,  always  the 
same,  and  always  unfell,  is  hypocritically 
offered  by  some  in  their  beds,  or  when 
nearly  asleep.  By  many  others  this  pal- 
try ceremony  is  quite  omitted.  Some  are 
ashamed  to  pray,  lest  they  should  be  laugh- 
ed at  for  it.  Others  are  afraid,  lest  the 
devil  should  appear  to  them.  Others  pre- 
tend they  cannot  get  a  private  place  to 
pray  in.  But  let  me  ask  such.  Can  you 
not  get  a  private  place  to  sin  in  ?  and  if 
you  loved  prayer  as  you  now  love  sin,  you 
would*not  make  this  excuse.  Behold,  hero, 
a  man  so  overpowered  wath  a  sense  of  the 
majesty  and  justice  of  God,  so  deeply  af- 
fected with  his  danger  as  a  sinner,  and  so 
eagerly  desirous  of  his  pardoning  mercy, 
that  he  forgets  he  is  surrounded  by  mor- 
tals, and  he  falls  down  before  his  God  with 
the  publican's  petition — "  God  be  merciful 
to  me  a  sinner !"  Thus  has  it  been  with  a 
condemned  criminal  at  a  human  bar,  when 
the  fearful  sentence  of  deatii  has  been  pro- 
nounced, he  has  fallen  down  on  his  knees, 
and,  regardless  of  the  gazing  throng,  im- 
plored the  favor  of  the  judge.  I  have  seen 
dying  persons,  expecting  soon  to  appear 
before  God,  they  have  cried  for  mercy, 
without  considering  who  surrounded  their 


beds.  The  place,  or  the  posture  of  prayer, 
is  of  little  consequence.  It  might  disturb 
the  public  worship  for  persons  to  fall  down 
and  pray  aloud  in  our  assemblies;  yet, 
when  a  person  is  greatly  affected,  it  will 
be  difficult  to  conceal  his  emotions.  He 
will  lift  up  his  heart,  if  not  his  voice,  to 
God.  And  when  he  goes  home,  it  will  not 
be  with  the  usual  compliment,  that  he  had 
heard  a  fine  sermon,  or  a  charming  preach- 
er ;  but,  retiring  to  some  secret  place,  he 
will  confess  and  lament  his  sins,  and  seek 
the  pardon  of  them  through  the  blood  of 
Christ;"  while,  conscious  also  of  their 
lothesome  defilement,  he  will  earnestly 
crave  the  sanctifying  grace  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.     One  more  observation  remains. 

VI.  Converted  persons  drop  all  their 
prejudices  against  the  people  of  God,  and 
speak  honorably  of  them.  "  He  will  re- 
port that  God  is  in  you  of  a  truth."  It  is 
not  unlikely  that  he  said  before,  "  the 
devil  is  in  you."  Profane  people  indulge 
themselves  in  abusing  religious  persons. 
They  are  fond  of  calling  them  nicknames ; 
they  treat  them  with  contempt  and  scorn ; 
and  sometimes  abuse  their  persons,  injure 
their  property,  hurt  their  character,  or 
hinder  their  employment.  Though  reli- 
gion be  protected  by  the  laws  of  the  land, 
there  are  a  thousand  ways  in  which  serious 
people  are  now  persecuted,  especially 
where  the  Gospel  is  newly  introduced  into 
a  place ;  and  the  poor,  especially,  are 
threatened  by  their  superiors,  that  they 
shall  be  deprived  of  parish  support,  or 
other  assistance,  if  they  dare  to  judge  for 
themselves,  and  attend  the  worship  of 
God,  where  they  think  themselves  profited. 
But  these  persecutors  (for  that  is  their 
true  character,  if  they  restrain  men  in 
their  religion,)  ought  to  remember,  that 
"  the  Lord  cometh  with  ten  thousand  of 
his  saints,  to  execute  judgment  upon  all, 
and  to  convince  all  that  are  ungodly 
among  them  of  all  their  ungodly  deeds 
which  they  have  ungodly  committed,  and 
of  all  their  hard  speeches  which  ungodly 
sinners  have  spoken  against  him,"  Jude 
15 ;  for  the  Lord  considers  what  is  done  to 
his  people  as  done  to  himself;  and  he 
says,  "  it  were  better  for  a  man  to  have  a 
mill-stone  hung  about  his  neck,  and  be 
cast  into  the  sea  with  it,  than  for  him  to 
offend  or  hurt  one  of  the  least  of  his  disci- 
ples, who  believe  in  him."  Mark.  ix.  42. 

But  no  sooner  does  a  man  come  to  him- 
self, and  see  things  as  they  are,  than  he 
forms  a  very  different  opinion  of  godly 
persons.  Tliey  are  no  longer  the  objects 
of  contempt  and  scorn.  He  sees  that  they 
are  the  excellent  of  tlie  earth,  the  children 


SERMON  XXVII. 


123 


of  God,  and  heirs  of  eternal  glory.  He  now 
eays,  "  God  is  in  you  of  a  truth."  Blessed 
truth  !  Jesus  is  "  Immanuel,  God  witli  u.s." 
He  is  really  and  truly  with  his  people, 
when  they  meet  to  pray  and  praise,  and 
hear  his  word.  "  Lo !  1  am  with  you  al- 
way,"  saith  he,  "  even  to  the  end  of  the 
world."  And  again,  "  Where  two  or  three 
are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there 
am  1  in  the  midst  of  them,"  Matt,  xviii. 
20.  Blessed  be  Jesus  for  this  precious 
promise,  and  blessed  be  his  name  for  the 
fulfilment  of  it.  We  know  he  is  with  us, 
to  observe,  guide,  assist,  encourage,  quick- 
en, approve,  and  succeed  us ;  yea,  he 
comes  first  to  bid  us  welcome. — "  There 
am  I.'" 

Now,  every  converted  person  knows 
and  feels  this.  He  therefore  says,  with 
Jacob — "  How  awful  is  this  place  !  it  is 
the  house  of  God  and  the  gate  of  Heaven." 
Observe,  it  is  said,  "  He  will  report  that 
God  is  with  you."  He  will  not  be  ashamed 
to  tell  the  world  so :  and  he  will  tell  it  to 
others,  that  they  may  come  too.  Just  as 
some  of  our  Lord's  first  disciples  did. 
When  Andrew  was  called  by  Christ,  he 
went  and  called  his  brother  Peter;  and 
when  Philip  was  called,  he  invited  Na- 
thaniel ;  and  when  Nathaniel  made  some 
objections,  and  said,  "  Can  any  good  thing 
come  out  of  Nazareth  ?  Philip  said.  Come 
and  see."  In  like  manner,  let  all  those 
who  have  felt  the  power  of  God  under  the 
word,  invite  their  friends  and  neighbors  to 
hear  and  judge  for  themselves. 
APPLICATION. 

And  thus,  my  friends,  we  have  seen  a 
picture  of  primitive  religion,  such  as  pre- 
vailed in  the  first  and  best  days  of  Chris- 
tianity. And  now  let  us  inquire.  Is  our 
religion  like  this  ?  Is  it  thus  in  our  assem- 
blies !  Not  in  all.  In  some  places  what 
irreverence  !  laughing,  ogling,  sleeping  ! 
The  preacher  himself  is  perhaps  in  fault. 
Perhaps  it  is  not  the  Gospel  that  he 
preaches ;  or,  he  is  unaffected  by  it.  He 
performs  his  duty  as  the  school-boy  his 
task.  The  people  come  expectmg  nothing ; 
they  go  avvay  having  obtained  nothing ; 
and  a  pious  spectator  is  constrained  to  re- 
verse the  text,  and  say,  "  God  is  not  here, 
of  a  truth." 

But  where  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  is  faith- 
fully preaobed,  the  powerful  effects,  men- 
tioned in  the  te:il,  will,  by  the  blessing  of 
God,  more  or  less  follow.  If  the  doctrine 
tend  "  to  humble  the  sinner,  to  exalt  the 
Savior,  and  to  promote  holiness,"  Jesus,  by 
his  spirit,  is  there,  and  will  set  his  seal  to 
the  heavenly  truth.  Both  the  law  and  the 
Gospel,    rightly  dispensed,   will  tend   to 


convince  men  of  their  lost  and  ruined 
state,  to  disclose  the  secret  thoughts  of  the 
heart;  and  when  this  is  done,  to  lead  the 
sinner  in  earnest  prayer  to  seek  salvation 
by  Jesus  Christ.  Has  the  word  of  God  had 
this  effect  upon  us  ]  To  know  and  feel 
ourselves  miserable  sinners  is  the  first 
main  pomt  in  religion.  Without  this, 
we  are  blind  to  every  thing  else  in 
Scripture.  Without  this,  we  cannot  pray 
sincerely,  or  do  any  thing  in  religion 
aright.  Sin  cannot  be  taken  away  till 
it  be  discovered ;  nor  can  we  ever  be- 
come what  we  ought  to  be,  till  we  know 
what  we  are.  And  when  this  is  rightly 
Imown,  you  see  what  follows.  You  see  the 
convinced  sinner  prostrate  on  the  ground. 
Has  a  sense  of  sin,  an  apprehension  of  its 
danger,  and  a  hatred  of  its  evil,  brought  us 
to  our  knees  ]  If  so,  bless  God  for  it.  It  is 
a  good  beginning.  This  is  the  finger  of 
God.  Wait  upon  God  ;  and  he  who  hath 
begun  the  good  work  will  finish  it. 

What  an  evidence  does  this  subject  af- 
ford us  of  the  truth  and  reality  of  the  reli- 
gion of  Christ !  Can  any  power  but  that 
which  is  divine  thus  enlighten  the  mind, 
convince  the  conscience,  terrify  the  soul, 
disclose  the  secrets  of  the  heart,  humble  the 
proud  rebel,  and  at  once  turn  his  affections 
into  another  channel "?  No,  no.  This  is 
the  work  of  God  ;  and  the  Scriptures,  by 
which  he  effects  it,  are  the  word  of  God, 
and  he  who  believeth  hath  hereby  "  a  wit- 
ness in  himself"  that  they  are  so.  May 
these  blessed  truths,  so  useful  and  neces- 
sary to  the  conversion  and  salvation  of 
souls,  be  everywhere  proclaimed ;  and 
may  these,  their  blessed  effects,  be  every- 
where produced ;  so  shall  multitudes  be 
saved,  and  glory,  glory,  glory,  be  given  to 
God,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  world 
without  end.  Amen. 


PRAYER.— Almighty  God !  who  didst  speak 
in  times  past  to  the  fatliers  by  the  prophets,  who 
hast  since  spoken  to  mankind  by  thy  Son,  and 
dost  now  speak  to  ns  in  the  holy 'Scriptures,  and 
by  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  grant,  we  be- 
seech thee,  that  the  Gospel  may  come  to  lis,  not 
in  word  only,  but  in  power:  may  the  Holy  Spirit, 
according  to  the  promise  of  our  Savior,  convince 
us  of  sin,  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment. 

We  confess,  O  Lord,  that  we  are  guilty  before 
thee.  If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive 
ourselves,  and'  the  truth  is  not  in  us.  We  have 
left  undone  those  things  which  we  ought  to  have 
done ;  and  we  have  done  those  things  which  we 
ought  not  to  have  done ;  and  there  is  no  health 
in  us.  We  stand  at  thy  bar,  O  thou  Judge  of  the 
earth,  condemned  by  thy  holy  law,  and  con- 
demned in  our  own  consciences;  but,  blessed  be 
thy  name,  ue  have  an  Advocate  with  thee, 
Jesus  Clirist  the  righteous,  who  is  the  propitia- 
tion for  our  sins.  Have  mercy  upon  us,  0 God,  for 


124 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


his  sake!  Have  mercy  upon  us,  according  to 
thy  loving  kindness  ;  according  to  the  multitude 
of  thy  tender  mercies,  blot  out  our  transgi-essions. 
Glory  be  to  thee,  O  Lord,  tiiat  thou  art  still  in 
the  midst  of  thy  church  of  a  truth,  as  thou  wast 
in  former  times.  Thanks  be  unto  God,  that  by 
the  preaching  of  his  Gospel,  accompanied  by  the 
power  of  his  Spirit,  some  who  once  trusted  in 
themselves  that  they  were  righteous,  have  been 
convinced  and  judged,  and  made  to  cry  out. 
What  shall  we  do  to  be  saved?  O  that  such 
happy  effects  may  follow  the  words  which  have 
now  been  spoken !  We  beg  it  for  the  sake  of 
Jesus  Christ  our  Advocate  and  Mediator. 


SERMON  XXVIII. 

THE  LAMB  OF  GOD  BEHELD  BY  FAITH. 

John  i.  29.  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world. 

There  is  a  vast  curiosity  in  the  mind 
of  man,  and  the  world  abounds  with  objects 
to  gratify  it.  The  heavens,  the  earth,  the 
sea,  are  full  of  wonders  ;  and  had  not  man 
sinned,  he  mijifht  always  have  read  the 
book  of  nature  with  new  delight,  and  have 
seen  the  glory  of  God  in  every  line.  But 
now,  unhappy,  fallen  man,  turns  his  back 
upon  God,  while  he  sttrveys  his  works-; 
and  thinks  every  trifle  better  worth  his  no- 
tice than  his  Maker.  In  infancy,  in  youth, 
in  middle  life,  in  old  age,  a  constant  suc- 
cession of  vanities  courts  his  attention,  and 
he  never  thinks  of  beholding  Christ  till  he 
die,  and  appear  before  his  tribunal. 
■  Like  John  the  Baptist,  whose  words 
these  are,  I  would  cry  loud  and  say  to  my 
fellow  men.  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God — 
•  "  turn  away  your  eyes  from  beholding  van- 
•  ities ;"  and  iix  your  attention  on  an  object 
the  most  wonderful,  the  most  pleasing,  and 
the  mo.st  useful,  tliat  the  eyes  of  men  or 
angels  ever  beheld.     ' 

John  was  the  hai-binger  of  Christ,  "  the 
voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness,  Pre- 
pare ye  tlic  way  of  the  Lord."  Witii 
strict  austerity  of  manners,  and  with  great 
plainness  of  speech,  he  preached — "  Re- 
pent ye,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at 
Jiand."  His  honest  labors  were  crowned 
with  great  success;  atid  Ihousanrls  of  all 
descriptions  flocked  from  the  cities  and 
towns  of  Judea  into  the  solitary  wilder- 
ness, and,  touched  with  compunction  for 
their  sins,  applied  to  liiin,  saying — "What 
must  we  do  !"  O  that,  in  this  our  day,  we 
could  see  such  <an  awakening ! 

Thus  the  prophet  proceeded,  till  Jesus 
Christ  entered  on  the  public  stage  of  ac- 
tion, and  came  forth  from  tlie  wilderness, 
where  he  had  suffered  all  kinds  of  tempta- 
tion. John,  far  from  pretending  to  be  the 
Messiah,  directed  his  disciples  to  Jesus, 


saying,  in  the  words  of  our  text,  Behold 
the  Lamb  of  God. 

In  these  words  let  us  consider, 
7   I.  The  great  object  presented  to  our 
view —  The  Lamb  of  God,  and 

II.  The  attention  we  ought  to  pay  him 
— Behold  the  Lamb  ! 

I.  The  object   set  before  .us   is  Jesus 
Christ,  here  called  the  Lamb  of  God. 

No  doubt  the  expression  alludes  to  the 
sacrifices  of  the  Jews,  in  which  consisted 
a  principal  part  of  their  worship,  as  appoitit- 
ed  of  God  himself  In  this  way  God  was 
worshipped  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world.  We  find  Abel,  the  son  of  Adam, 
offering  up  lambs,  "the  firstlings  of  the 
flock,  and  of  tlie  fat  thereof,"  and  this  was 
a  sacrifice  well  pleasing  to  God,  because  it 
was  offered  up  in  faith.  He  believed  the 
promise  of  a  Savior,  which  God  had  made 
to  his  father ;  he  trusted  m  him,  and  was 
justified.  It  was  for  this  purpose  in  the 
first  place,  and  not  for  amusement  or  profit, 
that  Abel  was  "a  keeper  of  sheep;"  and  it 
was  probably  with  the  skins  of  lambs, 
killed  for  sacrifices  by  Adam  and  his  wife, 
that  the  Lord  God  clotlied  them,  instead  of 
the  covering  of  fig-leaves  which  they  had 
made  for  themselves.  Thus  all  believers 
in  Jesus  are  clothed  with  his  righteous- 
uess,  while  blind  Pharisees  vainly  strive  to 
hide  the  nakedness  of  their  souls  with  their 
own  "  filthy  rags."  Thus  God  continued 
to  be  worshipped  by  his  own  people  for  , 
four  thousand  years;  even  till,  "  in  the  full- 
ness of  time,  God  sent  forth  his  own  Son," 
the  very  person  that  John  here  points  out 
as  the  Lamb  of  God.  And  it  is  remarka- 
ble, that  almost  all  nations,  however  they 
differed  in  other  notions  of  religion,  retained 
something  of  sacrifices.  The  sons  of  Noali, 
wherever  dispersed,  carried  with  them  this 
true  notion,  that  "without  siicdding  of 
blood  there  was  no  remission."  And  many 
of  them  mistiiking  the  ancient  promises  of 
the  great  sacrifice  of  the  Son  of  God, 
offered  up  a  man  as  an  atonement  for  their 
souls.  This  was  practised  in  England 
before  the  Romans  conquered  it;  and  is 
practised  still  in  the  newly  discovered 
islands  in  the  South  Seas.  May  God  hasten 
the  time,  when  his  glorious  Gospel  shall 
be  preached  in  all  the  world,  and  every 
Pagan  sinner  bo  directed  to  the  Lamb  of 
God,  whose  "blood  alone  cleamsetli  from 
all  sin."  *       ' 

Various  creatures  were  tieed  in  sacrifice 
by  the  law  of  Moses;  btit  the  principal 
and  most  constant  victim  was  the  Lamb. 
One  was  offered  up  at  the  temple  every .^ 
morning,  and  another  every  evening;  and 
on  the  Sabbalii-tlav,  two  in  the  morning, 


SERMON  XXVIII. 


125 


and  two  in  the  evening.  Once  a  year  there 
was  a  remarkable  ordinance — 'I'he  Pass- 
over. It  was  first  instituted  wlien  the 
children  of  Israel  came  out  of  Egypt.  On 
that  dreadful  night  when  God  plagued  the 
Egyptians  by  slaying  their  first-born,  he 
ordered  liis  own  people  to  kill  a  lamb,  and 
to  sprinkle  its  blood  upon  the  door-posts  of 
their  houses ;  and  wlien  tlie  destroying  an- 
gel went  forth  in  the  night  to  slay  the 
Egyptians,  he  should  pass  over  tlie  houses 
so  distinguished,  and  not  hurt  them.  Once 
a  year,  ever  after,  they  were  to  observe 
the  same  ceremony ;  and  something  like  it 
they  still  observe.  Now  we  are  sure,  from 
the  New  Testament,  that  all  this  was  done 
to  preach  Christ  unto  them,  and  especially 
to  us.  St.  Paul  says,  1  Cor.  v.  7,  Christ, 
our  passover,  is  sacrificed  for  us.  The 
paschal  lamb  was  without  blemish ;  Christ 
was  free  from  all  sin,  original  or  actual. 
The  lamb  must  bo  of  the  first  year:  so 
Christ  laid  down  his  life  in  ■  the  prime  of 
his  days.  The  lamb  must  be  so  slain  that 
his  blood  miglit  copiously  How :  so  the  Re- 
deemer shed  his  blood  abundantly  by  his 
agony,  by  the  thorns,  the  scourge,  the  nails, 
and  the  spear ;  and  yet,  according  to  the 
type,  not  a  bone  of  him  was  broken.  In 
the  temple  service,  the  lamb  was  slain  be- 
fore the  whole  of  the  assembly;  in  like 
manner  our  Savior  suffered  at  the  great 
festival  in  view  of  the  whole  assembled  na- 
tion. The  blood  of  the  lamb  was  sprinkled 
on  the  door-posts :  the  blood  of  Christ  must 
be  applied  to  tlie  conscience,  and  is  there- 
fore called  "  the  blood  of  sprinkling." 
That  blood  secured  every  family  where  it 
was  sprinkled;  the  destroying  angel  was 
forbidden  to  hurt  tliem :  so  the  merits  of 
Jesus  screen  every  believer  from  the  stroke 
of  offended  justice,  and  the  bitter  pains  of 
eternal  death.  "  What,"  says  the  pious 
Ilervey  on  this  passage,  "  What  must  have 
become  of  the  Israelite,  who,  trusting  to 
llic  u])rightness  of  his  heart,  should  neg- 
lect to  make  use  of  this  <livindy  appointed 
safeguard  !  He  must  inevitably  have  per- 
ished with  the  death  of  his  first-born. 
Equally  certain,  but  infinitely  more  dread- 
ful, will  be  //;.s  condcmnntion,  wlio,  before 
the  onmiscient  Judge,  sliall  presume  to 
plead  his  own  integrity,  or  confide  in  his 
repentance,  and  reject  the  atonement  of 
tlie  dying  Jesus." 

The  offijring  up  of  sacrifices  was  tlie 
chief  part  of  the  religion  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament church.  Sacrifices  were  to  be- 
lievers tlicn,  nearly,  what  sacraments  are 
to  believers  now.  Clirist  the  Purifier, 
Christ  the  Peace-maker,  was  the  substance 
of  them.     The  animal   offered  must  be 


clean,  without  spot  or  blemish;  that  it 
might  signify  the  perfect  purity  of  Christ, 
as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish,  and  icithout 
spot.  The  priest  laid  his  hands  upon  the 
creature  offered  for  an  offering,  while  the 
sinner  confessed  his  iniquity  over  the  head 
of  the  sacrifice ;  and  thus  sin  was  typically 
tr.ansforred  to  the  victim ;  which  was  there- 
fore called  sin  or  guilt.  Thus  God  "  laid 
upon  his  Son  the  iniquities  of  us  all :"  and 
he  became  "  sin  for  us,  that  we  might  be 
made  righteousness  in  him."  The  slain 
sacrifices  were  burnt  on  the  altar.  So 
Christ  was  consumed  by  the  flames  of  his 
love  for  his  Father  and  his  people,  and  at 
the  same  time  by  the  flames  of  the  divine 
wrath  against  sin,  which  he  had  under- 
taken to  bear.  There  was,a  sweet-smell- 
ing savor  of  incense  that  ascended  with  the 
flames  and  smoke ;  and  this  was  to  signify 
how  acceptable  to  God  was  the  death  of 
his  Son,  "  who  gave  himself  for  us  an  of- 
feriiig  and  a  sacrifice  to  God,  for  a  sweet- 
smelling  savor."  Ephes.  v.  2.  The  peace- 
offerings  were  not  entirely  consumed,  but 
the  person  who  offered  them  might,  and 
did  eat  of  them.  A  feast  was  frequently 
made  of  them,  which  was  a  kind  of  sacra- 
ment of  communion ;  a  type  of  that  com- 
munion which  believers  in  Christ  now 
have,  with  him  and  with  one  another,  in 
the  sacred  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  supper. 

But  Jesus  Christ  is  called  in  our  text, 
the  Lamb  of  God.  This  name  is  given 
him  by  way  of  eminence,  and  to  show  his 
superiority  over  every  otiier  sacrifice.  He 
is  the  Lamb  of  God,  as  he  was  chosen, 
appointed  and  prepared  by  God  the  Father, 
from  all  eternity.  In  common  sacrifices 
every  man  chose  his  own  Lamb ;  here  God 
only  chose  and  appointed.  "  God  so  loved 
the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten 
Son,"  that  he  might  be  the  great  sacrifice. 
His  infinite  superiority  also  appears  in  that 
he  was  but  once  offered.  Other  sacrifices 
were  repeated  annually,  monthly,  yea, 
daily  ;  this  showed  their  imperfection,  and 
that  tliey  could  not,  by  any  virtue  of  their 
own,  take  away  sin. — "  But  this  man,  aft;er 
ho  had  ofiered  one  sacrifice  for  sins,  for 
ever  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  God ; 
for  by  ONE  offering  he  hath  for  ever  per- 
fected them  that  are  sanctified ;"  that  is — 
he  hath  done  all  that  was  necessary  for  the 
pardon  and  complete  acceptance  with  God 
of  all  those  who  believe  in  him,  and  who 
were  set  apart  in  tiie  purpose  of  God  for 
glory.     Heb.  x. 

This  is  that  peculiar  excellence  in  the 
Lamb  of  God,  on  account  of  which  we  are 
invited  to  behold  him.  Behold  him,  sin- 
ner !  for  lie  taketh  away  sin.  The  words 
11* 


126 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


taketh  away  signifies  he  beareth  away. 
This  denotes  that  sin  is  a  heavy  burden. 
And  would  to  God  this  were  seriously  con- 
sidered !     "  Fools  make   a  mock  at  sin  ;" 
they  make  light  of  it ;  they  make  a  jest  of 
it ;  but  thereby  they  show  their  folly.    Let 
them  think  a  moment  (if  minds  so  light 
can  think)  let  them  think — what  it  was 
that   filled   the   world    with    "mourning, 
lamentation,  and  woe  !"  what  produced  all 
the  sorrows  and  sufferings  that  we  see,  or 
feel,  or  fear!     Was   it  not  sin,  accursed 
sin  .'     Let  them  consider  what  a  burden  it 
IS  to  a  guilty  conscience,  when  once  its 
evil  is  discovered  and  its  effects  dreaded ; 
for  though  the  spirit  of  a  man  may  "  sus- 
tain his  infirmity,  a  wounded  spirit  who 
can  bear."    The  Psalmist,  a  type  of  this 
sin-bearing  Lamb,  cries  out — "  There  is  no 
soundness  in  my  flesh,  because  of  thine 
anger;   neither   is   there  any  rest  in  my 
bones,  because  of  my  sin ;  for  mine  iniqui- 
ties are  gone  over  mine  head  as  an  heavy 
burden ;  they  are  too  heavy  for  me."  Ps. 
xxxviii.  3,  4.     Life  itself  is  a  burden  to  a 
mind  oppressed  with  the  guilt  of  some  par- 
ticular sin,  or  of  sin  in  general.     This  led 
Judas  to  suicide,  and  has  led  many  others 
to  the  same  fatal  end.    But  this  is  the  way 
to  increase  the  burden,  not  to  lose  it :  for 
damned  souls  in  hell  must  for  ever  lie  un- 
der  the   intolerable   weight.     There   the 
worm  dieth  not,  even  the  worm  of  a  cor- 
roding conscience,  always  stung  by  re- 
morse ;  and  the  furious  Jire  of  divine  re- 
sentment is  never  quenched. 

But,  blessings  for  ever  to  the  dear  Lamb 
of  God  !  He  bore  our  sins,  and  bore  them 
away.  In  the  fifly-third  chapter  of  Isaiah, 
where  the  sufferings  of  Christ  are  wonder- 
fully described,  it  is  said,  Verse  6,  "  The 
Lord  laid  upon  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all ;" 
jand  St.  Peter  says,  1  Pet.  ii.  24,  "He 
y^  himself  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on 
the  tree."  As  our  surety  he  made  himself 
•answerable  for  our  sins,  so  that  they  were 
imputed  to  him ;  he  bore  the  punishment 
■due  to  them,  even  the  wrath  and  curse  of 
God,  which  if  he  had  not  borne,  must  have 
,  «unk  each  of  us  into  the  pit  of  hell.  And 
O  what  did  Christ  endure  when  this  heavj' 
burden  was  laid  upon  Iiim !  Hear  his 
groans  in  the  garden,  "  My  soul  is  exceed- 
ingly sorrowful,  or  very  heavy,  even  unto 
death:  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this 
cup  pass  from  me" — let  the  season  of  my 
sufferings  be  shortened.  See  the  bloody 
Bweat  that  fell  from  him  in  the  agony. 
This  was  the  effect  of  tlie  burden  of  our 
sins,  which  then  were  made  "  to  meet  upon 
him."  There  was  a  very  remarkable  type 
of  this  under  the  law,  Levit.  xvi.     On  the 


great  day  of  atonement  two  goats  were 
provided.  One  of  them  was  killed  for  a 
sin-offering.  On  the  other  goat  "Aaron 
shall  lay  both  his  hands,  and  confess  over 
him  all  the  iniquities  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  all  their  transgressions  in  all 
their  sins,  putting  them  upon  the  head  of 
the  goat,  and  shall  send  him  away  by  the 
hand  of  a  fit  man  into  the  wilderness ;  and 
the  goat  shall  bear  upon  him  all  their  ini- 
quities unto  a  land  not  inhabited,  and  he 
shall  let  go  the  goat  into  the  wilderness." 
These  goats  signify  Jesus  Christ ;  the  one 
signified  Christ  dying,  the  other  Christ 
living :  Christ  as  dying,  satisfied  for  our 
sins;  but  Christ,  as  living,  justifies  us 
from  them :  he  died  for  our  sins,  and  rose 
again  for  our  justification.  As  the  living 
goat  was  to  have  the  sins  of  the  people 
laid  upon  him,  and  he  was  to  carry  them 
away  with  him  into  the  wilderness,  so  God 
laid  our  iniquities  on  Christ,  and  he  takes 
them  away,  as  it  were,  into  a  land  not  in- 
habited, where  they  shall  be  heard  of  no 
more ;  and  this  is  exactly  what  our  text 
declares,  and  what  God  has  elsewhere 
promised,  "  Your  sins  and  your  iniquities 
will  I  remember  no  more — if  they  be 
sought  for  they  shall  not  be  found — as  far 
as  the  east  is  from  the  west,  so  far  hath  he 
removed  our  transgressions  from  us."  <A< 

Thus  the  guilt  of  them  is  for  ever  re- 
moved from  true  believers.  And  not  only 
the  guilt,  when  they  are  justified,  but  the 
potoer  also  of  them  is  taken  away  by  sanc- 
tification.  He  who  gave  his  dear  Son  for 
us,  gives  also  his  Holy  Spirit  to  us.  He 
will  not  suffer  sin  to  rule.  They  are 
united  to  Christ  by  Faith,  and  "  sanctified 
by  the  faith  that  is  in  him."  Yea,  finally, 
he  will  remove  sm  altogether;  its  being 
as  well  as  its  effects.  "  The  body  of  sin 
and  death"  shall  be  purified  in  the  grave, 
and  body  and  soul  shall  be  eternally  pure 
and  happy  with  Jesus. 

Further  to  recommend  to  our  notice  this 
Lamb  of  God,  the  wide  extent  of  his  glo- 
rious work  is  mentioned  in  our  text — "  he 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  By 
this  expression  we  cannot  understand  that 
he  takes  away  the  guilt  and  power  of  sin 
from  every  man  in  the  world,  for  if  so, 
none  would  be  damned.  Alas  !  we  plainly 
see  thousands  from  whom  neither  the  guilt 
nor  the  power  is  taken  away;  we  see 
thousands  unconcerned  about  the  removal 
of  their  sins ;  we  see  thousands  who  think 
they  can  take  away  their  own  sins ;  and 
thousands  who  despise  the  blood  of  Christ, 
and  trample  it  under  their  infidel  feet. 
But  by  the  "world,"  and  "the  whole 
world,",  we  are  to  understand  the  whole 


SERMON  XXVIII. 


127 


world  of  the  elect ;  the  whole  world  of 
believers  ;  the  "  redeemed  of  every  kin- 
dred, and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation :" 
all,  in  every  place,  and  ye  who  believe  in 
Jesus,  without  any  distinction.  And  this 
expression  was  oilen  used  by  our  Lord 
and  his  apostles,  because  it  was  a  fond  no- 
lion  of  the  Jews,  that  the  Messiah  was  to 
come  only  to  them ;  and  even  the  believing 
Jews  at  first  were  offended  that  the  Gospel 
was  preached  to  the  Gentiles.  It  is  also 
for  the  encouragement  of  all  sorts  of  sin- 
ners, of  the  chief  of  sinners,  that  this 
general  term  is  used.  Those  who  know 
and  feel  that  they  have  a  world  of  sin,  a 
world  of  guilt,  lying  upon  them,  may  here 
find  comfort — he  taketh  away  the  sin  of 
the  world.  Yea,  doubtless,  there  was  a 
sufficiency  in  the  blood  of  Christ  to  take 
away  all  the  sins  of  the  world,  had  it  been 
so  appointed.  If  all  the  world  were  to 
have  been  actually  saved,  there  would  have 
been  no  other  offering,  no  greater  offering, 
nor  any  more  suffering  than  Christ  en- 
dured. But  Christ  had  in  view  his  church, 
his  people,  his  sheep,  all  of  whom  shall 
hear  his  voice,  believe,  and  be  saved. 
Nevertheless,  the  universality  of  the  phrase 
is  a  great  encouragement  to  sinners  who 
are  seeking  salvation ;  for  no  sinner  in  all 
the  world,  let  him  be  who  he  will,  or  what 
he  will,  shall  be  excluded  from  the  benefit 
of  Christ's  death,  if  he  come  to  him  by 
faith.  "  Him  that  cometh  to  me,"  said 
he,  "  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 

II.  We  are  now  to  consider  what  that 
attention  is,  which  we  are  here  called  upon 
to  pay  to  Christ,  Behold,  behold  the  Lamb 
of  God. 

When  John  spake  these  words,  Jesus 
was  in  sight ;  Jesus  was  coming  to  him. 
John  pointed  to  him  with  his  finger ;  but 
he  did  not  mean  that  his  disciples  should 
only  look  at  him  with  their  bodily  eyes, 
but  that  they  should  become  his  disciples 
and  followers,  which  they  did ;  that  they 
should  view  him  by  failh,  as  the  promised 
Messiah;  and  admire,  receive,  and  prize 
him,  as  the  Savior  of  the  world.  We 
cannot  now  see  Christ  with  our  bodily 
eyes,  but  by  divine  grace  we  may  look 
unto  him  and  be  saved 

Our  attention  to  Christ  is  required  by 
the  Gospel.  Let  us  turn  away  our  eyes 
from  beholding  worldly  vanities.  The  eye 
is  never  satisfied  without  seeing  them  ;  it 
always  craves  something  new.  But  here 
is  the  grandest  object  that  ever  eyes  be- 
held. Do  men  eagerly  desire  to  see  ex- 
traordinary persons  ?  here  is  the  most  glo- 
rious person  that  ever  was  seen.  The 
queen  of  Sheba  came  a  great  way  to  see 


Solomon  ;  "  but  a  greater  than  Solomon  is 
here."  When  a  king  or  an  emperor  ap- 
pears in  public,  crowds  are  anxious  to  be- 
hold him.  Here  is  the  King  of  kings,  the 
King  of  the  World.  At  the  assizes,  every 
one  wishes  to  see  the  judge.  Here  is  the 
great  Judge  of  quick  and  dead,  from  whose 
sacred  lips  each  of  us  shall  receive  our 
sentence.  Generals  and  admirals,  who 
have  had  great  success  in  war,  are  com- 
monly objects  of  peculiar  regard.  Here  is 
the  Conqueror  of  the  world,  of  sin,  of  hell, 
who  led  captivity  captive,  and  bought  our 
freedom  with  his  blood. — Here  is  an  Ora- 
tor, whose  words  not  only  move  the  living, 
but  raise  the  dead.  Hero  is  a  Physician, 
who  has  cured  millions  of  dying  souls,  and 
never  failed  in  a  single  case.  In  a  word, 
Behold  your  Savior  ! 

It  is  the  look  oi  faith  that  is  chiefly  in- 
tended. Faith  in  Christ  is  described  by 
various  names,  according  to  the  various 
names  of  Christ.  When  Christ  is  repre- 
sented as  a  foundation,  then  faith  is  rest- 
ing upon  him.  If  he  be  compared  to  food, 
then  faith  is  eating  and  drinhing.  When 
he  is  called  a  gift,  then  faith  is  receiving 
him.  If  he  is  a  refuge,  faith  is  flying  to 
him.  When  he  is  represented  as  calling 
sinners,  then  faith  is  hearing  him  and 
coming  to  him :  and  here  where  Christ  is 
represented  as  a  glorious  object,  faith  is 
beholding  him. 

•  It  is  represented  in  the  same  manner  by 
our  Lord  himself,  John  iii.  14.  "  As  Mo- 
ses lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness, 
even  so  must  the  Son  of  Man  be  lifted  up ; 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  eternal  life."  When  the 
Jews  were  dying  by  the  bite  of  serpents, 
they  were  cured  merely  by  looking  at  the 
brazen  serpent ;  so,  wlioever  is  ready  to 
perish  in  his  sins,  let  him  look  to  Jesus, 
and  he  shall  be  saved. 

Looking  is  an  act  of  the  mind :  it  sup- 
poses some  knowledge  of  Christ,  which  \a 
elsewhere  called  seeing  the  Son,  and 
joined  with  believing  on  him.  It  supposes 
a  conviction  of  the  need  of  Christ ;  looking 
to  Jesus  is  the  act  of  him  who  wants  to  be 
saved.  It  supposes  that  the  soul  despairs 
of  finding  help  from  any  other  quarter  ;  it 
is  looking  from  every  thing  else  in  order 
to  believe  in  him.  It  supposes  a  persua- 
sion of  his  ability  to  save,  to  save  to  the 
uttermost;  and  it  includes  some  humble 
degree  of  hope,  that  looking  to  him  will 
not  be  in  vain. 

Those  who  tnus  behold  Christ  by  faith, 

will  also  behold  him  with  affection.    With 

what  eyes,   think  you,  did  they  look  at 

.Christ,  who  had  been  healed  and  helped 


128 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


by  him  1  The  sick,  the  blind,  the  lame,  the 
dead,  who  had  felt  his  miraculous  power 
in  their  recovery  i  With  eyes,  melting-  in 
tears  of  gratitude,  would  they  gaze  on 
their  kind  benettictor,  their  great  deliverer. 
O  with  what  joy  and  love,  should  saved 
sinners  behold  tiie  dear  Redeemer !  Yea, 
it  will  be  the  heaven  of  heaven  thus  to  be- 
hold hun  for  ever. 

APPLICATION. 
And  now,  having  considered  what  a 
great  and  glorious  object  Jesus  Christ  is, 
and  what  regard  we  ought  to  pay  hun,  let 
us  ask  the  question.  Have  we  complied 
with  this  easy,  pleasant,  reasonable  com- 
mand in  the  text  ?  Have  we,  with  atten- 
tion, with  faith,  with  affection,  beheld  this 
dear  Lamb  of  God  1  Ah,  Sirs,  are  not  some 
of  your  hearts  fixed  on  very  different  ob- 
jects ; — your  worldly  gain,  the  gaieties  of 
the  world,  the  base  lusts  of  the  flesh  ]  Are 
not  these  your  favorite  objects  1  O  consider 
this,  you  that  forget  God.  What  can  all 
these  do  for  you  ]  Even  now  they  satisfy 
not.  But  what  will  they  do  for  you  in  a 
dying  hour  1  O  be  persuaded  to  look  to 
Jesus.  How  else  will  you  look  death  in 
the  face  ?  How  else  will  you  dare  to  look 
the  neglected  Savior  in  the  face,  when  you 
see  him  on  the  throne  of  judgment  1  What 
will  all  the  world  think  of  you,  when  you 
shall  be  pointed  out  before  them,  and  it 
shall  be  proclaimed — "  Here  is  a  man  that 
never  thought  it  worth  his  while  to  look 
at  Jesus?"  Will  not  all  heaven  say, 
"  Let  him  be  damned  ]  If  he  even  was  not 
worth  a  look,  let  him  be  banished  from  it 
for  ever  ]"  O  sinner,  if  you  would  have 
Jesus  look  upon  you  tJien,  look  upon  him 
now ;  and  if  you  know  not  how  to  do  it, 
pray  him  to  teach  you,  and  ask  of  him 
"  eye-salve  that  thou  mayest  see." 

Are  any  here,  who  wish  that  their  sins 
may  be  taken  away  'i  Their  sins  are  many, 
and  lie  heavy  on  their  consciences,  and 
they  can  find  no  relief  "  Behold  the  Lamb 
of  God  ;"  he  only  taketh  away  sin.  Per- 
haps you  have  been  looking  elsewhere. 
You  have  been  looking  to  yourself,  your 
own  goodness,  your  honesty,  your  church- 
goings,  prayers,  and  sacraments.  Arc 
these  Saviors  1 — Were  these  appointed  of 
God  to  take  away  sin?  They  are  good 
things  in  their  places,  but  very  bad  things 
to  be  put  in  the  place  of  Christ.  Away  with 
them  all  in  point  of  dependence,  and  for 
the  purpose  of  acceptance.  With  holy 
Paul,  you  must  count  them  all  loss  and 
dung,  that  you  may  win  Christ,  and  be 
found  in  him.    Look  to  nothing  but  Jesus ; 


for  only  he  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 

world. 

And  to  you,  believer,  also,  we  still  say, 
"  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God."  This  must 
be  your  daily  business  as  long  as  you  live. 
And  nothing  can  be  so  useful.  Have  you 
a  hard  heart .'  look  to  him,  and  it  will  melt. 
"They  shall  look  upon  me  whom  they 
pierced,  and  mourn."  Are  you  cast  down, 
and  full  of  fears? — "They  looked  to  him 
and  were  lightened,  and  their  faces  were 
not  ashamed."  Say  with  Jonah  in  the 
whale's  belly,  "  I  will  look  again."  Would 
you  obtain  genuine  humility?  A  sight  of 
Christ  must  effect  it.  Job  and  Isaiah  got 
it  by  a  view  of  the  glory  of  Christ.  Would 
you  entertain  a  constant  hatred  of  sin? 
Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  bleeding  for  it 
on  the  cross.  Would  you  be  truly  holy  ? 
Behold  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Je- 
sus, and  you  shall  be  transformed  into  the 
same  image  from  glory  to  glory.  Would 
you  be  bold  for  God,  and  constant  in  his 
cause  ?  Behold  the  patient  Lamb  of  God, 
who  has  left  us  an  example  that  we  should 
walk  in  his  steps.  Thus,  Christians,  per- 
sist in  looking  to  Jesus  daily  by  faith,  til! 
death  shall  shift  the  scene,  and  change 
faith  into  sight.  Then  sliall  you  see  him 
as  he  is;  no  longer  "through  a  glass 
darkly,  but  face  to  face;"  nor  shall  you 
evermore  need  the  exhortation  in  the  text, 
— "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God." 


PRAYER. — Father  of  raetcies,  we  thank  thee 
that  we  have  heard  the  joyful  sound  .'  truly,  these 
words  are  glad  tidings  of  great  joy ;  for  we  have 
sinned,  and  come  short  of  thy  glory.  When  we 
consider  our  guilt  and  pollution,  and  remember 
that  thou  art  holy  and  just,  we  are  ready  to  ask. 
Wherewith  shall  we  come  before  the  Lord,  and 
bow  before  the  Most  High  God  ?  what  offering 
can  we  bring,  and  what  sacrifice  can  we  make, 
to  atone  for.  our  unnumbered  transgressions  ? 
But  thanks  be  unto  God,  who  has  found  a  ran- 
som! Thou,  O  Lord,  hast  thyself  provided  a 
Lamb  for  the  burnt-offering, — the  Lamb  of  God, 
who  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.  We  de- 
.sire  to  lay  onr  hands  upon  the  head  of  this  sacri- 
fice, and  to  make  it  our  own.  We  desire,  with 
gratitude  and  joy,  to  accept  of  the  offered  grace. 
We  pray  that  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  thy  Son 
may  cleanse  us  from  all  sin. 

Be  pleased,  O  Lord,  so  to  bless  the  discourse 
now  delivered,  that  some  vvlio  have  hitherto 
been  looking  only  at  the  vanities  of  this  world, 
may  hence (orward  with  attention,  with  faith,  and 
with  affection,  behold  the  Lamb  of  God !  And 
may  they  who  have  already  beheld  this  glorious 
object,  be  excited,  by  v\hat  they  have  heard,  to 
look  with  closer  attention,  with  stronger  faith, 
and  with  more  ardent  love  than  ever  before. 
Thus  may  we  learn  to  hate  sin,  to  be  patient  in 
suffering,  and  bold  in  the  cause  of  truth  and 
righteousness. 

Help  us  all  from  the  heart  to  join  in  the  cho- 


SERMON  XXIX. 


129 


ru8  of  Heaven,  and  say,  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain,  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and 
wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and 
blessing.  Blessing,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and 
power  be  inito  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and 
unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever; 


SERMON  XXIX. 

THE  CONVERSION  OF  ST.  PAUL. 
Acts  ix.  11.— Behold,  ho  prayeth! 

The  grace  of  God  was  never  more  glo- 
riously displayed,  than  in  the  conversion 
of  St.  Paul.  Speaking  of  it  himself,  he 
says,  "  The  grace  of  our  Lord  was  ex- 
ceeding abundant ;"  and,  "  In  me,  Jesus 
Christ  showed  forth  all  long-suffering,  for 
a  pattern  to  them  which  should  hereafter 
believe  on  him  to  life  everlasting."  The 
change  that  was  wrought  in  him  was  so 
sudden  and  remarkable,  tliat  the  disciples 
of  Christ  at  Damascus  were  afraid  it  was 
not  real.  To  remove  their  suspicions,  our 
Lord  assures  Ananias,  their  minister,  that 
ho  was  certainly  a  changed  man ;  for,  be- 
hold he  prayeth  !  As  if  he  had  said,  "  You 
need  not  be  afraid  of  him  now.  He  was 
a  bad  man,  but  now  he  is  a  new  man.  He 
breathed  out  threatenings  and  slaughter, 
but  now  lie  breatheth  out  prayers  and  sup- 
plications.    Behold  he  prayeth .'" 

As  Paul's  praying  is  here  mentioned  by 
Jesus  Christ  as  a  proof  of  his  Conversion, 
we  shall  take  occasion  from  these  words 
to  show,  that 

A  praying  person  is  a  gracious  person. 

This  important  truth  will  appear  witli 

the  stronger  evidence,  by  considering  the 

history  of  Paul's  conversion,  as  recorded 

in  this  chapter. 

Paul  was  the  son  of  Jewish  parents; 
but  being  born  in  tlie  city  of  Tarsus,  was 
entitled  to  the  privileges  of  a  Roman  citi- 
zen. He  was  brought  up  to  the  business 
of  a  tentmaker :  for  it  was  the  laudable 
custom  of  the  Jews,  however  rich,  to  teach 
their  children  some  trade.  He  had,  how- 
ever, a  good  education,  and  was  sent  to  Je- 
rusalem, where  he  studied  the  Jewish  re- 
ligion under  the  care  of  Gamaliel,  a  learned 
doctor  of  the  law.  He  also  joined  the  sect 
of  the  Pharisees,  who  were  op  great  es- 
teem at  that  time  for  their  a*arent  piety 
and  zeal.  But  he  unha})piiy  imbibed  their 
self-rigliteous  notions,  their  bigotry,  and 
their  bitter  hatred  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his 
followers.  Paul,  probably,  had  opportunity 
to  hear  the  discourses  and  see  the  mira- 
cles of  Jesus,  but  they  made  no  saving  im- 
R 


pressions  on  his  mind ;  on  the  contrafy,  he 
became  the  implacable  enemy  of  his  fol- 
lowers. With  all  his  profession  of  reli- 
gion, he  was  a  proud  man,  depending  on 
his  own  goodness  for  salvation,  and  there- 
fore not  at  all  disposed  to  relish  the  hum- 
bling, self-Klenying  religion  of  Christ,  nor 
to  join  himself  with  the  despised  Naza- 
renes.  Yea,  such  were  his  prejudices, 
that  he  became  "  a  blasphemer,  and  a  per- 
secutor, and  injurious." 

The  first  we  read  of  him  in  the  book  of 
the  Acts  is,  that  he  assisted  at  the  cruel 
murder  of  Stephen,  the  first  Christian  mar- 
tyr ;  for  he  took  care  of  the  clothes  of  those 
who  stoned  him,  and  thereby  showed  his 
approbation  of  the  bloody  deed.  After 
this,  he  was  active  in  the  persecution.  He 
made  "  havoc  in  the  church,  entering  into 
every  house,  and  dragging  away  women 
as  well  as  men,  committed  them  to  jail," 
that  they  might  be  put  to  death.  He  "  im- 
prisoned, beat,  and  punished,"  all  the  be- 
lievers he  could  find  in  any  of  the  syna- 
gogues ;  and,  "  being  e.xceedingly  mad" 
against  the  Christians,  he  obliged  many  of 
them  to  take  refuge  from  his  fury,  by  fly- 
ing to  distant  places.  Not  content  with 
this,  he  applied  to  the  high-priest  for  au- 
thority to  extend  his  persecution  to  the 
city  of  Damascus,  which  was  one  hundred 
and  sixty  miles  off.  On  this  cruel  expedi- 
tion he  set  out,  "breathing  threatenings 
and  slaughter  against  the  disciples  of  the 
Lord." 

Who  would  have  ever  thought  that  this 
man  should  become  a  Christian,  a  preach- 
er, an  apostle,  a  martyr !  Was  there  any 
thing  in  him  that  could  entitle  him  to  the 
favor  of  God  1  Some  have  supposed  so,  in 
order  to  lessen  the  free,  sovereign  grace 
of  God  in  his  conversion.  They  tell  us  he 
was  sincere  in  his  way,  had  "virtuous  hab- 
its," and  therefore  Jiad  a  previous  disposi- 
tion to  receive  the  Gospel.  Nothing  can 
be  more  false.  He  tells  us  himself  he  was 
"  the  chief  of  sinners ;"  he  was  "  in  the 
flesh."  "  he  went  about  to  establish  his  own 
righteousness,  not  submitting  himself  to 
the  righteousness  of  God.''  Surely  here 
was  nothing  to  recommend  him  to  mercy  : 
but  every  thing  that  might  provoke  the 
Almighty  to  destroy  him  for  ever.  But 
"  God's  ways  are  not  as  man's  ways,  nor 
his  thoughts  as  man's  thoughts."  Paul 
"  was  a  vessel  of  mercy,"  "  separated  from 
his  mother's  womb;"  in  the  counsels  of 
God  ;  but  the  call  was  deferred  till  a  time, 
when  the  frceness,  power,  and  riches  of 
grace  might  appear  with  the  brightest 
lustre. 

Paul  was  now  within  sight  of  Damas- 


130 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


cus,  enjoying  the  thoughts  of  his  expected 
success;  when,-  suddenly,  in  a  moment, 
there  appeared  a  light  in  tlie  firmament,  a 
dazzling  brightness,  far  above  that  of  the 
sun,  which  was  then  shining  in  its  meridi- 
an splendor.  It  was  not  a  flash  of  light- 
ning, but  a  continued  glory,  composed  of 
rays  which  darted  from  the  body  of  our 
Savior,  who  condescended  personally  to 
appear  for  the  calling  of  this  atrocious  sin- 
ner. At  the  sight  of  this  prodigious  splen- 
dor, Paul,  and  all  his  companions,  "  fell  to 
the  earth,"  dazzled  and  confounded.  While 
prostrate  on  the  ground,  a  voice  full  of 
awful  majesty  pronounced  these  words — 
Saul,  Saul,  why  perseculest  thou  me  7  It 
was  Jesus  who  spake  ;  bat  Paul  knew  him 
not;  yet  supposing  him  to  be  some  divine 
personage,  he  summoned  up  sufficient 
courage  to  say,  "  Who  art  thou.  Lord !" 
And  he  immediately  replied  with  a  solem- 
nity and  endearment  peculiar  to  himself, 
aud  which  pierced  the  rebel's  heart — "  I 
am  Jesus,  the  Nazarene,  whom  thou  per- 
secutest :  It  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick  against 
the  goads." 

Observe  here  that  Jesus  Christ  accounts 
himself  persecuted,  when  his  poor  mem- 
bers are  persecuted.  Paul  thought  he 
was  punishing  only  a  despicable  set  of 
silly  enthusiasts,  who  had  forsaken  the 
church,  and  espoused  the  cause  of  the  cru- 
cified Jesus;  for  Christ  takes  up  the  cause, 
and  lets  him  know,  that  he  thought  /iim- 
se//" injured  by  the  injuries  done  to  his  fol- 
lowers. Let  this  be  a  check  to  those 
thoughtless  persons,  who  disturb  and  op- 
pose religious  people  in  their  devotions. 
You  may  be  as  much  mistaken  as  Paul 
was ;  for  aught  you  know,  the  people  you 
despise  may  be  dear  to  God.  If  their  reli- 
gion be  wrong,  it  is  none  of  your  business 
to  punish  them  for  it.  Leave  that  to  God. 
You  are  not  their  judg.e.  But  if  their  re- 
ligion be  right,  what  then  are  you  domg  ? 
You  are  fighting  against  God,  and  in  so 
doing  you  are  hurting  yourself  For  so 
our  Lord  adds,  respecting  Saul ;  "  It  is 
hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  the  prides  or 
goads  ;"  alluding  to  oxen  urged  on  to  labor 
by  pricking  them  with  goads ;  if,  instead 
of  quickening  their  pace,  they  kick  against 
the  instruments  that  wounded  them,  they 
only  hurt  themselves  the  more.  Just  so  it 
is  with  wicked  persecutors :  their  rage  is 
impotent  as  it  is  foolish ;  they  cannot  hin- 
der the  designs  of  God,  but  they  may  and 
will  hurt  their  own  souls. 

The  Savior  asks  him  why  ] — wliy  per- 
secutest  thou  me  ?  Could  Saul  give  any 
good  answer  to  this  question  ?  Can  any 
persecutor  give  a  good  answer  to  it  1  And 


what  answer  wilt  thou  give,  O  wretched 
man,  to  this  question,  when  the  glorioua 
Jesus  shall  put  it  to  thee  at  the  judgment- 
day  !  Sinner,  why  didst  thou  disturb, 
abuse,  and  injure  my  zealous  followers 
upon  earth  f  Alas !  thou  wilt  be  speech- 
less. Ask  thyself  the  question  now,  and 
thou  wilt  persecute  no  more. 

How  astonished  must  Saul  be  to  find 
that  it  was  Jesus  who  now  spake  to  him 
from  the  heavenly  glory !  "  I  am  Jesus, 
the  Nazarene" — he  who  was  despised  and 
rejected  of  men  ;  he  who  was  treated  as  a 
vile  impostor,  and  put  to  a  cruel  and  shame- 
ful death.  How  must  he  be  surprised  to  find 
that  Jesus  was  still  alive,  that  the  account 
of  his  resurrection  was  actually  true:  con- 
sequently, tliat  he  was  really  the  Messiah, 
the  king  of  the  Jews,  and  the  Savior  of  the 
world  !  And  observe  that  Christ  owns  the 
name  of  scorn  by  which  he  was  distin- 
guished— the  Nazarene.  It  was  a  name 
of  contempt  and  reproach,  and  on  that  ac- 
count affixed  to  the  cross.  But  Jesus,  in 
all  his  celestial  glory,  owns  the  name.  / 
am  Jesus,  the  Nazarene.  Let  this  teach 
us  to  take  up  the  cross,  and  cheerfully 
bear  a  nickname  for  his  sake  ;  yea,  let  us 
rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad  that  we  are 
"  counted  worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  his 
name." 

What  could  Paul  now  expect"?  Con- 
vinced of  his  enormous  guilt,  what  could 
he  expect  but  sudden  "  destruction  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the 
glory  of  his  power  ]"  But  the  Lord  had 
designs  of  mercy  towards  him,  and  towards 
thousands  by  him.  The  power  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  accompanied  this  vision  and 
these  words,  or  he  would  have  only  been 
affrighted,  not  converted.  We  do  not  find 
that  the  soldiers  who  were  with  him  were 
changed,  though,  no  doubt,  they  were 
alarmed.  If  God  were  to  speak  to  men  in 
thunder  and  lightning  and  earthquake,  by 
voices  from  heaven,  or  visions  from  the 
dead,  this  would  not  change  the  heart.  No. 
Nothing  but  grace  will  do  this.  But  the 
heart  of  Saul  was  now  subdued,  and  he 
discovers  tliis  by  the  first  word  he  utters — 
"  Trembling,  and  astonished,  he  said,  Lord, 
what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  V  Thus  re- 
signing himself  into  the  hands  of  Jesus,  he 
obtained  forgiveness.  He  is  then  directed 
to  go  into  Damascus,  when  he  should  re- 
ceive further  instruction.  Then  he  arose 
from  the  earth,  and  was  led  by  the  hand, 
for  he  had  lost  his  sight,  into  the  city ; 
where  he  continued  blind  for  three  days, 
and  did  neither  eat  nor  drink ;  spending, 
j)robably,  tlie  wliole  time  in  serious  medi- 
tation and  fervent  prayer. 


SERMON  XXIX; 


131 


At  the  end  of  three  days,  tlie  Lord,  pity- 
ing the  sorrows  of  this  afflicted  man,  ap- 
peared to  a  disciple  in  the  city,  named 
Ananias,  and  directed  him  to  go  into 
Straight  Street,  and  inquire  at  the  house 
of  a  person  named  Judas  for  one  called 
Saul  of  Tarsus,  adding  the  words  of  our 
text — Behold  he  prayelh!  Ananias  was 
still  afraid  to  go  ;  and  therefore  said, 
"  Lord,  I  have  heard  by  many  of  this  man, 
how  mucli  evil  he  hath  done  to  thy  saints 
at  Jerusalem  ;  and  here  he  hath  authority 
from  the  chief  priests,  to  bind  all  that  call 
on  Uiy  name."  But  the  objection  was 
overruled.  Ananias  went.  By  this  means 
Saul  was  instantly  delivered  from  his 
blindness,  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  was 
baptized,  and  having  received  meat,  was 
strengthened.  Afterwards,  as  we  all  know, 
"  he  preached  the  faith  which  he  once  de- 
stroyed," and  was  for  many  years  a  moat 
eminent  and  useful  Apostle  of  Christ,  in 
speaking  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel 
among  many  nations. 

The  conversion  of  Saul,  afterwards  call- 
ed Paul,  has  been  justly  considered  as  af- 
fording a  very  strong  argument  for  the 
truth  of  the  Christian  religion.  And  it  is 
worth  our  while  briefly  to  consider  it  in 
that  view.  If  we  believe  what  St.  Paul 
tells  us  of  his  own  conversion,  we  must  of 
course  believe  all  that  the  Bible  says ;  for 
his  doctrines  perfectly  agree  with  the  rest 
of  the  Scriptures ;  and  he  declares  that  he 
received  his  doctrines,  not  from  men,  but 
from  God.  And  we  certainly  have  reason 
to  believe  what  St.  Paul  says  of  this  con- 
version, unless  it  could  be  proved,  either 
that  he  was  an  impostor,  and  meant  to  de- 
ceive ;  or  that  he  was  a  weak  man,  and  so 
was  deceived  by  others. 

Now,  there  is  no  reason  to  think  tliat 
Paul  was  an  impostor,  and  meant  to  de- 
ceive mankind.  Impostors  always  seek 
themselves,  they  deceive  to  get  money,  or 
power,  or  fame,  or  pleasure.  But  Paul 
sought  none  of  these  :  not  money ;  he  for- 
sook the  rich  party  of  the  Jews,  to  join  the 
poor  party  of  the  Christians  ;  for  the  firi^t 
Christians  were  so  poor  in  general,  that 
they  were  supported  by  the  contributions 
of  the  few  rich  that  were  among  them. 
Paul  himself  frequently  worked  with  his 
own  hands.  Nobody  ever  suspected  Paul 
of  being  rich. 

He  sought  not  power.  Who  could  give 
it  him  ■?  All  the  powers  of  the  earth,  whe- 
ther Jewish  or  Heathen,  were  against  the 
Christians,  and  were  employed  to  crush 
them.  Great  numbers  were  persecuted 
and  put  to  death,  and  St.  Paul  himself  at 
iast. 


He  sought  not  fame  :  he  became  info' 
mous  in  the  esteem  of  the  world  ;  being 
defamed,  saith  he,  "  we  entreat ;  we  are 
accounted  the  filth  and  ofi-scouring  of  all 
things."  The  name  of  a  Nazarene,  and 
i  afterwards  that  of  a  Christian,  was  con- 
I  temptible  and  odious  to  the  last  degree. 

Nor  was  it  sensual  pleasure  he  sought. 
No.  He  took  up  the  cross  when  he  took  up 
Christianity.  He  knew  nothing  of  carnal 
ease,  or  the  delight  of  sense.  His  life  was 
all  activity  and  suffering.  "  He  was  stoned, 
he  was  beaten  with  rods  ;  twice  he  suffer- 
ed shipwreck ;  he  was  in  journeyings 
often,  in  perils  of  water,  in  perils  of  rob- 
bers, in  perils  in  the  city,  in  perils  in  the 
wilderness  ;  in  weariness  and  painfiilness, 
in  watchings  often,  in  cold  and  nakedness." 
All  these  things  prove  that  Paul  was  no 
impostor ;  he  certainly  believed  what  he 
taught,  and  he  had  no  bad  design  in  teach- 
ing what  he  believed. 

It  is  equally  certain  that  Paul  was  not 
deceived  by  others.  Who  should  deceive 
him  ]  •  Not  his  former  companions :  they 
would  have  murdered  him  for  the  change. 
Not  the  poor  timid  Christians :  they  were 
afraid  to  receive  him  when  changed.  Who 
could  form  such  a  light  in  the  heavens } 
Who  could  form  such  a  sound  in  the  air  ! 
Who  could  strike  him  and  his  numerous 
companions  to  the  ground  !  Who  could 
make  Paul  blind  for  three  days  1  And 
when  blind,  who  could  restore  him  to 
sight  1  Indeed,  there  is  nothing  in  Paul's 
character  that  can  lead  us  to  suspect  that 
he  was  deceived.  He  was  not  a  weak 
man,  nor  an  enthusiast.  And  his  whole 
conduct  for  twenty  years  after  his  conver- 
sion, the  temper  he  discovered,  the  doc- 
trines he  believed,  tlie  apologies  that  he 
made,  and  the  letters  that  he  wrote  ;  as 
fully  prove  that  he  was  not  a  weak  enthu- 
siast, and  so  deceived,  as  they  do  that  he 
was  no  deceiver.  And  if  Paul  was  neither 
deceived  in  what  lie  believed,  nor  a  de- 
ceiver in  what  he  professed,  it  must  follow 
undeniably,  that  the  Christian  system  is 
not  a  delusion,  but  that  it  is  the  truth  of 
God,  the  wisdom  of  God,  and  tlie  power  of 
God  unto  salvation.  And  let  this  be  an  an- 
swer to  those,  who  may  try  to  clieat  you 
of  your  faith  and  of  your  salvation,  by  pre- 
tending contradictions  and  blunders  in  the 
holy  Scriptures :  they  may  tell  you  that 
this  and  that  book  was  not  written  by  the 
author  whose  name  it  bears,  and  tliat  tliere 
is  such  and  such  a  mistake  in  names  and 
dates.  Instead  of  regarding  their  quibbles 
and  cavilling  objections,  ask  them  to  ac- 
count for  the  conversion  of  St  Paul  upon 
any  other  principle  than  that  of  tlie  truth 


132 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


of  the  Christian  religion,  and  they  will  be 
confounded. 

But  to  return  to  the  design  first  pro- 
posed. We  intended  to  show,  that  a  pray- 
ing person  is  a  gracious  person,  for  Jesus 
Christ,  in  order  to  prove  that  Saul  was 
converted,  said,  Behold,  he  prayeth. 

This  observation  made  respecting  him 
is  very  remarkable,  if  you  consider  that  he 
had  been  a  Pharisee.  Now  the  Pharisees 
were  so  called  because  they  separated 
tliemselves  from  others,  professing  to  be 
more  strict  in  all  religious  duties  and  cere- 
monies than  their  neighbors. — "  They  fast- 
ed twice  a  week,"  and  "  they  made  long 
prayers ;"  they  prayed  "  standing  in  the 
synagogues,"  and  even  "  in  the  corners  of 
tlie  streets ;"  they  prayed  over  and  over 
again,  "  thinking  to  be  heard  for  their 
much  speaking."  Is  it  not  strange,  then, 
that  our  Lord  should  say  of  Paul,  Behold, 
he  prayeth !  Was  it  a  new  thing  for  a 
Pharisee  to  pray  ] 

There  was  certainly  now  something 
very  different  in  his  prayers  from  what  he 
had  been  used  to.  AH  his  former  prayers 
are  here  reckoned  for  nothing  ;  for  now  he 
prayeth ;  that  is,  he  now  begins  to  pray. 
It  may  be  observed  that  the  Pharisees  were 
fond  of  making  public  their  prayers ;  we 
nowhere  read  of  their  praying  in  private  ; 
and  it  is  likely  tliat  they  seldom  did ;  for 
our  Lord  directs  his  disciples  not  to  make 
their  prayers  in  the  streets,  but  to  enter 
into  their  closets  and  pray.  Probably, 
therefore,  this  was  the  first  time  in  all  his 
life  that  he  ever  prayed  in  secret.  And 
there  are  now  many  people,  who  would 
not  be  thought  to  neglect  their  prayers  at 
church,  who  make  no  conscience  of  pray- 
ing at  home.  But  we  cannot  well  suppose 
that  person  to  be  a  real  Christian,  who 
does  not  pray  alone. 

Tlie  prayer  that  Paul  now  offered  was 
sincere.  He  had  prayed  often  with  his 
lips,  now  his  heart  prays.  There  is  a  great 
deal  of  sin  committed  by  some  people  in 
their  prayers.  Like  the  hypocrites  of  old, 
*'  they  draw  nigh  to  God  with  their  mouths, 
and  honor  him  with  their  lips,  but  their 
heart  is  far  from  him."  Christ  charged  the 
Pharisees  with  doing  so,  Matt.  xv.  7,  8. 
Paul  was  one  of  this  sort  before  his  con- 
version ;  but  now  lie  drew  near  to  God 
with  his  heart.  Nothing  deserves  the  name 
of  prayer  unless  it  conies  from  the  heart. 
It  is  not  iDords  that  make  jirayer,  it  is  de- 
sires ;  the  felt  desires  of  the  heart  made 
sensible  of  its  state  and  its  wants.  There 
are  more  lies  told  in  our  churches  and 
meetings,  than  at  our  markets.  What  sad 
hypocrisy  is  it  for  a  set  of  gay,  proud,  wan- 


ton people,  to  cry — "  Lord  have  mercy 
upon  us !  Christ  have  mercy  upon  us !  In- 
cline our  hearts  to  keep  these  laws,"  &c. 
&c.  while  they  neither  feel  the  want  of 
mercy,  nor  wish  to  obey  the  will  of  God. 

Paul  now  began  to  pray  in  another  re- 
spect. He  prayed  as  an  humble  sinner, 
not  as  a  proud  Pharisee.  When  our  Lord 
designed  to  expose  the  self-righteous  pride 
of  the  Pharisees,  he  represented,  in  a  par- 
able, these  two  sorts  of  men  going  to  the 
temple  to  pray.  And  what  did  they  differ 
in  J  The  one  boasted  of  his  goodness ;  the 
other,  humbled,  and  almost  broken-hearted, 
under  a  sense  of  his  guilt,  cries  out,  "■'  God 
be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner .'"  No  man  prays 
in  God's  account,  till  he  prays  as  a  sinner, 
for  pardoning  mercy.  Itnvas  during  these 
three  days'  blindness  of  his  body,  that  the 
eyes  of  his  understanding  were  opened.  It 
was  then  that  he  first  began  to  know  that 
the  law  was  spiritual.  "  He  was  without 
the  law  before ;  but  now  the  commandment 
came,  sin  revived,  and  he  died."  Jesus  saw 
him  in  his  mournful  state,  and  hastened  to 
his  relief.  Go  to  him,  Ananias,  and  heal 
this  broken-hearted  penitent,  for  under  a 
sense  of  his  sin,  behold  he  prayeth. 

Paul,  we  may  suppose,  was  now  ac- 
quainted with  the  Gospel-scheme.  It  was 
probably  revealed  to  him  during  these  three 
days.  And  now,  he  not  only  owns  Jesus 
as  the  true  Messiah,  but  knows  the  gracious 
purpose  for  which  he  came,  "  this  is  a  faith- 
ful saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation, 
that  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to 
save  sinners."  This  is  the  truth  which 
Paul  cordially  received.  Being  well  versed 
in  the  law  about  sacrifices,  he  clearly  saw 
in  them  all,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  true 
"  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of 
the  world."  He  saw  the  reasoli  of  that 
humiliation  of  Jesus  and  his  death  on  the 
cross,  tliat  was  before  a  stumbling-block  to 
him;  and  now  he  determines  "to  know 
nothing  but  Christ  crucified,  and  to  glory 
in  nothing  but  the  cross."  Before  this,  his 
dependence  was  upon  his  Jewish  privileges 
— his  birth,  his  circumcision,  his  zeal,  his 
morality ;  but  now  all  these  things,  which 
were  gain,  are  accounted  loss,  yea,  dung 
and  dross,  for  the  excellency  of  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ,  and  an  interest  in  him. 
How  differently  would  sucli  a  man  pray 
from  what  he  did  before  !  He  now  comes 
to  Jesus,  and  to  the  Father,  tlirough  him, 
for  eternal  life. 

APPLICATION. 

We  have  now  taken  a  view  of  convert- 
ing grace,  by  the  example  of  the  Apostle 
Paul.    And  let  it  be  observed,  tliat  conver- 


SERMON  XXX. 


Ic33 


eion  is  the  same  for  substance,  at  all  times 
and  in  all  persons.  Circumstances  may 
differ,  but  the  work  is  the  same.  In  all 
cases  it  is  the  wonderful  work  of  God ;  al- 
ways undeserved;  and  always  produces 
like  effects.  We  are  not  indeed  to  expect 
a  vision  or  a  voice  from  heaven  as  in  this 
instance,  but  it  is  generally  wrought  by 
means  of  the  word  of  Christ,  sent  home  on 
the  heart  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
See  here  the  mighty  hand  of  God  !  Is  any 
thing  too  hard  for  tlie  Lord!  Here  is 
grace  indeed  !  free  grace,  sovereign  grace, 
rich  grace,  abundant  grace;  and  all  this 
"  for  a  pattern  to  them  who  should  hereaf- 
ter believe."  Let  none  despair,  when  such 
a  sinner  as  Saul  is  saved.  The  same 
grace,  sinner,  that  changed  his  heart,  can 
change  thine;  the  same  grace,  that  par- 
doned his  sins,  can  pardon  thine;  and  it 
will  do  so  too,'ii^  Irke  him,  thy  proud  heart 
is  brought  down,  and  ihou  art  enabled  to 
say,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to 
do !"  This  was  his  first  petition ;  the 
dawn  of  eternal  day  in  his  soul.  O  tliat 
each  of  us  might  but  say  this  from  his 
heart !  Can  you  follow  me  in  these  words  J 
— "  Lord,  I  give  myself  up  to  thee.  I  have 
done  wickedly,  but  would  do  so  no  more.  O, 
what  wouldest  thou  have  me  to  do  !  Let 
me  be  led  into  a  right  way  for  knowing 
and  doing  thy  will ;  that  I  may  testify  my 
r{;pentance,  honor  thy  name,  and  obtain 
the  forgiveness  of  my  sins."  When  Paul 
prayed  thus,  the  merciful  Savior  directed 
liim  to  go  into  the  city;  and  afterwards 
sent  his  servant  to  instruct  and  comfort 
him.  So  will  he  say  to  thee.  Arise,  wait 
upon  God.  Read  and  liear  liis  word  ;  and 
lie  shall  visit  thy  soul  witli  the  light, 
power,  and  comfort  of  his  great  salvation. 

As  this  te.xt  affords  great  encourage- 
ment to  praying  souls,  and  furnislies  tliem 
with  a  plain  and  pleasing  evidence  of  their 
conversion ;  so  it  marks  out,  as  distinctly, 
tlie  woeful  state  of  a  prayerlcss  person. 
Dost  tliou  live  without  prayer,  man,  wo- 
nian,  child ! — Tiiou  art  no  Cliristian.  Thou 
art  an  Atheist ;  yea,  much  worse,  than  an 
Atheist.  He  believes  no  God,  and  there- 
fore cannot  pray  to  him.  You  say  you 
believe  in  God,  but  never  seek  him.  If 
vou  can  live  without  prayer,  it  is  a  proof 
of  a  blind  mind,  and  of  a  hard  heart ;  it 
.shows  ingratitude  to  God,  and  insensibility 
of  want.  It  proves  thou  art  a  stranger  to 
Jaith,  to  repentance,  to  hope,  to  love,  to 
every  Christian  grace ;  for  as  all  tliese  are 
exercised  in  true  jjrayer ;  so,  the  prayer- 
less  person  proves  he  is  destitute  of  them 
nil.  What  is  he  then"!  An  enemy  to  God, 
and  a  destroyer  of  his  own  soul.    "  As  the 


Lord  liveth,  there  is  but  one  step  between 
thee  and  death."  "  Arise,  O  sleeper,  and 
call  upon  thy  God."  "  Turn  or  burn.  Pray 
or  perish." 

Go  on,  praying.  Christian.  The  Lord 
never  said  to  the  seed  of  Jacob,  "  Seek  ye 
me  in  vain."  He  who  said,  Behold  he 
prayeth,  and  observed  his  first  breathings 
for  mercy.  He  was  heard.  He  was  par- 
doned. He  was  saved.  He  is  praising 
now.  Behold,  he  prayeth  !  He  has  been 
praising  Christ  for-1700  years,  and  will  do 
so  to  all  eternity.  Who  would  not  pray 
now,  seeing  prayer  shall  be  turned  into 
praise,  and  issue  in  everlasting  songs  of 
joy  and  triumph  ? 


PRAYER.— Thou,  O  God,  art  glorious  in  holi- 
ness, fearful  in  praises,  doing  wonders !  Thou, 
Lord,  in  the  beginning  hast  laid  the  foundations 
of  the  earth ;  and  the  heavens  are  the  works  of 
thy  hands.  Thou  saidst  Let  there  be  light,  and 
there  was  hght.  And  thou  art  also  the  Creator 
of  all  things  in  the  new  viorld  of  grace.  We 
adore  thee,  O  Lord,  for  that  glorious  example  of 
thy  new-creating  power  which  has  been  at  this 
time  brought  before  our  eyes.  We  praise  thee 
for  the  riches  of  thy  grace  in  forgiving  the  perse- 
cuting Saul,  and  for  turning  the  persecutor  into  a 
holy  apostle.  We  thank  thee  for  all  the  good 
which  thou  didst  effect  by  his  preaching  and  liv- 
ing, and  for  all  the  good  which  thy  church  still 
derives  from  his  writings,  and  from  the  pattern  of 
thy  long-suffering,  which  is  seen  in  mercy  shown 
to  him. 

O  God,  we  beseech  thee  at  this  time  to  exert 
the  same  almighty  energy  by  which  Saul  of  Tar- 
sus was  converted  and  saved.  Are  there  not  be- 
fore thee  some  whose  minds  are  still  benighted, 
and  whose  hearts  are  full  of  ill-will  against  Jesus 
and  his  Gospel?  Are  there  not  many  who  live 
without  prayer,  having  the  form  of  godUness,  but 
denying  the  power  thereof? 

Our  heart's  desire  and  prayer  for  them  is.  That 
they  may  be  saved.  O  that,  from  this  very  lime, 
if  it  please  thee,  it  may  be  said  of  this  and  of  that 
iTian,  Behold,  he  prayeth ! 


SERMOT^  XXX. 

TIIK  LOVE  OF  GOD. 

Jolui  ill.  10.  For  God  so  loveil  tin;  worI<I,  that  he 
gave  his  only  hc^ottoii  Son,  that  whosoever  believ- 
cth  in  iiiin  slioiilil  not  perish,  but  liavc  everlasting 
life. 

Tn  tliese  words  you  have  the  sum  of  the 
whole  Gospel.  Good  news  for  sinners; 
glad  tidings  of  great  joy  to  all  people. 
They  are  the  words  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  his 
admirable  discourse  with  Nicodemus,  a 
teacher  and  a  ruler  of  the  .Tews.  This 
man  being  convinced  by  the  miracles  of 
Christ,  tliat  he  was  "  a  teacher  come  from 
12 


134 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


God,"  wished  to  have  some  conversation 
with  him ;  but  not  liaving  yet  courage 
enough  to  declare  for  him  openly,  came  to 
him  privately  by  night.  Our  Lord  directly 
began  with  hijn  on  the  subject  of  tlie  new 
birth.  "  Nicodemus,"  said  he,  "  except  a 
man  be  born  again  he  cannot  see  the  king- 
dom of  God  :"  for,  observe,  the  knowledge 
of  the  corruption  of  our  nature,  and  of  the 
necessity  of  bemg  inwardly  changed  by 
grace,  is  the  very  first  thing  we  must  learn 
in  religion.  Nicodernus,  with  all  his  learn- 
ing, was  as  yet  ignorant  of  this ;  and  so 
are  many  of  our  teachers.  But  Christ  in- 
sists upon  it,  that  a  man  must  be  born 
again ;  and  from  the  doctrine  of  the  new- 
bn-th,  he  passes  on  to  that  of  faith  in  Christ, 
and  salvation  through  faith.  This  he  ex- 
plains by  a  remarkable  type  or  emblem  of 
it,  well  known  to  the  Jews.  "As  Moses 
lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness, 
even  so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up ; 
that  whosoever  believeth  on  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  Here 
Christ  foretells  his  death  upon  the  cross, 
and  the  benefit  believers  would  derive  from 
it.  As  the  wounded  Jew  was  healed  by 
looking  at  the  brazen  serpent;  so  the  per- 
ishing sirmer  is  saved  by  looking  at  Christ 
crucified.  And,  that  sinners  may  not  fear 
rejection,  it  is  declared  in  our  text,  that 
the  salvation  of  all  who  believe,  was  the 
very  tiling  that  God  designed  in  giving  his 
Son.  "  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that 
he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  who- 
soever believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life."  It  is  in  the 
free  and  eternal  love  of  God  that  our  sal- 
vation begins.  "  The  first  of  God's  gifts  is 
his  love ;  the  first  gift  of  his  love  is  his 
Son ;  the  first  gift  of  his  Son  is  faith  ;  and 
faith  is  the  root  of  all  other  graces,  the 
principle  of  the  new  life,  and  the  key 
which  shuts  up  hell,  and  opens  the  gate  of 
heaven. 

It  is  the  love  of  God  we  are  now  to 
meditate  upon.  But  O,  who  is  equal  to 
tlie  subject !  "  Can  we  by  searching  find 
out  God ;  the  love  of  God  ;  God,  who  is 
Jove  1  Can  we  find  out  the  love  of  God  to 
perfection  1  It  is  as  high  as  heaven ;  what 
can  we  do?  Deeper  than  hell;  what  can 
we  know?  The  measure  thereof  is  longer 
than  the  earth,  and  broader  than  the  sea. 
O  that  the  love  of  God  may  now  be  shed 
abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Spirit ;" 
that  we  may  "  be  able  to  comprehend  with 
all  saints  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length, 
and  depth,  and  height ;  and  to  know  the 
love  of  Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge." 
In  order  to  this,  let  us  consider  the  follow- 
ing things; 


I.  The  Love  of  God — God  so  loved  the 
world. 

II.  The  Evidence  of  it — that  he  gave 

his  Son. 

And,  III.  The  End  or  Design  of  it, 
that  whosoever  believeth  might  be  saved. 

First,  let  us  consider  the  love  of  God. 
Consider  who  it  is  that  loves,  and  who  are 
the  persons  beloved.  He,  who  loves,  is 
the  great  God,  who  was  i'rom  everlasting, 
infinitely  happy  in  himself,  and  who  needed 
not  the  aid  of  any  creatures.  He  who 
made  all  things  out  of  notliing  by  the  word 
of  his  power.  He,  "  witii  whom  the  na- 
tions are  as  a  drop  of  tlie  bucket,  and  are 
counted  as  the  small  dust  of  the  balance  ! 
they  are  before  him  as  nothing,  yea,  less 
than  nothing,  and- vanity."  "  Lord,  what 
is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him  !" 
But  what  is  more  wonderful  is,  that  God, 
who  is  infinitely  holy,  and  "  of  purer  eyes 
than  to  behold  iniquity,"  should  ever  love 
creatures  like  us,  who  are  full  of  sin.  He 
loved  the  world;  this  world;  not  angels, 
bat  men,  sinful  men,  of  all  ages  and  coun- 
tries. Not  sinners  of  the  Jews  only,  as 
some  of  them  fondly  dreamed.  "  Christ," 
saith  the  apostle  John,  "  is  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins ;  and  not  for  ours  only,"  who 
are  Jews,  "  but  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world" — for  all  who  shall  hereafter  believe 
on  him,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  where- 
soever they  may  be  scattered  throughout 
the  whole  world. 

Nothing  is  so  wonderful  as  the  love  of 
God  to  sinful  man.  When  man  was  made 
at  first,  he  was  lower  than  the  angels ; 
how  much  lower  is  the  sinner  than  the 
man  !  In  some  respects  he  is  lower  than 
the  brutes ;  for  "  he  has  the  worst  qualities 
of  the  brutes  without  their  best."  Yet 
"  God  hath  remembered  us  in  our  low  es- 
tate, for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever." 
The  love  of  creatures  to  one  another,  is 
generally  founded  on  some  real  or  supposed 
goodness  or  excellency ;  but  there  was  no- 
thing at  all  in  man  to  exdite  the  love  of 
God,  but  on  the  contrary  his  hatred  and 
wrath.  "  The  whole  world  lieth  in  wick- 
edness," or  in  the  wicked  one,  the  devil ; 
under  his  rule  and  influence  ;  full  of  igno- 
rance, carnality,  and  enmity  against  God  ; 
in  a  state  of  actual  rebellion  against  him, 
and  without  the  least  desire  to  know  him, 
serve  him,  or  enjoy  him.  Yet  hear,  O 
heavens,  and  be  astonished  O  earth  !  God 
loved  this  world  of  sinners.  But  how 
much,  no  tongue  can  tell ;  no  heart  con- 
ceive ;  the  love  is  so  matchless,  so  unlike 
any  thing  in  human  affairs,  that  our  text 
makes  no  comparison  in  order  to  describe 
it ;  it  has  no  parallel  or  similitude  among 


SERMON  XXX. 


las 


men  ;  and  therefore,  it  is  only  said,  "  God 
so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  us  his 
Son."  In  most  cases  human  love  is  ex- 
pressed better  by  words  tlian  deeds ;  but 
the  love  of  God  is  such,  that  it  cannot  be 
expressed  at  all  by  words ;  words  are  too 
weak ;  it  is  by  actions,  that  God  commends 
his  love  towards  us ;  and  above  all  by  this 
one — the  gift  of  his  Son :  and  this  is  the 
second  thing  proposed — 

II.  The  Evidence  of  God's  love ;  "  he 
gave  us  his  only  begotten  Son."  Many 
are  the  gracious  gifts  of  God  to  this  world 
of  sinners.  The  powers  of  our  minds  and 
bodies,  the  food  we  eat,  tlie  garments  we 
wear,  the  health  we  enjoy ;  ten  thousand 
thousand  precious  gifts  call  loudly  upon  us 
for  daily  praises.  But  great  as  these  are, 
they  are  all  lost  in  this  one,  like  a  drop  of 
water  m  the  sea.  St.  John  speaking  of  it 
says,  "  Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved 
God,  but  that  he  loved  us  and  sent  his 
Son ;"  as  if  he  had  said.  This  is  love  in- 
deed ;  compared  with  this,  nothing  else 
deserves  the  name ;  and  without  it,  what 
would  all  other  gifts  have  proved  1  what 
do  they  prove  to  wicked  men,  who  live 
and  die  "without  Christ"!"  This  is  that 
gift  of  God,  promised  to  our  first  parents 
in  the  garden ;  and  which  Abraham,  David, 
Isaiah,  all  the  patriarchs,  and  all  the  pio- 
phets,  looked  and  longed  for.  This  was 
"  The  Mercy  promised  to  the  fathers," 
(Luke  i.  72.) — This  is  the  mercy  that 
never  could  have  been  expected,  never  de- 
sired. It  would  never  have  entered  into 
the  heart  of  men  or  angels  to  have  thought 
'of  sucli  a  thing,  as  that  God  should  give 
us  his  Son.  And  certainly  it  never  could 
have  been  deserved.  Man  deserves  no- 
thing but  hell.  The  common  blessings  of 
life  are  all  forfeited  by  sin ;  and  therefore 
we  properly  call  our  food,  raiment,  and 
health,  mercies,  for  so  they  are ;  but  when 
we  consider  the  greatness  of  that  gift, 
they  disappear  like  the  brightest  stars 
when  the  sun  rises.  It  will  be  a  matter 
of  astonishment  to  all  eternity  that  God 
should  so  love  the  world  as  to  give  us  his 
Son. 

The  greatness  of  this  love  appears  in 
the  greatness  of  the  gift ;  in  the  glory  and 
excellency  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
is  here  called  his  only  begotten  Son.  The 
angels  are  sons  of  God  by  creation ;  and 
believers  are  sons  of  God  by  adoption  ;  but 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  brgotten  Son  of 
God.  This  is  a  name  that  we  cannot  fully 
explain ;  but  it  certainly  signifies,  that  Je- 
sus partakes  of  the  same  divine  nature 
with  his  Father.  "  Tliat  holy  thing  that 
was  born  of  tlie  Virgin,  was  called  the 


Son  of  God."  Because  we,  whom  he  came? 
to  save,  "  were  partakers  of  Hesh  and  blood,, 
he  likewise  partook  of  the  same  nature." 
He  was  truly  man,  "  flesh  of  our  flesh,  and 
bone  of  our  bone."  But  he  was  also  a» 
truly  God.  God  and  man  in  one  person,. 
"  In  wliom  dwelleth  all  the  fullness  of  the 
Godhead  bodily."  "  He  is  the  brightness 
of  the  Fatlier's  glory,  and  the  express 
image  of  his  person."  "  The  Word  who 
was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us,  was 
with  God,  and  was  God."  And,  indeed, 
this  is  the  great  mystery  of  godliness,  that 
God  was  manifested  in  the  flesh."  "  Em- 
manuel— God  with  us."  "  The  Lord  our 
righteousness."  And  although  the  Son  of 
God  veiled  his  glory  when  on  eartli,  and 
"  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took 
upon  himself  the  tbrm  of  a  servant,"  yet 
his  true  followers  "  beheld  his  glory,  the 
glory  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father, 
full  of  grace  and  truth."  "  His  birth, 
though  humble,  was  celebrated  by  a  mul- 
titude of  the  heavenly  host ;  he  had  a  poor 
lodging,  but  a  star  lighted  visitants  to  it 
from  a  far  country.  He  had  not  such  at- 
tendants as  other  %ings  have,  but  he  was 
attended  with  far  better — crowds  of  pa- 
tients getting  health  of  body  and  soul.  He 
made  the  dumb  to  sing  his  praises,  and  the 
lame  to  leap  for  joy ;  the  deaf  to  hear  his 
wonders,  and  the  blind  to  see  his  glory. 
And  though  he  submitted  to  the  shameful 
death  of  the  cross,  heaven  and  earth  became 
mourners  on  the  occasion;  the  sun  was 
clad  in  black,  and  if  men  were  unmoved, 
the  earth  trembled ;  there  were  few  to 
rend  their  garments,  but  the  rocks  were 
not  so  insensible  ;  they  rent  their  bowels. 
Death  and  the  grave  submitted  to  his 
power  ;  the  king  of  terrors  lost  his  sting, 
and  the  Prince  of  life  triumphed  over 
him."  This  is  the  great  and  glorious  per- 
son whom  the  Father  freely  gave  from  his 
bosom,  "  God's  own  Son ;"  "  God's  dear 
Son;"  "God's  well-beloved  Son;"  and 
surely  this  was  the  greatest  possible  proof 
of  his  love.  When  God  tried  Abraliam, 
he  said  to  him — "  Take  now  thy  son,  thine 
only  son,  Isaac,  whom  thou  lovest,  and  of- 
fer him  up  for  a  hiirnt-offering."  Was 
ever  command  so  difficult,  so  trying  1  Eve- 
ry word  is  like  a  dagger  to  a  parent's 
heart;  but  he  obeys.  He  consults  not 
with  flesh  and  blood.  He  takes  his  son  to 
the  mountain  ;  the  altar  is  built ;  the  wood 
laid  in  order;  the  youth  is  bound;  the 
fatal  knife  uplifted  ;  but  it  is  enough.  The 
design  is  answered.  Abraham's  faitii  is 
proved,  "  even  the  faith  that  works  by  love. 
Now  I  know,"  saith  the  Lord,  "  that  thou 
fearest  God,  seeing  thou  heist  not  withheld 


136 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


thy  son,  thine  only  eon  from  me."  And 
may  we  not  say,  Now  we  know  and  are 
sure ;  we  cannot  admit  a  doubt  of  it :  tliat 
God  loVes  sinful  man ;  seeing  he  withheld 
not  his  Son,  his  only  begotten  Son  from 
us ;  "  he  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  de- 
livered him  up  for  us  all."  Verily,  God  is 
love ! 

Abraham's  was  a  rare  instance.  Wliat 
he  did  was  at  God's  command  ;  and  it  was 
done  in  taith,  that  God  would  raise  him 
again  from  the  dead,  rather  than  the  prom- 
ise should  fail.  But  what  would  induce  a 
fond  parent  to  part  with  a  child,  even  for 
the  sake  of  a  friend,  much  less  of  an  ene- 
my ?  History  tells,  that  during  a  dreadful 
famine  in  Germany,  a  poor  family,  consist- 
ing of  a  man,  his  wife,  and  four  children, 
were  reduced  to  the  last  extremity,  and 
on  the  very  point  of  being  starved  to  death. 
Knowing  no  other  method  of  relief,  the 
husband  proposed  that  one  of  the  children 
should  be  sold,  that  so  they  might  procure 
bread  for  themselves  and  the  rest.  To 
this  painful  proposal  the  wife  at  last  re- 
luctantly consents.  It  was  now  necessary 
to  consider  which  of  1!he  four  should  be 
sold.  The  eldest  was  first  mentioned ;  but 
neither  of  the  parents  could  think  of  that ; 
the  dear  child  was  their  first-born;  they 
could  not  possibly  part  with  him.  Tlie 
second  child  was  then  produced ;  but  the 
poor  mother  objected.  '  The  fine  boy  was 
the  very  picture  of  his  father ;  she  could 
not  spare  him.  Tlie  third,  a  charming 
girl,  came  next  in  turn:  but  the  father 
made  a  similar  objection;  the  dear  child 
bore  so  strong  a  resemblance  to  her 
mother ;  she  must  not  go. — Well,  only  one 
remained.  The  youngest  appears.  But 
here  both  at  once  unite  to  say.  We  cannot 
part  with  him,  this  is  our  Benjamin,  the 
darling  child  of  our  old  age. — No,  we  will 
rather  perish  all  together,  than  part  with 
any  one  of  our  dear  children.  Let  this 
little  story  illustrate,  in  some  feeble  de- 
gree, the  wondrous  love  of  God.  God  so 
loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  be- 
gotten Son,  his  dearly  beloved  Son,  to  be 
our  Savior. 

The  greatness  of  this  gift  will  still  fur- 
ther appear,  if  we  consider  to  what,  and /or 
what,  he  was  given.  If  he  had  taken  our 
nature  in  its  highest  and  best  form  ;  if  he 
had  become  a  prince  or  an  emperor ;  it 
had  been  much.  But  how  much  more  was 
it  for  him  to  come  into  our  world  in  the 
lowest  circumstances ;  to  be  born  in  a 
stable  ;  to  be  laid  in  a  manger :  to  be  per- 
secuted almost  as  soon  as  born ;  to  be  a 
poor  man,  so  poor  that  he  had  not  a  place 
where  to  lay  his  head;  to  be  a  despised 


man,  "  a  worm,  and  no  man,  a  reproach 
of  men,  and  despised  of  the  people ;"  to  be 
a  "  man  of  sorrows ;  and  especially  to  bear 
the  contradictions  of  sirmers  ao-ainst  him- 
self" 

It  is  a  great  hardship  for  a  good  man  to 
be  forced  to  be  for  a  few  hours  in  bad 
company.  A  man  who  fears  God  can  hard- 
ly endure  to  travel  or  sit  a  few  hours  with 
profane,  lewd,  or  drunken  people.  But 
Christ  spent  above  thirty  years  in  this 
wicked  world.  Good  men  "  sigh  and  cry 
for  the  abominations  they  behold  ;"  "  rivers 
of  tears  run  down  their  eyes  because  men 
keep  not  God's  laws."  How  then  must 
the  holy  heart  of  Jesus  Christ  have  been 
grieved  with  the  wicked  actions  and  words 
of  men,  and  with  their  wicked  thoughts, 
all  of  which  were  present  to  his  mind  con- 
tinually ! 

But  God's  giving  his  Son  includes  still 
more.  It  includes  giving  them  up  into  the 
hands  of  divine  justice,  and  into  the  hands 
of  wicked  men,  as  the  executioners  there- 
of. "  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  de- 
livered him  up  for  us  all."  So  St.  Peter 
spake  of  him.  "  Him,  being  delivered  by 
the  detei'minate  counsel  and  foreknowledge 
of  God,  ye  have  taken,  and  by  wicked 
hands  have  crucified  and  slain."  The  text 
shows  to  what  purpose  he  was  thus  given 
up.  It  was  that  believers  might  not  perish. 
They  deserved  to  perish.  They  had  broken 
the  law ;  they  had  incurred  the  curse ;  and 
must  have  perished,  if  no  satisfaction  had 
been  made  to  the  justice  of  God.  But, 
Behold  the  Lamb  of  God:  provided,  ap- 
pointed, given  of  God.  "  God  sent  his  Son 
in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin, 
condemned  sin  in  the  flesh."  "  He  was 
made  sin  for  us  though  he  knew  no  sin, 
that  we  miglit  be  made  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  in  him."  O  Christians,  see 
the  Son  of  God  in  his  agony  in  the  garden, 
sweating  great  drops  of  blood.  See  him 
standing  as  a  criminal  at  Pilate's  bar, 
falsely  accused,  and  basely  treated.'  See 
him  hanging  on  the  accursed  tree ;  his 
hands  and  feet  nailed  to  the  cross;  derided 
by  the  cruel  insulting  mob,  and  deserted ' 
by  his  heavenly  Father.  And  say  now — 
God  so  loved  the  world,  but  hoio  much, 
thou  canst  not  say.  The  depth  of  Christ's 
sufferings,  and  the  height  of  glory  to  which 
they  raise  thee,  express  this  love  in  strong- 
er terms  than  language  knows. 

There  is  yet  another  way,  in  which  God 
gives  his  Son — in  the  preacliing  of  the 
Gospel,  and  in  the  application  of  Christ  to 
tlie  believer's  heart.  As  the  brazen  ser- 
pent was  exposed  to  view  in  the  camp  of 
Israel,  so  is  Christ  set  before  perishing 


SERMON  XXX. 


137 


sinners  in  the  Gospel.  Herein  God  "  sets 
fortii  his  Son,"  and  "declares his  righteous- 
ness," "  brings  near  his  rigiiteousness" — 
"  reveals  his  righteousness,"  that  it  may 
be  received  by  faith,  and  become  ours  by 
believing.  "  My  Father,"  saith  Christ, 
"  giveth  you  the  true  bread  from  heaven  : 
for  the  bread  of  God  is  He  which  cometii 
down  from  heaven,  and  giveth  life  to  tlie 
world,"  John  vi.  22.  It  is  set  before  all 
men  who  hear  the  Gospel ;  but  it  is  the 
food  only  of  those,  wlio  only  by  faith  re- 
ceive it ;  and  this  leads  us  to  the  last  thing 
proposed,  which  is, 

III.  The  End  or  Design  of  this  gift  of 
love — "  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  lite." 

The  salvation  of  believing  sinners  was 
the  object  which  God  had  in  view  when  he 
gave  his  Son.  Supposing  God  would  send 
his  Son  into  the  world,  for  what  purpose 
might  siuners  have  expected  him  I  might 
they  not  justly  fear  it  would  be  to  punish 
them  for  their  sins  !  So  it  seems  hitimated 
in  the  next  verse,  "  For  God  sent  not  his 
Son  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  world ; 
but  tliat  the  world  through  him  might  be 
saved."  The  whole  conduct  of  our  Savior 
upon  earth  agreed  with  this  gracious  de- 
sign. He  came  not  to  destroy  men's  lives, 
but  to  save  them.  He  came  to  seek  and 
to  save  that  wliicli  was  lost.  Every  thing 
lie  did,  and  every  thing  he  said,  had  this 
tendency. 

This  gracious  design  is  expressed  two 
ways ;  the  first  is,  "  That  they  might  not 
perish."  To  perish  is  for  a  man  to  die  in 
his  sins,  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  under 
the  wrath  of  God,  and  to  be  for  ever  miser- 
able in  hell.  This  is  the  proper  wages  of 
sin,  tiie  real  desert  of  every  sinner:  and 
we  must  know  tliis  to  be  our  desert,  before 
we  can  look  to  Jesus  for  salvation.  Our 
Lord,  in  this  passage,  alludes  to  the  brazen 
serpent  in  the  wilderness.  Now,  for  whom 
was  this  erected  !  Was  it  an  object  of  cu- 
riosity, to  be  gazed  at  by  a  vain  nuiltitudc '.' 
No ;  it  was  for  the  cure  of  the  wounded 
Jews,  who  had  been  stung  by  the  fiery 
serpents ;  wliose  blood  had  been  poisoned 
by  tlicir  venom,  and  who  were  ready  to 
expire  in  agony.  These  men,  being  ready 
to  perish,  would  gladly  comply  with  the 
Divine  command, — How  easy,  how  cheap, 
how  pleasant  a  method  of  relief!  Look  and 
live,  was  tlie  heavenly  mandate.  Just  so 
it  is  in  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  "  Look  unto 
me,"  saith  Christ,  "  and  ye  shall  be  saved." 
If  we  receive  the  Gospel  as  tlie  testimony 
of  God,  we  shall  turn  our  eyes  to  no  other 
method  of  relief  but  this.  We  shall  re- 
nounce all  notions  of  merit  and  works,  we 
S 


shall  receive  Jesus,  and  rest  upon  him 
alone  for  salvation. 

But  this  is  not  all.  Salvation  includes 
the  possession  of  eternal  life,  as  well  as 
deliverance  from  death.  "  1  am  come,  that 
they  might  have  life,  and  might  have  it 
more  abundantly,"  said  Christ.  This  in- 
cludes the  life  of  grace,  and  the  life  of 
glory.  Believers  now  live ;  they  live  to 
God ;  they  live  spiritually ;  they  live  by 
faith  in  the  Son  of  God.  Before  conversion 
they  were  "  dead  while  they  lived."  Now 
they  live  indeed.  Christ  by  his  Spirit 
lived  in  them,  and  they  live  in  him.  Christ . 
is  now  their  life ;  and  when  he  shall  ap- 
pear the  second  tiine,  they  shall  also  ap- 
pear with  him  in  glory.  Grace  is  glory  in 
the  bud.  He  that  believeth  hath  everlast- 
ing life,  Ver.  36 :  he  has  not  only  a  title  to 
it,  but  he  has  the  beginning,  secxirity, 
pledge,  earnest,  and  furetaste  of  it,  which 
shall  certahily  issue  m  the  full,  complete, 
and  everlasting  enjoyment  of  it  in  heaven. 

But  there  is  a  word  of  encouragement 
in  our  text  which  we  must  by  no  means 
forget,  Whosoever  :  God  gave  his  Son,  that 
"  whosoever  believeth  in  him  might  not 
perish,"  &c.  Persons  of  every  character; 
high  and  low,  ■  rich  and  poor,  young  and 
old  ;  sinners  of  every  degree,  the  greatest, 
vilest,  and  most  abominable.  Not  only  may 
the  more  moral  man,  who  is  also  a  sinner, 
look  to  Jesus  and  be  saved  ;  but  that  un- 
happy creature,  man  or  woman,  who  has 
gone  to  uncommon  lengths  m  sin,  who 
thinks  there  is  not  such  another  sinner  out 
of  hell,  and  who  is  even  tempted  to  despair 
of  mercy,  perhaps  tempted  to  self-inur- 
der  on  account  of  his  peculiar  and  terri- 
ble guilt —  Whosoever — observe  the  word, 
whosoever  believeth  ;  here  is  a  warrant  for 
the  vilest  sinner  upon  earth  to  look  to 
Jesus,  to  come  to  Jesus,  to  believe  in 
Jesus :  and  the  truth  of  God  is  pledged  for 
it,  that  he  shall  not  be  cast  out.  "  Him  that 
Cometh  to  me  1  will  in  no  wise  cast  out," 
John  vi.  37. 

APPLICATION. 

We  have  heard  great  things  to-day. 
"  The  angels  desire  to  look  into  these 
things."  All  the  millions  of  the  redeemed 
in  glory  are  now  looking  into  these  thing-s. 
And  if  we  get  to  heaven,  the  love  of  God, 
the  gift  of  his  love,  and  the  efiect  of  this 
gift,  will  employ  our  ravished  souls  to  all 
eternity.  But  say,  my  friends,  how  do  they 
affect  you  1  Or,  are  you  totally  unaffected 
by  them  !  Does  not  this  vain  and  wicked 
world  engross  your  hearts,  while  the  love 
of  God,  and  the  gifts  of  Christ,  are  quite 
forgotten  ? 

12* 


138 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


But  stop  a  moment,  and  consider.  What 
are  you  doing  !  You  are  committing  tlie 
greatest  sin  in  tlie  world.  Unbelief  is  a 
damning  sin ;  lie  that  believeth  not  is  con- 
demned already  ;  and  this  is  the  condem- 
nation, that  light  is  come  into  the  world, 
and  men  love  darkness  rather  than  light, 
because  their  deeds  are  evil,"  so  our  Lord 
declares  in  tliis  chapter.  As  the  gift  of 
Christ  is  the  greatest  proof  that  God  could 
give  of  his  love  to  the  world,  so,  depend 
upon  it,  he  will  resent  the  contempt  of  it 
as  the  greatest  crime.  It  is  a  crime  great- 
er than  the  devils  in  hell  ever  committed. 
They  never  had  a  Savior  to  despise  and 
reject.  O  beware  *of  the  fatal  conse- 
quences !  Death  is  approaching,  and  you 
must  appear  before  Christ.  But  how  will 
you  face  him,  when  you  know  you  neglect 
hnn  all  your  days  ?  O,  what  would  sinners 
give  in  the  great  day  for  an  interest  in 
Christ !  Worlds  !  worlds  !  millions  of 
worlds!  would  be  counted  cheap,  could 
they  purchase  an  interest  in  him.  Well, 
sinner,  as  yet  there  is  hope.  Though  you 
have  neglected  long,  it  is  not  too  late  yet. 
Turn  now,  even  now,  thy  weeping  eyes  to 
the  cross  of  Jesus.  Behold  God's  dear 
Son,  and  the  sinner's  dear  Savior,  with 
e-Ktended  arms  open  to  embrace  thee. 
Hear  him  crying,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye 
that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest."  O,  let  your  heart  reply, 
"  Behold  I  come  unto  thee,  for  thou  art  the 
Lord  my  God." 

And,  O  believer,  humble  believer  in  Je- 
sus, what  thinkest  thou  of  Christ?  Is  he 
not  precious  to  thee,  the  pearl  of  great 
price,  the  chief  of  ten  thousand,  and  alto- 
gether lovely  ]  What  praise  and  love  are 
due  from  thee  to  the  Father,  who  gave  his 
Son ;  to  the  Son,  who  gave  himself;  and 
to  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  led  thee  to  know 
and  believe  in  him !  Thou  canst  heartily 
say  with  St.  Paul,  Thanks  he  to  God  for 
his  UNSPEAKABLE  GIFT !  This  woudcrful 
love  of  God  in  the  gift  of  his  Son  convinces 
us,  in  the  most  striking  manner,  of  the  im- 
mense value  of  the  soul,  and  of  the  e.x- 
ceeding  sinfulness  of  sin,  seeing  that  a 
sinful  soul  could  not  be  redeemed  but  at 
such  a  vast  expense.  What  an  encourage- 
ment is  here  to  him,  who  sees  his  sin  infi- 
nite, that  the  blood  of  Christ,  the  blood  of 
God,  is  of  infinite  vdliie  and  efficacy  !  And 
what  encouragement  is  here  for  the  be- 
liever, who  has  received  this  greatest  of 
gifts,  that  God  will  not  witlihold  lesser 
girts;  for  "  lie  that  spared  not  his  own  Son, 
but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall 
he  not,  with  him,  freely  give  us  all  things!" 
Yes,  "  all  is  ours,"  if  Christ  is  ours.    "  He  1 


will  give  grace  and  glory,  and  no  good 
thing  will  he  withhold  from  tliem  that 
walk  uprightly." 

Blessed  be  God,  for  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 


PRAYER.— Almighty  God,  Father  of  all  mer- 
cies, we,  thine  unworthy  servants,  do  give  thee 
most  humble  and  hearty  thanks  for  all  thy  good- 
ness and  loving-kindness  to  us  and  to  all  men: 
we  bless  thee  lor  our  creation,  preservation,  and 
all  the  blessings  of  this  life,  but  above  all  for 
thine  inestimable  love  in  the  redemption  of  the 
world  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Everlasting 
praises  be  unto  God,  who  so  loved  the  world, 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life.  Thanks  be  unto  God  for  his  un- 
speakable gift!  Wc  beseech  thee.  Lord,  to  give 
us  that  due  sense  of  all  thy  mercies,  and  in  par- 
ticular, of  this  thy  great  mercy,  that  our  hearts 
may  be  unieignedly  thankful,  and  that  we  may 
show  forth  ihy  praise,  not  only  with  our  lips,  but 
in  our  lives,  by  giving  up  ourselves  to  thy  service, 
and  by  walking  before  thee  in  holiness  and  right- 
eousness all  our  days,  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord,  to  whom  witii  thee  and  the  Holy  Ghost  be 
all  honor  and  glory,  world  without  end.   Amen. 


SERMON  XXXI. 

ON  THE  SABBATH,  OR  LORD'S  DAY. 

Exodus  XX.  8.   Remember  the  Sabbath  Day,  to  keep 
it  holy. 

This  is  the  commandment  of  the  great 
God.  It  is  one  of  "  the  ten  words"  spoken 
with  divine  majesty  on  Mount  Sinai,  and 
also  written  by  the  finger  of  God  in  tables 
of  stone.  There  is  no  commandment  of 
the  ten  of  greater  consequence  tlian  this ; 
yet  scarcely  any  one  is  so  much  disregard- 
ed. Well,  therefore,  may  it  begin  with 
the  word — Remember;  seeing  that  thought- 
less mortals  are  so  prone  to  forget  it. 

We  are  by  no  means  to  suppose  that  this 
law  was  given  to  the  Jeivs  only.  It  is  not 
of  a  ceremonial  nature,  but  moral ;  as  all 
the  ten  are.  The  Sabbath  was  not  first 
instituted  when  the  law  was  given  to  Mo- 
ses :  it  was  only  renewed.  We  read  of 
the  Sabbath  in  the  second  chapter  of  Gen- 
esis. It  began  as  soon  as  the  world  be- 
gan ;  "  for  on  the  seventh  day  God  ended 
his  work  which  he  had  made ;  and  God 
blessed  the  seventh  day,  and  sanctified  it." 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  Adam,  Abel, 
Enoch,  Noah,  Abraham,  and  all  the  good 
men  of  old,  observed  the  Sabbath;  but 
when  the  descendants  of  Abraham  became 
slaves  in  Egypt,  it  is  probable  that  they 
could  not  observe  it  as  they  ought:  but 
now  being  delivered  from  bondage,  the  law 


SERMON  XXXI. 


139 


was  revived,  and  they  are  commanded  to 
remember  the  Sabbath  day,  to  keep  it 
holy. 

This  law,  then,  is  of  perpetual  obliga- 
tion. And  if  God  saw  it  needful  for  Adam 
to  keep  it  even  in  paradise,  and  before  he 
Binned,  how  much  more  necessary  is  it  for 
us  to  keep  it !  He  had  no  hard  work  to  do, 
from  which  he  required  rest;  his  heart 
was  full  of  the  love  of  God,  and  every  day 
was  like  a  Sabbath :  but  as  for  us,  the  la- 
bors of  our  bodies,  and  the  cares  of  our 
minds,  are  such  as  to  make  a  weekly  rest 
absolutely  necessary.  Besides,  we  arc  so 
full  of  sin,  so  surrounded  by  temptation, 
and  so  apt  to  forget  God  and  our  souls,  that 
we  greatly  need  a  weekly  Sabbath  to  call 
away  our  affections  from  the  world,  and 
direct  them  to  things  above. 

It  is  true  we  do  not  keep  the  self-same 
day  as  the  Jews  did.     They  kept  the  sev- 
enth day  of  the  week,  but  we  the  first. 
But  the  morality  of  the  Sabbath  does  not 
consist  in  its  being  the  seventh  day  of  the 
week,  but  in  its  being  the  seventh  part 
of  our  time.     Besides,  we  have  the  same 
authority  for  keeping  the  J?rs/  day,  as  they 
had  for  keeping  the  seventh  ;   for  Jesus 
Christ  is  "  Lord  of  the  Sabbath ;"  and  his 
apostles,  who  acted  by  his  directions,  and 
under  the  influence  of  his  Spirit,  constantly 
met  for  divine  worship  on  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  which  was  called  "  The  Lord's 
Day,"  Acts  xx.  7.  Rev.  i.  10.     Tliis  was 
kept  because  it  was  the  day  of  his  resur- 
rection ;  and  as  the  Sabbath  was  first  of 
all  kept  because  tlie  work  of  the  creation 
was  finished  ;  and  renewed  when  God  had 
finished  the  great  work  of  redeeming  his 
people  from  bondage ;    so  the  Christian 
Sabbath  is  kept  on  the  day  when  the  Lord 
arose  from  the  dead,  having  finished  the 
great  work  of  redeeming  souls  from  sin, 
and  death,  and  hell.     Tliere  is  also  great 
reason  to  tliink  that  the  creation  Sabbath 
was  chano-ed  when  the  Jews  came  out  of 
Egypt,  so  that  tliey  kept  their  first  Sab- 
bath in  the  wilderness  on  the  sixth  day  of 
tlie  week,  accounting  it  the  seventh  from 
their  coming  out  of  Egypt;  and  that  this 
continued  td  be  the  Jewish  Sabbatii,  typical, 
as  all  their  ordinances  were,  and  that  upon 
the  resurrection  of  Christ  the  Sabbatii  re- 
verted to  its  original  seventh  day.     Many 
learned  men  have  been  of  this  opinion, 
and,  if  they  have  not  fully  proved  it,  they 
have  made   it  very  probable.     And  this 
opinion  seems  to  be  countenanced  by  what 
St.  Paul  says  in  his  epistle  to  the  Hebrews, 
ch.  iv.  where,  speaking  of  the  Jews,  he 
says,  "  they  entered  not  into  the  promised 
rest  on  account  of  their  unbelief;"   and 


that  David,  long  after,  speaks  of  "another 
rest,"  and  of  "  another  day,"  or  season,  in 
which  it  might  be  sought;  he  concludes 
that  "  there  remained  a  rest,  or  sabbatism, 
for  the  people  of  God ;"  that  is,  a  "  New 
Testament  Sabbath,  a  Christian  Sabbath, 
in  which  believers  rest  in  the  finished  work 
of  Christ,  and  enjoy  a  foretaste  of  the  hea- 
venly rest." 

The  word  Remember  seems  to  intimate 
the  necessity  of  preparing  for  it.  We 
should  remember  on  the  Saturday,  that 
the  Lord's  Day  is  at  hand.  People  in  trade 
prepare  for  the  viarkel-day ;  and  why 
should  not  Christians  get  ready  for  the 
Sabbath,  whicli  is  tlie  market-day  for  their 
souls.  It  is  a  great  sin  tliat  wages  are 
paid,  provisions  bought,  houses  cleaned,  per- 
haps linen  washed,  on  the  Sunday  morning. 
By  these,  and  otJier  worldly  employments, 
the  best  part  of  the  day  is  lost,  and  per- 
haps only  some  of  tlie  last  hours  of  it,  if 
any  at  all,  are  devoted  to  God.  We  must 
Remember  the  Sabbath  Day,  and  so  pre- 
pare for  it,  as  to  be  ready  for  the  service 
of  God,  and  devote  the  whole  of  the  day 
to  it. 

In  the  further  consideration  of  this  text, 
we  shall, 

I.  Show  how  the  Sabbath  is  to  be  kept 
holy;  and, 

II.  Give  some  reason  why  it  should  be 
kept  holy. 

In  keeping  the  Sabbath  holy,  we  are  to 
consider,  what  ought  not  to  be  done,  and 
what  ought  to  be  done. 

What  ought  not  to  be  done  is  expressed 
in  these  words :  "  Thou  shalt  not  do  any 
work — thou,  nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daugh- 
ter, nor  thy  man-servant,  nor  thy  maid-ser- 
vant, nor  thy  cattle,  nor  the  stranger  that 
is  within  thy  gates."  Six  days  are  allowed 
tor  labor,  but  the  seventli  is  a  day  of  rest. 
Our  worldly  business,  whatever  it  be,  must 
be  laid  aside.  Tiie  whole  family,  as  well 
as  tlie  master  of  it,  must  cease  from  world- 
ly employments ;  and  this  commandment 
is  directed  particularly  to  masters  of  fami- 
lies, who  are  to  take  care  that  all  persons 
under  their  roof  keep  the  Sabbath. 

We  cannot  suppose  that  only  work^ 
or  manual  labor,  or  trade,  is  here  forbid- 
den. Every  thing  is  forbidden,  that  is  in- 
consistent with  the  design  of  the  day; 
which  is,  to  serve  God,  and  edity  our  souls. 
Travelling,  walking,  or  riding,  for  mere 
pleasure,  trifling  visits,  paying  or  receiv- 
ing wages,  frequentuig  public  houses,  wri- 
tmg  letters,  settling  accounts,  reading 
books  on  ordinary  subjects,  yea,  conversa- 
tion of  a  worldly  kind,  are  here  forbidden. 
Many  who  will  not  work  on  the  Lord's 


140 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


Day,  will  play,  and  take  tacir  pleasure. 
But  this  is  worse  than  working.  St.  Aus- 
tin, long  ago,  observed,  that  "  It  was  better 
to  plow  on  the  Sabbath  than  to  dance.''^ 

The  Sabbath  is  as  much  profaned  by 
idleness  as  by  business.  Mere  rest  of 
body  is  the  Sabbath  of  a  beast,  not  of  man. 
We  have  immortal  souls,  and  this  is  the 
day  in  which  their  eternal  welfare  is  to  be 
sought.  We  have  the  authority  of  God 
for  these  assertions,  Is.  Iviii.  13.  "  If  thou 
turn  away  thy  foot  from  the  Sabbath," — 
from  trampling  upon  it,  or  from  travelling 
on  it,  or  from  walking  at  large,  as  if  under 
no  restraint — from  doing  thy  pleasure  on 
my  holy  day,  that  is,  from  carnal  pleasure 
— doing  that  which  is  agreeable  to  thy 
corrupt  inclination ;  "  and  call  tlie  Sabbath 
a  delight,  the  holy  of  the  Lord,  and  honor- 
aMe,"  esteeming  it  above  all  other  days, 
takmg  holy  pleasure  in  the  ways  of  God  ; 
"  and  shalt  honor  him,  not  domg  thine  own 
ways,  nor  finding  thine  own  pleasure,  nor 
speaking  thine  own  words ;"  not  gratify- 
ing the  flesh,  nor  indulging  in  trifling  and 
impertinent  conversation ;  then,  saith  the 
Lord,  "  tliou  shalt  delight  thyself  in  the 
Lord,"  &c. — thou  shalt  have  the  honor, 
profit,  and  pleasure  of  it;  for  God  hath 
blessed  this  day. 

But  some  will  say — WTiat!  is  nothing  at 
all  to  be  done  on  the  Sabbath  1  I  answer. 
Works  of  A^ECESSiTY  and  Mercy  are 
allowed ;  they  were  so  by  the  Jewish  law. 
Our  Savior  healed  the  sick  on  that  day, 
and  reproved  the  Pharisees  for  their 
severity  and  rigor  in  their  observance  of 
it ;  showing,  tliat  if  it  was  lawful  to  feed 
or  water  a  beast,  it  was  certainly  lawful 
to  do  good  to  men  on  that  day ;  observing 
also,  that  the  Sabbath  was  made  for  man, 
and  not  man  for  the  Sabbath  ; — it  was 
made  for  the  good  of  man,  both  in  body 
and  soul;  and  therefore  he  is  not  to  be 
prevented  from  that  which  is  necessary 
to  his  comfortable  support.  Doubtless,  the 
getting  of  food,  clothing  ourselves  decent- 
ly, visif.ing  the  sick,  bestowing  alms,  taking 
rare  of  children,  and  many  other  thhigs, 
are  lawful  on  the  Sabbatii.  But  great 
care  must  be  taken  that  this  indulgence  is 
not  carried  too  far.  That  cannot  be  ac- 
counted a  work  of  necessity  or  mercy, 
which  may  be  done  on  Saturday,  or  de- 
f('rro(l  till  Monday.  Many  abuse  the 
Ka'ibath  by  journeys  to  see  their  relations 
and  friends,  which  might  be  done  on  other 
days.  Others  begin  or  finish  journeys  on 
that  day  to  save  their  own  time  on  the 
week  days.  Marriages  and  funerals  are 
oflen  celebrated  on  the  Lord's  Day,  which 
might  as  well  be    on  another  day:    for 


hereby  many  persons  are  hindered  from  the 
proper  duties  of  the  Sabbath.  Far  the 
greater  part  of  visits  made  on  this  day  are 
unlawful,  as  they  occupy  the  time  that 
ought  to  be  spent  either  in  public  or 
private  worship,  and  divert  the  mind  from 
religious  thoughts.  Many  vainly  attempt  to 
sanctify  their  journeys  and  visits,  by  going 
to  a  place  of  worsliip,  though  they  spend 
most  of  the  day  m  travelling,  feasting,  or  idle 
conversation  :  but  this  is,  in  •  many  cases, 
only  a  refined  hypocrisy.  Nor  is  it  much 
better,  for  persons  to  wander  miles  from 
home  to  hear  different  preachers,  if  they 
can  hear  the  true  Gospel  at  home.  Even 
the  beasts  are  not  to  be  employed  unneces- 
sarily ;  though  they  may  doubtless  be 
used,  if  they  are  conscientiou.sly  emploj'ed 
to  contribute  to  our  serving  God  the  better. 
Feasting  our  friends  on  the  Lord's  Day  is 
a  grievous  sin,  as  it  employs  too  much 
time  and  care,  and  tends  to  make  persons 
less  fit  for  devotion.  It  is  also  very  blama- 
ble  to  take  up  much  time  in  dress,  and 
still  more  so,  to  employ  others  in  it.  How 
sad  a  reflection  is  it  that  10,000  hair- 
dressers are  perhaps  employed  every 
Sunday !  not  to  mention  the  vast  number 
of  coachmen,  chaise-drivers,  hostlers,  pub- 
licans, and  servants  of  all  descriptions ; 
thousands  of  whom  are  constantly  de- 
barred from  the  means  of  grace,  and  live 
and  die — like  Heathens. 

There  are  also  very  many  who  deceive 
tliemselves,  by  attempting  to  compound 
matters  with  the  blessed  God :  they  will 
give  him,  formally,  an  hour  or  two  of  the 
day,  and  employ  all  the  rest  in  a  worldly 
manner.  Where  do  we  read  in  Scripture 
of  canonical  hours,  or  find  a  distinction 
between  church  hours  and  others  ?  Does 
not  the  text  say,  "  Remember  the  Sab- 
bath Day,  to  keep  it  holy  ?"  And  by  what 
arguments  can  it  be  proved  that  a  Sabbath 
Day  is  shorter  than  another?  Do  other 
days  consist  of  12  or  24  hours,  and  this  of 
4,  or  3,  or  2 1  If  you  employ  a  laborer, 
and  pay  him  for  a  day,  will  you  be  satis- 
fied if  he  goes  to  work  at  11  in  the  morn- 
ing and  leaves  off  at  1,  and  does  no  more 
all  the  day  ! .  Is  not  this  the  true  cause  of 
a  man's  being  satisfied  with  serving  God 
po  short  a  time,  Ihat  he  dislikes  the  service  ? 
And  is  not  that  an  evidence  of  his  being 
in  a  carnal  state,  and  under  the  ^vrath  of 
God  ]  Let  conscience  answer  it. 

But  this  commandment  not  only  forbids 
worldly  employments  on  the  Sabbath,  it 
requires  that  the  whole  day  be  spent  in  a 
religious  manner,  especially  in  the  public 
or  private  excn-ise  of  God''s  tcorship. 

We  should  begin  the  day  witli  private 


SERMON  XXXI. 


141 


prayer.  This  is  necessary  to  prepare  our 
minds  for  public  worship.  Wo  ought  to 
rise  early,  in  order  that  ourselves  and 
families  may  be  in  time  at  tlie  house  of 
God.  Early,  said  the  Psalmist,  will  I 
seek  thee.  Those  who  are  alive  to  God 
would  be  ashamed  of  rising  later  on  a 
Sabbatli  than  on  another  day.  Surely  the 
care  of  our  souls  demands  as  early  an  at- 
tention as  the  affairs  of  our  body.  Tlie 
whole  family,  if  possible,  should  attend  the 
morning"  service.  In  some  cases,  perhaps, 
this  cannot  be  :  but  the  mere  preparation 
of  a  hot  dinner  is  a  poor  excuse  for  detain- 
ing even  one  servant  at  home.  Those 
who  fear  God  need  not  be  told,  that  family 
as  well  as  private  prayer  should  be  offered 
up,  before  we  go  to  the  public  worship. 

Public  worship  is  most  evidently  an 
ordinance  of  God,  of  the  greatest  possible 
importance.  From  the  beginning  of  the 
world,  the  true  worshippers  of  God  have 
assembled  together  on  this  day,  for  prayer, 
praise,  and  instruction.  They  were  always 
"  glad  when  invited  to  go  up  to  the  house 
of  the  Lord."  They  accounted  "  a  day  in 
his  courts  better  than  a  thousand."  Our 
Savior  countenanced  public  worship  by 
his  own  presence  and  example.  "  The 
zeal  of  his  Father's  house  ate  him  up." 
He  has  commanded  his  Gospel  to  be 
"  preached  to  all  the  world,"  and  has 
promised,  "  that  when  two  or  three  gather 
together  in  his  name,  he  will  be  witli 
them." 

To  assemble  ourselves  with  our  fellow 
Christians  on  the  Lord's  Day  is,  therefore, 
the  boundon  duty  of  all ;  unless  they  mean 
to  relinquish  Christianity.  And  yet,  it  is 
deplorable  to  consider,  that,  perhaps,  three- 
fourths  of  the  people  of  America  totally 
desert  the  house  of  God.  We  justly 
lament  the  avowed  infidelity  of  any  peo- 
ple ;  but  what  shall  we  say  of  Americans, 
wiio  call  themselves  Christians,  and  yet 
never  profess  their  faith  by  public  acts  of 
ho-.iiage  to  their  God  and  Savior?  W^e 
know  what  excuses  are  made  both  by  rich 
and  i)oor ;  but  we  know  also,  that  these 
excuses  will  not  be  admitted  by  the  great 
Judge  of  quick  and  dead.  Some  willsay, 
"  We  need  not  go  to  church,  for  we  know 
as  much  as  the  minister  can  teach  us."  If 
so,  you  are  cither  very  wise,  or  he  is  very 
ignorant.  If  you  are  so  wise,  much  may 
be  expected  from  you ;  but  it  is  no  part  of 
your  wisdom,  to  neglect  one  of  the  main 
branches  of  yoin-  duty,  in  which  you  ouglit 
to  seek  the  glory  of  God,  the  welfare  of 
your  soul,  and  the  good  of  your  neighbor. 
Jesus  Christ  has  appointed  that  his  minis- 
ters should  preach  his  Gospel ;  and  if  it  is 


their  duty  to  preach,  it  is  certainly  the 
people's  duty  to  hear:  and  if  you  may 
choose  to  absent  yourself,  why  may  not 
another  !  why  may  not  all .'  What  then 
becomes  of  Christ's  ordinance ;  or,  where 
is  your  obedience  to  him  as  a  King  in 
Zion !  O  remember  what  he  has  said 
concerning  this  very  thing,  Luke  x.  16. 
"  He  tiiat  heareth  you,  heareth  me  ;  and 
he  that  dcspiseth  you,  despiseth  me."  Yes, 
sirs,  whatever  pretence  may  be  made,  the 
person  who  habitually  neglects  the  wor- 
ship of  God  in  public,  will  be  held  guilty 
of  despising  Christ. 

But  it  is  not  enough  merely  to  attend. 
We  should  go  witli  a  serious  mind,  desirous 
of  humbling  ourselves  before  God  for  our 
sins,  in  the  confession  of  the  church; 
earnestly  seeking  pardon  and  grace  in  the 
petitions  offered  up;  and  cheerfully  join- 
ing in  the  praises  and  thanksgivings.  Our 
attendance  at  a  place  of  worship  should 
not  be,  to  see  and  to  be  seen  ;  to  be 
observed  by  others,  and  to  make  our  ob- 
servations on  them ;  as  appears  often  to  be 
the  case  by  the  conversation  of  persons 
when  the  service  is  over.  Neither  should 
we  sit  as  critics  and  judges  of  the  minister, 
merely  to  praise  or  blame :  for  it  is  plain, 
that  many  either  know  nothing  at  all  of 
the  sermon  when  they  come  away,  or  only 
pronounce  it  a  good  or  bad  one.  Our 
business  is  to  seek  the  teaching  of  Christ 
by  his  Spirit  through  the  minister.  "  Speak, 
Lord,  for  thy  servant  heareth  !"  should  be 
the  language  of  every  soul. 

There  are  some  who  excuse  themselves 
from  public  worship  on  account  of  their 
mean  clothing.  But  is  a  man  so  poor  that 
he  cannot  g(?t  better !  still  let  him  wait 
upon  God.  "  Godliness  hath  the  promise  of 
tliis  life,  as  well  as  of  that  to  come."  Had 
the  poor  man  served  God  better,  perhaps 
he  had  not  been  so  poor ;  certainly  this  is 
true,  if  idleness  and  extravagance  occa- 
sioned his  poverty.  But  it  may  be,  it  is 
the!%and  of  God  which  has  brought  him  so 
low;  his  poverty  is  not  liis  fault,  but  his 
affliction.  Still  let  him  seek  and  serve  the 
Lord  ;  wait  upon  God,  who  knows  what 
things  tliou  hast  need  of,  and  knows  how 
to  supply  all  thy  wants.  Yea,  it  is  proba- 
ble that  some  of  thy  fellow-worshippers 
will  pity  tiiy  case,  and  assist  thee  in  getting 
employment  or  raiment.  And  as  to  tiio 
contempt  of  the  proud.  Tear  it  not.  Good 
men  will  pity  thee.  'J'liey  must  be  bad, 
indeed,  who  will  despise  thee ;  regard  them 
not. 

There  are  others  who  excuse  themselves 
from  public  worship  by  saying — "  We  do 
not  see  that  people  who  attend  arc  better 


142 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


tlian  others.  We  are  as  good  as  they." 
What  have  you  to  do  with  others'?  To 
their  own  master  they  stand  or  fall.  Per- 
haps they  would  do  worse,  if  they  did  not 
so ;  perhaps  you  would  do  better,  if  you 
did.  If  they  abuse  the  means  of  grace, 
will  that  e.xcuse  your  neglecting  them  ] 
But  your  business  is  with  yourselves. — 
Worship  God. 

But  the  worship  of  God  in  public  is  not 
the  whole  duty  of  tlie  Sabbath ;  reading 
the  Scriptures  at  home  is  equally  a  neces- 
sary part  of  it.  Indeed  they  ought  to  be 
read  daily ;  but  as  most  persons  have  more 
time  on  the  Lord's  day,  they  should  then 
be  particularly  studied.  Meditation,  or 
fixed,  affectionate  thinking  upon  the  things 
of  God,  with  examination  of  our  heart  and 
ways,  is  another  branch  of  duty.  Those 
who  have  families,  should  take  care  that 
they  all  improve  the  day,  both  in  public 
and  private.  The  neglect  of  this  is  the 
sad  cause  of  so  much  Sabbath-breaking. 
But  heads  of  families  may  tremble  to  think, 
that  they  partake  of  the  sins  of  children 
and  servants,  if  they  do  not  endeavor  to 
restrain  them.  Parents  should  catechise 
their  children  ;  and  inquire  what  they  re- 
member and  understand  of  the  sermons 
they  hear.  Above  all,  earnest  prayer  should 
be  offered  up,  and  with  the  whole  family ; 
and  that,  not  only  on  the  Sabbath  evening, 
but  on  tlie  morning  also ;  and  indeed  on 
the  morning  and  evenmg  of  every  day  in 
the  week. 

II.  Let  us  briefly  consider  the  reasons 
why  we  should  sanctify  the  Sabbath. 

The  authority  of  God  is  of  itself  a  suffi- 
cient reason. — God  commands  ;  let  man 
obey.  It  is  at  his  peril,  if  he  refuses.  Sure- 
ly we  owe  this  obedience  to  him  who  made 
us,  and  in  whom  "  we  live,  and  move,  and 
have  our  being."  We  are  indebted  to  him 
for  every  breath  we  draw;  and  is  it  too 
much  for  us,  in  return  for  all  his  kindness, 
to  separate  one  day  in  seven  to  his  blessed 
service,  that  we  may  know  him,  love  Mm, 
please  him,  and  glority  him  J  Surely  this 
is  "  our  reasonable  service." 

The  goodness  of  God  calls  us  to  it.  If 
God  had  not  appointed  a  Sabbath,  some 
cruel  masters  would  have  allowed  their 
servants  no  rest  from  their  toil ;  yea,  covet- 
ous men  would  perhaps  have  destroyed 
themselves  by  their  labor.  But,  by  the 
goodness  of  God  in  this  mercifiil  appoint- 
ment, the  wearied  body  of  the  laborer  is 
refreshed,  and  in  the  cheerflil  service  of 
his  God  his  mind  is  enlivened  ;  and  thus  is 
he  fitted  for  the  duties  of  another  week  : 
while  his  immortal  soul  is  prepared  by  di- 
vine grace  for  a  happier  world  hereafter. 


The  example  of  God  is  another  argu- 
ment. "  In  six  days  the  Lord  made  heaven 
and  earth,  and  rested  the  seventh  day." 
The  whole  work  of  creation  was  finished 
in  si.x  days ;  after  which  nothing  new 
was  made.  God  then  rested,  "  not  as  one 
weary,  but  as  one  well  pleased  with  the 
instance  of  his  own  goodness,  and  the  man- 
ifestations of  his  own  glory ;"  and  this  he 
did  as  an  example  to  man.  The  patriarchs 
rested  in  the  contemplation  of  God's  works 
of  creation.  The  Jews  rested  in  the  thank- 
ful remembrance  of  their  redemption  from 
Egypt.  And  Christian  believers  now  rest 
in  the  finished  work  of  Christ's  redeeming 
love. 

God's  blessing  this  day  is  another  rea- 
son why  we  should  keep  it  holy.  The  Sab- 
bath is  a  blessed  day,  for  God  hath  blessed 
it.  He  expects  us  to  bless  hun  on  it,  and 
we  may  expect  him  to  bless  us.  He  does 
bless  it.  From  the  beginning  of  the  world 
until  now,  his  people  have  found  it  good 
for  them  to  wait  upon  God.  His  service 
is  perfect  freedom.  His  ways  are  full  of 
pleasure.  "  This  is  the  day  which  the 
Lord  hath  made,  he  will  be  glad  and  re- 
joice therein." 

APPLICATION. 

How  awfully  is  the  day  of  God  profaned ! 
It  is  a  great  sin.  It  is  a  national  sin ;  for 
though  the  laws  of  the  United  States  re- 
quire us  to  obey  this  law  of  God,  yet  it  is 
despised  by  all  sorts  of  people.  The  great 
and  rich  set  the  example.  They  generally 
travel  on  the  Lord's  Day.  Others  of  them 
have  feasts,  and  some  music  and  card  par- 
ties; while  others  ride  abroad  to  show 
their  fine  horses  and  carriages.  Trades- 
men, casting  off"  all  regard  to  religion, 
form  parties  of  pleasure,  and  resort  to  the 
country  for  carnal  amusement.  Inferior 
persons  spend  the  day  in  idleness,  drink- 
ing, and  lewdness.  Thus,  all  sorts  of  peo- 
ple conspire  to  cast  contempt  on  the  au- 
thority of  God,  to  ruin  their  own  souls,  and 
bring  down  judgments  on  a  wicked  land. 
In  some  parts  of  this  country,  the  Sabbath 
seems  almost  forgotten  ;  and  though  the 
church-bell  rings,  and  the  shops  are  shut, 
yet  people  buy  and  sell,  drink  and  swear, 
proclaiming  to  all  men,  that  the  fear  of 
God  is  not  before  their  eyes.  Magistrates 
and  church-wardens  take  little  or  no  care 
to  prevent  these  evils,  and  so  become  par- 
takers of  other  men's  sin. 

But  stop,  and  consider,  what  wdl  be  the 
end  of  these  tilings  !  Will  not  God  requite 
if?  He  certainly  will.  Yea,  he  often 
shows  his  anger  now  against  Sabbath- 
breaking.     It  is  dreadful  to  consider  how 


SERMON  XXXII. 


143 


many  persons  are  drowned,  or  otherwise 
destroyed,  while  committing  this  sin. 
There  are  ten  times  more  accidents  of 
this  kind  on  tlie  Lord's  day  than  other 
days.  Sabbath-breaking  is  the  inlet  of  all 
other  evils,  and  the  certain  road  to  ruin. 
Habits  of  vice,  contracted  by  evil  company 
on  this  day,  are  often  their  own  punish- 
ment in  this  world.  The  drunkard  beg-gars 
his  family,  and  destroys  his  constitution ; 
and  the  thief  commonly  ends  his  days  at 
the  gallows.  How  many  dying  male- 
factors have  warned  others  to  avoid  this 
sin,  confessing  that  it  was  by  breaking  the 
Sabbath  they  were  brought  to  such  a 
dreadful  end  !  O,  sirs,  if  you  have  the  rea- 
son of  men,  if  you  have  any  fear  of  God,  if 
you  have  any  regard  for  your  family  or 
country,  if  you  have  any  love  to  your  pre- 
cious souls — "  Remember  the  Sabbath  day, 
to  keep  it  holy."  * 

And,  O,  be  thankful  for  this  privilege, 
you  who  enjoy  it.  Blessed  be  God,  the 
Sabbath  is  not  abolished  in  this  country,  as 
it  was  in  France.  May  God  ever  preserve 
to  us  the  blessing  of  a  Christian  Sabbath, 
and  enable  us  to  employ  it  diligently.  Let 
it  be  remembered  that  "  bodily  service 
profiteth  little  ;"  God  says,  "  My  son,  give 
me  thine  heart."  Let  him  be  worshipped 
in  spirit  and  in  truth.  Attendance  on  the 
means  of  grace  will  answer  little  purpose, 
unless  we  are  brought  by  the  influence  of 
his  Holy  Spirit,  to  know  and  feel  our  lost 
and  ruined  state  as  sinners,  and  are  led  to 
know  Christ  as  revealed  in  the  Gospel, 
and  to  believe  on  him  to  the  saving  of  our 
souls.  "  Faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and 
hearing  by  the  word  of  God."  Let  us, 
therefore,  "  take  heed  what  we  hear,"  that 
it  is  the  Gospel  of  the  free  grace  of  God, 
and  not  a  system  of  mere  morality  ;  which 
never  converted  a  soul  yet,  nor  ever  will : 
and  "  let  us  take  heed  how  we  hear,"  that 
it  be  seriously,  and  with  a  desire  '•  to  be 
taught  of  God."  Let  us  "  mix  faith  with 
the  work,  that  it  may  profit  our  souls."  Let 
us  lay  it  up  in  our  hearts,  and  practise  it 
in  our  lives.  Thus  shall  our  Sabbaths  on 
earth  prepare  our  souls  for  the  perfect 
knowledge,  love,  likeness,  and  enjoyment 
of  God  our  Savior,  in  the  realms  of  ever- 
lasting happiness  above.  To  which  may 
God,  of  his  infinite  mercy  in  Christ,  bring 
us  all !  Amen  and  Amen. 


PRAYER. — Titoir,  Lord,  art  good  and  doest 
good.  We  thank  thee  for  settinK  apart  a  day  of 
holy  rest,  and  for  connecting  a  blessing  with  tho 
observance  of  it.  May  every  returning  Sabbalh 
be  vvelcoino  to  us.  May  wo  always  be  glad 
when  they  say  unto  us,  Let  us  go  into  tho  house 
of  the  Lord.  May  we  ever  find,  that  a  day  in  thy 
courts  is  better  than  a  thousand. 


Thou,  O  God,  art  a  Spirit ;  help  us  in  all  our 
devotions,  to  worship  thee  in  spirit  and  in  truth- 
May  our  fellowship  be  with  the  Father,  and  with 
his  Son  Jesus  Christ. 

We  praise  thee.  Lord,  that  thou  hast  command- 
ed thy  servants  to  go  out  into  all  the  world  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature,  and  that, 
through  thy  good  providence,  the  Gospel  has 
been  preached  to  us.  We  delight  to  hear  that 
Jesus,  who  died  for  our  sins,  rose  again  for  our 
justification,  on  the  first  day  of  the  week.  We 
should  say  on  the  morning  of  every  Sabbath, 
This  is  the  day  which  the  Lord  hath  made;  we 
will  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  it.  Save  now,  we  be- 
seech thee,  O  Lord  !  O  Lord,  we  beseech  thee, 
send  now  prosperity:  may  it  please  thee  to  give 
to  all  thy  servants  increase  of  grace,  to  hear 
weekly  thy  word,  to  receive  it  vviih  pure  afi'ec. 
tion,  and  to  bring  forlli  the  fniils  of  the  Spirit. 

Have  compassion,  gracious  ]jv:d,  on  those  who 
are  saying  to  thee,  by  their  conduct,  if  not  in 
words.  Depart  from  us,  v^e  desire  not  the  know- 
ledge of  thy  ways,  llnve  compassion  on  those 
who  spend  the  hours  of  the  Sabbath  in  worldly 
business,  in  pleasure,  or  in  sin ;  who  neglect  thy 
worship,  and  will  not  hear  thy  Gospel.  May  they 
be  born  again,  and  become  new  creatures  in 
Christ  Jesus,  that  so,  thoy  also  being  taught  to 
call  the  Sabbath  a  delight,  may  remember  it  to 
keep  it  holy. 

And  O  that  it  may  be  our  happiness  at  last  to 
enter  the  rest  which  remaineth  for  the  people  of 
God,  and  to  spend  an  eternal  Sabbath  in  the 
kingdom  of  Heaven,  through  his  merits  who 
once  suffered  for  sin,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that 
he  might  bring  us  to  Ciod. 


SERMON  XXXII. 

THE  ONLY  FOUNDATION. 

1  Cor.  iii.  11.  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay, 
than  that  is  laid,  wliich  is  Jesus  Christ. 

A  FOUNDATION  is  that  part  of  a  building 
which  is  first  laid,  and  upon  which  all  tlie 
rest  stands  :  if  the  foundation  of  a  building' 
IS  bad,  or  gives  Avay,  the  wliole  edifice  is 
in  danger :  it  is  therefore  of  great  import- 
ance that  it  be  solid  and  durable.  Now, 
the  Scriptures  often  compare  spiritual 
things  with  natural  things ;  and  the  cliurch 
of  God  is  here  compared  to  a  house  or  tem- 
ple, "a  habitation  of  God  through  the 
Spirit,"  or  as  it  is  e.xpressed,  Ver.  9,  "  Ye 
are  God's  building."  Of  this  building, 
Jesus  Clirist  is  the  foundation.  The  whole 
church  of  God,  in  all  ages  and  in  all  places, 
rests  entirely  upon  him.  He  is,  to  every 
true  member  of  it,  what  a  fotmdation  is 
to  a  building ;  he  bears  the  whole  weight 
of  it. 

The  occasion  of  these  words  was  this. 
There  had  been  divisions  among  the  Cliris- 
tians  at  Corinth.  They  admired  one  preach- 
er and  despised  another.  One  party  was 
for  Paul,  another  for  Apollos.  St.  Paul 
reproves  them  for  it ;  and  shows  them  that 


144 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


all  their  ministers  were  but  like  workmen 
employed  in  the  same  build  ing-s.  Paul, 
who  taught  them  the  first  principles  of  re- 
ligion, laid  tlie  foundation.  Apollos,  and 
other  preachers  wlio  followed  liim,  built 
them  up,  or  took  further  pains  for  their  in- 
struction. But  as  to  the  foundation,  it  was 
already  laid  :  and  no  teacher,  taught  of 
God  and  sent  by  him,  would  direct  the 
people  to  any  other  way  of  salvation  than 
through  faith  in  Christ.  For,  saith  he, 
"  Other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  is 
laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ."  The  great 
truth  contained  in  these  words  is  often 
mentioned  hi  the  Scriptures.  When  St. 
Peter  was  brought  before  the  Jewish  rulers 
for  preaching  Christ,  he  told  them  boldly, 
that  "  He  was  the  stone  which  they  had 
set  at  naught,"  and  added — "Neither  is 
there  salvation  in  any  other :  for  there  is 
none  other  name  -under  heaven  given 
among  men  whereby  we  must  be  saved." 
In  like  manner  St.  Paul,  showing  that 
God  alone  must  have  the  glory  of  our  sal- 
vation, says,  that  "  Christ  Jesus  is  made 
to  us  Wisdom — and  Righteousness — and 
Sanctification — and  Redemption — that  is 
— "  Wisdom  to  enlighten  our  ignorant 
minds — Righteousness  to  justify  our  guilty 
persons — Sanctification  to  renew  our  de- 
praved natures — and  Redemption,  to  com- 
plete the  wliole,  in  the  resurrection  of  our 
bodies."  Or,  as  more  briefly  e.xpressed  in 
another  place,  Christ  is  all,  and  in  all. 

There  are  four  respects  in  which  Christ 
may  be  said  to  be  our  foundation. 

I.  He  is-  the  foundation  of  all  saving 
hnotoledge. 

II.  He  is  the  foundation  of  our  accept- 
ance with  God.  , 

III.  He  is  the  foundation  of  all  holy  obe- 
dience ;  and 

IV.  He  is  the  foundation  of  all  true 
happiness,  here  and  hereafter.* 

I.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  foundation  of  all 
saving  knowledge — I  mean  of  that  know- 
ledge which  is  necessary  to  salvation  ;  for 
it  is  eternal  life  truly  to  know  God  the 
Father  and  Cln-ist  the  Savior.  Christ 
came  to  save  us  from  our  ignorance,  as 
well  as  from  our  sins.  All  men,  as  born 
into  the  world,  are  in  a  state  of  complete 
darkness  and  blindness  as  to  the  things 
of  God.  Reason,  or  the  light  of  nature, 
as  it  is  called,  leads  no  man  to  Christ. 
The  wisest  heathens  were  "  vain  in  their 
imagination,  and  their  foolish   heart  was 


*  The  plan,  wilh  some  other  parts  of  this  ser- 
mon, are  borrowed  from  Two  Discourses,  on  the 
same  text,  preached  by  the  late  Rev.  W.  Ilo- 
maine,  before  the  University  of  Oxford. 


darkened."     Rom.  i.    Nor  is  this  the  case 
of  tlie  heathen  only;   the  natural  man, 
that  is,  every  man  by  nature,  "  roceivcth 
not  the  tilings  of  the  Spirit  of  God — they 
are   foolishness  to   him;    neither  can  he 
know  tliem,  for  they  are  spii-itually  dis- 
cerned." 1  Cor.  ii.  14.  And  what  is  worse, 
the  natural  man  hateth  the  light.     As  the 
thief  and  the  adulterer  dread  the  morning, 
so  every  sinner,  being  under  the  power  of 
the  prince  of  darkness,  "  hateth  the  light, 
neither  cometh  he  to  the  light,  lest  his 
evil  deeds  should  be  reproved."    John  iii. 
20.     He  shuns  the  light  of  God's  word, 
lest  he  should  see  himself,  and  be  filled 
with  shame  and  painful  conviction  by  the 
discovery   of  his  sin.     Now  it  was   one 
principal  end  of  Christ's  coming  from  hea- 
ven, to  be  the  light  of  the  world.     He 
preached  recovery  of  sight  to  the  blind. 
He  opened  the  bodily  eyes  of  some  who 
were  born  blind,  to  show  that  he  could 
also  open  the  eyes  of  the  mind.     He  is  to 
the  soul  of  every  believer,  what  the  sun  is 
to  our  bodily  eyes.     One  great  design  of 
the  Gospel  is  "  to  open  men's  eyes,  and  to 
turn  them  from  darkness  to  light."     Not 
that  the  world  alone  is  sufficient  for  this 
purpose,  unless  accompanied  by  the  power 
of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  "  He  only,  who  com- 
manded the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness, 
can  shine  into  our  minds,"  so  as  to  give  us 
the  true  light. 

Here  let  us  stop  a  moment,  and  inquire, 
what  do  we  know  of  this  ]  Is  it  so  that  all 
men  are  born  blind  ]  Have  we  been  sen- 
sible of  this "?  We  should  think  it  a  mis- 
erable thing  to  sit  for  several  days,  as  the 
Egyptians  once  did,  without  the  light  of 
the  sun.  But  our  state  by  nature  is  far 
worse.  It  is  a  good  thing  to  be  sensible 
that  this  is  tlie  case;  for,  saith  St.  Paul,  in 
the  18th  verse  of  this  chapter, — "  If  any 
man  among  you  seemeth  to  be  wise  in  this 
world,  let  him  become  a  fool  that  he  may 
be  wise;  that  is,  if  he  seems  to  have  a 
large  stock  of  worldly  wisdom,  let  him  re- 
nounce it  all  as  insufficient  to  lead  him 
into  Gospel  truth;  let  him  make  Christ, 
by  his  word  and  Spirit,  the  foundation  of 
all  his  wisdom,  and  then,  patiently  endure 
to  be  called  a  fool  by  the  world.  O,  let  us 
be  like  the  poor  bluid  man  to  whoin  Jesus 
said — "  What  wouldest  thou  that  I  should 
do  unto  thee  ^  Lord,  said  lie,  that  I  might 
receive  my  sight."  Happy  man  !  he  prayed 
not  in  vain.  "  Immediately  he  received 
his  sight,  and  followed  Jesus  in  the  way." 
Mark  x.  So  shall  it  be  with  us,  if,  like 
him,  we  cry,  "  Jesus,  have  mercy  on  us  !" 
With  this  desire  let  us  come  to  tlie  preach- 
ing of  the  Gospel :  aiid  whenever  we  open 


SERMON  XXXII. 


145 


our  Bibles,  let  us  pray,  "  Lord,  open  thou 
mine  eyes,  that  I  may  see  wonderful 
things  in  thy  law."    We  are  next  to  show, 

II.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  foundation  of  all 
acceptance  loith  God  the  Father. 

All  men  are  sinners.  This  is  generally 
confessed.  But  till  Christ  enlighten  the 
mind  of  a  sinner,  he  is  not  aftbcted  by  it. 
He  sees  not  the  sinfulness  of  sin.  lie 
sees  not  the  horrid  impurity  of  his  heart. 
He  is  not  alarmed  with  the  danger  of  his 
condition.  He  is  not  aware  that  the  holi- 
ness, justice,  and  truth  of  Cod  are  against 
him.  But  this  is  really  his  case.  The  law 
of  God  requires  perfect  love,  and  sinless 
obedience;  or  it  puts  tlie  oftender  under 
the  curse ;  for  it  is  written,  "  cursed  is 
every  one  who  continueth  not  in  all  things 
that  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to 
do  them."  You  must  continue  (without 
intermission)  in  all  things  (not  keeping 
jiine  commandments  and  breaking  the 
tenth,  and  not  keeping  them  all  outwardly 
and  breaking  them  in  thought)  not  only  to 
purpose  well,  but  to  do  them.  And  which 
of  us  has  kept  the  law  in  this  manner  1 
Who  can  say  that  he  never  offended,  in 
tliought,  word,  or  deed?  Certainly  every 
mouth  must  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world 
become  guilty  before  God,  who  searcheth 
all  hearts. 

Now  what  is  the  consequence  ?  "  The 
wages  of  sin  is  death."  God  has  passed 
the  decree,  "  the  .'-oul  that  sinneth,  it  shall 
die."  God  is  faitiiful  and  just  to  fulfil  his 
decree,  and  he  is  Almighty  to  execute  his 
sentence.  Wliat  then  can  be  done!  Is 
there  no  remedy  ?  ?,Iust  sinful  man  sink 
for  ever  under  the  divine  wrath?  Two 
things  must  be  done.  Full  satisfaction 
must  be  made  to  the  holiness  and  justice 
of  God  for  past  offences,  and  the  sinful 
nature  must  be  renewed  and  made  holy. 
But  can  man  do  these  !  As  soon  migh.t  lie 
create  a  new  world.  The  natural  man  has 
neither  will  nor  power  to  renew  and 
cleanse  his  nature.  Who  can  say,  I  have 
made  my  heart  clean;  I  am  pure  from  sin? 
No  man  can  say  it  truly.  It  is  God's  work. 
So  David  prayed,  "  Create  in  me  a  clean 
heart,  O  God,  and  renew  a  right  spirit 
within  me."  And  until  God  creates  a 
clean  heart,  how  can  any  thing  clean  pro- 
ceed out  of  it?  Wiio  can  bring  a  clean 
thing  out  of  an  unclean  1  Who,  in  an  im- 
pure nature,  can  do  a  pure  action  ?  Who, 
under  the  curse  of  the  law,  under  the  sen- 
tence of  condemnation,  can  perform  a 
meritorious  service  ?  It  is  impossible.  The 
Scripture  lias  declared  "  There  is  none 
righteous,  no  not  one ;"  and  that  "  by  the 
T 


being 


deeds  of  the  law  no  flesh  .shall  be  jus- 
tified." 

But  .what  is  impossible  to  man  is  possible 
to  God.  Blessed  be  his  name,  he  has,  in 
infinite  wisdom  and  love,  devised  a  way 
for  our  acceptance — a  way  honorable  to 
himself,  and  easy  for  us.  He  has  sent  his 
own  Son  into  our  world,  in  the  likeness  of 
sinful  flesh ;  and  by  making  him  sin  for 
us,  he  has  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh,  that 
we  may  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God 
in  him.  Jesus  Christ  was  God  and  man 
in  one  person.  By  the  divine  and  human 
natures  in  him,  whatever  he  did  and  suf- 
fered became  truly  divine  and  infinite. 
Our  nature  was  wholly  defiled  and  impure. 
Christ  came  in  a  nature  perfectly  pure  and 
spotless.  In  this  nature  he  obeyed  the 
whole  law;  he  continued  in  all  things 
written  in  the  law  to  do  them.  He  also 
humbled  himself  to  sufl^er  what  we  de- 
served to  suffer  for  our  disobedience.  "  He 
redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  by 
made  a  curse  for  us."     And  thus, 

as  by  one  man's  disobedience  many  were 
made  sinners,  even  so,  by  the  obedience 
of  one,  many  are  made  righteous."  Being 
made  perfect  through -obeying  and  sufl'er- 
ing,  he  became  the  author  of  eternal  sal- 
vation. He  is  now  able  to  save  sinners  to 
the  uttermost.  He  has  the  infinite  merit 
of  his  obedience  to  atone  for  their  disobe- 
dience. He  has  the  infinite  merit  of  his 
suflering  to  save  them  from  suffering.  He 
died  to  save  them  from  the  second  death. 
He  rose  again,  that  they  might  rise  to  a 
newness  of  life  here  in  grace,  and  to  life 
everlasting  in  glory.  And  he  now  ever 
lives  to  make  intercession,  and  to  act  as  a 
Mediator  between  God  and  man,  able  and 
willing  to  plead  the  merit  of  his  life  and 
death,  for  the  acceptance  of  every  smner 
who  comes  to  God  the  Father  tlirough 
him. 

Thus  is  Jesus  Christ  the  foundation  q? 
all  our  acceptance  with  God.  Thus  St. 
Paul  speaks,  Eph.  i.  6.  "To  the  praise 
of  the  glory  of  his  grace,  wherein  he  hatJi 
made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved." 
Christ  is  the  beloved  of  the  Father,  "  his 
dear  Son."  In  whom  he  is  well  pleased — 
•pleased  with  his  person — pleased  with  his 
atonement — it  was  a  sacrifice  of  a  swoet- 
smelling  savor.  And  for  iiis  sake,  he  is 
well  pleased  with  us,  if  we  believe  in 
him  ;  he  accepts  us,  in  him,  and  loves  us 
<as  his  dear  children.  Tliis  is  being  saved 
by  grace.  This  secures  all  the  glory  to 
God ;  and  his  free  grace,  which  is  praise- 
worthy and  glorious,  is  magnified  by  men 
and  angels. 

13 


146 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


In  tliis  way  only  have  sinners  been 
saved  from  the  bee'innmnf.  The  Lord  God 
clothed  Adam  and  Eve  with  the  skins  of 
those  beasts  they  slew  in  sacrifice,  and 
thus  they  were  accepted  through  faith  in 
the  righteousness  of  the  great  sacrifice, 
and  not  by  their  own  righteousness,  de- 
noted by  the  fig-leaves  with  which  tliey 
clothed  themselves.  It  was  faith  in  ihe 
promised  Lamb  of  God  that  rendered  Abel 
and  his  oft'erings  more  acceptable  *lian 
Cain  and  his  offering.  Thus  Abraham  v/as 
justified,  for  he  believed  God,  and  it  was 
imputed  to  him  for  righteousness.  This 
righteousness,  St.  Paul  says,  "  was  wit- 
nessed by  the  law  and  the  prophets — even 
the  righteousness  of  God,  which  is  by  faith 
of  Jesus  Christ  unto  all,  and  upon  all  them 
that  believe." 

And  now,  men  and  brethren,  let  it  be 
asked — Is  this  nur  foundation  1    Whatever 
we  look  to,  hope  in,  or  depend  upon,  for 
our   acceptance    with   God,    that   is    our 
foundation.     But  it  highly  concerns  us  to 
know  whether  it  be  this  true  and  solid 
foundation,  this  "  rock  of  ages,"  or  some 
other,   which  will  fail   us  in  the  day  of 
trial.     Whatever  our  foundation  be,  if  it 
be  not  Christ,  it  is  wrong;  for  our  text 
says — "  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay 
than  Christ."     Now,  is  any  man  building 
his  hopes  on  his  own  works  1  Is  he  saying, 
"  I  am  not  so  great  a  sinner  as  some  men 
are — I  do  no  harm — I  do  my  best  endeav- 
ors— I  have  a  good  heart — I  say  my  pray- 
ers— I  go  to  church — I  am  sorry  for  my 
sins — I  am  charitable  to  the  poor,  and  so 
on."     Suffer  me  to  ask — Is  this  Christ  ? 
All  this  is  building  on  self.     It  discovers  a 
total  ignorance  of  our  sinful  state  by  na- 
ture, and  a  total  ignorance  of  the  Gospel 
whici;  reveals  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 
Besides,  if  we  could  work  out  a  righteous- 
ness of  our  own,  then  there  was  no  occa- 
sion for  Jesus,  and  lie  died  in  vain.     O  let 
us  beware  of  stumbling  as  the  Jews  did, 
at  this  stumbling  stone,  Rom.  ix.  32,  for 
whoever  seeks  acceptance  by  the  works 
of  the  law,  stumbles  against  this  rock,  in- 
stead of  building  on  it.     And  so  St.  Peter 
speaks,  "Unto  you  who  believe,  he  is  pre- 
cious."— He  is  speaking  of  Christ  as  the 
precious  corner-stone  of  the  church ;  but, 
he  adds,  "  he  is  a  stone  of  stumbling,  and 
a  rock  of  offence  to  them  which  stumble 
at  the  word,  being  disobedient."  1  Pet.  ii. 
7,  8.     On  the  contrary,   he  makes  it  the 
true  character  of  all  believers,  that  they 
"  come  to  Christ,  the  living  stone,  and  arc 
built  upon  him,  a  spiritual  house."     And 
this  leads  us  in  the  next  place  to  show, 
that 


III.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  foundation  of  all 
holy  obedience. 

Many  persons  are  afraid  tliat  the  doc- 
trine of  faith  is  contrary  to  good  works ; 
and  some  have  said — "  If  we  are  not  to  be 
saved  by  good  works,  what  occasion  is 
there  for  them!"  We  answer,  "Good  works 
are  the  breath  of  faith."  A  living  man 
breathes,  and  a  true  faith  works.  St.  James 
speaks  of  pretended,  or  dead  faith,  and 
says,  "As  the  body  without  the  spirit  is 
dead,  so  faith  without  works  is  dead  also." 
Works  are  the  proper  fruit  and.  evidence 
of  faith,  and  that  which  doth  not  produce 
them  is  false.  But  the  right  faith,  that 
which  comes  to  Christ  as  the  foundation, 
and  builds  alone  on  him,  is  always  fruitful. 
And  so  far  is  it  from  being  true,  that  faith 
is  contrary  to  good  works,  that  we  affirm, 
tliere  can  be  no  good  works  without  faith. 
The  Scripture  saith,  "  Without  faith  it  is 
impossible  to  please  God,"  and  it  declares, 
tliat  "  Faith  worketh  by  love ;"  and  again, 
that  it  purifies  the  heart ;  and  again,  that 
it  overcomes  the  world ;  not  that  faith  does 
all  this  by  its  own  power,  but  as  it  unites 
us  to  Christ,  and  derives  virtue  from  him ; 
and  thus  he  is  the  foundation  of  all  holy 
obedience. 

Man,  in  his  natural  state,  cannot  per- 
form any  holy  obedience.     He  wants  both 
will  and  power,  until  his  person  be  accept- 
ed through  Jesus  Christ,  and  united  to  him 
by  true  and  lively  faith.     The  doctrine  of 
the  Episcopal  Church  on  this  point  is  very 
clear  and  full.  In  the  13th  article  she  says, 
that  "  Works  done  before  the  grace   of 
Christ,  and  the  inspiration  of  his  Spirit, 
are  not  pleasant  to  God ;  forasmuch  as  they 
spring  not  of  faith  in  Christ — yea,  rather 
for  that  they  are  not  done,  as  God  hath 
willed  and  commanded  them  to  be  done, 
we  doubt  not  but  they  have  the  nature  of 
sin."     What  then  becomes  of  the  merit 
of  works  ?  And  liow  absurd  is  it,  as  Bishop 
Beveridge  observes,  to  think  of  "  being  jus- 
tified by  good  works,  when  we  can  do  no 
good  works  till  we  are  first  justified !"  Our 
fallen  nature  is  wholly  sinful.     "In  our 
flesh  dwelleth  no  good  thing  ;"  and  till  we 
are  in  Christ,  and  so  made  new  creatures, 
no  good  thing  can  dwell  in  us.     "  He  that 
believeth  not  is  condemned  already."     He 
is  in  the  state  of  a  rebel  condemned  to  die, 
who  cannot  do  any  legal  action  till  the  at- 
tainder be  removed.     Besides,  the  domin- 
ion of  sin  in  a  natural  man  is  absolute  and 
universal.     Sin  reigns  in  his  mortal  body  ; 
he  obeys  it  in  the  lust  thereof;  he  willingly 
yields  his  members  as  instrunlents  of  un- 
righteousness, uncleanness,  and  iniquity. 
He  is  the  slave  of  the  devil,  led  captive 


SERMON  XXXII. 


147 


by  lain  at  his  will.  Satan  says  to  him,  Be 
drunk,  be  lewd,  be  profane,  and  the 
wretched  slave  submits,  even  though  his 
poor  body  suffers  for  it,  and  he  sees  death 
and  damnation  before  his  eyes.  This  also 
the  church  strongly  affirms  in  her  10th  ar- 
ticle. "The  condition  of  man  after  the 
fall  of  Adam  is  such,  that  he  cannot  turn 
and  prepare  himself  by  his  own  natural 
strength  and  good  works  to  faith  and  call- 
ing upon  God :  wherefore  we  have  no 
power  to  do  good  works,  pleasant  and  ac- 
ceptable to  God,  without  the  grace  of  God 
by  Christ  preventing  (going  before)  us, 
that  we  may  have  a  good  will,  and  work- 
ing with  us  when  we  have  that  good  will." 
This  is  the  doctrine  of  Scripture — "  It  is 
God  that  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and 
to  do,  of  his  good  pleasure."  Phil.  ii.  13. 

There  is  a  real,  spiritual,  though  myste- 
rious, union  between  Christ  and  believers, 
and  it  is  expressed  in  Scripture  by  various 
images.  For  instance,  Christ  is  the  head 
of  the  body ;  believers  are  the  members  of 
it.  Christ  is  the  vine ;  believers  are  the 
branches.  So  he  said  to  his  disciples,  John 
XV.  "  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches. 
As  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself 
except  it  abide  in  the  vine,  no  more  can  ye 
except  ye  abide  in  me.  He  that  abideth 
in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth 
forth  much  fruit ;  for  without  me,  (or  sepa- 
rate from  me)  ye  can  do  nothing."  It  is, 
therefore,  evident  that  Christ  must  be  the 
foundation  of  all  holy  obedience.  It  is  not 
enough  to  be  what  the  world  calls  a  vir- 
tuous man,  a  good  liver,  a  moral  person. 
Acceptable  obedience  is  that  which  is  per- 
formed by  a  man  in  Christ ;  one  who,  sen- 
sible of  his  sin  and  misery,  has  come  to 
'  him  by  faith  for  wisdom,  then  for  righteous- 
ness, and  now  for  strength.  Christ  dwells 
in  the  heart  of  such  a  man ;  and  whatever 
trial  he  has  to  bear,  whatever  duty  he  has 
to  perform,  wliatever  temptation  he  has  to 
resist,  he  comes  to  Christ  for  strength,  and 
"out  of  his  fullness  he  receives,  and  grace 
for  grace" — grace  in  the  believer,  answera- 
ble in  some  measure  to  the  grace  of  the 
Savior.  He  is  conformed  to  Christ  both 
in  his  death  and  resurrection ;  by  the  in- 
fluence of  the  one,  he  dies  to  sin ;  by  that 
of  the 'other,  he  lives  to  God. 

Bretiiren,  is  it  so  with  you  1  There  are 
many  who  seem  advocates  for  virtue  and 
morality,  and  some,  like  the  Pharisees, 
who  abound  in  works  of  devotion ;  while, 
like  them,  they  wash  only  the  outside  of 
the  cup  and  platter ;  forgetting  that  the 
heart  must  first  be  purified,  and  the  person 
accepted,  before  there  can  be  any  works 
performed  pleasing  and  acceptable  to  God. 


We  are  not  to  imagine  that  our  own  good 
desires  and  endeavors  will  recommend  us 
to  Go<l,  that  when  we  have  done  all  the 
good  we  can,  we  may  venture  to  hope  in 
his  mercy,  and  trust  Christ  as  a  make- 
weight to  fill  up  our  defects.  No;  ex- 
actly otherwise.  •  We  must  first  come  to 
God,  by  Christ,  as  miserable  sinners;  re- 
ceive from  him  the  pardon  of  our  sins  and 
acceptance  of  our  persons  :  and  then  seek 
the  sanctification  of  our  natures  by  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  In  the  last 
place, 

IV.  We  are  to  show  that  Cln-ist  is  the 
foundation  of  all  true  happiness,  here  and 
hereafter. 

Every  man  longs  to  be  happy :  but  few 
are  so.  The  reason  is,  men  seek  the  liv- 
ing among  the  dead.  It  is  not  in  the  power 
of  worldly  things  to  make  us  happy.  Sin 
has  written  Vanity  on  all  the  creatures, 
and  filled  the  world  with  sorrow.  Man, 
in  his  search  for  happiness,  has  turned  his 
back  on  God,  the  fountain  of  true  felicity; 
nor  can  he  ever  be  happy  till  he  returns  to 
God.  Tliis  can  only  be  by  Jesus  Christ. 
Happiness  must  commence  in  reconcilia- 
tion to  God.  It  was  once  well  said  by  a 
minister  who  happened  to  be  at  an  inn, 
where  he  heard  some  persons  full  of 'vain 
and  noisy  mirth — "  Gentlemen  (said  he)  if 
your  sins  are  forgiven,  you  do  well  to  be 
merry."  But  what  title  has  that  man  to 
happiness,  who  is  a  child  of  wrath,  and 
under  the  curse  of  the  broken  law?  But 
when  a  sinner  has  fled  for  refuge  to  Christ, 
he  is  entitled  to  strong  consolation.  He 
that  believeth  hath  everlasting  life.  Being 
justified  by  faith,  he  hath  peace^with  God. 
Be  of  good  cheer,  said  Christ  to  some, 
your  sins  are  forgiven  you.  And  it  is  the 
happiness  of  some  now  to  know  this  as- 
suredly. Having  the  Spirit  of  God  as  a 
spirit  of  conviction,  humiliation,  faith, 
prayer,  and  holiness,  tliey  have  thereby 
the  .teal  of  God,  the  witness  or  testimony 
of  God,  that  they  have  passed  from  death 
unto  life.  They  taste  that  the  Lord  is 
gracious.  They  find  solid  delight  in  his 
word  and  ways.  A  day  spent  in  his  courts 
is  better  than  a  thousand,  and  they  prefer 
an  hour  of  comnmnion  with  him  to  all  the 
years  they  spend  in  vanity  and  sin. 

This  is  the  earnest  of  Iieaven.  Tlieir 
happiness  now  is  in  having  Christ  with 
them.  Their  happiness  hereafter  shall 
consist  in  being  with  Christ,  to  behold  and 
share  his  glory.  An  iniioritance  is  re- 
served for  them,  whicli  is  incorruptible, 
undefiled,  and  fadetli  not  away.  Freed 
from  this  body  of  sin  and  death,  delivered 
from  tliis  present  evil  world,  thry  shall  be 


148 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


for  ever  employed  in  admiring,  adoring-, 
and  praising  the  riches  of  free,  sovereign^ 
and  distinguishing  grace.  At  present  we 
are  unable  to  form  a  just  idea'  of  heavenly 
glory,  but  this  we  know  as  to  true  happi- 
ness, whether  on  earth  or  in  heaven,  Jesus 
Christ  is  all  in  all. 

To  conclude.  We  have  now  seen  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  foundation  of  all  true 
wisdom — of  all  acceptance  with  God — of 
all  obedience,  and  of  all  real  happiness. 
And  is  he  so  to  us  1  Do  we  apply  to  him, 
that  we  may  become  wise  to  salvation? 
Do  we  seek  and  expect  pardon  and  accept- 
ance only  through  him !  Do  we  derive 
grace  and  strength  from  him  1  And  is  he 
the  source  of  our  happiness?  Important 
inquiries,  brethren,  worthy  your  serious 
attention  !  O,  you  that  build  for  eternity, 
examine  your  foundation,  for  if  it  be  not 
Christ,  it  will  fail.  The  house  will  fall, 
and  great  will  be  the  fall  of  it. 

But  some  have  believed  through  grace. 
Take  encouragement  from  what  God  him- 
self says,  in  commendation  of  this  founda- 
tion, Isa.  xxviii.  16.  "  Behold,  I  lay  in  Sion, 
for  a  foundation,  a  stone,  a  tried  stone ;  a 
precious  corner-stone ;  a  sure  foundation. 
He  that  believeth  shall  not  make  liaste." 
— A  stone.  Every  thing  else  is  sliding 
sand,  is  yielding  air,  is  a  breaking  bubble. 
A  tried  stone.  Tried  by  millions  of  de- 
praved and  ruined  creatures,  who  always 
found  liira  able  and  willing  to  save  to  the 
uttermost.  A  corner-stone,  uniting  Jews 
and  Gentiles,  and  all  believers,  in  one  har- 
monious bond  of  brotherly  love.  A  pre- 
cious stone.  More  precious  than  rubies ; 
the  pearl  of  great  price ;  and  the  desire 
of  all  nations.  A  sure  foundation.  Such 
as  no  pressure  can  shake ;  such  as  will 
never  fail  those  humble  penitents,  who  cast 
their  burden  on  the  Lord.  Whosoever  be- 
lieveth, though  pressed  with  adversities,  or 
surrounded  by  dangers,  shall  not  make 
haste.  He  shall  possess  his  soul  in  pa- 
tience. And  not  only  amidst  the  perilous 
changes  of  life,  but  even  in  the  day  of 
judgment,  he  shall  stand  with  boldness.  He 
shall  look  up,  to  the  grand  Arbitrator — 
look  round,  on  all  the  solemnity  of  iiis  ap- 
pearance— look  forivard,  to  the  unaltera- 
ble sentence — and  neither  feel  anxiety,  nor 
fear  damnation. 


PRAYER.— Thanks  be  unto  God  for  this 
stone,  this  tried  slone ;  this  precious  corner-stone, 
this  sure  foundation  ;  niay  God  help  us  to  build 
upon  it ! 

May  Jesus  Christ  be  the  foundation  of  our 
knowledge  in  spiritual  things.  Blessed  Lord, 
Ihou  art  saying  to  each  of  us,  as  thou  didst  to 
ihfi  blind  man  in  the  Gospel,  What  wouldst  thou 


that  I  should  do  unto  thee?  May  every  one 
who  has  been  hitherto  spiritually  blind,  reply, 
Lord  grant  that  I  may  receive  my  sight!  May 
God,  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness,  shine  into  their  hearts,  to  give  the  light 
of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ. 

May  Christ  be  the  foundation  of  our  accept- 
ance with  God  the  Father.  We  read  that  the 
wages  of  sin  is  death,  and  that  the  soul  that 
sinneth  shall  die.  We  have  sinned  and  deserve 
to  perish  ;  but  may  we  be  redeemed  from  the 
curse  of  the  law  through  him  who  was  made  a 
curse  for  us.  Thus  may  we  be  accepted  in  the 
Beloved,  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  thy  grace. 

May  Jesus  Christ  be  the  foundation  of  our  obe- 
dience. May  we  have  that  faith  which  worketh 
by  love,  which  puritieth  the  heart,  and  over- 
cometh  the  world  ;  that  being  redeemed  from  all 
iniquity,  we  may  be  zealous  of  good  works; 
Work  in  us,  O  God,  both  to  will  and  to  do  thy 
good  pleasure. 

And  in  Jesus  Christ  may  we  have  real  and 
lasting  felicity.  Say  unto  us,  O  Lord,  L  even  I, 
am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  iniquities,  and  will 
not  remember  thy  sins.  Be  of  good  cheer,  your 
sins  are  forgiven  you.  Through  the  merits  of  the 
Savior,  may  we,  after  death,  arrive  in  thy  pres- 
ence, where  is  fullness  of  joy  ;  and  at  thy  right 
hand,  where  there  are  pleasures  for  evermore. 


SERMON  XXXIII. 

THE  DOCTRINE  OF  THE  TRINITY. 

1  John  v.  7.  For  there  are  three  that  bear  record  in 
heaven  ;  the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  these  three  are  one. 

All  religion  supposes  the  worship  of  a 
God ;  and  therefore,  in  all  worsliip,  the 
first  thing  to  be  considered  is,  who  that 
God  is ;  or  what  sort  of  a  being  is  to  be 
worshipped.  The  Heathens  worshipped  a 
great  many  gods ;  as  many  as  thirty  thou- 
sand have  been  mentioned :  but  all  Chris- 
tians admit  that  there  is  but  One  only,  the 
living  and  true  God.  Now  all  the  know- 
ledge we  have  of  God  is  from  the  Scrip- 
tures. If  God  had  not  been  pleased  to 
give  us  the  Bible,  we  should  to  this  day 
have  been  worshipping  idols,  as  the  former 
inhabitants  of  this  country  did,  and  as 
many  millions  of  Pagans  now  do.  Reason, 
alone,  never  yet  led  any  person  to  the  right 
knowledge  of  God,  nor  ever  will.  Tlie 
learned  Greeks  and  wise  Romans  knew  nd 
more  of  God  than  the  savage  Indians.  The 
knowledge  of  God  which  Noah  and  his 
sons  had  was  gradually  lost  and  corrupted. 
But  God  made  himself  known  in  a  particu- 
lar manner  to  Abrahain,  and  to  his  posteri- 
ty the  Jews  :  among  whom  the  knowledge 
of  the  true  God  was  preserved  till  the 
time  of  Christ,  and  now,  by  his  Gospel, 
this  knowledge  is  given  to  us,  and  to  all 


SERMON  XXXIII. 


149 


who  receive  the  Scriptures  as  the  word  of 
God. 

Now,  the  same  Scriptures  which  assure 
us  there  is  butojie  God,  speak  of  him  under 
the  tlrree  names  of  Father,  .S'o;i,  and  Hohj 
Ghost ;  and  our  text  plainly  declares  that 
these  three  are  one.  This  doctrine  is 
generally  called  the  doctrine  of  tiie  Trin- 
ity, which  signifies  Tri-l'iiily,  or  three  m 
one.  This  doctrine  has  been  thought  by 
most  Christians  to  be  very  plainly  revealed 
in  the  word  of  God ;  nevertheless  tliere 
were  some  personsof  old,  and  there  are  some 
now,  who  dispute  or  deny  it ;  and  these  people 
arc  called  Arians,  or  Socinians  ;  and  some 
of  them  now  call  themselves  Unitarians. 
We  ought  to  be  much  on  our  guard  against 
those  who  would  rob  us  of  "  tiie  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  saints,"  and  of  which  this 
is  an  eminent  part.  For  you  will  please 
to  observe,  that  those  who  deny  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Trinity  seldom  stop  there; 
they  generally  deny  also  the  atonement  of  • 
Jesus  Christ  and  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  on  the  heart,  so  leave  us  very  little 
of  the  Gospel  to  believe.  Indeed,  many 
wlio  begin  their  apostasy  in  the  denial  of 
the  Trinity,  complete  it  in  becoming 
downright  Infidels  and  Atheists.  As  a 
right  notion  of  God  is  connected  with  all 
true  faith  and  holy  practice,  it  is  of  great 
consequence  for  us  to  be  well  established 
in  this  doctrine.  It  shall  therefore  be  our 
present  business  to  prove,  that 

In  the  Unity  of  the  Godhead  there  are 
three  divine  Persons. 

It  may  be  proper  to  remark,  that,  with 
respect  to  this  doctrine,  it  is  not  necessary 
that  we  sliould  be  able  fully  to  explain  it, 
or  show  how  the  three  divine  persons  sub- 
sist. This  is,  and  must  be,  a  mystery. 
There  are  many  people,  in  this  age  of  rea- 
son, as  they  call  it,  who  dislike  and  reject 
every  thing  mysterious ;  but  this  arises 
entirely  from  their  pride.  There  are  many 
mysteries  in  nature  ;  we  are  mysteries  to 
ourselves.  We  know  little  of  the  nature 
of  our  own  bodies,  and  still  less  of  our 
souls.  Is  it  any  wonder  then  that  we 
should  know  little  of  God,  or  that  the  di- 
vine nature  should  be  mysterious  to  us  ! 
Let  us  beware  of  pride,  especially  the 
pride  of  our  understindings.  This  pride 
ruined  the  angels  who  fell.  It  ruined  our 
first  parents ;  and  it  will  ruin  us  eternally, 
if  it  be  suffered  to  prevail.  As  we  s'.iould 
never  have  known  any  thing  of  God  but 
by  the  Bible,  let  us  be  content  to  take  the 
Bible  account  of  God,  which  is,  indeed,  his 
own  account  of  himself.  And  let  us  re- 
member what  our  Savior  said  to  his  disci- 
ples, when  he  discovered  the  workings  of 


pride  among  them,  Matt,  xviii.  3.  Having 
set  a  child  in  the  midst  of  them,  he  said, 
"  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  except  ye  be  con- 
verted and  become  as-  little  children,  ye 
shall  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven." A  little  child  is  obliged  to  take  upon 
trust  what  his  infant  capacity  cannot  yet 
comprehend ;  and  it  is  the  office  of  Chris- 
tian iaith  to  take  God  at  his  word. 

I  would  also  remark,  that  in  our  recep- 
tion of  this  Scripture  doctrine,  we  are  not 
bound  to  adopt  the  mode  of  expression 
used  or  enforced  by  any  particular  divines 
or  churches.  Some  good  men,  in  their  at- 
tempts to  explain  the  doctrine,  have  rather 
perplexed  it.  Some  good  men  have  said, 
that  "  the  Father  is  the  fountain  of  Deity," 
— that  "  he  communicated  his  whole  es- 
sence to  the  Son," — that  "  the  Son  is  en- 
tirely begotten  of  the  Father,"  and  that  he 
is  "  very  God  of  very  God."  As  these  ex- 
pressions are  only  private  interpretations 
of  a  Bible  truth,  we  are  at  liberty  to  admit 
or  reject  them,  as  they  appear  to  be  scrip- 
tural or  not. 

Now  let  us  proceed  to  a  brief  proof  of 
the  doctrine  advanced,  viz.  In  the  Unity 
of  the  Godhead  there  are  three  divine  per- 
sons. By  Godhead  we  mean  the  divine 
nature.  We  maintain  the  Unity  of  the 
Godhead  ;  that  there  is  but  one  God ;  yet 
we  assert,  as  our  text  does,  that  there  are 
three  in  the  Godhead,  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost,  and  that  these  three  are  one.* 
There  is  but  one  God.  It  is  impossible 
there  should  be  more.  Reason  itself  shows 
that  there  cannot  be  more  than  one  being, 
who  is  frst.  God  is  the  first  cause  of  all 
bemg,  and  we  cannot  conceive  of  two  or 
more  first  causes.  God  is  also  a  sclf-suffi- 
cie.it  being  ;  he  existed  alone  ;  he  can  do 
every  thing  of  himself;  he  needs  not  the 
help  of  other  beings.  "  Now,  if  there  were 
two  such  beings,  they  could  do  no  more 
than  one  could  do ;  if  tliey  could,  then  one 
could  not  be  self-svfiicient  and  all-suffi- 
cicnt ;  each  of  them  could  not  be  of  God, 
if  they  could  want  or  receive  any  help 
from  one  another.  There  cannot  therefore 
be  two  Gods  ;  for  if  one  is  all-svfficient, 
the  other  would  be  needless  and  useless." 
It  is  the  great  doctrine  of  Scripture,  that 
there  is  one  God,  Isa.  xlv.  5.  "  I  am  the 

*  P^haps  you  will  be  told  that  this  vei^e  is 
not  found  in  some  anfient  maiuiscriiUs  of  the 
New  Testament,  but  has  been  added  by  the 
Trinitarians.  But  we  are  assured  by  men  of  the 
lirst  learning  and  credibility,  that  it  i.s  found  in 
the  most  ancient  copies :  and  whoever  examines 
will  find  that  the  sense  of  the  chapter  is  not  com- 
plete without  it.  But  the  truth  of  the  doctrine 
does  not  depend  on  a  sense,  as  we  shall  plainly 
prove. 

13* 


150 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


Lord,  and  there  is  none  else;  .there  is  no 
God  beside  me."  Deut.  vi.  4.  "  Hear,  O 
Israel ;  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord." 
Mark  xii.  32.  "  There  is  one  God  ;  and 
there  is  none  other  but  he."  Jer.  xxiii.  24. 
"  Do  not  I  fill  heaven  and  earth  !  saith  the 
Lord."  1  Kings  viii.  39.  "  For  thou,  even 
thou  only,  knowest  the  hearts  of  all  the 
children  of  men."  This  is  the  God  alone 
who  ought  to  be  worshipped.  "  Thou  shalt 
worsliip  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only 
shalt  thou  serve." 

The  adversaries  of  this  doctrine  call 
themselves  Unitarians,  by  which  they 
mean  to  intimate  their  belief  of  only  one 
God,  and  insinuate  that  we,  who  believe 
the  Trinity,  admit  of  more  than  one  God. 
But  we  deny  tlie  charge.  We  maintain, 
as  strongly  as  they,  that  there  is  only  one 
God  ;  and  we  think  it  perfectly  consistent 
with  this  belief  to  acknowledge  three  Per- 
sons in  the  Godhead.  We  allow  that  the 
word  persons  is  not  found  in  Scripture, 
and  may  convey  an  idea  somewhat  too 
gross.  But  this  is  owing  to  the  poverty  of 
our  language,  which  does  not  furnish  us 
with  a  better  term.  And  we  think  it  jus- 
tifiable, because  personal  properties  and 
personal  acts  are  described  to  each  of  the 
divine  three.  But  we  contend  not  for  the 
word,  but  the  thing.  It  is  enough  for  us 
to  say,  with  the  text,  "  there  are  Three 
that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Father, 
the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost." 

That  there  is  a  plurality  in  the  Deity, 
is  evident  from  the  Old  Testament.  This, 
you  know,  was  written  in  Hebrew;  and, 
the  name  which  is  generally  translated  by 
the  English  word  God,  is  in  the  Hebrew 
plural,  and  signifies  more  than  one.  It  is 
Elohim,  which  is  in  the  plural  number,  as 
Gods  would  be  in  English  :  and  this  word 
is  often  joined  witli  the  Hebrew  word  Je- 
hovah, whicli  is  translated  Lord  ;  and 
whenever  you  find  the  word  Lord,  in  capi- 
tal letters,  thus  (Lord)  it  means  Jehovah, 
a  name  which  signifies  the  essence  of 
God,  "  He  who  was,  and  is,  and  is  to 
come."  Now  there  is  a  passage  in  Deut. 
vi.  4,  where  you  have  both  these  names, 
and  which  fully  proves  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity.  "  Hear,  O  Israel :  the  IjOrd  our 
God  is  one  Lord."  If  the  word  Lord  and 
the  word  God  signified  just  the  same,  the 
passage  would  be  nonsense ;  it  would  be 
only  saying,  the  Lord  is  Lord,  or  one  is 
one.  But  the  meaning  is,  Jehovah,  our 
Elohim,  our  covenant  God,  Father,  Son, 
and  Spirit,  is  one  Jehovah.  He  is  one  in 
Essence,  though  three  in  Person.  The 
Jews  are  unwilling  to  own  tiiat  this  is  the 
meaning  of  the  names  of  God  in  Hebrew, 


but  it  is  entirely  owing  to  their  hatred  to 
Jesus  Christ.  If  any  are  converted  to 
Christianity,  as  some  have  been,  they  own 
it  immediately.*  Thus  John  Xeres,  a  con- 
verted Jew,  about  seventy  years  ago,  when 
he  published  his  reasons  for  becoming  a 
Christian,  says,  "The  Christians  contess 
Jesus  to  be  God  ;  and  it  is  this  that  makes 
us  look  upon  the  Gospels  as  books  that 
overturn  the  very  principles  of  religion, 
the  truth  of  which  is  built  upon  this  arti- 
cle, the  Unity  of  God.  In  this  argument 
lies  the  strength  of  what  you  object  against 
in  the  Christian  religion."  Then  he  un- 
dertakes to  prove,  that  tlie  unity  of  God  is 
not  such  as  he  once  understood  it  to  be,  in 
unity  of  Person,  but  of  Essence,  under 
which  more  persons  than  one  are  compre- 
hended ;  and  the  first  proof  he  offers,  is 
that  of  the  name  of  Elohim.  "  Why  else," 
says  he,  "  is  that  frequent  mention  of  God 
by  means  of  the  plural  number ;  as  in  Gen. 
i.  1,  where  the  word  Elohim,  which  is 
rendered  God,  is  of  the  plural  number, 
though  annexed  to  a  verb  of  the  singular 
number  ]  which  demonstrates  that  there 
are  several  persons  partaking  of  the  same 
divine  nature  and  essence." 

This  plurality  is  restricted  to  a  Trinity 
of  persons,  namely,  three,  whose  names 
we  have  in  the  text.  And  here  observe, 
that  the  names.  Father,  Word  or  Son,  and 
Spirit,  are  not  intended  to  describe  the 
manner  in  which  the  three  divine  persons 
subsist,  but  the  manner  in  which  they  act : 
but  what  they  are  in  themselves  (that  is 
not  revealed)  not  what  they  are  to  ics,  ac- 
cording to  the  respecting  offices  which 
they  have  been  pleased  to  assume  in  the 
redemption  of  man.  And  therefore,  though 
one  of  the  names  of  office  may  seem  great- 
er than  the  rest ;  yet  this  does  not  denote 
that  the  person  who  bears  the  name  is 
greater  than  the  other.  The  name  of  the 
Father  may  seem  greater  than  that  of  the 
Son,  or  of  the  Spirit :  and  Christ  speaks 
of  the  Father  as  greater  than  he ;  and  the 
Spirit  as  well  as  the  Son  is  "  sent ;"  but 
as  these  are  names  of  office,  and  not  of  es- 
sence, they  only  describe  the  nature  of  the 
office  assumed,  which  may  be  greater  or 
less  ;  but  as  to  the  essence  there  is  no  dif- 
ference or  inequality  ;  but  as  it  is  express- 
ed in  the  Athanasian  Creed — "  In  this 
Trinity,  none  is  before  nor  after  another ; 
none  is  greater  or  less  than  another  ;  but 
the  whole  tliree  persons  are  co-eternal  to- 

*  See  an  excellent  treatise,  entitled  the  Catho- 
lic Doctrine  of  a  Trinity,  proved  by  above  an 
hundred  short  and  clear  Arguments  in  the  Words 
of  Scripture,  by  Mr.  Jones,  Rector  of  Pluckley, 
&o.  printed  for  Rivington. 


SERMON  XXXIII. 


151 


f  ether,  and  co-equal.  The  Godhead  of  the 
'ather,  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
is  all  one :  the  glory  equal,  the  majesty  co- 
eternal." 

Our  further  proof  of  the  Trinity  shall  he 
from  the  history  of  man's  creation — the 
application  of  the  name  of  the  Deity  to 
each  Divine  Person  distinctly — the  insti- 
tution of  baptism ;  and  the  apostolical 
blessing. 

In  the  history  of  man's  creation  we  find 
these  words,  Gen.  i.  20,  "  And  God  said. 
Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our 
likeness."  Surely  this  expression  denotes 
that  there  is  a  plurality  of  persons  in  the 
divine  nature,  or  why  should  it  be  used? 
Some  tell  us  it  is  only  an  accommodation 
to  the  mode  of  speaking  used  by  kings, 
who  in  their  public  acts  say  we  and  us. 
But  this  is  ridiculous ;  for  kings  had  no 
existence  before  the  creation  of  man.  Be- 
sides, kings  use  this  phrase  out  of  modesty, 
or  to  signify  the  concurrence  of  their  coun- 
cil ;  but  "  who  hath  known  the  mmd  of  the 
Ijord,  or  who  hath  been  his  counsellor  V 
Rom.  xi.  34.  In  like  manner  we  find  the 
Lord  God  saying,  after  man  had  fallen. 
Gen.  iii.  22,  ''  Behold,  the  man  is  become 
like  ONE  OF  us."  Some  think  this  was 
spoken  ironically,  in  allusion  to  Satan's 
promise,  when  he  tempted  our  first  parents 
to  eat  of  the  forbidden  tree.  "  Ye  shall  be 
as  God,"  &c.  Others  think  it  refers  to  the 
covenant,  in  which  one  of  the  divine  per- 
sons had  engaged  to  become  man,  in  order 
to  redeem  man.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the 
expression  plainly  proves  a  plurality,  such 
as  is  more  plainly  expressed,  John  i.  1, 
"  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,"  (the 
very  name  used  for  Christ  in  the  text) 
"  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the 
Word  was  God."     But  again. 

The  name  of  God  is  applied  to  each  of 
the  divine  persons  distinctly.  That  the 
Father  is  called  God  need  not  be  proved. 
Jesus  Christ  is  also  called  God  in  many 
places  of  Scripture.  Thomas  said  to  him, 
John  XX.  28,  "  My  Lord,  and  my  God." 
St.  Paul  says,  Rum.  ix.  5,  "He  is  God 
over  all,  blessed  for  ever."  St.  John  says, 
1  John  v.  20,  "  Jesus  Christ  is  the  True 
God,  and  eternal  life.  The  Psalmist  says, 
that  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness  "  tempt- 
ed and  provoked  the  most  high  God  ;" 
and  St.  Paul,  speaking  of  the  same  thing, 
says,  "  they  tempted  Christ ;"  consequent- 
ly he  is  "the  most  high  God."  Psalm 
Ixxviii.  56,  and  1  Cor.  x.  9.  Isaiah  had  a 
vision,  concerning  which  he  says,  "  Mine 
eyes  have  seen  the  King,  the  Lord  of 
Hosts."  Isaiah  vi.  6.     St.  John,  speaking 


of  that  vision,  says,  "these  things  said 
Esaias,  when  he  saw  his  (Christ's)  glory, 
and  spake  of  him."  John  xii.  41 ;  from 
whence  it  follows,  that  Jesus  is  tlie  Lord 
OF  Hosts.  And  let  it  be  carefully  observ- 
ed, tliat  the  name  Lord,  or  Jehovah, 
which  signifies  the  essence  of  God,  is 
never,  upon  any  occasion,  given  to  a  crea- 
ture. Yet  this  name  is  given  to  Jesus 
Christ,  as  in  the  text  last  mentioned,  and 
also  in  the  following,  Jer.  xxiii.  6.  "  This 
is  the  name  whereby  he  shall  be  called, 
the  Lord  (that  is  Jehovah)  our  righteous- 
ness." Now,  who  is  the  righteousness  of 
believers'!  Every  Christian*  knows,  that 
"  Christ  is  made  unto  us — righteousness." 
And  in  Isaiah  xliii.  "  I,  even  I,  am  the 
Lord,  and  besides  me  there  is  no  Savior." 
But  we  know  who  alone  is  the  Savior  of 
the  world,  even  "  our  Lord  and  Savior  Je- 
sus Christ."  But  unless  he  were  God  as 
well  as  man,  he  could  be  no  Savior ;  for 
Jehovah  says  there  is  no  Savior  besides 
himself.*  Passing  by  many  more  texts  for 
want  of  room,  we  shall  mention  but  one 
more  in  proof  of  our  Lord's  divinity.  Our 
Savior  has  graciously  promised  his  pres- 
ence with  all  his  people  whenever  they 
assemble  together.  See  Matt,  xviii.  20. 
"  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  to- 
gether in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the 
midst  of  them."  Now  how  is  it  possible 
for  Christ  to  be  present  in  all  the  thou- 
sands of  places  where  Christians  are  as- 
sembled, unless  he  be  the  true  God  ? 

In  like  manner  might  we  show  that  the 
peculiar  names  of  the  Deity  are  given  to 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  that,  therefore,  he 
also  is  a  Person,  and  a  divine  person.  One, 
out  of  many,  may  be  sufficient.  St.  Peter, 
reproving  Ananias  for  the  lie  he  had  told 
respecting  his  substance,  saith.  Acts  v.  3, 
"  Why  hath  Satan  filled  tliine  heart  to  lie 
unto  (he  Holy  Ghost  !"  and,  in  the  next 
verse,  he  adds,  "  Tliou  hast  not  lied  unto 
men,  but  unto  God."  This  is  a  most  plain 
and  undeniable  proof  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
God.f 

The  ordinance  of  Christian  baptis7n  af- 

*  If  the  reader  wishes  to  see  more  proofs  of 
this  kind,  let  him  consult  the  following  places: 
Is.  viii.  13,  14.  with  1  Peter  ii.  7,  8.  Is.  xlv.  6.  with 
Rev.  xxii.  13.  Luke  i.  76.  wilh  Malt.  xi.  10.  2  Cor. 
V.  19.  John  xiv.  II.  Is.  ix.  0.  Rev.  i-  8.  1  Kings 
viii.  39.  with  Rev.  ii.  23.  And  as  to  those  places 
in  which  Christ  saith,  The  Father  is  greater  than 
I,  &c.  they  are  understood  as  his  human  nature 
and  oflice.or,  as  the  creed  expresses  ii,  "inferior 
to  the  Father  as  touching  hia  manhood." 

t  Other  proofs  may  be  found  in  Acts  xiii.  2.  4. 
2  Tim.  iii.  16.  compared  with  2  Pet.  i.  21.  1  Cor. 
iii.  16.  with  1  Cor.  vi.  19.  1  Cor.  ii.  11.  41.  Psalm 
cxxxix.  7 


152 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


fords  another  proof  of  the  Trinity.    In  t!ie 
baptism  of  our  Lord  liimself,  a  voice  fi-om 
heaven  said — "This  is  my  beloved  Son ;" 
also,    "The  Holy  Spirit  descended  visi- 
bly," in  the  manner  and  form  of  a  dove, 
"  lighting  upon  him."  Matt.  iii.  16.    Here 
was  the  Trinity.     The  Father  testifieth 
to  the  Son,  and  the  Spirit  descendeth  upon 
him.      Hence,    the    primitive   Christians 
used  the  saying,  to  any  who  doubted  the 
truth  of  this  doctrine,  "  Go  to  Jordan,  and 
you  will  see  the  Trinity."     Plainer  still  is 
this  truth  from  the  form  of  words  appoint- 
ed to  be  used  in  Christian  baptism — Bap- 
tize them  in  the  name  of  the  Faiwer,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  This 
is  an  ordinance  of  initiation  ;  it  stands  as 
it  were  at  the  threshold  of  Christianity ; 
so  that  in  taking  upon  us  this  distinguish- 
ing badge  of  the  Christian  profession,  we 
avow  this  great  doctrine.    We  are  baptized 
into  the  name  of  each  divine  Person,  that 
is,  by  the  authority  of  each,  and  into  the 
faith,    worship,   and  profession  of  each 
equally  and  alike,  as  the  One  God  of  the 
Christian  religion.   Hereby  we  profess  the 
Trinity,  that  is,  one  God  in  three  Persons, 
in  opposition  to  all  false  gods  and  false 
worship,  and  thereby  dedicate  ourselves  to 
them,  according  to  their  personal  relations; 
to  the  Father,  as  our  Creator,  and  as  recon- 
ciled in  Christ ;  to  Christ  as  our  Redeemer, 
to  deliver  us  from  the  guilt  and  power  of 
sin ;  and  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  teach,  com- 
fort, and  sanctify  us.     This  is  a  kind  of 
proof  of  the  doctrine  suited  to  the  weak- 
est capacity.     Each  of  the  sacred  Three 
is    mentioned    distinctly,    and   by   name, 
which  certainly  implies  a  distinction  of 
persons;  yet  they  are  all  united  in  the 
same  ordinance  of  baptism,  which  shows 
their  equality  and  unity.     So  that  all  who 
would  renounce  that  sacred  ordinance,  may 
see  in  it  a  full,  clear,  and  satisfactory  proof 
of  the  Trinity. 

Much  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  Apos- 
tolical benediction,  2  Cor.  xiii.  14.  "  The 
grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
love  of  God,  and  the  communion  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  be  with  you  all,  Amen."  In 
these  words  St.  Paul  prayed  for  the  Co- 
rinthians, and  in  tlie  same  words  almost 
all  Christian  ministers  pray  for  their  peo- 
ple at  the  close  of  every  public  service.  It 
is  a  kind  of  prayer  to  eacli  divine  person 
singly,  expressing  a  desire  that  the  people 
may  partake  of  the  grace  of  Christ,  who 
is  "  full  of  grace,"  through  whose  media- 
tion we  are  reconciled  to  God — that  they 
may  also  enjoy  the  love  of  God,  namely, 
of  God  the  Father,  which  is  the  source  of 


our  vviiole  salvation,  manifested  in  the  gift 
of  his  Son,  his  Spirit,  and  his  Word — and, 
finally,  that  they  may  partake  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  as  all  real  Christians  do  in  his  ap- 
plication to  their  souls  of  all  the  blessings 
of  salvation,  proceeding  from  the  Fatlier, 
and  flowing  to  us  through  the  Son.  And 
thus  are  we  continually  reminded  of  this 
great  truth,  and  led  also  to  make  a  prac- 
tical use  of  it,  in  seeking  from  each  of  the 
divuie  persons  the  peculiar  blessings  that 
each,  in  the  economy  of  the  covenant,  has 
undertaken  to  bestow. 

APPLICATION. 
From  what  has  been  said,  however 
briefly,  it  is  sufficiently  evident,  that  the 
Doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  a  scriptural 
doctrine ;  and  as  such  we  are  bound  to  re- 
ceive it,  unless  we  renounce  our  Bibles. 
It  is  true,  that  it  is  a  sublime  and  myste- 
rious doctrine ;  yet  there  is  nothing  at  all 
in  it  contrary  to  reason.  Some  men  make 
a  great  outcry  agamst  it.  They  tell  us  it 
is  absolutely  impossible  that  there  should 
be  but  one,  and  tliat  the  Trinitarians  must 
believe  there  are  three  Gods.  In  answer 
to  this  we  say,  we  do  not  affirm  that  the 
three  are  one,  in  the  same  sense  that  there 
are  three.  They  are  three  in  one  respect, 
one  in  another.  We  say  they  are  three  in 
person  ;  one  in  essence.  We  affirm  that 
the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  are  not 
three  Gods,  but  one  God.  We  have  abun- 
dantly proved  from  Scripture,  that  there 
are  Three  to  whom  divine  names  are 
given,  divine  attributes  ascribed,  and  di- 
vine offices  assigned ;  and  we  affirm,  with 
our  text,  and  according  to  the  whole  tenor 
of  Scripture,  and  the  voice  of  reason  too, 
that  there  are  three  in  one.  And  what  is 
there  in  all  this  absurd  or  contradictory  ! — 
Were  we  to  affirm  that  they  are  one,  in 
the  same  respect  as  they  are  three,  it 
would,  no  doubt,  be  a  contradiction  in 
terms ;  we  say  not  that  three  persons  are 
one  person,  or  three  Gods  are  one  God ; 
but  we  say  that  the  tliree  persons  are  one 
God.  This  is  revealed,  therefore  we  be- 
lieve it ;  and  though  we  cannot  fully  com- 
prehend it,  we  think  it  becomes  such  weak 
and  fallible  creatures  as  ourselves,  humbly 
to  receive  it,  with  other  truths,  as  the  word 
of  God,  and  not  of  man. 

But  it  is  by  no  means  enough  merely  to 
assent  to  the  doctrine;  we  ought  to  make 
a  practical  use  of  it.  It  is  far  from  being 
a  matter  of  speculation  ;  it  is  a  branch  of 
our  "  most  holy  faith."  We  should  be  con- 
cerned not  to  hold  this,  or  any  other  truth, 
in  unrighteousness :  and  no  doctrine,  how- 


SERMON  XXXIV. 


153 


ever  trufe  and  Important,  will  avail  us, 
without  an  experience  of  its  siinctifying 
power  on  our  hearts. 

Let  us  be  concerned  then,  as  perishing 
smners,  to  apply  to  each  of  the  divine  per- 
sons ;  to  tlie  Father,  for  tlie  pardon  of  our 
sins,  through  his  infinite  love  and  free  mer- 
cy ;  to  th*e  Son,  tor  an  interest  in  his  blood, 
righteousness,  and  intercession ;  and  to  tlie 
Holy  Spirit,  for  his  illummaling,  sanctify- 
ing, quickening,  and  influencing  comforts. 

Let  us  a^ore  and  praise  the  eternal 
Three ;  the  Father,  tor  his  electing  love, 
and  the  unspeakable  gift  of  that  love,  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  his  only  begotten  Son. 
Let  us  adore  and  praise  the  dear  Redeemer, 
ascribing  blessing,  and  honor,  and  glory, 
and  praise  to  him  that  loved  us,  and  wash- 
ed us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood.  Let 
us  adore  and  praise  the  Holy  Spirit  for  his 
gracious  influences,  accompanying  the 
word  of  truth,  whereby  we  knew  our- 
selves, and  felt  the  power  of  the  Gospel  to 
our  salvation.  Thus  shall  we  resemble 
the  blessed  angels,  who  are  incessantly 
praising  the  glorious  Trinity,  and  crying, 
"  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God  Almighty, 
which, was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come." 

We  shall  close  the  whole  with  that  ex- 
cellent Collect  used  by  the  Episcopal 
Church  on  Trinity  Sunday. 

.  "  Almighty  and  everlasting  God,  who 
liast  given  unto  us,  thy  servants,  grace,  by 
the  confession  of  a  true  faith,  to  acknow- 
ledge the  glory  of  the  eternal  Trinity,  and 
in  tiie  power  of  the  divine  Majesty  to  wor- 
ship the  Unity;  we  beseech  thee  that  thou 
wouldest  keep  us  stedfast  in  this  faith,  and 
evermore  defend  us  from  all  adversities, 
who  livest  and  reignest  One  God,  world 
witliout  end.    Amen." 


PRAYER.— We  praise  ihee,  O  God,  we  ac- 
knowledge thee  to  be  the  Lord.  The  gods  of  the 
heathens  are  vanity  and  a  He.  Thou  art  llie  only 
living  and  true  God.  Jehovah  our  God  is  one 
Jehovah.  We  will  worship  the  Lord  our  God, 
and  him  only  will  we  serve. 

We  desire,  O  God,  to  receive  with  humble 
faith,  all  that  tliy  holy  word  reveals  concerning 
thine  incomprehensible  nature.  Truly,  O  Lord, 
thou  art  highly  exalted  above  all  blessings  and 
praise,  and  above  all  the  thoughts  of  finite  crea-. 
tures.  Who,  by  searching,  can  find  out  God  ? 
who  can  find  out  the  Almighty  to  perft'Clion  ? 
Such  kiK)wlcdge  is  too  wonderful  for  us ;  it  is 
high,  we  cannot  attain  unto  it.  We  adore  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Ihily  Spirit,  the  one 
(Jod  of  our  salvation.  (Jlory  be  inito  the  Father, 
and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost! 

And  while  we  worship  the  Triune  Jehovah, 
we  pray  to  partake  of  those  spiritual  and  eternal 
blessings  which  i)rocre(l  from  a  covenaiit-God. 
O  may  the  grace  of  the  Lord  J(\<<us  Christ,  and 
the  love  of  God,  and  the  fellowship  of  the  Holy 
Gho8t,  be  Willi  us  all!    Amen. 

u 


SERMON  XXXIV. 

THE  POWER  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

Romans  i.  16. — I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  Gospel  of 
Christ:  for  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation 
to  every  one  that  believeth. 

If  we  wisely  consider  the  signs  of  the 
times,  we  are  constrained  to  say,  "  this  is  a 
day  of  rebuke  and  blasphemy."  Knowledge 
increases ;  arts  and  sciences  flourish ;  com- 
merce is  extended  ;  almost  every  thing  is 
in  a  state  of  improvement — but  what  shall 
we  say  of  religion!  Alas,  how  many 
among  us  content  themselves  with  the 
mere  name  and  the  shadow  of  it,  while 
they  deny  its  power  !  How  many  otiiers, 
still  more  careless,  neglect  even  the  Ibrm 
of  godliness :  while  others,  grown  bolder 
in  sin,  are  weary  of  the  Gospel  itself;  dis- 
pute its  truth;  revile  its  power;  and  are 
seated  in  the  chair  of  the  scorner :  in  a 
word,  are  "  ashamed  of  the  Gospel  of 
Christ." 

Not  so  that  great  and  good  man,  whose 
words  we  have  read.  He  was  a  bold  and 
successful  minister  of  the  Gospel.  He 
had  preached  it  in  many  countries,  but 
hitherto  had  no  opportunity  of  preaching 
it  at  Rome ;  but  hearing  that  there  were 
Christians  even  there,  he  .sends  them  this 
letter,  expresses  his  love  to  their  souls,  and 
his  earnest  desire  to  come  and  preach 
Christ's  Gospel  there.  It  was  a  great  and 
populous  city,  one  of  the  greatest  in  the 
world,  and  he  well  knew  he  should  meet 
with  much  opposition,  and  perhaps  be  in 
danger  of  his  life  ;  yet  he  says,  "  I  am  not 
ashamed  of  tlie  Gospel  of  Christ,"  adding 
this  good  reason  for  his  boldness,  "  for  it  is 
the  power  of  God  to  salvation,"  to  every 
believer,  whether  Jew  or  Gentile — Now, 
that  it  may,  by  tiie  blessing  of  God,  be  so 
to  us,  let  us, 

I.  Take  a  general  view  of  the  nature 
of  the  Gospel. 

II.  Consider  the  important  design  and 
use  of  it — it  is  "  the  power  of  God  to  sal- 
vation ;"  and  then, 

III.  Show  tliat  there  is  no  reason  wliy 
we  should  be  ashamed  of  it,  but  ratiicr  that 
we  ought  to  irfori/  in  it. 

I.  Let  us  take  a  general  view  of  the  na- 
ture of  the  Gospel.  Wliat  is  the  Gospel  1 
what  do  we  mean  by  it  ?  It  may  be  feared 
that  many  who  are  called  Christians  would 
be  at  a  loss  for  an  auh-wor  to  (his  (piestion. 
Now  there  are  several  points  of  view  in 
which  we  may  behold  the  Gospel.  It  cer- 
tainly contains  a  history  of  the  most  re- 
markable and  important  events,  especially 


154 


VILLAGE  SElliMONS. 


the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God,  his 
holy  and  spotless  life,  his  amazing  mira- 
cles, his  excellent  sermons,  his  bloody  pas- 
sion and  cruel  death,  his  resurrection  from 
the  grave,  and  his  ascension  to  glory.  The 
Gospel  also  contains  the  purest  and  best 
system  of  morals  that  was  ever  offered  to 
the  world ;  and  would  to  God  they  were 
but  practised.  The  Gospel  likewise  dis- 
plays the  infinite  perfections  of  God,  his 
holiness, .justice,  and  love  especially;  for 
"  he  who  was  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father 
hath  declared  him."  The  Gospel  demands 
our  attention  also,  as  it  affords  a  wonderful 
discovery  of  a  future  state,  an  eternal  hea- 
ven and  hell,  in  one  of  v/hich  eacli  of  us 
must  soon  be  fixed  tor  ever.  In  all  these 
respects  the  Gospel  discovers  and  requires 
our  serious  and  cordial  regard. 

But  all  this  falls  infinitely  short  of  the 
true  nature  of  the  Gospel.  The  word 
Gospel,  in  the  original,  signifies,  Good 
neiDS,  or  Glad  tidings,  as  it  is  written  in 
the  prophet,  Isa.  lii.  7,  and  quoted  by  St. 
Paul,  Rom.  x.  15.  "  How  beautiful  are 
the  feet  of  them  that  preach  the  Gospel  of 
peace,  and  bring  glad  tidings  of  good 
things!"  Observe,  glad  tidings  of  good 
things.  This  is  a  just  description  of  the 
Gospel ;  never  were  there  things  so  good 
as  those  contained  in  the  Gospel;  never 
were  there  tidings  so  glad,  as  those  re- 
ported by  the  Gospel.  You  are  to  consider 
the  Gospel  as  a  message  of  mercy  from 
God  to  sinners — as  a  declaration  -of  his 
good-will  to  lost  and  ruined  man.  Take  it 
in  Christ's  own  words — "  God  so  loved  the 
world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son, 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  Or,  take 
it  m  the  words  of  St.  Paul,  "  this  is  a  faith- 
ful saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation, 
that  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to 
save  sinners."  Now  you  will  observe  in 
these  texts,  the  condition  of  those  to  whom 
these  glad  tidings  are  sent,  a  world  of  men 
ready  to  perish,  and  who  must  have  perish- 
ed, if  God  had  not  sent  his  Son  to  save 
them.  They  are  sinners  whom  Christ 
came  to  save.  My  friends,  we  can  never 
rightly  underfe;tand  one  word  of  the  Gos- 
pel, unless  we  know  and  feel  our  miserable 
and  perishing  estate  as  sinners.  In  Adam 
we  all  fell.  From  him  we  derive  a  sinful 
nature.  Our  minds  are  total  darkness,  as 
to  God,  and  the  things  which  belong  to  our 
peace.  Our  hearts  are  disaffected  to  God  : 
we  shun  him  ;  we  fly  from  him,  as  Adam 
did  when  he  had  sinned.  And,  as  to  our 
lives,  they  are  lives  of  rebellion  against 
liim.  Our  carnal  minds  are  "  enmity 
against  God,  they  are  not  subject  to  the 


law  of  God,  neither  can  they  be,"  till  re- 
newed by  grace.  And  being  breakers  of 
the  holy  law,  we  are  under  the  curse  and 
penalty  of  it;  obnoxious  to  the  divine 
wrath,  and  liable,  every  minute,  to  deatli 
and  damnation. 

Now,  do  we  know  this ;  do  we  believe 
this;  do  we  feel  and  lament  thut  this  is 
our  case ;  and  does  this  lead  us  to  cry  out, 
in  good  earnest,  "  Men  and  brethren,  what 
must  we  do  to  he  saved  ?"  If  so,  we  are 
prepared  to  receive  the  good  news  of  the 
Gospel.  To  such  persons,  especially,  is 
the  word  of  this  salvation  sent.  It  informs 
them  that  God,  in  his  infinite  mercy  to  sm- 
ful  man,  has  sent  his  only  begotten  Son  to 
take  our  nature ;  and  in  this  nature,  and 
as  our  surety,  to  obey  the  laws  which  we 
had  broken ;  to  make  an  atonement,  or 
satisfaction  for  sin,  by  his  death,  and  so  re- 
concile us  to  God.  And  also,  that  he  will 
give  his  Holy  Spirit  to  his  people,  by  whose 
influences  accompanying  the  Gospel,  their 
minds  shall  be  enlightened  in  the  know- 
ledge of  the  truth  ;  they  shall  be  enabled 
to  believe  in  Jesus ;  to  repent  of  their  sins 
after  a  godly  sort;  and  to  become  new 
creatures,  so  as  to  love,  obey,  and  enjoy 
him  here,  and  at  length  to  be  made  per- 
fectly happy  in  heaven  for  ever. 

And  is  not  this  good  news!  So  the 
first  Christians  thought.  When  Philip 
went  down  to  Samaria,  and  "  preached 
Christ"  there,  we  are  told  "  there  was 
great  joy  in  that  city."  When  the  Gala- 
tians  first  heard  a  Gospel  preacher,  they 
received  him  "  as  an  angel  of  God,  even 
as  Jesus  Christ ;  and  had  it  been  possible, 
they  would  have  plucked  out  their  eyes, 
and  have  given  them  to  him ;"  such  was 
the  blessedness  they  then  enjoyed.  And 
when  the  poor  heathen  jailer  of  Philippi 
was  brought  to  the  saving  knowledge  of 
Christ,  he  "  rejoiced,  believing  in  God 
with  all  his  house."  And  so  it  will  be 
with  us,  in  some  measure,  if  we  are  sen- 
sible of  our  need  of  Christ,  and  if  we 
heartily  receive  this  good  news.  If  an  ar- 
my of  rebels,  subdued  in  war,  and  at  the 
will  of  their  conqueror,  were  doomed  to 
death,  would  it  not  fill  their  hearts  with 
joy  to  be  told  that  the  king,  for  the  sake 
of  his  son,  had  freely  pardoned  them  all, 
and  received  them  to  his  favor,  and  would 
never  more  remember  their  offence  !  Or 
if  a  company  of  miserable  prisoners,  in 
such  a  place  as  the  French  bastile,  or  the 
Spanish  inquisition,  who  had  endured  all 
the  horrors  of  a  rigorous  confinement  for 
many  years,  were  to  hear  the  sound  of  lib- 
erty and  freedom,  would  it  not  gladden 
their  very  souls  ?    Such  are  the  "  glad  ti- 


SERMON  XXXIV. 


155 


dings  of  great  joy,"  which  the  Gospel 
brings  to  this  present  company  to-day ;  and 
such  will  be  their  etlect  too,  if  you  believe 
to  the  saving  of  your  souls. 

And  this,  you  will  perceive,  is  a  very 
diflerent  sclieme  from  that  of  those,  wlio 
tell  us,  that  if  we  are  but  sincere,  and  do 
as  well  as  we  can,  God  is  merciful,  and 
we  need  not  fear  ;  and  who  make  no  more 
of  Christ  than  a  good  man,  who  came  to 
teach  good  things,  and  to  set  us  a  good 
example,  and  to  assure  us  that  God  will 
accept  our  repentance  and  sincere  obedi- 
ence, instead  of  that  which  his  law  re- 
quires. Beware  of  this  merely  moral 
scheme;  it  will  be  poison  to  your  souls. 
If  Paul  had  taught  only  morality,  he  need 
not  have  said,  "  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ."  The  philosophers  of 
Rome  would  have  made  no  objection  to  it ; 
but  it  was  tlie  satisfaction  of  Christ,  the 
sacrifice  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  which  they  despised.  The  cross 
was  the  stumbling-block  of  tlie  Jews,  and 
the  barrier  of  the  Gentiles.  But  nothing 
deserves  the  name  of  Gospel,  which  does 
not  make  a  precious  Jesus  "  all  in  all," 
"  the  first  and  the  last,"  in  our  whole  sal- 
vation. Therefore,  when  the  salvation 
began  to  be  corrupted  by  false  teachers, 
who  told  them  they  must  be  circumcised 
and  keep  tiie  law  of  Moses,  besides  be- 
lieving in  Christ,  St.  Paul  cried  out  aloud 
against  the  motley  mixture  of  Christ's 
righteousness  and  man's  righteousness ; 
he  culled  it  a/iother  Gospel,  and  pro- 
tested against  it,  saying,  "If  any  man 
preach  any  other  Gospel  unto  you,  than 
that  which  we  have  preached  unto  you, 
let  him  be  accursed."  We  are  now  to 
consider, 

II.  The  important  design  and  use  of  the 
Gospel — it  is  the  poivcr  of  God  unto  sal- 
vation, tliat  i«,  it  is  the  powerful  instru- 
ment which  God  employs,  and  makes 
effectual  to  the  salvation  of  believing- 
smners. 

Salvation  is  the  grand  object  which  God 
has  ih  view  in  the  Gospel.  Salvation  is  a 
great  word,  but  a  greater  thing.  Nothing 
so  great,  nothing  so  important,  as  tlie  sal- 
vation of  a  soul  that  must  be  happy  or 
miserable  for  ever.  And  it  is  sad  to  think 
that  poor  thoughtless  mortals  should  ever 
use  such  a  word  in  a  light  and  profane 
manner.  What  is  more  common  than  to 
hear  a  person  say — As  I  hope  to  be  saved  ! 
And  what  notion  have  such  people  of  sal- 
vation ?  Tiiey  only  hoi)e  that,  when  they 
die,  "they  shall  not  go  down  to  hell,  a 
place  of  fire  and  torment ;  but  that  tJiey 
shall  go  up  to  heaven,  to  some  fine  un- 


known shining  place  above  the  skies, 
where  they  shall  be  free  from  all  pain  and 
uneasiness."  Poor  ignorant  creatures !  tliey 
have  no  desire  to  be  saved  from  sin,  nei- 
ther the  guilt  nor  the  poWfer  of  it ;  no 
desire  to  have  their  hearts  changed,  their 
nature  refined,  and  their  souls  filled  with 
the  love  of  Christ.  But  the  salvation  pro- 
posed in  the  Gospel  is  great  and  glorious 
beyond  description ;  the  greatest  blessing 
that  God  can  bestow,  or  man  receive. 
And  it  is  by  the  Gospel  that  he  conveys 
this  blessing.  Wise  men  in  all  ages  have 
seen  the  need  of  some  remedy  for  human 
nature  in  its  miserable  and  tallen  state. 
Philosophers  and  Lawgivers  have  tried 
their  skill  in  vain.  They  were  physicians 
of  no  value.  The  Gospel  provides  tlie 
only  medicine  for  the  cure  of  the  soul,  and 
this  is  effectual.  It  is  God's  power  to  sal- 
vation. It  is  the  powerful  mean,  in  the 
hand  of  the  Spirit,  to  save  us  from  the  guilt 
of  sin,  and  to  give  us  a  right  to  heaven ; 
and  to  save  us  from  the  power  of  sin,  and 
make  us  fit  for  heaven. 

1.  It  is  the  power  of  God  with  respect 
to  the  pardon  of  our  sins,  and  the  justifica- 
tion of  our  persons.  Without  the  Gos- 
pel, we  could  never  have  been  sure  that 
the  great  God  would  pardon  a  sinner;  we 
could  never  have  known  on  what  terms 
he  would  do  it.  We  should  never  have 
been  certain  that  we  were  actually  in  a 
state  of  favor.  But  the  Gospel  is  a  mes- 
sage from  God  himself,  assuring  us  not 
only  that  "  there  is  forgiveness  with  him," 
but  inviting  us  to  apply  for  it,  and  accept 
of  it.  The  Gospel  is  "the  ministry  of 
reconciliation,  namely,  That  God  .was  in 
Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself, 
not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them." 
God  has  appointed  and  accepted  the  media- 
tion and  sacrifice  of  his  Son,  for  tlie  satisfac- 
tion of  his  law  and  justice,  and  making 
peace ;  so  that  lie  miglit  not  charge  any 
sin,  or  inflict  any  punishment,  upon  tliose 
who  believe,  or  receive  the  atonement. 
Upon  this  ground,  the  ministers  of  the 
Gospel,  as  ambassadors  for  Christ,  pray 
and  beseech  sinners  to  be  reconciled  to 
God.  Since  satisfaction  is  actually  made 
to  the  justice  of  God  by  the  death  of  his 
Son,  that  he  may  honorably  show  favors  to 
sinners,  they  entreat  them,  by  these  gra- 
cious encouragements,  to  throw  down  their 
arms  of  rebellion,  to  submit  to  mercy  in 
God's  own  way,  and  to  yield  themselves 
up  to  liim  without  reserve,  thai  everlasting 
peace  and  friendship  may  he  e.-^tabli-shed. 

That  tiiis  is  the  principal  design  of  the 
text  appears  from  tlie  next  verse.  "  For 
in  the  Gospel  is  the  righteousness  of  God, 


15G 


VILL.\GE  SERMONS. 


by  faith,  revealed  to  faitli,"  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ,  which  becomes  ours  by 
faith,  is  revealed  to  be  believed  on,  and 
trusted  in.  Now,  God  makes  this  Gospel 
his  power  to  salvation.  Tliis  is  the  doc- 
trine which  he  owns  and  blesses.  By  the 
power  of  his  Spirit,  lie  opens  the  under- 
standing to  receive  it,  and  the  heart  to 
believe  it.  Thus  the  sinner  comes  to  God, 
is  accepted,  and  saved. 

2.  It  is  the  power  of  God  with  respect 
to  the  renewing  our  spirit,  restoring  the 
image  of  God  in  our  souls,  subduing  our 
sins,  and  forming  us  to  "  that  holiness, 
without  which  no  man  can  see  the  Lord." 
It  was  as  much  the  design  of  Christ  to 
save  us  from  sin,  as  to  save  us  from  hell. 
We  are  to  esteem  it  a  precious  part  of  his 
salvation  to  be  delivered  from  the  slavery 
of  the  devil,  and  the  tyranny  of  our  native 
corruptions.  The  doctrine  of  "  salvation, 
by  grace,  tlirough  faith,"  is  so  far  from 
being  contrary  to  holiness,  or  hurtful  in 
good  works,  that  it  is  God's  powerful  in- 
strument of  producing  them.  The  Gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ  contains  the  purest  pre- 
cepts in  the  world.  The  instructions  of 
Christ  to  his  disciples  contain  the  noblest 
morality,  infinitely  finer  than  all  that  the 
Heathen  sages  ever  knew.  The  Gospel 
also  furnishes  us  with  motives  to  obedi- 
ence, infinitely  stronger  than  any  other. 
Here  sin  appears  to  be  sinful  indeed, 
especially  in  the  agonies  and  sufferings  of 
Jesus.  Here  holiness  appears  with  heaven- 
ly beauty,  in  the  character  and  conduct  of 
our  dear  Redeemer.  Here  we  are  forcibly 
drawn  by  the  love  of  Christ,  who  requires, 
as  a  proof  of  our  love  to  him,  that  we  keep 
his  commandments.  He  expects  all  his 
followers  to  resemble  him.  He  requires 
them  to  deny  themselves  and  take  up  their 
cross  daily  ;  to  mortify  the  deeds  of  the 
body;  to  part  with  sin,  though  as  dear 
as  a  right  hand  or  a  right  eye ;  to  set  their 
afflictions  on  things  above  ;  to  be  fervent 
in  their  devotions  to  God ;  to  abound  in 
every  good  word  and  work  ;  to  be  honest 
and  just  in  all  their  actions;  to  be  chari- 
table to  the  poor  and  needy  ;  to  visit  the 
sick,  to  feed  the  hungry,  to  clothe  the 
naked  ;  in  a  word,  "  to  love  our  neighbor 
as  ourselves." 

Nor  does  the  Gospel  only  require  such 
holy  dispositions  and  actions,  but  it  enables 
believers  to  attain  and  perform  them.  By 
the  same  faith,  which  receives  Christ  as 
our  righteousness,  we  are  united  to  him, 
(for  without  him  we  can  do  nothing)  and 
by  virtue  of  union  to  him  we  can  do  all 
thmgs.  As  the  branch  derives  virtue  from 
the  tree  to  bear  fruit,  so  believers  receive, 


"  out  of  the  fiillncss  of  Christ,  grace  fbr 
grace,"  so  that  they  bring  forth  the  fruits 
of  righteousness  and  goodness,  which  are 
by  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  glory  of  God  the 
Father. 

3.  The  salvation  of  God,  thus  begun,  shall 
be  perfected  in  glory.  Grace  is  the  bud  of 
glory.  Even  now,  the  heirs  of  heaven  have  a 
foretaste  of  heaven.  They  have  the  Spirit  of 
God,  who  is  the  Seal  and  the  Earnest. 
"  Hereby,"  saith  St.  John,  "  know  we  that 
we  dwell  in  God,  and  he  in  us,"  because  he 
hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit.  This  is  the 
great  evidence,  the  great  ground  of  as- 
surance, that  we  are  in  a  state  of  salva- 
tion; and  that  we  have  everlasting  life: 
and  having  the  earnest,  we  may  depend 
upon  the  full  possession.  What  a  source 
of  consolation  is  this,  in  all  the  troubles  of 
this  miserable  world  !  Here  only  is  an  an- 
tidot-e  to  death.  And  this  is  enough.  If 
sin  be  pardoned,  death  cannot  hurt  us.  The 
sting  of  death  is  sin,  but  Christ  has  ex- 
tracted the  sting.  Thanks  be  to  God,  who 
giveth  us  the  victory  througli  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Soon  shall  the  believer  be 
delivered  from  all  the  trials  of  the  present 
state.  The  separated  spirit  shall  be  with 
Christ :  and  the  mortal  body  shall  be  rais- 
ed a  glorious  body.  "  Then  shall  the  riglit- 
eous  shine  forth  as  the  sun,  in  the  kingdom 
of  the  Father."  And  thus,  you  see,  the 
Gospel  is  the  power  of  God,  to  present  and 
eternal  salvation.  And  is  this  a  thing  to 
be  ashamed  of!  God  forbid.  This  is  what 
we  were  in  the  third  and  last  place  to  prove, 
namely,  that, 

III.  There  is  no  reason  why  we  should 
be  ashamed  of  the  Gospel,  but  rather  that 
we  ought  to  glory  in  it. 

Shame  is  a  very  powerful  passion.  It 
was  introduced  by  sin,  and  should  be  ap- 
plied to  nothing  else.  But  it  is  the  misery 
of  our  fallen  nature,  that  we  "glory  in 
our  shame,"  and  are  ashamed  of  our  glory. 
Wicked  men  are  not  ashamed  of  sin,  but 
they  are  ashamed  of  that  Gospel  which 
would  save  them  from  sin.  Through  the 
temptations  of  the  devil,  and  the  ignorance, 
pride,  and  carnality  of  the  human  heart, 
true  religion  has  always  been  accounted  a 
shameful  thing,  so  that  it  has  always  re- 
quired a  holy  boldness  to  make  an  open 
profession  of  it.  But  let  us  see  what  it  is 
tliat  makes  men  ashamed  of  the  Gospel, 
and  whether  there  be  any  good  reason  for 
being  so. 

1.  Some  are  ashamed  of  the  Gospel,  be- 
cause it  is  chiefly  poor  and  mean  people 
who  profess  it.  This  was  an  objection 
made  by  the  Pharisees  to  our  Savior  him- 
sclt^— "  Have  any  of  the  Rulers,  or  of  the 


SERMON  XXXIV. 


157 


Pharisees,  believed  on  himl"  The  mean- 
ness of  Christ's  outward  appearance,  and 
that  of  his  followers,  was  a  stumbling- 
block  to  the  Jews.  But  there  is  nothing 
solid  in  this  objection.  The  design  of  God 
in  the  Gospel  is  to  humble  the  pride  of 
man,  and  therefore  "  he  hath  chosen  the 
foolish,  weak,  base,  and  despised  things  of 
the  world,  to  confound  the  things  that  are 
wise,  mighty,  and  honorable,  that  no  flesh 
should  glory  in  his  presence."  Christ  re- 
joiced that  "  the  poor  had  the  Gospel 
preached  unto  them,"  and  that  "divine 
things  were  revealed  unto  babes." 

2.  Some  are  ashamed  of*  the  Gospel,  be- 
cause it  is,  as  they  pretend,  foolish  and  ir- 
rational, such  as  none  but  weak  and  igno- 
rant people  can  embrace.  So  the  Greeks, 
who  were  learned  and  wise,  accounted  it 
at  first.  So  many,  who  are  "  wise  in  their 
own  conceit,"  now  reckon  it.  They  pre- 
tend that  there  are  mysteries  in  it  which 
cannot  be  understood,  such  as  the  Trinity, 
the  Incarnation,  the  Atonement,  Regene- 
ration, the  Resurection,  &c.  To  this  we 
answer,  there  are  mysteries  in  nature, 
which  the  wisest  man  cannot  explain,  and 
is  it  any  wonder  that  there  should  be  mys- 
teries ui  religion,  especially  that  God,  who 
is  an  infinite  Spirit,  should  be  above  our 
comprehension  1  It  is  true,,  that  there  are 
many  things  in  the  Gospel  above  our  rea- 
son, but  we  defy  any  man  to  prove  that 
there  is  one  thing  contrary  to  reason.  Be- 
sides, it  should  be  remembered,  that  man 
is  a  fallen  creature :  that  the  thoughts  of 
his  heart  are  evil  continually ;  that  "  the 
natural  man  (the  animal  or  rational  man) 
receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  neither  can  he  know  tliem.  because 
they  are  spiritually  discerned."  Hence  we 
see  that  reason,  though  a  noble  gift  of.  God, 
is  insufficient  to  guide  us  in  matters  of  re- 
ligion :  and  he  who  would  be  saved,  must 
humble  himself  as  a  little  child,  and  pray 
to  be  taught  of  God.     But, 

3.  The  true  and  greatest  cause  why 
many  are  ashamed  of  the  Gospel  is,  that  it 
requires  a  holy  life  ;  it  requires  a  separa- 
tion from  the  world  ;  the  denial  of  self; 
the  mortification  of  sin.  It  will  not  allow 
a  man  to  live  like  a  brute,  in  the  indul- 
gence of  his  carnal  lusts.  It  requires  a 
life  of  faith,  repentance,  devotion ;  in  a 
word,  Christ  says  to  every  profes-or  of  his 
religion,  "  Give  me  thine  heart."  Now, 
while  a  man  remains  in  his  natural  state, 
he  lov^s  the  world,  he  loves  sin,  and  his 
heart  is  enmity  against  God :  "  he  loves 
darkness  rather  than  light,  because  his 
deeds  are  evil." 

But  this  holy  tendency  of  the  Gospel  is 


so  far  from  being  an  objection  to  it,  that 
we  should  prize  it  on  this  very  account; 
this  proves  it  came  from  God,  and  on  this 
account,  St.  Paul  gloried  in  it.  'God  for- 
bid that  I  should  glory  save  in  the  cross  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  the  world 
is  crucified  to  me,  and  I  am  crucified  to 
the  world." 

APPLICATION. 
And  now,  men  and  brethren,  suffer  the 
word  of  exhortation.  Has  God,  in  his  in- 
finite mercy,  sent  us  this  glorious  Gospel  ? 
then  let  us  be  very  thankful  for  it,  and 
very  attentive  to  it.  Let  it  be  the  study 
of  our  lives,  and  the  delight  of  our  hearts. 
Nothing  so  justly  demands,  nothing  can  so 
well  require,  our  best  regard,  as  this.  It 
is  God's  greatest  and  best  gift  to  a  lost 
world. — And  he  takes  particular  notice 
how  we  receive  it.  O  let  us  beware  of 
neglecting  it.  Angels  desire  to  look  into 
these  things ;  and  shall  not  we  study  them 
diligently,  who  are  so  much  more  interest- 
ed in  them!  Compared  with  the  Gospel, 
all  other  books  are  waste  paper.  Corn- 
pared  with  the  Gospel  tidings,  all  other 
news  is  trifling.  This  alone  can  teach  us 
how  we  may  be  pardoned  and  sanctified ; 
this  alone  can  secure  our  happiness  in  time 
and  eternity. 

We  have  now  heard  that  the  Gospel  is 
the  power  of  God,  it  is  that  which  he  works 
by,  and  renders  efl^ectual  to  the  salvation — 
of  whom !  To  whom  is  this  Gospel  the 
powerful  instrument  of  salvation!  It  is 
only  to  them  that  believe.  Let  infidels 
tremble ;  they,  alas !  have  no  part  nor  lot 
in  this  matter.  Faith  begins  in  an  assent, 
a  cordial  assent,  to  the  truth  of  the  Gos- 
pel. It  is  received  as  a  divine  testimony. 
The  believer  sets  his  seal  to  it  that  it  is 
true.  Faith  proceeds  to  affiance  or  trust 
in  Christ.  "  He  first  gives  a  firm  assent 
to  the  Gospel ;  then  cordially  accepts  its 
blessinrrs;  from  a  conviction  tliat  the  doc- 
trine  is  true,  he  passes  to  a  persuasion  that 
the  privileges  are  liis  own."  The  believer 
then  cleaves  inseparably  to  Christ,  de- 
pends incessantly  on  Christ.  Gladly  does 
he  renounce  all  dependence  on  himself,  all 
ideas  of  human  merit;  he  flies  to  this 
refuge,  there  he  is  safe ;  he  builds  on  this 
foundation,  and  he  shall  never  be  removed. 
This  done,  sweet  peace  takes  possession 
of  his  conscience ;  hope  enlivens  his  breast; 
love  warms  his  heart;  zeal  fires  his  soul; 
and  he  cries,  "  Dearest  Savior,  I  am  thine. 
Henceforth  I  will  follow  thee.  I  will  serve 
thee  all  my  days  on  earth,  and  I  desire  to 
be  with  thee  for  ever  in  heaven." 

And  are  any  ashamed  of  this  Gospel ;  a 
14 


158 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


Gospel  so  wise,  so  holy,  so  honorable  to 
God,  so  safe  to  man  !  Let  them  be  ashamed 
of  it,  who  never  knew  its  nature,  who 
never  felt  its  power.  No  man  can  be 
ashamed  of  it,  if  it  be  the  power  of  God 
to  his  soul.  No ;  "  he  that  believeth  hath 
the  witness,  or  testimony  in  himself;"  he 
can  give  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in 
him.  And  being  baptized  unto  Christ,  he 
will  not  be  "  ashamed  to  confess  the  faith 
of  Christ  crucified,  and  manfully  to  fight 
under  his  banner  against  sin,  the  world, 
and  the  devil;  and  to  continue  Christ's 
faithful  soldier  and  servant  unto  his  life's 
end."  And  O,  beware !  beware,  young 
people,  lest  any  seduce  you  from  the  faith, 
by  the  pride  of  reason,  and  the  sophistry 
of  wicked  men.  Ever  be  on  your  guard, 
arid  remember  those  awful  words  of  Christ 
— "  Whosoever  shall  be  ashamed  of  me 
and  of  my  words,  in  this  adulterous  and 
sinful  generation,  of  him  shall  also  the  Son 
of  man  be  ashamed,  when  he  cometh  in 
the  glory  of  his  Father  with  the  holy  an- 
gels." 

'  Finally,  let  every  one  that  nameth  the 
name  of  Christ  depart  from  all  iniquity. 
As  we  must  not  be  ashamed  of  the  Gospel, 
neither  let  us  be  a  shame  to  it.  Many  are 
too  much  prejudiced  against  the  Bible, 
even  to  read  it ;  but  they  love  to  read  the 
lives  of  professors.  Let  them  see  the 
Holy  Gospel  transcribed  in  our  daily  walk. 
So  shall  we  adorn  and  recommend  it  to  the 
world,  and  constrain  them  to  say  that 
Christianity  is  all  divine. 

PRAYER.— O  THAT  the  Gospel  of  Christ  may 
be  the  power  of  God  to  our  salvation !  To  this 
end,  be  pleased,  O  Lord,  to  grant  that  every  one 
here  present,  may  truly  and  heartily  believe  it, 
«nibrace  it,  and  hold  it  fast. 

We  praise  thee  for  the  ministry  of  reconcilia- 
tion, for  the  glorious  truth  that  God  was  in  Christ, 
reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing 
their  trespasses  unto  them.  We  thank  thee,  that, 
in  thy  great  condescension  and  compassion,  thou 
hast  sent  thy  Messenger  to  invite  us  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  thee.  Be  thou,  gracious  God,  for  Jesus' 
sake,  reconciled  to  us. 

We  also  entreat  thee  to  subdue  our  iniquities. 
Let  them  not  have  dominion  over  us.  Create  in 
us  a  clean  heart,  O  God,  and  renew  a  right  spirit 
within  us. 

Save  us,  O  Lord,  from  the  folly  and  guilt  of 
being  ashamed  of  thee  and  of  thy  word.  Help 
us  patiently  to  submit  to  all  the  reproaches  which 
may  come  upon  us  for  an  attachment  to  thy 
truth ;  and  grant,  that  instead  of  being  ashamed 
of  the  Gospel,  we  may  be  so  thoroughly  satisfied, 
from  happy  experience,  of"  its  transcendent  ex- 
cellency, that  in  the  face  of  a  scoffing  world  we 
may  say  with  thy  servant  Paul,  God  forbid  that 
we  should  glory  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ:  and  O  that,  in  the  last  great  day, 
when  the  enemies  of  the  Savior  shall  he  ashamed 
before  him,  it  may  be  our  unspeakable  happiness 
to  be  owned  by  him  as  his  disciples  and  friends ! 


SERMON  XXXV. 

SIN  AND  DEATH,  OR  GRACE  AND  LIFE. 

Romans  viii.  13.  If  ye  live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall 
die:  but  if  ye  through  the  Spirit  do  mortify  the 
deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live. 

Thes*;  words  set  before  us.  Life  and 
Death  ; — eternal  life,  or  eternal  death  : 
they  plainly  show  us  what  will  be  the 
eternal  consequence  of  a  life  of  sin,  or  of 
a  state  of  grace ;  and  therefore  it  is  of  the 
greatest  importance  to  us  clearly  to  under- 
stand tliem,  m  order  that  we  may  know 
what  will  be  our  future  portion.  "  It  is  a 
question,"  said  an  old  divine,  "  you  ought  I 
seriously  to  put  to  yourselves.  Shall  I  be  / 
saved,  or  Shall  I  be  damned  1  If  you  have 
any  spark  of  conscience  left,  when  you 
are  sick,  or  dying,  you  will  put  it  with  an 
an.xious  and  trembling  heart.  Poor  soul, 
wliither  art  thou  going  1  It  is  better,  my 
friends,  to  put  this  question  now,  while  yoa 
have  opportunity  to  correct  your  error,  if 
hitherto  you  have  been  wrong.  And  no- 
thing will  sooner  determine  it  than  this 
text.  "  If  ye  live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall 
die,"  &c.  These  words  contain  two  things, 
which  I  shall  express  in  two  plain  sen- 
tences. 

I.  If  sin  livq  in  us,  we  must  die  eter-. 
nally,  and 

II.  If  sin  die  in  us,  we  shall  live  eter- 
nally. 

I.  If  sin  live  in  us,  we  shall  die ;  that  is, 
if  it  reign  and  rule  ;  "  If  we  live  after  Uie 
fle.sh,  we  shall  die." 

By  the  flesh,  we  are  to  understand  hu- 
man nature  m  its  present  fallen  state.  Man 
is  made  up  of  two  parts,  body  and  soul,  or 
flesh  and  spirit,  but  man  is  now  called 
flesh,  because  the  spirit  is  dead  to  God, 
and  he  lives  only  a  fleshly  or  animal  life. 
So  God  spake  of  the  wicked  world  before 
the  flood,  Gen.  vi.  3.  "  And  the  I^ord  said, 
My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with 
man,"  that  is  by  the  good  counsels  and 
faithful  warnings  of  Noah  and  others,  "  for 
that  he  also  is  flesh" — incurably  corrupt, 
carnal  and  sensual ;  sunk  into  the  mire  of 
sin,  and  fleshly  lusts.  This  is  still  the 
case  of  all  men  before  they  receive  the 
grace  of  God — they  are  flesh.  They  take 
their  name  from  tliat  part  which  rules, 
which  is  the  flesh,  and  not  the  spirit : — 
they  are.  wholly  engaged  by  things  which 
concern  the  body  and  its  sensual  delights. 
Hence  it  is  that  the  mind  itself  is  called 
carnal  or  fleshly,  ver.  5,  6.  "  For  they 
that  are  after  the  flesh  do  mind  the  things 
of  the  flesh ;  but  they  that  are  after  the 
Spirit,  the  things  of  tlie  Spirit.     For  to  be 


SERMON  XXXV. 


159 


carnally  minded  is  death ;  but  to  be  spirit- 
ually minded  is  life  and  peace."  This  bad 
turn  of  mmd  is  cixlledjlesh,  because  it  ex- 
erts itself  by  means  of  the  senses  and 
members  of  the  body;  for  carnal  men 
"  yield  their  members  servants  to  unclean- 
ness,  and  to  iniquity,  unto  iniquity,"  Rom. 
vi.  19.  Habits  and  practices  of  unclean- 
ness  and  iniquity  are  like  tyrannical  lords 
and  masters,  which  rule  over  sinners,  to 
whom  they  have  resigned  the  members  of 
their  bodies,  and  tlie  affections  of  their 
minds. 

Now,  to  live  afler  the  Jlesh,  is  to  obey 
the  dictates  and  orders  of  our  corrupt  na- 
ture ;  to  Ratify  its  sinful  desires,  without 
regard  to  the  will  of  God,  yea,  in  direct 
contradiction  to  his  will.  And  tliis  will 
appear  more  plainly  by  considering  the 
actions,  the  words,  and  tlie  thoughts  of  a 
carnal  man. 

Take  a  view,  in  the  first  place,  of  his 
actions.  Among  these  the  Apostle,  Gal. 
V.  19,  mentions  "Adultery,  Fornication, 
Uncleanness,"  &lc.  These  are  abomina- 
tions to  which  corrupt  nature  is  strongly 
inclined.  The  world  is  full  of  pollution 
through  lust.  In  youth,  especially,  these 
sins  are  predominant ;  and  "  it  is  a  shame 
even  to  speak  of  the  things  that  are  done 
in  secret"  And  however  lightly  the  sins 
of  uncleanness  may  be  thought  of  in  gene- 
ral, we  are  assured  by  the  Scriptures,  that 
"  whoremongers  and  adulterers  God  will 
judge."  Drunkenness  is  another  work 
of  the  flesh.  Fools  make  a  mock  at  this 
sin  also,  but  St.  Paul  declares,  1  Cor.  vi.  j 
10,  tliat  "  drunkards  shall  not  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God."  It  is  very  common  for  i 
a  person  to  promise  himself  security  in 
this  sin,  and  to  say,  "  I  shall  have  peace, ' 
though  I  walk  in  tlie  imagination  of  mine 
heart,  to  add  drunkenness  to  thirst ;"  but 
what  does  God  say  in  this  case  !  "  The  ; 
Lord  will  not  spare  liim,  but  the  anger  of 
the  Lord  and  his  jealousy  shall  smoke  I 
against  that  man."  Deut.  xxi.x.  19.  The  j 
profane  man  also  lives  after  the  flesh. 
What  can  be  a  plainer  proof  that  man  is 
destitute  of  the  fear  of  God,  than  his  I 
daring  to  sot  the  Most  High  at  defiance,  I 
and  wantonly  and  wickedly  to  take  his 
awful  name  in  vain  ]  The  Sabbath-breaker 
lives  after  the  flesh  ; — the  man  who,  hav- 
ing no  regard  to  the  authority  of  God,  no 
love  to  his  service,  and  no  care  for  his  own 
soul,  dares  to  spend  the  sacred  hours  of  the 
Lord's  day  in  worldly  business,  idleness, 
and  pleasure.  The  conduct  of  the  Sab- 
bath-breaker proves,  in  a  dreadful  manner, 
that  he  is  flesh,  and  as  much  a"  stranger  to 
the  life  of  God  in  the  soul  as  tiie  beasts 


that  perish.  "  Let  no  man,  tlien,  deceive 
himself  with  vain  words ;  for  because  of 
these  things  cometh  the  wrath  of  God 
upon  the  children  of  disobedience." 

But  it  is  jiot  only  by  these  grossly  im- 
moral actions  that  men  appear  to  live  after 
the  flesh  ;  a  man's  speech  betrayeth  him. 
"  Out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the 
mouth  speaketh."  We  have  already  men- 
tioned cursing  and  swearing,  on  account 
of  which  our  land  mourneth.  Equally 
carnal  is  the  corrupt  communication  which 
proceedeth  out  of  the  moutli ;  that  "  filthi- 
ness,  foolish  talking,  and  jesting,  which 
are  not  convenient."  O  how  is  tiie  tongue, 
the  glory  of  man,  debased  by  cursing,  ly- 
ing, slandering,  evil  speaking,  lewd  songs, 
and  wanton  speeches.  "  The  tongue  is  a 
fire,  a  world  of  miciuity;  it  dcfileth  our 
members,  and  is  set  on  fire  of  Jiell."  James 
iii.  6.  The  conversation  of  carnal  men  is 
wholly  carnal.  They  can  talk  fluently  for 
hours  together  upon  worldly  subjects,  but 
let  the  things  of  God  be  introduced,  the 
company  is  struck  dumb  !  natural  men  can 
find  nothing  to  say  to  God,  or  to  one  an- 
other, on  the  great  and  glorious  subjects 
of  salvation  and  eternal  life. 

But  we  must  go  a  step  further.  "  As  a 
man  thinketh  in  liis  heart,  so  he  is."  A 
man  must  he  judged  of  by  his  prevailing, 
chosen,  and  delightful  thoughts.  "  Out  of 
the  heart,"  said  our  Lord,  "  proceed  evil 
thoughts."  A  good  man  may  liave  bad 
thouglits,  but  a  bad  man,  a  natural  man 
cannot  have  good  thoughts.  A  good  man 
hates  vain,  wicked,  lewd,  or  blasphemous 
thoughts ;  but  a  wicked  man  loves,  cher- 
ishes, and  delights  in  tiieni.  It  is  said  of 
the  wicked,  "  God  is  not  in  al!  his  thoughts." 
He  rises  in  the  morning  without  any 
thoughts  of  God.  He  goes  about  his  busi- 
ness without  any  thoughts  of  liim.  Ho 
sits  do^\'n  to  his  table,  and  rises  from  it, 
without  any  tlioughts  of  him. — And  he 
goes  to  rest,  like  a  beast,  in  the  same  man- 
ner. Thus  it  is  said  in  verso  5,  of  this 
chapter — "  they  that  are  after  tlie  flesh  do 
mind  the  things  of  the  flesh" — they  are 
carnally  minded;  they  constantly  and 
habitually  consult  and  relish,  pursue,  and 
delight  in  only  worldly,  sensual,  and  sin- 
ful things,  such  as  are  agreeable  to  their 
carnal  and  unrenewed  appetites.  And  this 
may  serve  to  convince  some  perf^ons,  how 
much  they  deceive  themselves  respecting 
their  true  state  before  God.  They  flatter 
themselves  that  they  shall  be  saved,  be- 
cause they  are  not  so  wicked  as  others ; 
but  tliey  have  never  noticed  tlie  prevailing 
bent  and  inclination  of  their  minds.  Tliey 
are  not  drunkards,  or  swearers,  or  liars ; 


160 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


"  but  they  mind  earthly  things  ;"  and  St. 
John  assures  us,  that  "  if  we  love  the 
world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  us." 
Doubtless,  there  is  a  necessary,  lawful, 
and  commendable  regard  to  our  proper 
callmgs,  and  worldly  citiairs,  and  there  is  a 
lawful  enjoyment  of  worldly  comforts ;  but 
the  evil  lies  in  this,  so  to  love  the  world  as 
to  make  it  our  portion,  our  chief  good ;  to 
love  the  world  more  than  God,  who  does 
not  reckon  himself  to  be  loved  sincerely, 
unless  he  be  loved  supremely,  "  with  all 
our  heart,  and  soul,  and  strength."  The 
love  of  God  and  the  love  of  the  world  are 
like  the  two  scales  of  a  balance,  as  the 
one  rises  the  other  falls;  and  let  every 
man  ask  himself  how  it  is  with  him.  O 
how  little  place  have  the  blessed  God,  the 
precious  Redeemer,  the  Holy  Spirit,  the 
care  of  the  soul,  the  duties  of  religion,  or 
the  concerns  of  eternity,  in  the  hearts 
of  natural  men!  The  thoughts  of  these 
things  are  seldom  entertained,  and  then 
they  are  not  welcomed.  They  are  a  bur- 
den and  a  task ;  and  the  mind,  when  forced 
to  regard  them,  dislilies  them,  and  springs 
from  them  again  into  worldly  matters  with 
delight,  as  a  fish  into  the  water,  which  is 
its  own  proper  element. 

Now,  sirs,  as  you  love  your  souls,  mark 
the  consequence  of  living  after  the  flesh — 
"  If  ye  live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die  ! 
Dreadful  words,  "  Ye  shall  die !"  "  To  be 
carnally  minded  is  death."  It  is  a  kind 
of  death  in  itself  The  carnal  man  is  now 
dead  to  God;  "dead  while  he  liveth:" 
"  dead  in  trespasses  and  sms."  And  "  the 
wages  of  sin  is  death."  Not  only  the 
death  of  the  body,  which  is  the  separation 
of  the  soul  from  it ;  but  the  death  of  soul 
and  body  too,  in  their  everlasting  separa- 
tion from  God,  the  fountain  of  all  happi- 
ness. "  This  is  the  second  death,"  as  it 
comes  after  that  of  the  body,  and  is  inex- 
pressibly more  terrible;  and  shall  never 
end  m  a  resurrection  to  eternal  life.  At 
present,  God  exercises  much  patience  to- 
wards his  enemies.  His  sun  shmes,  and 
his  rain  descends,  both  on  good  and  bad 
men.  He  gives  them  time  and  space  for 
repentance,  to  which  his  merciful  goodness 
ought  to  lead  them.  But  wiien  all  these 
have  proved  in  vain,  and  the  man  has  per- 
sisted in  his  carnal  course  to  the  end  of 
life,  then  God  will  withdraw  .all  his  favors ; 
his  mercy  indeed  will  be  clean  gone  for 
ever,  and  he  will  be  favorable  no  more. 
And  O,  woe,  woe,  woe,  to  the  man  from 
whom  God  departs,  and  to  whom  he  will 
say,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed." 

All  this  is  the  natural  and  necessary 
consequence   of  living    after    tlie    flesh. 


What  else  couU  be  reasonably  expected  T 
There  are  but  two  eternal  states  for  men 
after  this  life.  Every  man  is  trainmg  up 
for  one  of  these.  The  carnal  man  is  unfit 
for  heaven.  There  he  cannot  come  ;  for 
all  the  joys  and  employments  of  the  bless- 
ed are  spiritual.  Delighting  in  God,  loving 
God,  praising  God,  are  the  charming  eui- 
ployments  of  the  redeemed.  But  the  car- 
nal man  well  knows  that  he  has  no  relish 
for  these  things ;  and  he  could  not  be  hap- 
py in  heaven,  were  he  admitted  there. 
What  then  must  be  his  portion  ]  There  is 
no  other  place  for  him  but  hell ;  and  for 
this  he  was  fitting  himself  all  his  days.  He 
was  training  up  in  enmity  against  God, 
hardening  his  heart,  and  abusing  his  mer- 
cies, despising  his  grace,  neglecting  his 
salvation,  trampling  on  his  authority,  and 
blaspheming  his  name ;  thus  was  he  pre- 
paring for  that  horrid  dungeon,  where  he 
must  be  the  companion  of  men  like-mind- 
ed, and  of  devils  whose  dictates  he  obeyed. 
"  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire, 
prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels." 

O  think  of  this,  ye  who  live  in  sin !  see 
what  an  enemy  you  have,  even  the  flesh : 
an  enemy  within ;  an  enemy,  without  which 
the  devil  might  tempt  and  the  world  invite 
in  vain.  Beware,  then,  of  indulging  the 
flesh  ;  it  may  seem  to  be  your  friend,  but 
it  is  your  worst  foe ;  and,  like  Judas,  it 
kisses  to  betray.  Fly  then  from  the  allure- 
ments of  sinful  pleasure  and  sensual  enjoy- 
ments. I  beseech  you  to  abstain  from 
fleshly  lusts,  which  war  against  the  soul ; 
and  in  your  turn  declare  war  against  the 
flesh.  This  mdeed  is  a  just  and  a  necessa- 
ry war ;  a  war  that  shall  be  successful  and 
glorious ;  for,  as  it  is  added  in  our  text — 
"  If  ye  through  the  Spirit  do  mortify  the 
deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live ;"  which 
leads  us  to  the  second  thing  proposed, 
namely, 

II.  if  sin  die  in  us,  we  shall  live  eter- 
nally. 

Here  we  must  consider  what  is  meant 
by  mortifying  sin — by  what  help  we  may 
do  it ;  and — the  blessed  consequence  of 
doing  it. 

To  mortify  sin  is  to  kill  it ;  to  put  it  to 
(lealh,  as  the  magistrates  put  a  felon  to 
death,  by  due  course  of  justice.  He  is 
suspected,  apprehended,  tried,  and  exe- 
cuted. We  must  first  suspect  ourselves 
and  our  sins.  Consideration  is  the  first 
step  in  religion.  He  who  never  suspected 
he  was  wrong,  may  depend  upon  it  he  is 
not  yet  right.  Sin  iruist  be  considered  as 
our  worst  enemy ;  the  tyrant  that  would 
enslave  and  destroy  our  souls.  We  must 
find  out  our  sins,  or  "  be  sure  they  will 


SERMON  XXXV. 


161 


fiud  us  out."  We  must  determine,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  to  destroy  them,  or  they  will 
destroy  us.  The  matter  must  be  brought 
to  this  issue,  kill  or  be  killed.  You  must 
kill  sin,  or  it  will  kill  you. 

But  how  is  this  to  be  done  ■?  Sin  must 
be  crucified.  This  is  the  manner  of  kill- 
ing it  which  God  has  appointed.  "  They 
that  are  Christ's  have  crucified  the  flesh, 
with  the  affections  and  lusts."  Gal.  v.  24. 
The  destruction  of  our  sins  is  compared  to 
the  crucifi.xion  of  Christ,  not  only  because 
it  is  like  it,  but  because  it  proceeds  from 
it.  There  is  no  death  of  sin  but -by  the 
death  of  Christ ;  by  virtue  of  it,  and  by  in- 
terest in  it 

Crucifixion  is  a  violent  and  painful 
death ;  and  so  is  the  death  of  sin.  Our 
sins  must  not  be  left  to  die  of  themselves. 
Some  people,  especially  old  people,  think 
that  they  have  left  their  sins,  when  the 
fact  is,  their  sins  have  left  them,  or  one  sin 
has  left  them  to  make  room  for  another. 
Sin  must  be  seized,  though  in  the  height 
of  its  health  and  power ;  seized  as  a  thief 
or  -murderer  who  breaks  into  your  house. 
It  may  be  very  painful  to  mortify  the  deeds 
of  the  body.  Jesus  Christ  compares  it  to 
cutting  off  a  right  hand,  or  plucking  out  a 
right  eye,  but  he  says,  this  is  better  than 
going  to  hell  with  two  hands  or  two  eyes. 
It  may  be  very  hard  to  break  off  from  old 
sins,  but  it  must  be  done;  and,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  it  may  be  done. 

Crucifixion  is  a  scandalous  death.  Only 
the  worst  of  slaves  and  crimmals  were 
put  to  death  in  this  manner.  So  the  Chris- 
tian, who,  through  tlie  Spirit,  mortifies  the 
deeds  of  the  body,  puts  off  the  old  man  of 
sin,  and  puts  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
may  expect  to  be  despised  as  his  Savior 
was.  The  world  will  bear  morality,  but  it 
hates  holiness.  Religion  has  generally 
borne  some  nickname.  Formerly  they 
called  pious  men  Puritans,  as  if  it  were  a 
scandalous  thing  to  be  purified  from  the 
pollutions  of  the  world  ;  and  now  they  call 
religious  people  enthusiasts,  as  if  it  were 
shameful  to  pursue  the  methods  which 
God  himself  prescribes.  But  "  he  that 
will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  must  suffer 
persecution." 

Crucifixion  is  a  slow  and  lingering 
death.  Our  Lord  was  several  hours  on  the 
cross ;  and  some  have  been  as  many  days. 
So  sin  dies  slowly.  Mortifying  the  deeds 
of  the  body  is  a  constant  act ;  to  be  con- 
tinued as  long  as  we  live.  The  best  be- 
liever cannot  say  sin  is  dead,  but  lie  can 
bless  God  tiiat  sin  is  dying.  It  is  nailed 
to  t!ie  cross ;  has  received  some  mortal 
wounds ;  it  is  gradually  weakening  ;  and, 
V 


ere  long,  God  will  send  death  to  give  the 
finishing  stroke,  and  tlie  believer  shall 
shout  Victory,  saying.  Blessed  be  God, 
who  'hath  delivered  me  from  this  body  of 
sin  and  death ;  I  thank  God  through  Jesus 
Christ  my  Lord. 

But,  by  what  means,  or  by  what  help, 
may  we  efiectually  mortify  sin  7  Our  text 
says,  "  Through  the  Spirit" — by  the  gra- 
cious aid  and  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
enabling  us  to  do  it.  "  Without  me,"  said 
Christ,  "  ye  can  do  nothing :"  and  expe- 
rience proves  it  true.  How  many  poor 
souls  have  been  sensible  of  the  error  of 
their  ways,  at  times  alarmed  about  their 
sins,  and  have  resolved  to  forsake  them, 
and  lead  a  new  life !  but  knowing  nothing 
of  their  own  weakness  or  of  Christ's 
strength,  they  have  "  resolved,  and  re-re- 
solved, and  died  tlie  same."  To  as  little 
purpose  have  others  said  many  prayers, 
fasted  certam  days,  denied  themselves 
the  comforts  of  life,  or  submitted  to  the 
painful  penance  of  Popish  priests.  The 
power  of  sin  was  not  lessened ;  the  princi- 
ple of  sin  was  not  weakened  ;  the  practice 
of  sin  was  not  prevented.  When  the 
sense  of  sin  was  worn  ofi',  and  the  fears  of 
hell  abated,  they  "  returned  like  the  dog 
to  his  vomit,  and  the  sow  that  was  washed 
to  her  wallowing  in  the  mire." 
.  "  A  young  gentleman,  whose  sensual 
lusts  were  extremely  violent,  procured  an 
entire  female  skull ;  and  every  morning 
before  he  went  out,  spent  some  minutes  in 
surveying  it ;  expecting  tliat  the  sight  of 
so  unpleasing  an  object  would  operate  as 
an  antidote  to  the  power  of  that  tempta- 
tion ta  which  he  was  so  subject  But, 
alas,  his  corrupt  inclination  still  prevailed, 
and  he  sinned  as  frequently  as  ever.  So 
he  gave  away  the  skull,  finding  it  did  him 
no  service.  Afterwards  God  was  pleased 
to  convert  him ;  and  vital  grace  did  that 
for  him,  which  a  dead  skull  was  unable  to 
effect.  His  easy  besetting  sin  had  no  more 
dominion  over  him  from  the  day  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  laid  effectual  liold  on  liis 
heart" 

We  must  first  have  the  Spirit,  that  we 
may  experience  his  sanctifying  power. 
Having  the  Spirit,  makes  all  the  difference 
between  a  true  Christian  and  a  man  of  the 
world  ;  for  "  if  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  he  is  none  of  his."  "  That  which 
is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh."  There  is  no- 
thing in  the  flesh,  or  corrupt  nature,  iliat 
can  crucify  the  flesh,  or  prevent  its  corrupt 
actings.  Something  of  a  nature  directly 
contrary  to  it  must  be  added,  and  tliat  is  a 
new  and  divine  principle,  implanted  by  re- 
generation ;  for  "  that  which  is  born  of  tlie 


162 


VILLAGE  SERMOxNS. 


Spirit  is  Spirit."  Tlie  regenerated  person 
is  a  spiritual  person,  possessed  of  a  princi- 
ple like  its  author ;  and  this  principljp  acts 
according  to  its  spiritual  nature,  in  spirit- 
ual duties,  and  particularly,  in  this,  the 
mortification  of  sin. 

The  Spirit  helps  us  to  mortify  sin,  by 
enabling  us  to  discover  it,  and  by  showing 
us  its  hateful  and  abominable  nature ;  fill- 
ing our  souls  with  a  sincere  dislike  to  it, 
and  a  holy  determination  to  destroy  it.  He 
takes  away  the  stony,  insensible  heart,  and 
gives  us  an  heart  of  flesh,  an  heart  to 
mourn  tor  sin,  an  heart  to  oppose  sin,  an 
heart  to  watch  against  sin,  and  shun  the 
first  approaches  towards  it. 

But  especially  he  helps  us  to  mortify 
sin,  by  giving  us  faith,  and  leading  us  to 
Christ  for  pardon,  righteousness,  and 
strength.  In  the  first  verse  of  this  chapter 
it  is  said — "  there  is  no  condemnation  to 
them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,"  and  then 
it  follows,  "  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh, 
but  after  the  Spirit."  Many  of  the  Jews 
"  followed  after  righteousness,  but  they  did 
not  attain  it.  Wherefore  1  Because  they 
sought  it  not  by  faith,  but  as  it  were  by  the 
works  of  the  law :  for  they  stumbled  at  the 
stumblmg  stone."  Let  us  beware  of  fctum- 
bling  in  the  same  manner.  Faith  in  Christ 
is  the  chief  instrument  for  killing  sin.  Be- 
hold, the  Lamb  of  God,  bleeding  and  dying, 
not  only  to  take  away  the  guilt  of  sin,  that 
it  may  not  condemn,  but  the  power  of  sin 
also,  that  it  may  not  prevail.  "  Sin  shall 
not  have  dominion  over  thee,  believer,  for 
thou  art  not  under  the  law,  but  under 
grace."  See,  flowing  from  the  wounded 
side  of  the  crucified  Lord,  blood  and  water ; 
blood  to  pardon,  water  to  cleanse.  It  was 
the  design  of  the  dear  Redeemer  "  to  de- 
stroy the  works  of  the  devil ;"  "  to  redeem 
us  from  all  iniquity,  and  to  purify  unto 
himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good 
works."  The  Lord  Jesus  having  thus  de- 
signed the  death  of  sin  in  believers  by  his 
own  death,  is  ready  to  apply  the  power  of 
it  for  that  purpose,  to  all  who  believe  in 
him.  Come  then,  by  faith,  to  Jesus  ;  tell 
him  of  the  power  of  thy  sins,  and  of  tJiy  in- 
ability to  destroy  them  ;  plead  the  fullness 
that  is  in  him  for  thy  supply ;  beseech  liini 
to  subdue  thine  iniquities,  and  leave  the 
matter  in  his  hands.  His  grace  is  sufficient 
for  thee ;  his  strength  shall  be  perfected  in 
thy  weakness.  Expect  his  help.  His  pow- 
er, his  grace,  his  faithfulness,  are  all  en- 
gaged for  thine  assistance,  and  thou  sh^Ic 
not  apply  or  wait  in  vain. 

This  promised  help  of  the  Spirit  does 
not  exclude  the  use  of  mean.s  on  our  part. 
The  Spirit  so  works  in  us,  as  also  to  work 


by  us.  The  duty  is  ours ;  the  grace  is  his. 
We  must  watch  and  pray  lest  we  enter 
into  temptation.  We  must  remember  his 
eye  is  always  upon  us.  We  must  call  to 
mind  the  obligations  we  are  under,  from 
duty,  from  gratitude,  from  baptismal  and 
sacramental  engagements ;  the  relation 
we  bear  to  Christ,  to  the  church,  and  the 
world.  We  must  use  with  moderation  the 
comforts  of  life,  and,  instead  of  pampering 
the  body,  bring  it  under  and  keep  it  in 
subjection. 

Thus  doing,  we  shall  live.  There  is  no 
condemnation  to  persons  of  this  character. 
Though  they  find,  to  their  daily  sorrow, 
"  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,"  they 
have  reason  to  rejoice  that  "  the  Spirit, 
lusteth  against  the  flesh."  This  is  an  evi- 
dence that  they  have  "  passed  from  death 
unto  life."  They  live  indeed,  for  Christ 
liveth  in  them.  They  live  to  purpose,  they 
live  to  God.  And  in  this,  their  gradual 
sanctification,  consists  their  meetness  for 
heaven,  where  sin  shall  be  all  done  away. 

0  Christian,  go  on.  Be  not  weary  in 
well-doing,  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith, 
and  lay  hold  on  eternal  life. 

But,  O  sinner,  what  will  be  the  end  of 
thy  present  pursuits  ]  "  The  end  of  these 
things  is  death."  Lay  to  heart  the  solemn 
truths  you  heard  in  the  beginning  of  this 
discourse.  Remember  that  life  and  death 
have  been  set  before  you ;  life,  if  sin  be 
slain ;  death,  if  sin  prevail.  Put  home 
then  to  thy  conscience  the  important 
question.  Am  I  living  after  the  flesh,  or 
after  the  Spirit?  And  by  this  you  may 
determine  your  present  state,  and  future 
prospects.  If  thou  livest  after  the  flesh, 
thou  shalt  die ;  that  is,  thou  shalt  be 
damned.  And  are  you  in  love  with  death 
and  destruction  1  Is  it  nothing  to  you 
that  the  terrors  of  the  Almighty  are  sound- 
ed in  your  ears  ]  Do  you  love  your  sins  so 
well  as  to  be  damned  for  them  1  O,  be 
wiser !  "  Set  eternal  pains  against  mo- 
mentary pleasures.  The  pleasures  of  sin 
are  but  for  a  season,  but  the  pains  of  sin 
are  for  evermore."  And  O,  do  not  flatter 
yourselves  that  you  may  enjoy  the  plea- 
sures of  sin  in  this  world,  and  yet  enjoy 
the  pleasures  of  heaven  in  another.  The 
God  who  says,  in  our  text,  "  If  ye  live 
after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die,"  is  a  God  of 
truth ;  he  cannot  lie.  "  Upon  the  wicked 
he  will  rain  fire  and  brimstone,  and  a 
horrible  tempest ;  this  shall  be  the  portion 
of  their  cup."  Come,  then,  forsake  the 
foolish  and  live.  Wrong  not  your  own 
.souls.     Forsake  not  your  own  mercies. 

1  ,ct  the  tune  past  suffice  to  have  wrought 
the   will  of  the  Gentiles,   and  to  have 


SERMON  XXXVI. 


163 


served  divers  lu3ts  and  pleasures.  Open 
your  eyes,  and  behold  your  danj^or.  I'lec 
from  the  wrath  to  come.  Confess  your 
sins  to  God.  Beseech  him  to  pardon  them ; 
and  pray  for  the  Holy  Spirit  to  work  faith 
in  your  heart,  and  enable  you  "  to  mortify 
the  deeds  of  tlie  body,  that  you  may  live." 


PRAYER. — Write  these  words  on  our  hearts, 
we  beseech  thee,  O  Lord.  Thou  hast  set  before 
US  life  and  dealh,  the  blessing  and  the  curpe. 
Help  us  to  shun  the  road  that  leads  to  death,  and 
to  choose  the  narrow  way  that  leads  to  evcrlast- 
uig  life.  We  confess  that  we  are  by  nature 
carnally  minded,  which  is  death  :  O  make  us 
spiritually  minded,  which  is  life  and  peace.  From 
uncleanness,  dnuikenness,  profanity.  Sabbath- 
breaking,  corrupt  speech,  and  evil  thoughts,  good 
Lord,  deliver  us.  From  every  thing  earthly, 
sensual,  and  devilish,  save  us,  good  Lord.  The 
time  past  of  our  life  may  well  suffice,  in  which  we 
wrought  the  will  of  ihe  flesh.  Now  may  we  reckon 
ourselves  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto 
God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

We  offer  up  our  supplications,  O  God,  on  behalf 
of  those  who  do  not  join  with  us  in  these  peti- 
tions. We  pray  for  those  who  are  following, 
without  remorse,  the  devices  and  desires  of  their 
own  hearts,  who  are  serving  divers  lusts  and 
pleasures,  who  are  dead  while  they  live,  and 
are  in  danger  of  eternal  death.  We  beseech 
ihee.  Lord,  to  pity  them  in  their  miserable  and 
awful  condition.  No  power  but  thine  can  save 
them ;  but  with  thee  all  things  are  possible.  O 
let  the  pitifulness  of  thy  great  mercy  help  them; 
that  being  made  free  from  sin,  and  becoming  the 
servants  of  God,  they  may  have  their  fruit  unto 
holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life. 


SERMON  XXXVI. 

PARDONING  MERCY. 

Isaiah  1.  8.  Come  now,  and  let  us  reason  together, 
saith  the  Lord  ;  though  your  sins  be  as  scarltt,  they 
shall  be  as  white  as  snow ;  though  they  be  red  like 
crinisun,  thoy  shall  be  as  wool. 

The  pardon  of  sin  has  been  justly 
called,  The  life-blood  of  reUginn.  It  is 
this  which  runs  through  all  parts  of  the 
Scriptures,  like  the  blood  in  our  veins,  and 
is  the  foremost  object  in  the  glorious  Gos- 
pel. No  man  has  a  grain  of  religion,  till 
he  sees  the  need,  and  feels  the  want,  of 
the  pardon  of  his  sins.  No  man  is  liappy 
in  rehgion,  till  he  has  reason  to  conclude 
that  his  sins  are  pardoned.  Gratitude  for 
this  blessing  is  the  grand  incentive  to  holy 
obedience,  and  triumph  on  account  of  it 
forms  the  bliss  of  glorified  saints.  How 
worthy,  then,  is  this  sttbject  of  our  most 
serious  regard  !  We  all  need  pardon ; 
and  pardon  or  punishment  must  be  our 
portion. 

Among  tlte  precious  promises  of  God's 
word,  this,  in  our  text,  is  one  of  tlie  chief 


And  it  appears  the  more  gracious,  as  it  fol- 
lows the  list  of  tlie  most  heinous  and  abom- 
inable sins  charged  upon  the  Jews.  This 
will  appear  more  clearly  by  considering 
the  three  parts  of  our  te.xt. 

1.  A  Charge  ;  2.  An  Invitation  ;  and 
3.  A  Promise. 

1.  The  first  thing  in  the  text  is  a 
Charge  implied,  and  more  particularly 
expressed  in  the  former  verses  of  this 
chapter.  The  charge  is  Sin — sin,  the 
most  aggravated,  the  most  horrid,  the  most 
enormous.  Sins,  called  scarlet  and  crim- 
son. The  grefitness  of  sin  is  intended  by 
these  words.  Scarlet  and  crimson  are 
colors  far  remote  from  white,  which  is  the 
emblem  of  innocence  or  righteousness. 
The  saints  in  glory  are  represented  as 
"clothed  in  white  robes,"  and  "in  fine 
linen,  clean  and  v/hite,"  which  is  the 
rigliteousness  of  the  saints.  But  here, 
sinners  are  represented  as  in  garments 
stained  with  blood.  The  bloody,  murder- 
ous destructive  nature  of  sin  may  be  in- 
tended. Sin  has  slain  its  millions.  If  all 
the  bodies  of  the  dead  were  heaped  up, 
they  would  form  the  greatest  mountain  in 
the  world ;  and  we  might  say — sin  slew 
all  these ;  "  for,  by  one  man,  sin  entered 
into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin ;  so  that 
death  hath  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that 
all  men  have  sinned."  Some  understand 
by  the  word  scarlet — double  dyed — as 
deeply  tinctured  by  sin  as  possible ;  as 
when  any  garment  has  been  twice  dyed, 
first  in  wool,  and  again  in  the  thread  or 
piece.  So  great  sinners  are  twice  dyed ; 
first  in  their  corrupt  nature,  for  all  men 
are  born  in  sin  ;  and  then  dyed  again  in 
the  long  confirmed  habits  of  actual  trans- 
gressions. 

But  let  us  look  over  the  particulars  of 
this  charge.  Sinners  are  first  charged 
with  Ingratitude,  ver.  2.  "Hear,  O 
heavens,  and  give  ear,  O  earth;  for  the 
Lord  hath  spoken ;  1  have  nourished  and 
brought  up  children,  and  they  have  re- 
belled against  me."  C'all  a  man  ungrate- 
ful, and  you  call  him  all  that  is  bad ;  but 
the  ingratitude  of  children  is  the  worst  in- 
gratitude. Children  are  under  tlie  greatest 
obligations  to  their  tender  parents,  for  food 
and  raiment,  protection  and  education ;  but 
if,  instead  of  dutiful  obedience  and  affec- 
tionate care,  they  return  evil  for  good,  re- 
bellion instead  of  subjection,  it  is  like 
fixing  a  dagger  in  a  parent's  heart  Such 
a  trial  David  felt  in  the  wicked  conduct  of 
his  beloved  son  Absalom.  In  this  manner 
God  speaks  of  man's  sin.  God  is  good ; 
and  "  the  goodness  of  God  leadeth  us  to 
repentance  :"  but  impenitent  sinners  "  de- 


164 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


spise  the  riches  of  his  goodness  and  for- 
bearance, and  long-suffering ;  and  thus 
treasure  up  wrath  against  the  day  of 
wrath." 

Again.  Sinners  are  charged  with  In- 
sensibility ;  ver.  3.  "  The  ox  knoweth  his 
owner,  and  the  ass  his  master's  crib  :  but 
Israel  doth  not  know,  my  people  do  not 
consider."  It  is  a  sad  thing  indeed,  that 
man,  who  was  made  in  the  image  of  God, 
should  be  made  by  sin  like  the  beasts  that 
perish;  yea,  worse  than  they  are.  The 
ox  is  a  stupid  creature,  yet  he  knows  his 
owner,  and  submits  his  neck  to  the  yoke  ; 
the  ass  is  more  stupid,  yet  he  knows  when 
he  is  well  off,  and  abides  by  his  master's 
crib:  but  siimers  are  more  base,  more 
ignorant,  more  stupid :  "  They  have  the 
worst  qualities  of  brutes,  without  the  best. 
They  do  not  know  God;  they  do  not 
consider  their  duty  to  God,  nor  their  obli- 
gations to  God ;  even  Israel,  that  might 
and  ought  to  know  better." 

They  are  further  charged  with  jfor- 
saking  God.  All  sinners  do  so.  They 
turn  their  backs  upon  him.  They  say, 
in  effect,  "  Depart  from  us,  for  we  de- 
sire not  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways :" 
"  What  is  the  Almighty  that  we  should 
serve  him  ;  and  what  profit  shall  we  have 
if  we  pray  unto  him  V  Besides  this,  they 
corrupted  others.  They  were  not  content 
to  eat  the  devil's  morsel  alone  ;  they  must 
entice  others  to  poison  them  with  it.  And, 
indeed,  this  is  awfully  common  among  us. 
When  young  persons  fall  into  the  sin  of 
uncleanness,  how  active  are  they  to  seduce 
others!  when  men  fall  into  the  sin  of 
drunkenness,  how  busy  are  they  to  engage 
others  in  the  same  vice  ! 

These  sins  were  universal,  ver.  4.  "  Ah, 
Binftil  nation,  a  people  laden  with  iniquity  ! 
All  orders  of  people  were  guilty ;  the 
whole  head  was  sick,  the  whole  heart  was 
faint."  God  knows  it  is  thus  in  this 
country.  We  are  a  wicked  people,  and  the 
Lord  is  provoked  with  us.  All  the  miseries 
of  human  life,  all  the  terrors  and  agonies 
of  deatli,  all  the  torments  of  the  damned, 
are  proofs  of  God's  anger  against  sin. 
Sin  is  a  iieavy  load,  tliougli  fools  make 
light  of  it.  And  they  who  make  light  of 
it  now  are  likely  to  feel  its  dreadful  weight 
in  another  world.  Sooner  or  later  it  will 
be  a  burden  too  heavy  to  bear.  Happy 
they  who  now,  feeling  its  load,  obey  the 
kind  invitation  of  Christ,  "Come  unto  me, 
all  ye  that  are  weary  and  heavy  laden,  and 
I  will  give  you  rest." 

The  condition  of  Israel,  and  of  every 
sinner,  is  compared,  ver.  fi,  to  that  of  a 
human  body  wholly  disordered,  and  be- 


come intolerably  lothosome.  "From  the 
sole  of  the  foot  even  unto  the  head,  there 
is  no  soundness  in  it;  but  wounds,  and 
bruises,  and  putrefymg  sores;  they  have 
not  been  closed,  neither  bound  up,  neither 
mollified  with  ointment."  See,  sinner,  thy 
wretched  picture !  Sin  is  the  disease  of 
thy  soul,  and  the  worst  symptom  is,  thou 
knowest  it  not.  We  pity  the  ravings  of  a 
man  in  a  fever,  who  fancies  himself  in 
health;  such  is  the  dangerous  condition 
of  sinners,  who  boast  of  their  "good 
hearts,"  or  call  their  abominations  "hu- 
man frailties,"  or  "youthful  follies."  In 
the  eyes  of  a  pure  and  holy  God,  the  sin- 
ner is  far  more  lothesome  than  a  carcass 
covered  witli  bleeding  wounds,  running 
sores,  or  filthy  ulcers. 

It  is  absolutely  necessary  that  each  of  us 
should  personally  know  that  this  is  his  own 
case.  Ministers  are,  at  the  peril  of  their 
own  souls,  obliged  to  declare  this;  they 
must  show  the  people  their  sins,  and  warn 
them  from  God,  or  the  sinner's  blood  will 
be  required  at  their  hands.  But  if  sinners 
are  faithfully  warned,  ministers  are  free 
from  their  blood;  their  blood  is  on  their 
own  heads.  But  O !  how  unwillLng  are 
men  to  see  and  own  their  true  condition ! 
How  do  they  shut  their  eyes  against  the 
light  that  would  make  manifest  their  works 
of  darkness !  How  dearly  do  they  love  the 
darkness  that  conceals  their  sins  !  How 
angry  are  they  to  be  told  of  their  diseases ! 
How  do  they  hate  the  Gospel  that  reveals 
a  remedy,  and  shun  the  kind  physician  who 
would  cure  them !  And  yet  mark  their  in- 
consistency !  Do  you  not  hear  them  deny 
to  men  that  they  are  condemned ;  and  yet 
cry  to  God  to  have  mercy  on  them  ?  But 
if  they  are  not  condemned,  what  need  have 
they  of  mercy  ?  And  if  they  are,  why  do 
they  deny  their  lost  estate  ■!  We  hear  them 
also  praising  God  for  his  "  inestimable  love 
in  tlie  redemption  of  the  world  by  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ;"  but  how  absurd  is  this,  if 
they  believe  not,  if  tliey  feel  not  the 
wretched  bondage  of  their  sins ! 

But  now  observe,  with  wonder  and  joy, 
the  astonishing  grace  of  God.  What  lan- 
guage might  sinners  justly  expect,  who 
have  been  convicted  of  ingratitude,  rebel- 
lion, insensibility,  and  every  provoking  sin"? 
Might  they  not  well  expect  that  God  should 
say,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed  !"  But, 
O  surprising  mercy!  his  language  is, 
"  Come  now,  and  let  us  reason  together ;" 
and  tliis  is  the 

Second  thing  in-  tlie  text.  The  Invita- 
tion: "And  is  this  the  manner  of  man, 
O  Lord!"  Far  from  it.  Truly,  "his 
thoughts  are  not  our  thoughts,  neither  are 


SERMON  XXXVI. 


165 


his  ways  our  ways."  God  does  not  deal 
with  men,  as  men  deal  with  each  other. 
If  a  man  find  his  enemy,  will  he  let  him 
go  well  away  1  No  :  but  God,  from  whom 
no  enemy  can  escape,  and  who  can  at  any 
time  take  the  deserved  vengeance,  invites 
poor  sinners  to  come  and  reason  with  him. 
God  had  charged  Israel  with  their  many 
He  had  visited  them  witli  national 


sms. 


judgments.  He  had  refused  to  accept  their 
hypocritical  devotions.  He  had  threatened 
to  give  them  up,  and  utterly  forsake  them  ; 
and  lastly,  he  had  called  them  to  repent- 
ance and  reformation ;  ver.  16, 17.  "  Wash 
ye,  make  ye  clean,  put  away  the  evil  of 
your  doings  from  before  mine  eyes ;  cease 
to  do  evil,  learn  to  do  well;  seek  judg- 
ment, relieve  the  oppressed,  judge  the  fa- 
therless, plead  for  the  widow."  And  then 
he  adds,  "  Come,  now,  and  let  us  reason 
together."  God  is  willing  to  show  the 
equity  of  his  conduct.  Let  these  bold  of- 
fenders come  and  plead  their  own  cause, 
and  show  what  they  have  to  say  for  them- 
selves; and  let  them  find  fault,  if  they 
can,  with  the  divine  proceedings.  If  they 
will  persist  in  sin,  their  damnation  is  just. 
If  they  confess  and  forsake  it,  they  shall 
find  mercy ;  their  scarlet  sins  shall  be  as 
white  as  snow. 

We  shall  take  occasion,  from  hence, 
briefly  to  show  that  true  religion,  vital  re- 
ligion, is  the  most  reasonable  thing  in  the 
world. 

Is  not  self-preservation  highly  reasona- 
ble ?  We  account  it  the  first  law  of  nature, 
and  should  blame  the  man  who  neglects  it. 
Is  a  house  on  fire  ?  let  the  inhabitant  es- 
cape for  his  life.  Is  the  prodigal  ready  to 
starve '!  let  him  hasten  to  his  father's  house. 
Is  the  man  drowning  !  let  him  seize  on  the 
rope  thrown  out  for  help.  Is  the  ship  sink- 
ing !  let  the  sailors  throw  overboard  their 
valuable  stores,  for  "  all  that  a  man  hath 
will  he  give  for  his  life."  .  But  is  the  life 
of  tiie  body  all  1  What  must  become  of 
the  soul  ]  Shall  we  take  all  these  pains  to 
preserve  a  life  that  must  inevitably  end, 
and  sliall  we  take  no  pains  to  save  a  soul 
that  is  immortal,  and  which  must  live  for 
ever  in  heaven  or  hell  ]  Hear  how  Clirist 
reasons.  Matt.  x.  28.  "  Fear  not  them  which 
kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the 
soul ;  but  rather  fear  him,  which  is  able  to 
destroy  both  body  and  soid  in  hell :"  for  con- 
sider— God  asks  the  question — "Can  thine 
heart  endure,  or  can  thine  hands  be  strong, 
in  the  day  that  I  shall  deal  with  thee  !" 

Is  it  not  reasonable  for  a  man  to  do  well 
for  himself/  "yes:  men  will  praise  thee, 
when  thou  doest  well  for  thyself!"  We 
commend  the  honest,  ingenious,  industri- 


ous tradesman;  but,  O  !  "the  children  of 
this  world  are  wiser  in  their  generation 
than  the  children  of  light."  Is  it  reasona- 
ble for  a  man  to  mind  his  own  business'? 
Well;  "one  thing  is  needful;"  the  care 
of  thy  soul  is  the  business  of  life.  Is  it 
reasonable  to  improve  opportunities  for 
business,  as  fairs  and  markets?  Redeem 
tlien  the  time,  and  catch  the  golden  oppor- 
tunities of  gain  to  thy  soul.  Is  it  reasona- 
ble to  make  a  good  bargain  1  The  Chris- 
tian makes  the  best  in  the  world.  He  is 
the  wise  merchant,  who,  seeking  goodly 
pearls,  findeth,  at  length,  Jesus  Christ,  the 
pearl  of  great  price,  and  goeth  and  selleth 
all  that  he  hath  to  buy  it.  Is  it  reasonable 
to  lay  up  for  a  rainy  day  ]  How  much  more 
to  provide  for  a  dying  day,  that  we  may  be 
ready  for  the  great  change,  and  find  it 
gain  to  die !  Is  it  reasonable  to  cultivate 
friendship  with  the  wise,  the  good,  and  the 
great?  O  how  wise  to  make  Christ  our 
friend,  to  have  an  agent  in  heaven,  an  ad- 
vocate with  the  Father !  for  indeed,  "  Je- 
sus Christ  is  the  best  friend  or  the  worst 
enemy  we  can  have." 

Is  it  not  reasonable  to  believe  the  God 
of  truth  ?  The  word  of  God  has  every 
confirmation  we  could  wish.  It  is  con- 
firmed by  the  exact  fulfilment  of  numer- 
ous predictions,  by  the  performance  of  un- 
questionable miracles ;  by  its  perfect  agree- 
ment with  matters  of  fact,  both  in  obser- 
vation and  experience  ;  and  by  the  daily 
wonders  of  grace  performed  by  its  means. 
Whatever  some  men  pretend  to  the  con- 
trary, they,  and  they  only,  act  a  rational 
part,  who  take  God  at  his  word;  while 
others  are  so  unreasonable  as  to  "make 
God  a  liar,"  and  give  credit  to  the  grand 
deceiver. 

Finally,  Is  not  love  to  God  and  man 
perfectly  reasonable?  This  is  the  whole 
of  our  religion.  Is  it  reasonable  or  not, 
think  you,  to  love  the  best  of  beings  bet- 
ter than  all  other  beings'!  And  if  we  love 
him,  we  shall  believe  him,  and  obey  him. 
Should  not  a  creature  love  his  Maker'? 
Should  not  a  dependant  love  his  benefac- 
tor? Should  not  a  redeemed  sinner  love 
his  Savior?  And  what  is  the  whole  of  mo- 
rality, as  it  respects  man,  but  loving  our 
neighbor  as  ourselves  ?  And  where  is  the 
man  who  wislies  not  tlms  to  be  treated  by 
others  ? 

But  we  have  a  further  and  very  strong 
inducement  to  obey  the  divine  invitation, 
and  come  to  reason  with  him,  for  he  has 
made  a  most  gracious  promise  in  the  text, 
which  is  the 

Third  particular  of  our  discourse.  This 
gracious  promise  is,   "Though  your  sins 


16G 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


"be  as  scarlet,  they  sliall  be  as  white  as 
snow ;  tliough  they  be  red  like  crimson, 
they  shall  be  as  wool." 

The  pardon  of  sin  is,  as  we  observed  at 
the  beginning,  the  first  and  chief  thing  in 
religion.  It  .was  the  great  business  of 
Christ  upon  earth  to  procure  it ;  he  took 
our  flesh  that  he  might  take  our  sm,  and 
died,  "  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he 
might  bring  us  to  God."  It  is  the  princi- 
pal design  of  the  Gospel,  which  is  preach- 
ed to  us,  "  that  we  may  obtain  forgiveness 
of  sins."  It  is  the  first  blessing  sought  by 
renewed  souls ;  "  for  this  shall  every  one 
that  is  godly  pray  unto  thee  in  a  time  when 
thou  mayest  be  fomid."  It  constitutes  one 
of  the  titles  of  the  blessed  God :  "  Who  is 
like  unto  thee  that  pardoneth  iniquity!" 
And  it  composes  a  part  of  the  songs  of 
heaven  ;  for  the  redeemed  continually 
adore  "  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  and  who 
washes  tliem  from  their  sins  in  his  own 
blood." 

The  pardon  of  sin  originates  in  the  free 
mercy  and  sovereign  grace  of  God,  with- 
out respect  to  any  thing  good  in  the  crea- 
ture. That  men  are  saved  rather  than  an- 
gels ;  and  that  one  man  is  pardoned  rather 
than  another,  is  a  matter  of  mercy  alone ; 
for  "  it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of 
him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  showeth 
mercy ;  for  he  saith  to  Moses,  I  will  have 
mercy  upon  whom  I  will  have  mercy,  and 
I  will  have  compassion  on  whom  I  will 
have  compassion."  It  was  mere  mercy 
that  a  Savior  was  provided,  for  "  God  so 
loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  be- 
gotten Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  might  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life."  God  delighteth  in  mercy.  It  is  his 
most  glorious  name  ;  for,  when  Moses  de- 
sired to  see  his  glory,  God  caused  his  good- 
ness to  pass  before  him,  and  proclaimed  his 
name :  which  name  was  this : — "  The  Lord, 
the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long- 
buffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and 
truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiv- 
ing iniquity,  and  transgression,  and  sin." 
Exod.  xxxiii.  18,  19.  and  xxxiv.  5,  6.  We 
are  not  to  suppose  that  some  men  obtaui 
mercy  because  they  have  not  sinned  so 
much  as  others ;  as  great  sins  do  not  pre- 
vent pardon,  so  little  sins  cannot  lay  a 
claim  to  it.  Nor  are  we  to  think  that  there 
are  some  good  things  in  some  sinners  to 
balance  their  bad  ones,  and  so  entitle  them 
to  mercy.  Nor  that  the  tears,  or  prayers, 
or  reformation  of  any  man  can  merit  favor 
at  the  hands  of  God.  No.  All  these,  and 
every  thing  else  that  looks  like  merit,  must 
be  renounced  altogether.  Every  moutli 
must  be  stopped.  AJl  the  world  must  plead 


guilty ;  and  all  the  saved  must  own,  tliat 
God,  "  for  his  own  name's  sake  alone," 
pardons  their  iniquity. 

But  we  are  not  to  expect  the  pardon  of 
sin  from  an  absolute  God.  The  pardon  of 
sin  is  an  act  of  justice  as  well  as  of  mercy. 
Mercy  on  God's  part,  but  justice  on  tlie 
account  of  Christ.  In  tlie  pardon  of  sin, 
justice  must  be  considered  as  well  as  mer- 
cy. If  God  had  pardoned  sin  without  a 
satisfaction,  what  provision  would  have 
been  made  for  the  honor  of  his  holiness, 
justice,  or  truth  !  God  would  have  seemed 
to  wink  at  sin  ;  he  would  have  seemed  to 
have  no  concern  fur  the  moral  government 
.of  the  world  ;  and  his  truth,  which  was 
engaged  to  see  the  threatening  against  sin 
fulfilled,  would  have  been  forfeited  :  but  in 
the  redemption  of  Jesus  Clirist,  "  mercy 
and  truth  have  met  together,  righteousness 
and  peace  have  embraced  each  other."  In 
a  word,  "  God  is  just,  and  the  justifier  of 
him  that  believeth  in  Jesus:"  he  is  "a 
just  God  and  a  Savior."  In  this  blessed 
way,  justice  itself  becomes  the  believer's 
friend:  for  Christ  having  paid  the  debt,  it 
cannot  be  demanded  a  second  time  of  the 
believer ;  and,  therefore,  God  is  not  only 
merciful  in  pardoning  sin,  but  "  he  is  faith- 
ful and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins  ;  and  to 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness."  1 
John  V.  9. 

Another  principal  thing  in  the  doctrine 
of  forgiveness  is,  that  it  is  by  faith  alone 
we  are  made  partakers  of  pardoning  mercy. 
Jesus  Christ  himself  says.  Acts  xxvi.  18, 
"  That  they  may  receive  forgiveness  of 
sills  through  faith  that  is  in  me ;"  and 
St.  Paul  says,  "  By  grace  are  ye  saved, 
through  faith.''''  By  faith  we  mean  "  a  be- 
lief of  the  truth,"  especially  of  the  testimo- 
ny of  God  concerning  his  Son  Jesus  Christ; 
"  that  he  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life,  and 
that  this  life  is  in  his  Son."  The  man 
who  is  taught  of  God,  made  sensible  of  his 
sin,  and  desirous  of  mercy,  hears  the  Gos- 
pel, which  is  good  news  of  salvation  by 
Jesus  Christ ;  he  hears  that  "  there  is  for- 
giveness witii  God,  that  he  may  be  fear- 
ed ;"  that  Christ  is  willing  and  able  to  save 
sinners,  and  that  "  his  blood  cleanseth  from 
all  sin."  He  assents  to  this  truth,  he  relies 
upon  it,  and  acts  accordingly  ;  and  in  pro- 
portion to  the  credit  which  he  gives  to  the 
Gospel,  and  the  dependence  he  places  on 
the  faithfulness  of  God,  such  is  his  joy  and 
peace  in  believing. 

One  thing  more  must  be  noticed  : — the 
perfection  of  pardon,  which  is  expressed 
by  making  scarlet  as  snow,  and  crimson 
like  wool.  We  are  to  understand  this  of 
the  sinner,  not  of  his  sins.     Pardon  does 


SERMON  XXXVII. 


167 


not  alter  the  nature  or  lessen  the  evil  of 
sin  ;  but  the  sinner,  however  deeply  dyed 
in  sin,  double  dyed,  and  drenched  in  the 
most  enormous,  aggravated,  and  bloody 
sins,  shall,  upon  believing,  be  as  thorough- 
ly discharged  from  the  guilt  of  them,  as  if 
he  had  never  sinned  at  all.  This  is  an  act 
of  Almighty  power.  To  discharge  tlie 
colors  of  scarlet  and  crimson  may  be  im- 
possible to  human  art,  but  to  pardon  tlie 
vilest  sinners  is  perfectly  easy  to  God. 
Elsewliere  the  same  idea  is  expressed  by 
casting  our  sins  behind  his  back — losing 
them  in  the  depths  of  the  sea — blotting 
them  out  of  a  book — forgetting  them,  and 
removing  them  from  us  as  far  as  the  east 
is  from  the  west.  Such  is  the  perfection 
of  pardoning  mercy ! 

APPLICATION. 

Come,  sirs,  what  think  you  of  sin  1  Per- 
haps you  forget  it ;  but  God  does  not  for- 
get it.  If  it  be  not  pardoned,  it  will  be 
brought  into  judgment.  Think  not  your- 
selves safe,  because  you  fancy  your  sins 
are  little,  or  because  they  give  you  no  dis- 
turbance, or  because  you  prosper  in  the 
world,  or  because  you  have  hopes  of  mercy. 
"  The  wages  of  sin  is  death."  The  law 
curses  you  for  one  offence  ;  and  if  you  are 
not  redeemed,  you  must  be  ruined ;  if  not 
pardoned,  you  must  be  punished.  If  you 
believe  not  in  Christ,  you  are  condemned 
already.  Notwithstanding  the  mercy  of 
God  and  the  merits  of  Christ,  if  you  con- 
tinue in  a  state  of  ignorance,  carnality,  and 
unbelief,  they  will  not  all  avail  you.  Food 
cannot  nourish  if  not  received ;  nor  a 
medicine  heal  if  not  applied.  You  will  be 
none  the  better  for  Christ,  if  you  do  not 
come  to  him ;  but  you  will  be  much  the 
worse ;  for  how  shall  you  escape,  if  you 
neglect  so  great  salvation  !  Think  of  these 
things,  O  ye  children  of  men,  before  it  be 
too  late.  How  can  you  enjoy  a  meal,  or 
sleep  in  your  beds,  while  your  sins  remain 
unpardoned  ?  O  delay  no  longer.  No 
longer  abuse  the  patience  and  goodness  of 
God.  Instantly  fly  to  the  refuge,  O  ye 
prisoners  of  hope.  As  yet  the  door  is  open. 
God  will  pardon  the  greatest  sinner  that 
comes  to  him  by  Jesus  Christ.  Take  with 
you  the  words  of  the  text,  and  say,  "  Lord, 
I  come  at  thy  call ;  my  sins  are  indeed  as 
scarlet  for  thy  name's  sake  make  them 
white  as  snow;  my  crimes  are  red  like 
crimson,  O  wash  me  in  the  fountain  of  the 
Savior's  blood,  and  they  shall  be  as  wool." 

Believer!  All  hail !  "  Blessed  art  thou 
whose  tran?gre.«sion  is  forgiven,  whose  sin 
is  covered.  Blessed  is  tlic  man  unto  whom 
tlie  Lord  imputes  not  iniquity."  Happy  art 


thou.  God  give  thee  to  see  thy  sins,  to 
feel  thy  sins,  to  lament  thy  sins.  God  open 
thine  eyes  to  understand  his  Go.-;pel.  God 
enable  thee  to  come  with  all  thy  sins  to 
Christ ;  and  believing  in  him,  thou  hast 
passed  from  death  unto  life,  and  shall  never 
come  into  condemnation.  Admire  the  love 
of  God.  Admire  the  blood  of  Christ.  Ad- 
mire the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit : 

"  And  let  your  glad  obedience  prove 
How  much  you  owe,  how  much  you  love." 


PRAYER— Thou  art  justified,  O  God,  when 
thou  speakest ;  thou  art  clear  when  thou  jndgest. 
Our  sins  are  as  scarlet  and  crimson.  We  would 
not  dissemble  nor  cloke  iheni  belbre  thy  face, 
but  confess  them  wiih  an  humble,  lowly,  peni- 
tent, and  obedient  heart,  to  the  end  we  may  ob- 
tain forgiveness  of  the  same  through  thine  infi- 
nite goodness  and  mercy. 

We  come.  Lord,  to  thy  throne  of  grace,  that  we 
may  obtain  mercy.  Though  our  sins  be  as  scar- 
let, O  m&ke  them  while  as  snow ;  though  they 
be  red  like  crimson,  may  they  be  as  wool.  Way 
the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  thy  f?on,  cleanse  us 
from  all  sin. 

We  bless  thee,  0  Lord,  for  the  kind  and  en- 
couraging language  in  which  thou  hast  been 
pleased  to  speak  to  us ;  fur  the  condescending 
invitation  and  the  gracious  promise  of  which  we 
have  been  hearing.  O  that  not  one  of  us  may  be 
so  unreasonable,  so  ungrateful,  and  so  foolish,  as 
to  neglect  the  invitation.  O  that  not  one  of  us 
may  be  so  miserable  as  to  live  and  die  without 
enjoying  the  unspeakable  blessing  promised.  For 
who  may  stand  in  thy  sight,  O  Lord,  when  once 
thou  art  angry  ?  And  how  shall  we  escape,  if  we 
neglect  so  great  salvarion !  O  that  each  of  us, 
from  the  heart,  may  cry,  God  be  merciful  to  me  a 
sinner ! 


SERMON  XXXVII. 

\,        THE  PENITENT  THIEF. 

Luke  xxiii.  42,  -JS.— And  lin  said  unto  Jesus,  Lord, 
remember  niR  when  tlioii  roniest  into  ttiy  kin^- 
ilom.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Verily  I  say  nnto 
thee,  Today  shalt  thou  be  with  nie  in  Paradise. 

Who  can  read  these  words,  or  consider 
the  conversion  and  pardon  of  the  dying 
thief,  without  exclaiming,  in  the  words  of 
St.  Paul — "  Where  sin  abounded,  grace 
did  much  more  abound !"  Here  i.-  a  won- 
derful instance  of  divine,  free,  and  sove- 
reign grace,  abounding  towards  the  chief 
of  sinners.  It  is  recorded  for  the  encour- 
agement of  great  sinners,  in  every  age, 
that  tltei/  may  take  refuge  in  Ciirist  "  who 
are  ready  to  perish  ;"  and  it  aflbrds  a  pleas- 
ing proof  that  "  he  is  able  to  save  tn  the 
uttermost,  all  who  come  to  God  by  him." 

Our  blessed  Lord  was  crucified  with 
two  thieves,  and  placed  between  them, 
that  he  might  be  thought  tlie  worst  of  the 


168 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


three.  But  thus  the  Scripture  was  fulfill- 
ed, "  He  was  numbered  with  the  trans- 
gressors," or  "  criminals."  The  chief 
priests,  the  scribes,  the  rulers  and  the 
mob,  all  joined  in  mocking  and  deriding 
him ;  not  content  with  beholding  his  ex- 
treme sutierings,  they  had  the  cruelty  to 
add  insult  to  his  pains.  "  Come  down  from 
the  cross,"  said  they,  "  and  then  we  will 
believe.  Thou  that  didst  save  others,  save 
thyself:"  and  "  Save  us  too,"  said  the 
thieves ;  not  seriously,  but  by  way  of 
taunt ;  for,  it  is  written,  "  the  thieves  also, 
which  were  crucified  with  him,  cast  the 
same  in  his  teeth."  O  what  an  instance  is 
this  of  the  savage  hardness  of  the  human 
heart!  how  dreadful,  that  wicked  men, 
dying  in  their  sins,  should  strive  to  forget 
their  own  agonies,  that  they  might  join  in 
abusing  and  insulting  the  Son  of  God !  A 
state  of  more  desperate  and  confirmed 
wickedness  can  hardly  be  conceived. 

But  behold  tlie  grace  of  God !  One  of 
these  men  is  snatched  as  a  brand  from  the 
fire :  plucked,  as  in  an  instant,  out  of  the 
very  jaws  of  destruction.  An  astonishing, 
perhaps  a  sudden  .change  is  produced.  He 
cries  for  mercy,  and  he  obtains  it.  He 
looks  to  Jesus,. and  is  saved.  From  being 
a  hardened  sinner,  he  becomes  at  once  an 
eminent  saint ;  obtains  assurance  of  imme- 
diate bliss  ;  and  passes  from  the  gallows  to 
glory. 

Let  us  nt)W  carefully  consider  the  two 
parts  of  our  text,  into  which  it  natui*ally 
divides  itself. 

L  The  prayer  of  the  dying  malefactor. 

n.  The  gracious  answer  of  the  Savior. 

In  attending  to  the  first,  consider,  for  a 
moment,  the  character  of  the  criminal,  for 
a  criminal  he  was ;  a  malefactor ;  a  high- 
wayman :  one  who  belonged  to  a  desperate 
gang  of  robbers  who  infested  that  coun- 
try ;  a  set  of  seditious  banditti,  who  were 
for  shaking  off  the  Roman  yoke,  and  who 
lived  by  rapine  and  plunder.  It  is  not  im- 
probable that  he  was  a  murderer  also;  for 
8uch  men  scruple  not  to  kill  as  well  as 
steal.  This  is  the  man  who  becomes  the 
trophy  of  sovereign  grace.  For  surely  it 
will  be  admitted  that  here  was  no  previous 
goodness  or  worthiness  to  recommend  him 
to  the  divine  favor. 

Is  it  not  astonishing  to  hear  such  a  man 
as  this  suing  for  mercy  1  But  what  cannot 
grace  effect,  and  that  in  a  moment !  He 
who  in  the  first  creation  said,  "  Let  there 
be  light,  and  light  there  was,"  can,  in  an 
instant,  dart  a  ray  of  spiritual  light  into 
the  darkest  mind.  Whether  any  means 
were  employed  for  the  communication  of 
this  light  or  not,  we  cannot  say.     Some 


imagine  he  was  first  affected  by  tlie 
strange,  total,  supernatural  darkness,  which 
then  suddenly  overspread  the  land — 3,n 
emblem  of  the  inward  darkness  which 
soon  involved  the  sacred  soul  of  our  dear 
Redeemer ;  and  a  dismal  presage  of  the 
dreadful  ignorance  and  darkness  which 
should  cover  the  Jews ;  and  which  has 
covered  them  ever  since.  Possibly,  the 
pathetic  prayer  of  our  Lord  for  his  mur- 
derers first  touched'  his  heart — "  Father, 
forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what 
they  do."  There  was  so  much  dignity,  so 
much  tenderness  and  mercy,  in  this,  that 
perhaps  it  was  the  means,  in  the  hands  of 
the  Spirit,  for  ijielting  tlie  rock  of  ice  in 
his  bosom.  Or  who  can  say  whetlier,  be- 
fore this  unhappy,  or  shall  I  say,  now  happy 
man,  joined  himself  to  the  gang  of  thieves, 
whether  he  had  not,  now  and  then,  mingled 
with  the  multitude  who  heard  our  Savior's 
sermons,  and  saw  his  amazing  miracles : 
and  though  his  vices  had  long  suppressed 
every  good  motion  in  his  heart,  yet  now, 
in  the  time  of  liis  trouble,  he  calls  to  mind 
what  he  had  before  neglected  ?  "  For  a 
grain  of  the  divine  word  frequently  falls 
on  an  uncultivated  soil ;  so  that  it  produces 
no  fruit  till  many  years  after,  when  suffer- 
ings and  afflictions  cause  it  to  spring  up." 
And  this  may  afford  a  ray  of  comtbrt  to 
ministers  and  parents,  encouraging  them 
to  hope,  that  though  their  prayers  and  in- 
structiojis  seem  for  the  present  to  be  lost, 
yet  that,  finally,  "  their  labor  shall  not  be 
in  vain  in  the  Lord." 

Behold  he  prayeth  !  So  it  was  observed 
of  Saul,  as  a  proof  of  his  conversion.  So 
we  say,  with  wonder  and  surprise,  of  the 
thief— Behold  he  prayeth !  Perhaps  he 
never  prayed  before,  or  he  had  long  forgot 
to  pray.  Had  he  prayed,  he  had  not  come 
to  the  cross ;  he  had  not  been  a  thief:  for, 
according  to  the  Dutch  proverb,  "  Praying 
will  make-  a  man  leave  sinning,  or  sinning 
will  make  a  man  leave  praying."  Now  he 
prays ;  and,  most  wonderful !  prays  to  him 
who  hung  upon  a  cross.  He  becomes  a 
Christian  at  once,  for  a  Christian  is  one 
who  "  with  the  heart  believetli  unto  right- 
eousness, and  with  the  mouth  maketh  con- 
fession (of  that  faith)  unto  salvation." 
Rom.  X.  10. 

He  calls  Jesus  Lord,  which  no  man 
can  do  aright  "  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost." 
He  gives  him  this  title  of  dignity  and  au- 
thority, though  degraded  by  the  whole 
Jewish  nation,  and  branded  with  the  name 
of  a  rebel,  a  Samaritan,  an  impostor. 

He  owns  him  also  as  a  King,  for  he 
begs  to  be  remembered  by  Jesus  "  when 
he  shall  come  into  his  kingdom."    You 


SERMON  XXXVII. 


169 


know  the  title  that  Pilate  put  over  his  head 
on  tiie  croas  was,  Jesus  of  Nazurtlli,  khiir 
of  the  Jews  ;  and  it  was  put  there  to  inti- 
mate his  crime,  in  assuming  the  character 
of  4vin<f,  in  opposition  to  Ca;sar  ;  but  he 
was  really  a  king ;  he  came  uito  the  world 
to  he  a  king;  to  set  up  a  new  and  spiritual 
kingdom,  in  opposition,  not  to  Cffisar,  but 
to  Satan ;  and  this  character  he  boldly 
avowed  before  Pilate.  The  penitent  thief 
allows  his  claim,  and  begs  to  be  admitted 
among  his  subjects.  He  understands  also 
tJiat  •'  Christ's  kingdom  is  not  of  tliis 
world,"  as  tiie  Jews  tbolishly  thought  the 
kinsrdom  of  Messiah  was  to  be :  and  this 
was  tlieir  fatal  mistake ;  for  on  this  account 
they  rejected  the  humble  Lord  of  glory. 
They  despised  his  mean  appearance ;  they 
saw  no  form,  nor  any  beauty,  that  they 
should  regard  Inm  :  despised,  nor  account- 
ed in  tlie  number  of  men.  "  He  was  de- 
spised, and  they  esteemed  him  not,"  Isa. 
liii.  2,  3.  But  the  faitli  of  the  thief  broke 
tlirough  the  clouds  which  obscured  his  real 
dignity ;  and  "  beheld  the  glory  of  the  only 
begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and 
truth."  0 

He  pays  him  the  just  honor  of  having 
heaven  at  his  disposal,  accordmg  to  what 
our  Lord  afterwards  declared,  "I  am  he 
that  liveth  and  was  dead;  and,  behold,  I 
am  alive  lor  evermore,  and  have  the  keys 
of  hell,"  or,  ratlier,  Uie  vnseen  world,  in- 
cluding both  heaven  and  hell.  Rev.  i.  18. 
The  dying  thief  believed  this,  and  his 
prayer  was  the  language  of  taith,  a  con- 
iidential  address  to  the  Savior. 

Observe  also  the  modesty  of  his  applica- 
tion. Remember  me;  not  prefer  me  to 
honor  in  thy  kuigdom,  as  the  two  ambitious 
disciples  Jiad  formerly  requested;  but, 
simply,  remember  me ;  he  does  not  dictate 
liovv,  or  ui  wliat  manner ;  he  leaves  it  all 
to  the  Lord  ;  but  he  commits  his  cause, 
iiis  soul,  to  Christ;  and,  no  doubt,  with  some 
degree  of  that  satisfaction,  wliich  St.  Paul 
expressed  in  tlie  view  of  death  ;  "  I  know 
wlioni  I  have  believed,  and  am  persuaded 
that  lie  is  able  to  keep  that  wliicli  I  have 
connnitted  unto  him  against  that  day."  2 
Tim.  i.  12.  It  was  a  request  like  that 
which  Joseph  made  to  the  butler.  Gen.  xl. 
14,  '■'■think  on  trie,  when  it  shall  be  well 
with  thee ;  yet  did  not  the  chief  butler  re- 
member Joseph,  but  forgot  him."  The 
poor  thief  succeeded  better ;  he  was  re- 
membered, and  ."^aved  ;  for  Jesus  never  said 
to  any  soul,  "  Seek  inc  in  vain."  "  Who- 
soever siiall  call  on  tiic  name  of  the  Lord 
shall  be  saved." 

As  the  case  of  this  man  was  singular 
and  extraordinary,  so  he  gave  very  singu- 
W 


lar  and  extraordinary  proofs  of  his  sinceri- 
ty. The  professions  of  rej)entance  and 
faith,  first  made  in  the  hour  of  distress 
and  in  the  prospect  of  death,  are  often  un- 
certain, and  njay  justly  be  suspected.  Too 
many  who,  in  tlie  expectation  of  death, 
liave  seemed  to  be  much  in  earnest,  and 
gave  great  hope  to  Christian  friends  of  a 
real  change,  have  proved  by  their  conduct, 
when  they  recovered,  that  they  were  not 
sincere ;  for  the  vilest  of  men  generally 
respect  religion  in  their  dying  hours.  But 
tiie  penitent  thief  was  enabled  to  give  the 
most  satisfactory  evidence  of  smcerity  ; 
and  the  answer  of  Christ  to  him  puts  it 
beyond  a  doubt.  Observe  now  the  marks 
of  his  sincerity. 

(1.)  He  reproves  sin  in  his  comrade,  es- 
pecially his  sin  in  reviling  Christ — "  Dost 
thou  not  fear  God,  seeing  thou  art  in  the 
same  condemnation'!"  Persecutors  of 
Christ,  in  his  person,  or  m  his  members, 
awfully  prove  their  want  of  the  fear  of 
God  :  and  every  sin  is  greatly  aggravated 
by  that  hardness  of  heart  which  persists  in 
it,  even  in  the  time  of  sore  affliction.  True 
repentance  will  always  occasion  a  sincere 
hatred  to  sin.  True  grace  will  ever  make 
a  man  feel  for  others.  The  love  of  God 
and  the  love  of  man  are  always  united. 
The  true  penitent  will  say  with  penitent 
David,  "  Then  will  I  teach  'transgressors 
thy  ways,  and  sinners  shall  be  converted 
unto  thee."    Ps.  li.  13. 

(2.)  He  ccndemns  himself  and  admits 
the  justice  of  God  and  of  the  magistrate 
in  bringing  him  to  the  fatal  tree — we  suffer 
justly,  for  we  receive  the  due  reward  of 
our  deeds.  Shameful  and  pahifulasour  death 
is,  it  is  no  more  than  we  deserve.  A  just 
sen.se  of  sin  will  make  a  sufferer  patient. 
He  will  say,  "  against  thee,  thee  only,  have 
I  sinned,  and  done  this  evil  in  thy  sight ; 
that  tliou  mightest  be  justified  wlien  thou 
speakest,  and  clear  when  thou  judgest." 
Ps.  ii.  4. 

(3.)  He  vindicates  Christ — "  But  this 
man  liath  done  nothing  amiss."  Tlie  Jew- 
isli  courts  had  condemned  him  to  death  as 
the  vilest  of  miscreants,  and  tlie  whole 
multitude  had  cried,  "  Crucify  him,  crucify 
him;"  but  the  thief,  more  honest  and  bet- 
ter taught  than  tiiey,  justities  liis  whole 
character :  and  truly  says,  "  lie  hath  done 
nothing  amiss."  Thus,  in  the  face  of  all 
his  infamous  and  powerful  slanderers,  he 
declares  the  innocence  of  Jesus,  who  was, 
indeed,  "  holy,  liarnile.-s,  undcliled,  and 
separate  from  sinners." 

Tlius  was  clearly  manifested  the  realitj 
of  that  great  and  gracious -cliange  which 
had  taken  place  in  his  heart.    He  was  evi- 
15 


170 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


clently  enliglitened  in  tlie  knowledge  of 
Christ ;  he  was  convinced  of  iiis  sin  and 
misery;  he  was  humbled  for  it;  he  re- 
proved sin  in  his  neighbor ;  he  honored  the 
character  of  Christ;  he  owned  him  as 
Lord,  and  King,  and  Savior ;  and  he  com- 
mits his  departing  spirit  into  his  faithful 
hands.  What  wonders  of  grace  were 
crowded  into  this  small  place,  enabling 
him,  in  a  few  minutes,  to  give  more  glory 
to  Christ  than  many  do  in  the  whole  course 
of  their  lives ! 

IL  Let  us  now  proceed  to  consider  the 
gracious  answer  of  our  Savior  to  his  dying 
request.  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Veri- 
ly I  say  unto  thee,  To-day  shall  thou  be 
with  me  in  Paradise. 

Recollect,  my  friends,  the  situation  of 
our  Lord  when  he  made  this  answer.  Call 
to  mind  his  personal  sufferings  at  the  mo- 
ment. Behold  him  naked  upon  the  cross. 
He  that  clothed  the  heavens  with  stars, 
the  earth  with  flowers,  and  man  with  rai- 
ment, is  despoiled  of  all  his  garments,  and 
hangs  exposed  to  the  scorn  of  the  rude 
mob.  Great  was  the  torment  of  cruci- 
fixion. First  stretched  and  racked  upon 
the  cross,  while  it  lay  on  the  ground  ;  then 
nailed  to  it,  through  the  palms  of  his  hands 
and  the  soles  of  his  feet,  with  exquisite 
torture ;  the  tree,  being  elevated,  is  by  a 
violent  concussion  settled  in  the  ground ; 
while  every  joint  and  sinew  is  painfully 
distended,  and  his  whole  weight  borne  by 
the  wounded  parts.  But  "  the  sufferings 
of  his  soul  were  the  soul  of  his  sufferings." 
A  sense  of  his  Father's  wrath,  and  the 
burthen  of  the  sins  of  the  world,  now  lay 
heavy  upon  his  soul.  Darkness,  that 
might  be  felt,  filled  his  holy  mind,  and  in 
the  agony  of  his  spirit,  he  cries  aloud,  My 
God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me? 

Remember  it  was  during  this  inexpres- 
sible grief,  that  the  Lord  of  life  vouch- 
safes this  gracious  answer.  Excessive 
pain  or  grief  usually  prevents  our  care  for 
others ;  but  the  agonies  of  our  Savior 
lessened  not  his  compassion  for  the  souls 
of  men.  From  the  moment  of  his  last 
visit  to  Jerusalem,  "  when  he  wept  over 
it,"  until  he  gave  up  the  ghost,  tender 
pity  to  sinful  men  vented  itself  in  the  most 
affectionate  accents.  Witness  his  parting 
discourse  and  pathetic  prayer  aft;er  the 
passover.  Witness  his  kind  apology  for 
his  sleeping  disciples.  Witness  his  direc- 
tion to  the  sympathizing  females,  "  weep 
not  for  me,  but  weep  for  yourselves  and 
for  your  children."  Witness  his  interces- 
sion for  his  murderers,  "Father,  forgive 
them,  for  they  Imow  not  what  they  do." 
And  now,  upon  the  first  application  of  this 


poor  abandoned  sinner,  he  instantly  com- 
plies with  his  request,  and  grants  him  ex- 
ceeding abundantly  above  all  he  could  ask 
or  think. 

How  readily  does  God  regard  the 
sinner's  cry  !  With  speed  like  that  which 
winged  the  feet  of  the  prodigal's  aged 
father,  who  no  sooner  beheld  at  a  distance 
his  long-lost,  but  now  returning  son,  but 
"  while  he  was  yet  a  great  way  off",  had 
compassion,  and  ran  and  fell  upon  his 
neck,  and  kissed  him."  God  is  slow  to 
anger,  but  quick  to  mercy ;  ready  to 
forgive.  He  discerns  the  first  motion  of 
the  soul  heaven-ward,  and  while  the  sinner 
is  "  yet  speaking"  in  prayer,  the  .prayer  is 
heard  and  answered. 

Observe  the  substance  of  the  answer — 
a  place  in  paradise — Christ's  company 
there — unmediately,  "  to-day ;"  and  the 
solemn  assurance  of  the  whole,  "  Verily,  I 
say  unto  thee,"  it  shall  be  so. 

A  place  in  paradise  is  promised ;  a  place 
in  hell  was  his  desert,  and  would  have 
been  his  portion,  had  he  died  in  the  same 
state  he  was  in  half  an  hour  before.  Heaven 
is  here  called  JiParadise  ;"  in  allusion  to 
the  garden  of  Eden  which  the  Lord  God 
himself  planted,  and  in  which  he  put  the 
man  he  formed.  By  sin,  Adam  soon  lost 
his  garden,  and  his  God.  "  He  drove  out 
the  man."  By  tlie  first  Adam,  Paradise  is 
lost ;  by  the  second  Adam,  the  Lord  from 
heaven.  Paradise  is  regained ;  a  far  better 
Paradise ;  a  garden,  from  whence  the 
blessed  inhabitants  shall  never  be  driven 
out.  "  Here  grows  the  Rose  of  Sharon, 
and  the  Lily  of  the  valley.  Here  flourishes 
the  plant  of  renown ;  here  the  unforbidden 
tree  of  knowledge,  and  the  unguarded  tree 
of  life."  No  subtle  serpent  annoys  this 
happy  spot,  any  more  to  seduce ;  nor  shall 
the  free  will  of  man  betray  him  to  ruin 
again. 

Jesus  promises  to  the  penitent  the  en- 
joyment o? his  own  company  there — "  this 
day  thou  shalt  be  with  me  in  Paradise." 
Christ,  then,  was  going,  not  to  hell,  to 
redeem  the  damned,  as  some  have  sup- 
posed, but  to  heaven  ;  where  he  assures 
the  thief  he  shall  also  be.  It  is  the 
presence  of  Christ  that  makes  heaven 
so  glorious  and  happy.  With  this  he  con- 
soled his  mourning  friends,  John  xiv.  "I 
am  going  to  prepare  a  place  for  you  ;  and 
I  will  come  again,  and  receive  you  to  my- 
self, that  where  I  am  there  ye  may  be 
also."  Amazing  favor,  "  to  be  with  Christ !" 
this  is  enough.  He  asked  a  bare  remem- 
brance, as  if  distant ;  Jesus  promises  his 
own  immediate  presence. 

And  how  quickly  was  this  to  be  enjoin- 


SERMON  XXXVII. 


171 


ed !  "  To-day."  He  had  prayed—"  Lord, 
remember  me  when  thou  comest  into  thy 
kingdom."  He  knew  not  when  that  niiyiit 
be ;  perhaps  Jie  thought  of  some  very 
distant  time.  Christ  says  "  to-day."  How 
short  and  speedy  was  tliis  man's  journey 
to  glory !  In  the  morning,  he  was  posting 
to  hell ;  in  the  evening  he  is  with  Christ 
in  heaven.  Tliis  Scripture  teaches  us  a 
pleasant  truth,  namely,  tliat  there  is  no 
interval  between  the  time  of  our  departure 
from  this  world,  by  death,  and  our  ad- 
mission into  the  realms  of  glory.  Some 
have  dreamt  that  tlie  soul  sleeps  till  the 
resurrection ;  but  Christ  assures  the  thief, 
and  assures  us  by  the  same  word,  of  an 
immediate  entrance  into  heaven ;  that  so, 
being  "  absent  from  the  body,"  we  may  be 
"  present  with  the  Lord." 

Of  all  this,  Jesus  vouchsafes  the  most 
solemn  assurance  :  he  adds  his  usual  as- 
severation, "  Verily."  Perhaps  he  saw  some 
rising  doubts  in  the  sinner's  mind.  The 
blessing  promised  was  so  vast  and  unex- 
pected; he  might  feel  so  much  his  own 
vileness  and  unworthiness,  as  to  fear  he 
should  not  obtain  it ;  but,  to  put  the  matter 
out  of  all  doubt,  Christ  adds  a  kind  of  oath 
to  his  promise,  that  so  this  "  heir  of  promise 
might  have  strong  consolation."  And  is 
not  the  Scripture  full  of  similar  assurances, 
"  that  whosoever  believeth  in  Jesus  shall 
not  perish,  b'lt  have  everlasting  lifel"  yea, 
more :  "  he  that  believeth  hath,"  even 
now,  "  hath  everlasting  life ;  and  shall 
not  come  into  condemnation,  but  is  passed 
from  death  unto  life." — "  Wherefore  then 
dost  thou  doubt,  O  thou  of  little  faith  ?" 

APPLICATION. 
1.  Beware  of  abusing  this  glorious 
instance  of  free  grace.  Many  have  been 
very  cautious  in  speaking  of  it,  and  have 
rather  labored  to  obscure  its  glory,  by 
studying  to  find  Out  something  good  in  the 
character  of  the  thief,  lest  his  example  of 
grace,  purely  free,  and  granted  at  the  last 
hour,  should  have  a  dangerous  tendency, 
and  encourage  men  to  defer  their  repent- 
ance ;  presumptuously  hoping  to  be  saved 
at  the  last  moment,  like  the  thief  But  a 
sober  consideration  of  the  matter  may 
prevent  this  abuse ;  while  we  must  take 
care  to  do  nothing  to  diminish  tiie  glory 
of  divine  grace,  in  this  instance  so  illustri- 
ously displayed.  It  has  been  often  and 
justly  observed,  "  We  have  but  one  such 
instance  recorded  in  all  the  Bible:  one 
sinner  converted  at  the  hour  of  death,  that 
we  may  hoi)e ;  and  hut  one,  that  we  may 
fear."  And  suppose  it  had  once  happened 
that  a  person  had  leaped  down  from  a  lofty 


precipice  without  losing  his  life,  would  it 
be  prudent  for  ten  thousand  other  people 
to  run  tlie  risk,  and  leap  down  after  him  1 
Dreadfully  hazardous,  indeed,  it  is,  for 
men  to  presume  on  a  death-bed  repent- 
ance. "  Repentance  is  the  gift  of  God ;" 
he  is  bound  to  bestow  it  at  no  time ;  and 
can  it  be  reasonably  expected  at  the  close 
of  a  life  of  sin  and  rebellion  !  Let  it  be 
considered  how  many  die  suddenly,  with- 
out a  moment's  warning ;  how  many  die 
on  their  beds,  who  are  so  flattered  by  their 
disorder,  or  their  frieiids,  that  they  have 
no  expectation  at  all  of  death.  Others 
die  in  the  delirium  of  a  fever ;  or  are  other- 
wise disabled  by  extreme  agony  or  weak- 
ness for  serious  reflection.  And  some  die 
hardened,  like  the  other  thief  on  the  cross ; 
for,  in  general,  men  die  as  they  live. 

But  behold  and  admire  the  grace  of 
God!  Salvation  is  always  of  grace.  Surely 
it  was  so  in  this  instance.  Sin  indeed 
abounded,  but  grace  superabounded.  Who- 
ever is  saved,  must  be  saved  on  the  very 
same  terms  as  the  thief  was,  "justified 
freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemp- 
tion that  is  in  Christ ;"  "  without  money 
and  without  price;"  "not  of  works,  lest 
any  man  should  boast."  Boasting  is  al- 
ways excluded  in  salvation,  whoever  is  the 
subject  of  it.  How  eminently  so  here ! 
Who  was  it  that  made  one  thief  to  difier 
from  the  other  ?  Bishop  Hall  says,  "  Lord, 
he  could  not  have  spoken  this  to  thee,  but 
by  thee.  What  possibility  was  there  for 
a  thief  to  think  of  thy  kmgdom  without 
thy  Spirit  1  That  good  Spirit  of  thine 
breathed  upon  this  man,  breathed  not  upon 
his  fellow :  their  trade  was  alike ;  their 
state  alike ;  their  sin  was  alike ;  their  cross 
alike ;  only  thy  mercy  makes  them  unlike. 
One  is  taken,  the  other  left.  Blessed  be 
thy  mercy,  in  taking  one  !  Blessed  be  thy 
justice,  in  leaving  the  other !  Who  can 
despair  of  that  mercy  1  who  can  but  trem- 
ble at  that  justice  1" 

Let  every  sinner,  who  reads  or  hears 
this,  know  he  needs  mercy,  just  as  much 
as  this  criminal.  "  But  I  am  not  a  thief," 
says  one.  Perhaps  you  have  not  robbed 
man,  but  have  you  not  "robbed  God?" 
Have  you  not  defrauded  him  of  "the 
glory  due  to  his  name  !  Have  you  not 
robbed  him  of  the  Sabbath,  a  portion  of 
time  which  he  demands  for  his  own 
service  .'  Have  you  not  embezzled  his 
talents,  which  were  given  you  to  trade 
with  for  the  purpose  of  his  honor,  and 
your  salvation!"  Boast  not,  then,  that 
yt)a  "  liave  paid  every  man  his  own,"  when 
▼ou  liave,  in  a  thousand  instances,  de- 
frauded the  blessed  God  of  his  due.     See 


172 


VILLAGK  HERMONS. 


then  tlie  necessity  of  merry,  nnd  dread 
the  thoughts  of  a  double  condemnation, 
the  one  for  sin,  and  the  otlier  for  nnbdUf. 

May  the  goodness  of  God,  so  divineiy 
displayed  in  this  instance,  draw  thee  to 
repentance.  Jesus  Christ  "  came,  to  seek 
and  to  save  tliat  which  was  lost."  This 
was  always  his  character,  and  he  main- 
tained it  to  the  last.  His  enemies  re- 
proached him  for  it ;  they  called  him  "  the 
friend  of  sinners ;"  so  he  was ;  but  not 
the  friend  of  sin.  Blessed  be  his  name, 
he  is  "  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for 
ever."  he. casts  out  none  that  come.  O 
come,  and  try  him.  What  encouragement 
is  here  for  him  "  that  is  ready  to  perish ;" 
who  has  a  world  of  guilt,  and  not  a  grain 
of  worthiness !  Say,  v/ith  the  dying  thief, 
"  Lord,  remember  me,  now  thou  art  in  thy 
kingdom,"  and  he  will  find  a  place  in 
Paradise  for  you,  even  for  you. 

This  prayer  will  suit  the  Christian  all 
his  days,  Lord,  remember  me.  When 
guilt  recurs;  when  temptations  assault; 
when  troubles  arise ;  look  to  the  Savior. 
He  who  "  remembered  thee  in  thy  low 
estate,"  will  not  forget  thee  now.  Like 
the  High-Priest  of  old,  he  bears  the  names 
of  all  his  people  on  his  heart ;  and  though 
even  a  tender  mother  may  forget  her  suck- 
ing child,  yet  he  protests  he  will  remem- 
ber thee.  In  return,  go  thou  and  remem- 
ber him. 


PRAYER— Blessed  Jesus!  thou  art  full  of 
compassion.  Thou  art  able  and  willing  to  save 
lo  the  uttermost  all  who  come  to  God  by  thee. 
We  praise  thee  (or  thy  merciful  kindness  in  de- 
ficending  from  lleaveri  to  Earth  for  us  men,  and 
lor  our  salvation.  We  praise  ihee  for  that  con- 
descending love  which  made  thee  willing  to  be 
numbered  with  the  transgressors :  and  we  praise 
thee  for  that  compassion,  which,  on  the  cross, 
thou  didst  manifest  towards  the  dying  criminal 
who  implored  thy  help.  O  thou  gracious  Re- 
deemer I  tliou  arl  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and 
for  ever!  Still  art  thou  rich  in  mercy  unto  all 
that  call  upon  thee  ;  unto  all  that  call  upon  thee 
in  truth. 

Let  none,  we  beseech  thee,  be  suffered  to 
abuse  this  glorious  example  of  thy  jiardoning 
mercy,  by  continuing  in  sin  ;  and  by  pulling  off, 
to  a  dying  hour,  the  care  of  the  immortal  s))irit. 
Grant  that  they  who  are  templed  thus  to  act,  may 
remember  how  uncertain  it  is  when,  and  in  what 
manner  the  messenger  of  death  shall  come;  and 
that  now  is  the  accepted  time,  now  is  the  day  of 
salvation. 

We  pray  that  the  mercy  shown  to  the  dying 
thief,  may  be  the  means  of  encouraging  many  a 
self-condemned,  trembling  peuilent,  lo  trust  in 
the  same  mercy,  believing  that  whore  sin  abound- 
ed, grace  shall  much  more  abound.  And  O  that 
the  goodness  of  God  may  lead  others  to  repent- 
ance !  May  ihe  bright  beams  of  mercy,  reflected 
from  the  Savior's  cross,  melt  Ihe  slout-hearl^ 
rebel  into  tears  of  godly  sorrow. 

That  these  happy  effect!!  may  Ibllovv  the  words 


which  have  now  been  addressed  to  the  outward 
ear,  we  pray  that  llio  same  divine  influence 
which  caused  rc|jentance  and  fiiiih  lo  spring  up 
in  Ihe  heart  of  a  once-hardened  criminal,  may 
descend  on  this  assembly,  and  be  imparted  to 
every  individual  present. 

O  Lord  Jesus,  remendier  us  now  that  thou  art 
in  thy  kingdom.  Remember  us  with  the  favor 
which  thou  beare.st  lo  thy  pcojile.  Jn  all  lime 
of  our  tribulation,  in  all  time  of  our  wealth,  in 
the  hour  of  death,  and  in  the  day  of  judgment, 
good  Lord,  remember  and  deliver  us. 


SERMON  XXXVIII. 

THE  WORLD  TO  COME. 

Luke  XX.  35,  36.  But  they  which  shall  be  accounted 
worthy  to  obtain  that  world,  and  the  resurrection 
from  the  dead,  neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in 
marriage.  Neither  can  they  die  any  more:  for 
they  are  equal  unto  the  angels,  and  are  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  being  the  children  of  the  resurrec- 
tion. 

It  may  justly  excite  our  wonder  and 
our  g'rief,  that  believers,  who  are  professed 
candidates  for  another  world,  should  have 
their  hearts  so  little  set  upon  their  hea- 
venly home.  The  glory  that  shall  be  re- 
vealed, and  which  faith  humbly  expects, 
is  so  exceedingly  great,  that  one  should 
suppose  the  children  of  God  would  scarce- 
ly be  able  to  think  or  speak  of  any  thing 
else.  But,  alas !  it  is  not  so.  "  Our  soul 
cleaveth  to  the  dust,"  and  we  have  abun- 
dant cause  to  pray,  "  Quicken  thou  us,  ac- 
cording to  thy  word."  May  the  Lord  bless 
our  meditations  on  this  passage  of  Scrip- 
ture, in  which  Jesus  Christ  replies  to  the 
objections  of  the  Sadducees  against  the 
doctrine  of  the  resurrection !  The  Saddu- 
cees were  the  disciples  of  Sadoc,  and  com- 
posed one  of  the  four  sects  of  the  Jews ; 
their  leading  notion  was,  that  "  there  is 
no  resurrection;"  ver.  27;  they  also  de- 
nied the  existence  of  angels,  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul,  and  a  future  state.  The 
Sadducees  thought  to  perplex  the  doctrine 
of  the  resurrection,  by  proposing  the  case 
of  a  woman  who  had  been  married  to  seven 
different  men,  "In  the  resurrection,  sa  d 
they,  whose  wife  of  them  is  she  ]"  ( mr 
Lord  mildly  answered  this  impertinent 
question,  by  showing  that  there  is  a  vast 
difference  between  the  state  of  men  on 
earth,  and  that  of  the  children  of  God  in 
heaven ;  a  groat  ditlerence  between  this 
world  and  that  world.  The  whole  passage 
is  full  of  instruction,  which  we  shall  en- 
deavor to  obtain,  by  making  several  obser- 
vations upon  it. 

Observe,  T.  Tliere  is  another  world. 

Our  Lord  calls  it  that  world.   It  is  evi- 


SERMON  XXXVIII. 


173 


(lently  opposed  to  "  Ihix  world,"  ver.  M, 
"  the  cliildren  of  this  icnrld."  We  know 
a  little  of  tills  world.  O  that  we  knew 
arif^ht !  O  that  we  saw  it  with  the  eyes  of 
faith !  We  sJiould  tlien  confess  it  to  be  a 
vain  world ;  "  for  all  that  is  hi  tlie  world, 
the  lust  of  the  flcsli,  tlie  lust  of  the  eyes, 
and  the  pride  of  life,  is  not  of  tlie  Father, 
but  is  of  the  world."  Solomon,  who  made 
a  full  trial  of  the  world,  witli  advantages 
for  making  it  above  all  otlicr  men,  solemn- 
ly pronounces  the  whole  to  be,  "  vanity  of 
vanities,  vanity  of  vanities,  and  vexation 
of  spirit."  IIow  emphatically  is  it  ex- 
pressed !  as  if  his  heart  was  full  of  the 
idea ;  as  if  he  longed  to  impress  it  upon 
others ;  as  if  he  could  not  find  sufficient 
words  to  do  it.  And  remember  who  it  was 
that  declared  this.  Not  a  hermit,  who  never 
saw  the  world  ;  not  a  pauper,  who  has  got 
nothing  in  the  world  ;  not  a  spendthrift, 
who  has  lost  all  he  had  in  the  world :  but 
"  the  king  of  Jerusalem,"  who  abounded 
in  wealth  and  honor,  and  who  liad  tried  the 
whole  romid  of  worldly  pleasures.  If  he 
pronounces  all  to  be  vanity,  we  need  not 
make  the  fruitless  experiment ;  for  "  what 
shall  the  man  do  who  cometh  after  the 
King]" 

This  world  is  as  wicked  as  it  is  vain. 
"  Tliis  present  evil  world,"  St.  Paul  calls 
it ;  "  The  world  that  lieth  in  the  wicked 
one,"  saith  St.  John.  It  was  good,  when 
God  first  made  it,  "very  good;"  but  sin 
has  made  it  evil ;  filled  it  witli  snares  and 
sorrows;  insomuch  that  it  is  a  part  of 
Christ's  redemption,  "to  deliver  us  from 
this  present  evil  world ;"  and  from  Satan, 
"  the  prince  of  this  world,"  who  makes  use 
of  its  pleasures  as  baits,  to  destroy  the 
souls  of  men.  And  yet,  such  is  tlie  evil 
heart  of  man,  that  he  dotes  upon  this  evil 
world ;  he  seeks  "  his  good  things  in  this 
world ;"  his  portion  is  in  this  life ;  he  is 
"  a  man  of  the  world ;"  or,  as  Christ  says, 
ver.  34,  "  a  cliild  of  this  world." 

But  there  is  another  world.  Solemn 
truth !  generally  admitted,  but  little  re- 
garded. O  think  of  it,  you  who  trifle 
away  your  precious  time.  There  is  an- 
other world  ;  and  though  you  forget  it, 
you  are  hastening  towards  it  every  mo- 
ment. Yes !  there  is  another  world.  Jesus 
Christ,  who  came  from  it,  and  who  is  gone 
to  it  again,  Jesus  Christ  assures  us  of  it. 
"He  has  brought  life  and  immortalitv  to 
liffht ;"  he  has  made  a  plain  revelation  of 
it  in  the  Gospel,  which  shows  us  the  cer- 
taintif  of  it:  the  sublime,  excellent,  and 
spiritual  nature  of  it,  as  in  our  text;  to- 
gether witli  the  true  and  only  wmj  of  ob- 
taining eternal   life,  which   is  by  Jesus 


Christ.  Our  Lord,  in  his  public  discourses, 
often  spoke  of  another  world,  of  heaven, 
and  of  lioll,  very  plainly,  very  famrliarly, 
very  solemnly ;  urging  his  hearers,  by  ar- 
guments drawn  from  eternity,  to  regard 
the  things  which  belonged  to  their  peace. 

The  world  of  which  we  speak  is  a  world 
of  light,  and  purity,  and  joy.  "There  is 
no  night  there."  Hell  is  eternal  darkness, 
Heaven  eternal  light.  No  ignorance,  no 
errors,  no  mistakes ;  but  the  knowledge  of 
God  in  Christ,  begun  on  earth,  is  there 
completed ;  for  "  we  shall  know  even  as 
we  are  known."  The  heavenly  world  is 
all  purity  and  holiness.  Nothing  retaining 
the  defilement  of  sin  can  have  admission 
there ;  only  "  the  pure  in  heart  shall  see 
God."  And  there,  joy,  which  also  com- 
menced on  earth  in  the  possession  of 
"  spiritual  blessings  in  Christ  Jesus,"  shall 
be  full,  uninterrupted,  and  everlasting. 
"  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their 
eyes ;  and  there  shall  be  no  more  death, 
neither  sorrow,  nor  crying :  neither  shall 
tliere  be  any  more  pam ;  for  the  former 
things  are  passed  away." 

Such  is  that  world  our  Lord  here  speaks 
of;  and  it  is  the  grand  object  of  faith.  Be- 
lievers in  all  ages  have  kept  it  in  view. 
Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  lived  and 
died  in  the  faith  of  it ;  they  desired  a  hea- 
venly country,  and,  in  the  hope  of  it,  were 
dead  to  this  world ;  "  confessing  themselves 
strangers  and  pilgrims  on  earth."  The 
apostles  "having  the  same  spirit  of  faith," 
looked  "  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen," 
like  archers,  intently  viewing  the  mark 
they  shoot  at;  their  object  was  nothing 
visible  and  sensible :  but  they  "  looked  at 
the  things  unseen,"  they  seriously  regard- 
ed, and  carefully  aimed  at  heavenly  things, 
as  the  grand  mark,  the  noble  prize  of  their 
high  callmg  in  Christ  Jesus. 

And  is  this  the  character  of  real  Chris- 
tians ?  Stop  a  moment,  and  ask,  Is  it  yours] 
Amidst  the  unavoidable  labors,  and  the 
lawful  pleasures  of  this  world,  is  heaven 
the  principal  object]  Or  do  you  wliolly 
forget  it]  It  has  scai'.ely  even  a  place  in 
your  thouglits ;  and  can  you  suppose  you 
shall  ever  enjoy  glory  without  seeking  it] 
Be  not  deceived,  for. 

Observe,  II.  It  will  be  a  great  matter 
to  obtain  that  world. 

Notice  our  Savior's  words,  "  they  which 
shall  be  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that 
world."  O  it  will  be  a  great  matter  to  ob- 
tain that  world.  Surely  men  do  not  be- 
lieve there  is  sucli  a  world ;  for  faith,  of 
any  sort,  will  work.  What  is  it  sets  the 
world  of  men  in  motion  ]  what  makes 
them  so  busy  from  morning  to  night  ]  Is 
15* 


174 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


it  not  the  belief  that  they  shall  obtain 
something  worth  their  pains !  Why  then 
are  no  pains  taken  to  obtain  heaven  !  Infi- 
delity lies  at  the  bottom  of  their  sloth,  or 
people  would  seek  heaven  as  diligently  as 
they  seek  this  present  world.  "  tio  run," 
saith  St.  Paul,  "that  ye  may  obtain." 
"Know  ye  not,"  saith  he,  "that  they  which 
run  in  a  race,  run  all,  but  one  receiveth 
the  prize!  So  run,  that  ye  may  obtain." 
1  Cor.  ix.  24.  The  Christian  life  is  a  race, 
and  heaven  is  the  prize :  and  a  race  im- 
plies motion,  vehement  motion,  and  con- 
tinued motion.  O  let  us  be  in  good  earnest 
for  heaven.  Lazy  wishes  and  formal  reli- 
gion will  not  do.  Christ  represents  it  as 
a  great  thing  to  obtain  that  world. 

It  will  be  a  matter  of  amazing  grace 
and  favor.  Labor  we  must ;  yet,  after  all, 
it  is  a  matter  of  pure  mercy,  tor  "  the  gift 
of  God  is  eternal  life."  Every  glorified 
saint  will  be  filled  with  surprise,  and  will 
be  ready  to  say.  Lord,  is  it  I? 

"  How  can  it  be,  thou  Heavenly  King, 
That  thoii  shouldst  me  to  glory  bring : 
Make   slaves  the  partners  of  thy  throne, 
Deck'd  with  a  never-fading  crown." 

And  O  what  a  matter  of  infinite  joy  will 
it  be !  If  angels  rejoice  at  the  conversion 
of  a  sinner,  it  is  because  they  foresee  its 
final  result ;  the  foundation  is  laid,  and 
they  rejoice  to  think  they  shall  witness  the 
top-stone  laid  also,  and  shall  "  shout  Grace ! 
Grace !  unto  it."  Yea,  the  blessed  Re- 
deemer himself  shall  rejoice  "  when  he 
sees  the  travail  of  his  soul ;"  he  will  reck- 
on all  his  pains  and  sorrows  and  sufferings 
amply  recompensed,  when  he  beholds  the 
millions  of  his  elect  safely  brought  to 
glory. 

O,  then,  let  the  obtaining  of  that  world 
be  our  first  business  in  this.  So  Christ  di- 
rects— "  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  his  righteousness ;"  let  care  for  hea- 
ven precede  all  other  cares :  Seek  it  first, 
seek  it  early  in  life;  and  seek  it  early 
every  morning.  Seek  it  earnestly  as  the 
chief  thing,  "  for  what  is  a  man  profited,  if 
he  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own 
soul."  Heaven  is  all,  and  heaven  will 
make  amends  for  all. 

Observe,  III.  Some  kind  of  worthiness 
is  necessary  to  the  obtaining  of  that  world 
— "  they  which  shall  be  accounted  worthy 
to  obtain  that  world." 

This  worthiness  includes  merit  and 
meekness ;  or,  a  title  to  glory,  and  a  fitness 
for  it.  Both  these  are  necessary.  But 
where  shall  we  look  for  merit?  Not  in 
man.  Man  is  a  sinner,  and  a  sinner  merits 
only  hell,  for  the  "  wages  of  sin  is  death." 
"  All  men  have  sinned  and  come  short  of 


the  glory  of  God."  The  best  man  in  the 
world  can  lay  no  claim  to  heaven  ;  if  he 
could,  there  would  be  room  for  boasting : 
"  but  boasting  is  excluded."  "  No  flesh 
shall  glory  in  his  presence."  If  any  man 
glory,  it  must  be  in  the  Lord.  It  is  the 
merit,  or,  more  properly  speaking,  the 
righteousness  of  Christ,  which  is  the  be- 
liever's title  to  heaven.  This,  like  the 
wedding-garment  in  the  parable,  is  the 
only  dress  in  which  a  sinner  can  appear 
before  God,  or  sit  down  at  the  marriage- 
supper  of  the  Lamb. 

But  there  is  a  meetness  or  fitness  for 
that  world,  which  is  equally  necessary. 
St.  Paul  gives  thanks  to  God,  Col.  i.  12, 
"  who  hath  made  us  meet  to  be  partakers 
of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light." 
Observe,  heaven  is  tor  saints,  that  is,  sanc- 
tified persons  ;  and  tliey  who  are  not  saints 
on  earth,  will  never  be  saints  in  heaven. 
All  who  are  designed  for  heaven  hereafter, 
are  prepared  for  heaven  now.  Only  those 
who  are  sanctified  shall  be  glorified.  And 
this  is  evident  to  common  sense.  Every 
creature  has  its  proper  element.  The  fish 
cannot  fly  in  the  air,  nor  the  bird  swim  in 
the  water.  And  how  can  we  suppose  that 
the  man,  who  drinketh  in  iniquity  like 
water,  can  be  fit  to  be  with  angels  and 
the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  where 
all  is  pure  and  holy  1  A  good  man,  who 
was  dying,  said,  "  I  shall  change  my  place, 
but  not  my  company."  Let  them  think 
of  this,  whose  chosen  company  is  the  pro- 
fane and  the  lewd.  O  how  vain  are  the 
hopes  which  many  persons  entertain  of  fu- 
ture happiness !  In  vain  the  proud  Phari- 
see, who  talks  of  his  good  heart  and  his 
good  works,  expects  a  place  among  the  re- 
deemed ;  for  their  song  is,  not  "  worthy 
self;"  but  "  worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was 
slain,  who  hath  redeemed  us  to  God  by  his 
blood."  As  vain  are  the  hopes  of  the  carnal 
and  worldly  man,  whose  affections  cleave 
to  earth,  who  lives  in  the  love  and  prac- 
tice of  known  iniquity,  whose  inmost  soul 
abhors  the  spiritual  life,  who  accounts  the 
Sabbath  a  burden,  and  who  lives  "  without 
Christ  in  the  world."  Know,  O  vain  man, 
thy  hope  is  folly  and  presumption,  and  hear 
what  Christ  has  declared  with  a  double 
Verily — "  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he 
cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  John 
iii.  3. 

But  thrice  happy  are  they  who  are  pre- 
pared for  heaven ;  who  are  "  born  of  the 
Spirit,"  and  made  spiritual  in  tlie  frame  of 
their  mind ;  whose  hearts  are  weaned  in 
some  degree  from  earthly  things;  who 
possess  the  world  as  though  they  possessed 
it  not ;  wlio  have  desires  and  affections 


SERMON  XXXVIII. 


175 


suited  to  the  work,  and  delight  of  heaven : 
"  He  who  hath  wrought  us  for  the  self- 
same thuig  is  God ;"  these  are  "  the  first- 
fruits  of  the  Spirit,"  the  foretaste  of  hea- 
ven ;  and  tliose  who  enjoy  it  shall  be  "  ac- 
counted worthy  to  obtain  that  world." 

Observe,  IV.  That  the  relations  of  the 
present  world  will  not  subsist  in  the  world 
to  come ;  our  Lord  says,  they  neither  marry 
nor  are  given  in  marriage. 

This  expression  is  not  intended  to  dis- 
parage tiiat  kmd  of  union ;  for  marriage 
was  ordained  of  God  himself,  while  yet  our 
first  parents  retained  their  original  inno- 
cence. This  relation  is  the  first  that  sub- 
sisted between  human  beings;  it  is  the 
source  of  all  other  relations,  and  superior 
to  them  all ;  for  "  for  this  cause  shall  a 
man  leave  his  father  and  his  mother,  and 
cleave  unto  his  wife."  And  our  Lord  was 
so  far  from  discouraguig  marriage,  that  he 
graced  a  marriage  feast  with  his  presence, 
and  wrought  his  first  miracle  there. 

But  in  heaven  this  relation  will  cease  ; 
because  the  purposes  for  which  it  was  in- 
stituted will  also  cease.  There  will  be  no 
death  in  heaven ;  consequently  no  vacan- 
cies, such  as  death  here  makes,  to  be  filled 
up.  In  this  world  "  one  generation  passeth 
away,  and  another  cometh."  The  world  is 
like  an  inn,  where  travellers  take  a  hasty 
refreshment  and  are  gone  ;  while  a  succes- 
sion of  new  travellers  occupy  their  places. 
Where  are  the  former  inhabitants  of  this 
place ;  they  are  mingled  with  the  dust, 
the  places  which  knew  them,  know  them 
no  more  :  we  who  are  present  supply  their 
room ;  and,  in  a  short  time,  another  gene- 
ration shall  succeed  us.  But  the  inhabit- 
ants of  heaven  dwell  in  a  "  continuing 
city,"  "  a  house  not  made  with  hands, 
whose  builder  and  maker  is  God ;"  yea, 
they  are  like  "  pillars  in  his  temple,  and 
shall  no  more  go  out." 

The  blessed  God,  who  is  of  purer  eyes 
than  to  behold  iniquity,  has  been  pleased 
to  appoint  marriage  as  a  remedy  against 
fornication,  that  natural  desires  might  not 
become  brutal,  but  be  under  direction  and 
control.  Alas!  what  abominations  spring 
from  the  neglect  of  this  remedy  ? — what 
impurities,  what  excesses,  what  poverty, 
what  disease,  what  infamy,  what  blood- 
shed, what  hiisery,  have  abounded  in  the 
world,  by  the  unbridled  lusts  of  the  sexes ! 
And,  O,  how  few  consider,  that  "  for  all 
these  things  God  will  bring  them  into 
judgment !"  But  in  the  heavenly  world, 
those  who  were  on  earth  purified  in  mea- 
sure, shall  be  perfectly  pure ;  the  body  of 
sin  and  death  shall  also  be  purged  in  the 


grave ;  and  no  disorderly  passion,  nor  sen- 
sual appetite,  shall  ever  molest  them  again. 

Nor  shall  the  glorified  need  the  aid  of 
that  domestic  friendship  and  comfort  which 
result  from  the  married  state,  and  which 
are  well  suited  to  our  embodied  state ;  for 
even  in  Paradise  the  Creator  judged  "it 
was  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone."  But 
in  heaven  there  will  be  no  occasion  for  the 
lesser  streams  of  happiness,  wlien  believers 
have  arrived  at  the  fountain.  In  that 
blessed  state,  "  the  tabernacle  of  God  shall 
be  with  men,  and  he  will  dwell  with  them, 
and  they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God  him- 
self shall  be  with  them,  and  be  tlieir  God." 
Rev.  xxi.  3.  And  it  is  added,  ver.  22,  "  the 
city  had  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the 
moon,  to  shine  in  it,  for  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the 
light  thereof"  God,  in  Christ,  will  be  the 
everlasting  fountain  of  knowledge  and  joy ; 
so  that  the  aid  of  creature  comforts  shall 
no  more  be  wanted,  than  tlie  light  of  a 
j  candle  at  noon-day. 

O  let  us  learn  from  hence  to  sit  loose  to 
all  creatures  and  creature  comforts ;  "  it 
remaineth  that  both  they  that  have  wives, 
be  as  though  they  had  none  ;  and  they  that 
weep,  as  though  they  wept  not ;  and  they 
that  rejoice,  as  though  they  rejoiced  not; 
and  they  that  use  this  world,  as  not  abus- 
ing it ;  for  the  fashion  of  this  world  pass- 
eth away."  Cor.  vii.  29. 

Observe,  V.  In  that  world,  death  will 
be  for  ever  abolished. 

This  is  a  dying  world.  We  are  placed 
as  in  a  field  of  battle ;  our  relations  and 
neighbors  are  falling  all  around  us,  so  that 
we  may  almost  say — "  Where  is  the  earth 
that  hatlr  not  been  alive  V  Death  is  to 
mortals  "  The  king  of  terrors."  Many 
thoughtless  creatures,  indeed,  will  hardly 
allow  themselves  to  think  of  it ;  but,  when 
it  approaches,  what  agonies  and  terrors 
seize  their  souls  !  sin  is  neither  pardoned 
nor  subdued,  and  preparation  for  eternity 
is  not  begun.  Even  some  of  the  timid 
flock  of  Christ,  weak  in  their  faith,  are,  in- 
consistently with  the  glorious  Gospel  they 
profess,  too  much  in  bondage  through  fear 
of  death.  But  Christ  liath  abolished  death, 
2  Tim.  i.  11.  He  hath  taken  away  its 
sting,  and  clianged  its  very  nature,  turning 
the  curse  into  a  blessing;  and  as  to  the 
second  death,  far  more  dreadful  than  the 
first,  it  is  lost  and  gone  for  ever :  He  that 
believeth  shall  never  die — hrlirvest  than 
this  f  John  xi.  Instead  of  death,  eternal 
life  is  the  believer's  portion ;  even  now 
the  Christian  hath  it,  and  it  shall  be  per- 
fected at  the  resurrection,  when  this  mor- 


17G 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


"tal  shall  put  on  immortality.  O  death, 
where  is  thy  sting  !  O  grave,  whore  is 
thy  victory  1 

Let  this  reconcile  us  to  death.  We  shall 
die  but  once.  It  alleviates  the  distress  of 
some  bodily  disorders,  as  the  small-pox  tor 
instance,  that  persons  sutler  them  but  once, 
and  are  not  liable  to  liave  them  again.  It 
is  a  far  greater  satisfaction  which  Clnust 
aflbrds  us  in  our  text,  Neither  shall  they 
die  any  more  ;  especially  as  death  itself  is 
also  become  a  privilege ;  it  is  the  gate  of 
life,  and  ushers  us  into  his  presence,  where 
*'  there  is  fullness  of  joy,  and  pli3asures  for 
evermore." 

Observe,  VI.  The  blessed  inhabitants  of 
that  world  shall  be  like  the  angels ;  they 
are  equal  to  the  angels. 

Angels  are  spiritual  beings,  not  having 
bodies  as  we  have,  but  possessing  rational 
powers  superior  to  ours.  They  are  pure 
and  holy  beings,  having  never  rebelled 
against  God,  as  their  fallen  brethren  the 
devils  have,  and  as  we  the  children  of  men 
have.  They  do  the  will  of  God  with  plea- 
sure, and  are  the  messengers  of  God's 
mercy  to  men  ;  "  ministermg  spirits,  sent 
forth  to  minister  to  them  who  shall  be  the 
heirs  of  salvation." 

At  present,  we  are  far  inferior  to  angels, 
not  only  in  our  natural  powers,  but  espe- 
cially in  holiness  and  purity.  We  inliabit 
a  body  of  sm  and  death,  and  by  our  con- 
nexion with  a  system  of  flesh  and  blood, 
are  greatly  hindered  in  our  spiritual  pur- 
suits, and  disposed  to  evil.  Thus  the 
Apostle  speaks,  Rom.  vii.  22,  &c.  "  I  de- 
light in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward 
man,  (the  renewed  mind)  but  I  see  another 
law  in  my  members,  warring  against  tlie 
law  of  my  mind,  and  bringing  me  into 
captivity  to  tlie  law  of  sin,  which  is  in  my 
members ;"  and  on  this  account  he  cries, 
"  O  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall 
deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  V 
All  believers  have  daily  cause  to  make  the 
same  complaint ;  "  for  the  flesh  lustetli  al- 
ways contraiy  to  the  spirit,  so  that  they 
cannot  do  the  things  that  they  would."  On 
this  ground,  our  suftering  Savior  kindly 
apologized  for  his  sleephig  disciples  in  the 
garden  ;  "  The  Spirit  truly  is  willing,  but 
the  flesh  is  weak." 

But  our  Lord  here  assures  his  people 
they  shall  be  equal  with  the  angels  ;  they 
shall  drop  the  clog  of  their  mortal  bodies, 
and  lose  the  encumbrance  of  flesh  and 
blood;  no  sensual  appetites  shall  divert 
their  affections  from  spiritual  objects;  but, 
with  the  same  agility  and  spirituality  as 
the  angels  themselves,  they  shall  serve 
their  dear  Lord,  day  and  night,  in  his  tcm- 


I  pie,  and  be  supremely  happy  in  the  full 
:  enjoyment  of  God  and  the  Lamb. 
j  O  let  us  endeavor  to  resemble  angels 
j  now,  as  much  as  possible.  We  are  taught 
:  to  pray,  "  thy  will  be  done  on  earth,  as  it 
j  is  in  heaven ;"  and  that  we  may  do  it,  let 
:  us  not  indulge  our  senSual  appetites  too 
'  much,  but  with  St.  Paul,  "  bring  our 
bodies  mto  subjection,  and  keep  them 
under." 

i  Observe,  VII.  The  resurrection  of  the 
body  will  perfect  the  bliss  of  God's  people ; 
they  are  the  children  of  God.  being  the 
children  of  the  resurrection;  they  shall 
he  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that  world, 
and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead. 

The  heavenly  felicity  of  believers  shall 
commence  at  the  moment  of  deatli.  No 
sooner  are  they  "  absent  from  the  body," 
but  they  are  "  present  with  the  Lord  :"  but 
their  bliss  will  not  be  consummated  till  the 
morning  of  the  resurrection.  In  the  pros- 
pect of  this,  holy  Job  says.  All  the  days  of 
my  appointed  time,  (that  is,  in  the  grave) 
will  I  wait  till  my  change  come :  (glorious 
change  it  will  be  !  for  the  Lord  will  change 
our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned 
like  his  glorious  body.)  Thou  shult  call, 
saith  he,  and  I  ivill  answer  thee,  (for  the 
dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of 
God)  thou  loilt  have  a  desire  to  the  work 
of  thine  hands.  Job.  xiv.  14.  The  human 
body  is  the  exquisite  workmanship  of  God's 
hand ;  and  bemg  redeemed  by  Jesus 
Christ,  as  well  as  the  soul,  it  shall  be  res- 
cued from  the  power  of  the  grave.  Then 
the  creature,  the  corporeal  part  of  the 
Christian,  which  had  long  been  made  sub- 
ject to  vanity,  "  shall  be  delivered  from 
the  bondage  of  corruption,  into  tlie  glori- 
ous liberty  of  the  children  of  God."  This 
is  the  "  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God," 
when  they  shall  appear  like  themselves, 
and  like  their  glorious  Redeemer.  Tliis  is 
also  called  "  the  adoption."  Believers  are 
now  the  adopted  sons  of  God;  but  this 
dignity  is  denied  by  the  world,  and  some- 
times obscured  to  themselves.  But  then 
God  will  own  and  publish  it  before  all  the 
world,  and  the  matter  will  be  put  beyond 
dispute.  Their  bodies  then  shall  be  as 
much  more  glorious  than  those  of  the 
wicked,  as  tlieir  souls  are  now  more  gra- 
cious than  theirs.  And  as  Cln-ist  was  by 
iiis  "  resurrection  declared  to  be  the  Son 
of  God  with  power,"  so  shall  his  humble 
followers  be.     Rom.  viii.  19 — 23. 

Thus  we  have  taken  a  distant  view  of 
the  future  world,  of  which  so  many  useful 
hints  are  suggested  in  the  text.  Let  us 
daily  walk  as  expectants  of  anotiier  world. 
Let  us  remember  it  will  be  a  great  matter 


SERMON  XXXIX. 


177 


to  obtain  tluit  world.  Let  us  recollect 
what  that  worthiness  is,  which  is  requisite 
to  the  obtxiining  of  it,  namely,  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ,  and  the  sanctifying  in- 
fluence of  the  Spirit.  Let  us  remember, 
that  human  relations  and  connexions,  how- 
ever useful  and  comfortable  at  present,  will 
cease  at  death ;  but  that  death  itself  shall 
also  be  abolished.  Let  us  enjoy  tlie 
thought  of  being  holy,  happy,  and  spiritual, 
like  the  blessed  angels ;  and  try  to  resem- 
ble them  now  in  our  cheerful  and  active 
obedience.  Finally,  in  the  prospect  of  a 
glorious  resurrection,  let  us  "  be  stedfast, 
unmovable,  always  abounding  in  the  work 
of  the  Lord ;  forasmuch  as  we  know  that 
our  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord." 


PRAYER. — Teach  lis,  O  Lord,  so  to  number 
our  days,  that  we  may  apply  our  hearts  unto  wis- 
dom. Turn  away  oiir  eyes  from  beholding  vani- 
ty. Help  us  to  look,  not  on  things  which  are 
seen,  but  at  things  which  are  not  seen ;  because 
tlie  things  which  are  seen  are  temporal ;  but  the 
tilings  which  are  not  seen  are  eternal. 

O  that  we  may  be  accounted  w'orthy  to  obtain 
ihal  world,  and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead  ! 
On  the  solemn  morning  of  ihe  last  day,  when  all 
that  are  in  the  dust  of  death  shall  rise,  and  some 
to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt,  may  it  be  our 
happiness  to  rise,  with  all  the  redeemed,  to  ever- 
lasting life.  To  this  end  grant  us,  O  Lord,  both 
the  title  to  Heaven,  and  the  fitness  for  it.  We 
acknowledge  that,  shouldst  thou  deal  with  us 
after  our  sins,  and  reward  us  according  lo  our 
iniquities,  Hell  and  not  Heaven  would  be  our 
jHjrtion.  We  therefore  pray  lo  be  found  in  Christ, 
not  having  our  own  righteousness  which  is  of  the 
law,  but  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by 
faith.  .And  O  make  us  meet  lo  be  partaker.s  of 
the  inheritance  of  llio  saints  in  light.  As  that 
world  is  a  holy  world,  make  us  holy,  that  we  may 
be  prepared  for  it. 

Have  mercy.  Lord,  on  those  who  have  their 
portion  in  this  life,  who  are  often  saying.  What 
shall  we  eat?  what  shall  we  drink?  and  where- 
withal shall  vvc  be  clolhed?  hut  never  say.  How 
shall  we  escape  the  damnation  of  Hell  ? — May 
they  remember  that  there  is  but  a  step  betvvi\t 
them  and  death  ;  and  thai  alior  death  is  the  judg- 
ment. May  they  seek  first  ihe  kingdom  of  Cod 
and  his  rigntcousness,  and  give  all  diligence  to 
make  their  calling  and  election  sure. 

SERMON  XXXIX. 

SAFETY   IN   TIH:  ARK   FOR  PERISHING 
SINNERS. 

Gen.  vii.  1.    Come,  thou,  and  all  thy  liouse,  into  the 
Ark. 

This  is  the  gracious  invitation  which 
God  gave  to  Noah  just  before  the  flood 
came  upon  the  world  of  the  ungo<lly.  The 
world  had  been  formed  about  l.'iOO  years, 
and  the  number  of  mankind  was  greatly 
X 


multiplied.  But  wickedness  also  greatly 
iiipreused,  until  llie  wrath  of  God  was 
dreadfully  kindled,  and  he  determined 
upon  the  general  destruction  of  sinners. 
"  And  the  Lord  said,  1  will  destroy  man, 
whom  1  have  created,  from  the  face  of  the 
earth,  for  it  repenteth  me  that  I  have  made 
him."  But  Noah,  who,  amidst  the  general 
depravity,  was  righteous  and  pious,  "  found 
grace  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord."  To  him 
he  made  known  his  designs,  an  hundred 
and  twenty  years  before  the  flood ;  and  di- 
rected him  to  build  an  immense  ves.sel, 
like  the  hulk  of  a  ship,  in  which  himself 
and  his  family  should  be  preserved.  Noah 
believed,  and  obeyed.  The  ark  was  ready, 
and  the  deluge  was  at  hand.  "  Then  the 
Lord  said  unto  Noah,  Come  thou,  and  all 
thy  house,  into  the  ark."  Noah  entered. 
The  Lord  shut  him  in.  The  tlood  prevail- 
ed. Mankind  was  destroyed.  Noah  and 
his  family  continue  a  year  in  the  ark  in 
safety,  are  then  released  from  their  con- 
finement, and  become  the  founders  of  a 
new  world. 

There  is  much  instruction  to  be  gather- 
ed from  this  affecting  history ;  and  it  af- 
fords a  lively  type  or  emblem  of  the  sal- 
vation that  is  in  Christ  for  perishing  sin- 
ners. It  is  still  the  determination  of  the 
holy  God,  to  punish  the  ungodly.  He  gives 
them  warning,  and  allows  them  time  and 
space  for  repentance.  He  has  also  pro- 
vided an  ark  for  the  preservation  of  those 
who  foresee  their  danger;  and  by  the 
Gospel  he  invites  sinners  to  fly  to  this 
refuge.  Happy  they,  who,  like  Noali,  be- 
lieve, obey,  and  are  saved.  For  the  sake 
of  order  and  of  memory,  we  shall  divide 
our  discourse  into  three  parts,  and  observe, 

I.  There  is  a  deluge  of  wrath  coming 
upon  sinners. 

II.  There  is  an  ark  provided  for  preser- 
vation. 

III.  God  graciously  invites  sinners  to 
come  into  it. 

I.  There  is  a  dreadful  deluge  of  wrath 
coming  upon  the  ungodly.  Sin  only  was 
the  cause  of  the  flood  in  Noah's  time,  and 
sin  will  bring  upon  every  impenitent  un- 
pardoned soul  a  more  dreadful  punishment. 
"  By  one  man  sin  entered  into  tlie  world," 
and  that  man  lived  lono-  enoug-h  to  witness 
its  rapid  growth ;  he  lived  to  see  the  world 
peopled  with  men,  and  overrun  with  wick- 
edness. But  in  the  family  of  Scth,  from 
which  it  was  designed  that  the  Savior 
should  come,  the  fear  and  worship  of  God 
was  long  preserved.  While  these  contin- 
ued separate  from  the  posterity  of  Cain, 
there  wa.s  a  seed  to  serve  the  Lord.  But 
at  length  this  distinction  ceased :  for  "  tlie 


178 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


sons  of  God  (the  children  of  Seth)  saw  the 
daughters  of  men  (the  posterity  of  Cain) 
that  they  were  fair,  and  they  took  tliem 
wives   of  all   wliich   they    chose."     The 
professors  of  relii;ion  married  the  profane ; 
they  were  "unequally  yoked  with  unbe- 
lievers ;"  and  what  was  the  consequence  ? 
Iniquity  increased  faster  than  ever.    "  The 
bad  will  sooner  debauch  the  good,  than  the 
good  reform  the  bad."     Wickedness   be- 
came triumphant,  and  many  seem  to  have 
been   giants   in   sin,   as  well   as  in  size. 
"  And  God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man 
was  great  in   the  earth,   and  that  every 
imagination  of  tlie  thoughts  of  his  heart 
was  only  evil  continually."     "The  earth 
also  was  corrupt  before  God ;  and  the  earth 
was  full  of  violence,  for 'all  flesh  had  cor- 
rupted  his  way   upon   the   earth."     The 
Lord  who  saw  all  this  was  greatly  dis- 
pleased ;  and,  speaking  after  the  manner 
of  man,  "  he  repented  that  he  had  made 
man,   and  it  grieved  him   at  his  heart." 
The  blessed  God  cannot  be  disturbed  by 
any  uneasy  passion ;  but  these  expressions 
signify  his  extreme  displeasure  against  sin 
and  sinners ;  they  show  that  sin  is  most 
odious  to  his  holiness,  and  sinners  most  ob- 
noxious to  his  justice.     Being  thus  pro- 
•  voked  to  anger,  he  said.  My  Spirit  shall 
not  always  strive  with  man,  for  that  he  also 
is  flesh  ;  that  is,  wholly  fleshly,  carnally 
minded,  entirely  sensual,  sunk  in  fleshly 
lust.     He  therefore  determined  on  the  ut- 
ter destruction  of  all  mankind  by  an  uni- 
versal deluge.     Yet  he  is  pleased  to  give 
warnmg  of  it,    and  suspend  the   threat- 
ened  ruin   for   one-  hundred  and   twenty 
years,  which,  as  men  then  lived  about  nine 
hundred   years,   was  such  a   reprieve  to 
them,  as  nine  or  ten  years  would  be  to  us. 
Men  and  brethren,  sin  is  the  same  evil 
and   destructive   thing   now   that   it  was 
then.     God  is  equally  angry  with  sinners  ; 
and  though  he  does  not  generally  execute 
his  wrath  upon  them  in  this  world,  yet  he 
will  assuredly  do  it  in  the  world  to  come. 
Hear  what  the  holy,  fiery  law  of  God  saith  to 
every  transgressor.     Gal.  iii.  10.   Cursed 
is  every  one  who  continuetk  not  in  all 
things  lohiv.h  are  written  in  the  hook  of 
the   law  to  do  them.     The  condition  of 
life  by  the  law  is  personal,  perpetual,  per- 
fect obedience  to  all  its  commands,  doing 
all  things  required,  and  doing  them  always 
without  one  omission,  without  one  trans- 
gression. A  single  faihire,  even  in  thought, 
spoils  a  whole  life  of  obedience,  and  incurs 
the  curse.    You  will  say  then.  Upon  tlicse 
terms,  who  can  be  saved  ?   We  answer. 
None.    "By  the  deeds  of  the  law  shall  no 
flesh  living  be  justified."     It  is  a  vain 


thing  tJierefore  to  look  for  life  by  the  law, 
or  our  good  Works  as  they  are  called  ;  if 
ever  we  escape  the  curse,  it  must  be 
through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  who  "  hath 
redeemed  us  ti-om  the  curse  of  the  law, 
being  made  a  curse  for  us."  The  whole 
book  of  God  is  full  of  threatenings  against 
sin.-  It  declares  that  "  the  wicked  shall 
be  turned  into  hell ;"  that  "  If  the  wicked 
turn  not,  he  will  whet  his  sword ;  he 
hath  bent  his  bow  and  made  it  ready ;  he 
hath  prepared  the  instruments  of  death." 
Psalm  vii.  11,  &c.  You  tremble  to  see  a 
criminal  just  ready  for  execution ;  behold, 
the  instruments  of  eternal  death  are  ready. 
And  this  is  your  own  case  at  this  very 
moment,  if  you  are  yet  in  your  sins.  "  The 
wrath  of  God  abideth  upon  you ;"  and,  the 
longer  you  live  in  sin,  the  more  are  you 
"  treasuring  up  wrath  against  the  day  of 
wrath,  and  revelation  of  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God." 

How  merciful  was  God  in  giving  warn- 
ing to  the  old  world  !     His  servant  Noah 
was   a   preacher   of  righteousness.     The 
Spirit  of  Christ  was  in  him,  and  by  this 
Spirit  he  preached  to  the  disobedient  and 
rebellious   sinners    of   that   time,   as   St. 
Peter  speaks,  1  Pet.  iii.  19.     By  which 
(Spirit)   he   went  and   preached    to    the 
spirits  in  prison ;  which  some  time  icere 
disobedient,  when  once  the  long-suffering 
of  God  louited  in  the  days  of  Noah,  while 
the  ark  was  a  preparing.     Christ,  by  his 
Spirit  in  Noah,  was  the  preacher.     The 
hearers  were  the  wicked   people  of  the 
world   in  Noah's  days,   but  when  Peter 
wrote  this  they  were  sjnrits ;  disembodied 
spirits  in  prison,  that  is,  in  the  prison  of 
hell ;  so  that  they  were  not  only  drowned, 
but  damned.     This  passage  therefore  does 
not  mean  that  they  were  in  prison  when 
Christ  preached  to  tliem,  as  the  Papists 
pretend ;  but  Christ,  by  his  Spirit,  preach- 
ed to  them  on  earth  ;  yet,  alas !  to  no  pur- 
pose.    Noah  might  say,  with  the  apostles 
and  others,  "Who  hath  believed  our  re- 
port ?"     They  were  disobedient ;  they  did 
not  regard  the  merciful  warning ;  and  very 
probably  despised  and  ridiculed  Noah  for 
his  faith,  his  preachmg,  and  his  building. 
Thousands  would  come  to  see  the  ark,  and 
ask   him  what   it   was   for ;    they   would 
ask  him  whether  he  meant  to  sail  on  dry 
land ;  or,  where  so  much  water  must  come 
from  as  would  drown  the  world  ?     Such  a 
thing,  they  would  say,  is  quite  contrary  to 
reason,  such  a  thing  never  was,  nor  evei 
can  be ;  and  no  doubt  they  would  say,  Noah 
was  righteous  overmuch,  and  religion  had 
turned  liis  brain. 
In  the  very  same  manner  the  merciful 


SERMON  XXXIX. 


179 


warnings  of  God  are  treated  to  this  day. 
Serious  religion  is  despised.-  Holiness  is 
accounted  needless  preciseness ;  and  ihe 
tcirors  nf  the  Lord,  by  which  we  would 
persuade  men,  are  reckoned  idle  bugbears, 
lit  only  to  alarm  weak  people  and  cliildren. 
Thus  unbelief  tends  to  eternal  ruin  and 
destruction  ;  for  no  person  will  fly  from 
the  wrath  to  come,  who  does  not  believe 
wrath  is  coming ;  who  does  not  believe 
God,  who  says  it  is  coming.  But  this 
very  unbelief  fulfils  tlie  Scriptures.  St. 
Peter  says,  "  In  the  last  days  there  shall 
be  scoffers  walkmg  after  their  own  lust, 
and  saying,  Where  is  the  promise  of  his 
coming  !  For  since  the  fathers  fell  asleep, 
all  things  continue  as  they  were  from  the 
beginning  of  the  creation."  But  this  is 
false.  The  world  was  once  destroyed  by 
water,  and  it  shall  be  again  by  fire.  Not 
only  does  the  Scripture  assure  us  of  the 
deluge,  but  almost  all  nations  retain  a  tradi- 
tion of  it :  and  we  may  see  the  traces  of  it 
witli  our  own  eyes.  The  trees  which  are 
found  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth ;  and  the 
shells  and  bones  of  fishes  dug  out  of 
mountains  remote  from  the  sea,  are  ocu- 
lar proofs  of  this  event.  But  sin  hardens 
the  hearts  of  men,  and  they  will  not 
believe  till  they  feel.  Our  Savior  tells  us 
it  will  be  just  the  same  at  the  day  of 
Judgment.  JStatt.  xxiv.  37,  &c.  "  But  as 
"  llie  days  of  Noah  were,  so  shall  also  the 
"  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be.  For  as  in 
"  the  days  that  were  before  the  flood,  they 
"  were  eating  and  drinking,  marrying  and 
"giving  in  marriage,  until  the  day  that 
"  Noali  entered  into  the  ark ;  and  knew 
"  not  until  the  flood  came,  and  took  them 
"  all  away ;  so  shall  also  the  coming  of  the 
"  Son  of  man  be." 

They  knew  not — mark  the  expression  ! 
They  knew  not.  How  could  they  help 
knowing,  when  they  were  told  of  it  for 
120  years?  the  meaning  is — they  believed 
not.  They  might  have  known,  but  they 
would  not  know  ;  they  would  not  believe ; 
they  reasoned  themselves  out  of  it.  Just 
so  do  sinners  now.  They  love  sin,  and 
they  will  not  believe  that  God  will  punish 
it ;  which  is,  in  fact,  saying  that  God  is  a 
liar,  and  will  not  do  as  he  has  said.  They 
were  secure,  because  they  were  sensual ; 
tliey  were  eating  and  drinking,  muiding 
tlie  things  that  wore  seen,  and  so  neglect- 
ing the  things  tliat  were  not  seen. 

Ncvertheles.s,  "  the  flood  came,  and  took 
them  all  away."  "  If  we  believe  not,  God 
abidetii  faithful ;  he  cannot  deny  himself" 
"  Heaven  and  earth  sliall  pass  away,  but  his 
words  shall  not  pass  away."  Whatever 
God  tlireatens  or  promises  is  sure  to  come 


to  pass.     The  flood  came.   Then  they  saw 
what  they  would  not  believe.     The  day 
of  mercy  was  ended.     There  was  no  hope 
for  them ;  no  means  of  escajw ;  but  they  . 
miserably  perished  in  the  migiity  waters. 

Let  us  now  turn  our  eyes  from  this 
dreadful  scene,  to  contemplate  the  good- 
ness of  God  towards  Noah  and  his  family ; 
let  us  consider, 

11.  The  ark  provided  for  his  preserva- 
tion. 

God  himself  devised  this  means  of  safety. 
He  directed  him  to  build  a  vessel  of  im- 
mense size,  and  pointed  out  all  the  dimen- 
sions of  it.  Proper  rooms  were  to  be  made 
for  his  family,  and  others  for  a  small  rem- 
nant of  all  other  creatures,  who  were  thus 
to  be  preserved  from  the  universal  desola- 
tion.* 

Thus  the  salvation  of  the  church  is  by  a 
plan  of  God's  own  contrivance.  The  method 
of  salvation  by  Jesus  Clirist  is  wholly  of 
God.  It  could  never  have  entered  into  the 
heart  of  man.  No  human  or  angelic  being 
could  ever  have  thought  of  God's  taking 
our  nature  into  union  with  his  own;  or 
have  devised  the  astonishing  plan  of  re- 
demption by  the  blood  of  his  Son.  So  re- 
mote is  this  method  from  the  wisdom  of 
man,  that  he  calls  it  "  foolishness  ;"  but  it 
is  "  tlie  wisdom  of  God :"  yea,  "  the  mani- 
fold wisdom  of  God"  is  therein  displayed ; 
and  it  will  be  the  admiration  of  saints  and 
angels  to  all  eternity. 

As  fallen  man  is  totally  ruined,  it  is  ne- 
cessary that  his  restoration  sliould  be  in 
such  a  way  as  to  secure  the  wliole  glory 
of  it  to  God  alone.  And  so  it  does.  In 
the  Redemption  of  sinners  by  Jesus  Christ, 
"  Grace  reigns,"  from  first  to  last.  Grace 
devised  the  charming  plan.  Grace  gave 
Jesus  the  unspeakable  gift.  It  is  by  Grace 
we  are  called.  By  Grace  we  are  justified. 
We  are  sanctified  by  Grace.  By  Grace 
we  are  preserved ;  and  the  top-stone  of 
salvation,  in  the  everlasting  glory  of  the 
elect,  shall  be  brought  forth,  shouting 
Grace  !  Grace !  unto  it. 

It  was  the  same  g'race  that  selected 
Noah  from  the  great  mass  of  tlie  profane 
and  wicked  of  that  day.     The  nature  of 

*  Infidels  have  pretended  that  the  ark  was  not 
big  enough  to  hold  all  the  creiitures,  &c.  but  it 
ajjpcars  irom  the  ralfulations  of  learned  men 
that  it  was  amply  sufTicient.  It  was  ahotu  550 
feet  long,  9()  feet  wide,  and  ."JO  feet  hiph  ;  so  that 
it  contained  near  43,000  tons  of  ladina,  and  would 
hold  more  than  40  of  our  .ships  of  1,000  tons  each. 
It  was  nearly  as  long  as  St.  Paul's  (.'hiirch  in 
Ixjiidon.  Aiid  if  all  the  animals  together,  as  the 
learned  have  computed,  would  not  be  equal  to 
."itK)  horses,  there  v\ouId  surely  be  room  enough, 
and  to  spare. 


180 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


Noah  was  no  better  than  that  of  others, 
but  grace  made  him  to  ditier.  It  is  said, 
Gen.  vi.  8,  "Noah  found  grace  in  the  eyes 
of  the  Lord."  The  like  expression  is 
used  concerning  Lot.  When  Sodom  was 
destroyed,  he  was  delivered — "  the  Lord 
being  merciful  to  him."  The  salvation  of 
the  best  men  must  be  ascribed  to  God's 
mercy,  not  their  own  merit.  SOnesiphorus 
was  a  good  man,  but  St.  Paul  prayed  for 
him,  "  that  he  might  find  mercy  of  the 
Lord  at  tlie  last  day  :"  and  it  will  then  be 
manifest,  with  respect  to  all  the  redeemed, 
that  it  was  "  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor 
of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  show- 
eth  mercy."  Rom.  ix.  15,  16. 

The  ark  afforded  perfect  security.  Noah 
being  forewarned  of  the  approaching  flood, 
and  having  received  full  instructions  how 
to  build  the  ark,  believed  God,  and  obeyed. 
St.  Paul,  treating  of  faith,  Heb.  xi.  men- 
tions him  as  an  eminent  believer.  "By 
faith,  Noah,  being  warned  of  God,  of  things 
not  seen  as  yet,  moved  with  fear,  prepared 
an  ark,  to  the  saving  of  his  house ;  by  the 
which  he  condemned  the  world,  and  be- 
came heir  of  the  righteousness  which  is 
of  faith."  Here  is  the  way  of  salvation. 
God  warns.  The  Christian  believes  the 
warning.  He  fears  the  misery  threatened. 
He  flics  to  the  refuge  provided,  and  there 
he  is  safe. 

Believing  that  God  would  do  as  he  said, 
he  began  to  build  the  ark.  It  was  a  work 
of  great  labor,  but  he  did  not  shun  it  on 
that  account.  It  was  an  unexampled 
thing ;  he  had  no  precedent  for  it ;  and  it 
required  no  small  courage  and  resolution 
to  persist  in  the  work.  Reason  might 
liesitate  and  form  objections,  but  "  the 
liord  hath  s:ud  it,"  was  an  answer  to  them 
all.  The  world  would  despise  him,  and 
treat  him  as  a  visionary,  romantic  fool, 
who  frightened  himself,  and  \yanted  to 
frighten  others,  with  ungrounded  danger ; 
but  the  power  of  faith  carried  him  through 
every  difficulty,  and  at  the  appointed  sea- 
son he  received  the  end  of  his  faith,  even 
the  salvation  of  himself  and  his  fannly. 

For  now  tlie  hundred  and  twenty  years 
are  just  expired.  The  long-expected  day 
is  just  at  hand — "for  yet  seven  days,  said 
the  Ix»rd,  and  I  will  cause  it  to  rain  upon 
the  earth  forty  days  and  forty  nights,  and 
every  living  substance  that  I  have  made, 
will  I  destroy  from  off  the  face  of  the 
earth."  Here  was  a  fresh  warning.  While 
the  time  was  distant,  they  disregarded  it. 
But  now  there  is  only  a  week  to  tiirn  them- 
selves in;  and  this  week  was  spent  like 
the  rest.  We  do  not  hear  of  one  person 
converted  in  the  last  week.     Tlio  week  is 


expired.  And  now  the  rain  descends,  not 
in  drops,  but  torrents ;  and  not  for  a  few 
hours,  but  for  six  weeks  together,  without 
intermission.  And  not  only  were  "  the 
windows  of  heaven  opened,"  but  "the 
foundations  of  tlie  great  deep  were  bro- 
ken up," — the  great  abyss  of  waters  un- 
der the  earth,  which  hitherto  God  had  con- 
fined by  certain  bounds,  "  that  they  miglit 
not  pass  over  to  cover  the  earth."  Psalm 
civ.  9.  But  now  these  bounds  are  removed, 
and  the  waters  cover  the  surface  of  the 
land. 

"  Probably,  many  of  the  profane  scofTers, 
when  they  saw  the  increasing  violence  of 
the  waters,  came  wading  middle, deep  to 
the  ark,  earnestly  craving  admittance ;  but 
as  they  formerly  rejected  God,  now  they 
are  justly  rejected  by  him.  Ere  vengeance 
begms,  repentance  is  seasonable ;  but  if 
judgment  be  once  got  out,  we  cry  too  late. 
Wliile  the  Gospel  solicits  us,  the  doors  of 
the  ark  are  open ;  if  we  neglect  the  time 
of  grace,  in  vain  we  seek  it  with  tears. 
God  holds  it  no  mercy  to  pity  the  obstinate. 
Others,  more  bold  than  they,  hope  to  over- 
run the  judgment ;  and,  climbing  up  to  the 
high  mountains,  look  down  ujxtn  the  wa- 
ters with  more  hope  than  fear.  And  now 
when  they  see  their  hills  become  islands, 
they  climb  up  into  the  tallest  trees  ;  there 
with  paleness  and  horror  look  for  death, 
and  study  to  avoid  it,  whom  the  waves 
overtake  at  last,  half  dead  with  famine, 
and  half  with  ffear.  Lo!  now  from  the 
tops  of  the  mountains  they  descry  the  ark 
floating  upon  the  waters,  and  beliold  with 
envy  that  which  before  they  beheld  with 
scorn." 

In  the  mean  time  Noah  sits  secure  in 
the  ark.  The  torrents  of  rain  battering  on 
the  roof,  the  swelling  of  the  waves  which 
bear  him  up,  the  bellowing  of  the  dying 
beasts,  and  the  shrieks  of  the  expiring 
multitude,  create  neither  disturbance  nor 
fear.  He,  who  "  shut  him  in,"  had  prom- 
ised -preservation ;  and  while  all  was  hor- 
ror without,  within  all  was  safety,,  and 
peace,  and  praise. 

And  who  ever  trusted  in  the  Lord,  and 
was  confounded!  See  the  blessed  effects 
of  faith.  "  There  is  no  condemnation  to 
them  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus,"  as  Noah 
was  in  the  ark.  Tlie  law  may  thunder  out 
its  fearful  curse.  Satan,  unwilling  to  lose 
his  prey,  may  rage  and  roar.  Tiie  world, 
condemned  by  the  believer's  faith,  as  once 
by  Noah's,  may  frown,  and  fret,  and  per- 
secute ;  but  the  believer  is  safe.  "  The 
law  of  the  spirit  of  life,  in  Christ  Jesus, 
hath  made  him  free  from  the  law  of  sin 
and  death."     "  The  Lord  knoweth  how  to 


SERMON  XXXIX. 


181 


deliver  the  godly  out  of  temptation  ;"  and 
well  may  lie  triumph  over  the  world :  for 
Christ  hath  said,  "Be  of  good  cheer,  I 
have  overcome  it."  Yea,  when  the  king 
of  terrors  himself  shall  advance,  secure  hi 
Christ  the  life,  he  may  say,  "O  death, 
where  is  thy  stmg  1" 

O  liow  enviable,  to  the  distressed  multi- 
tude, was  now  the  favored  situation  of 
Noah.  But,  alas!  it  was  too  late.  The 
same  Almighty  hand,  which. shut  him  in, 
had  shut  them  out.  Blessed  bo  God,  it  is 
not  so  yet  with  any  of  us.  The  door  of 
the  ark  is  yet  open ;  and  the  language  of 
tlie  Gospel  is,  "Come,  tliou,  and  all  thy 
house,  into  the  ark."  This  is  what  we  are 
now  to  consider. 

in.  God  graciously  invites  sinners  to 
come  into  the  ark. 

When  the  mighty  waters  were  fast  in- 
creasing; when  no  hope  appeared  from 
any  other  quarter ;  how  would  it  have  re- 
joiced the  people  to  hear  such  an  invita- 
tion as  this :  "  Come,  perishing  men  and 
women.  Come  into  the  ark.  Come,  and 
bring  all  your  dear  little  ones  with  you. 
Here  is  room  enough,  and  to  spare ;  and 
here  you  shall  find  a  hearty  welcome." 

Tkey  were  not  favored  thus:  but,  we 
are  called.  "  Go  ye  forth  into  all  the 
world,"  said  Christ  to  his  disciples,  "  and 
preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature."  And 
what  is  this  Gospel,  but  good  news  of  a 
refuge  from  the  storm,  and  a  covert  from 
the  tempest!  Pardon,  safety,  and  eternal 
life,  to  every  believer  1  Christ,  the  ordi- 
nance of  God  for  complete  salvation,  to 
every  one  who  sees  his  need  of  him,  and 
wants  to  "  fly  from  the  wrath  to  come." 
So  Moses  lifted  up  tiie  serpent  in  the  wil- 
derness: the  people  stung  by  fiery  ser- 
pents beheld  it,  and  lived.  So  the  Israel- 
ites in  Egj'pt,  sprinkled  their  doors  with 
blood,  and  the  angel  of  death,  who  destroy- 
ed their  enemies,  belield  the  peaceful  sign, 
and  preserved  their  lives.  To  this  moment 
the  gracious  Redeemer  is  crying  aloud  by 
his  word,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  la- 
bor and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest."  Come  into  the  Ark,  thou  and 
all  thy  house.  Parents,  come  not  alone. 
Ask  your  sons  and  daughters  to  come  along 
with  you.  They  will  be  welcome,  for  Jesus 
still  saith,  "  Suffer  little  children  to  come 
unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not,  for  of  such 
is  tlie  kingdom  of  heaven."  O  may  God 
make  you  and  tliem  willing  to  come  into 
the  Ark ! 


ful  danger.  Kind,  in  providing  an  ark ;  in 
giving  his  Son  to  be  a  Savior.  Kind,  in 
inviting  perishuig  men  to  come  and  be 
saved  by  him.  O  praise  the  Lord,  for  he 
is  good,  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever. 

But  are  we  aware  of  the  danger  ]  Do 
we  really  believe  there  is  a  deluge  of  wrath 
coming  upon  sinners  !  Here  most  men  fail. 
Sin  is  so  pleasant,  they  are  unwilling  to 
think  it  destructive.  But  who  shall  we 
believe,  the  God  of  truth,  or  tlie  father  of 
lies  ]  See  the  fate  of  these  unbelievers. 
They  would  not  believe  God,  and  were 
therefore  secure :  but  the  flood  came  and 
took  them  all  away.  ,  But  Noah  believed, 
was  moved  with  fear,  built  an  ark;  and 
was  saved.  You  have  no  ark  to  build.  It 
is  built  already.  Yet  a  few  days,  and  the 
flood  will  come.  Have  not  some  large 
drops  of  affliction  already  fallen,  to  give 
you  the  necessary  alarm!  Lose  no  time, 
then.  The  very  beasts  will  hurry  home 
when  a  storm  is  at  hand.  O  seek  a  shelter 
in  Jesus,  and  nowhere  else.  Neither  tlie 
mountains  nor  the  trees  could  save  the  un- 
believers of  old.  Nor  is  there  a  saving 
name  in  heaven  or  earth,  but  that  of  Jesus. 
Come  thou  then  into  the  ark. 

And  what  say  the  rest  of  your  house  1 
Shall  the  husband  come,  and  the  wife  be 
shut  ouf!  or  the  wife  enter,  and  the  hus- 
band be  excluded "!  Or,  dear  young  people ! 
shall  your  parents  be  safe  in  the  ark,  and 
you  their  children  perish  in  the  water? 
God  forbid !  O  families,  be  concerned  to 
be  saved  altogether.  Come  thou  and  all 
thy  house  into  the  ark ;  servants  and  all. 
If  one  be  left  behind,'  he  perishes  for  ever. 
God  make  you  willing  to  be  saved. 

And  you,  believers  in  Jesus,  who  are 
safe  in  the  ark,  rejoice  in  your  security. 
Who  can  conceive  what  must  have  been 
the  grateful  feelings  of  Noah's  heart,  when 
the  Lord  shut  him  in ;  and  especially,  when 
all  was  over,  and  he  came  safely  out.  Such, 
however,  are  the  grateful  feelings  of  a  be- 
liever safe  in  Christ,  and  a  believer  safe  in 
glory.     Blessed  be  God  for  Jesus  Christ ! 


APPLICATION. 
HoiD  kind  is  God!   Kind,  in 
sinners,  so  long  beforehand,  of  their  dread- 

Q 


warning 


PRAYER.— O  God,  we  believe  that  thou  wilt 
come  to  be  our  Judge.  We  believe  that  the 
storm  of  thine  anger  will  burst  on  an  ungodly 
world.  We  praise  thee  that  thou  dost  so  long 
spare  thy  rebellious  creatures.  Thou  art  not 
slack  concerning  thy  promise,  but  art  long-suf- 
fering to  US-ward ;  not  willing  that  any  should 
perish,  but  that  all  should  come  to  repentance. 

We  thank  thee  that  ihou  hast  provided  an  ark 
of  safety  for  perishing  men.  We  accc  unt  it  a 
faithful  saying,  and  wonhy  of  all  acceptation, 
that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners,  even  the  chief  We  fly  for  refuge  to  lay 
hold  on  the  hope  se.t  before  us.  Gladly  and 
thankfully  we  cuter  the  ark  of  salvation,  and 
fain  would  we  bring  with  us  all  that  is  dear  to 
16 


182 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


us.  O  lliat  all  here  present,  husbands  and  wives, 
parents  and  children,  masters  and  servants, 
neighbors  and  friends,  may  come  together  into 
this  blessed  ark!  VVe  pray  that  not  one  may  be 
left  behind. 

Thanks  be  unto  God  that  yet  there  is  room  ; 
that  yet  there  is  time  and  space  for  repentance  ; 
that  still  the  preachers  of  righteousness  are  in 
his  name  inviting  all  who  are  ready  to  perish,  to 
enter  in  and  be  saved  !  O  let  not  these  repeated 
invitations  be  in  vain  !  Let  not  the  present  invi- 
tation be  in  vain !  Do  thou,  O  Lord,  out  of  Zion, 
command  the  blessing,  even  life  for  evermore. 
Amen. 


SERMON  XL. 

THE  EXCELLENCY  OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE 
OF  CHRIST. 

Philip,  iii.  8. — The  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  Jesus  my  Lord. 

Life  is  short !  It  is  a  most  serious  re- 
flection— Life  is  short !  The  weakness  and 
folly  of  childhood,  the  vanity  and  vices  of 
youth,  the  bustle  and  care  of  middle  life, 
and  the  infirmities  of  old  age  (if  we  live  to 
be  old)  what  do  they  leave  us  ?  A  short 
life  indeed ! 

Yet,  man  has  a  soul  of  vast  desires.  He 
is  capable  of  much,  and  aims  at  more. 
Many  things  he  cannot  attain,  and  many 
are  not  worth  the  pains.  O,  'tis  pity,  that 
a  man  should  not  know  how  to  choose  the 
good  and  refuse  the  evil ;  how  to  make  the 
most  and  the  best  of  so  short  a  life ! 

Now,  there  is  an  infallible  guide.  O  that 
man  would  regard  it!  Once  hath  God 
spoken,  yea,  twice  have  I  heard  this — 
what  is  the  chief  end,  the  first  business, 
the  true  interest  of  manl 

Job  was  a  man  truly  wise  and  eminently 
good  :  he  had  deeply  considered  the  nature 
and  value  of  wisdom  ;  but,  he  inquires, 
Where  is  it  tc  be  got  1  Men  know  where 
to  get  gold  and  silver ;  and  get  them  they 
will,  if  possible,  though  at  the  hazard  of 
life.  But  where  shall  wisdorn  be  found, 
and  where  is  the  place  of  understanding  ? 
All  nature  falters  in  giving  an  answer; 
but  God  himself  vouchsafes  to  give  it.  To 
man  he  said,  perhaps  to  Adam  the  first 
man :  however  to  us,  to  every  man  of  us, 
he  says,  The  fear  of  the  Lord,  behold,  that 
is  wisdom,  and  to  depart  from  evil,  that  is 
understanding.  True  religion  is  the  true 
wisdom. 

Solomon,  deemed  the  wisest  of  men, 
speaks  the  same  language  ;  and  thus  con- 
cludes his  book  of  dear-bought  wisdom. 
Let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of  the  whole 
matter ;  of  what  matter  1    The  subject  he 


proposed  in  the  beginning  of  his  book, 
What  is  tlie  cliief  good  \  What  is  that 
good  for  the  sons  of  men,  which  they 
should  do  all  the  days  of  their  life  /  (Eccl. 
ii.  3.)  And  here  we  have  it  Fear  God, 
and  keep  his  com7nandinenls,  for  this  is 
the  whole  duty  of  man,  or  rather,  the  whale 
of  man ;  his  highest  wisdom,  iiis  proper 
duty,  his  true  excellence,  his  best  interest. 

But  a  greater  than  Solomon  is  here. 
What  saith  Jesus,  "  the  wisdom  of  God," 
Wisdom  incarnate  !  This  is  life  eternal, 
that  they  may  know  thee,  the  only  true  God, 
and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou  hast  sent, 
(John  xvii.  3.)  as  if  he  had  said.  The  way 
to  eternal  life  ;  the  earnest  of  it ;  the  evi- 
dence of  right  and  title  to  it ;  and  the  final 
enjoyment  of  it ;  consists  in,  and  is  con- 
nected with,  the  knowledge  of  the  only 
true  God,  in  opposition  to  all  false  gods ; 
and  in  the  like  knowledge  of  Christ  his 
Son,  the  only  Mediator  and  Savior,  in  op- 
position to  every  other  mediator,  or  pre- 
tended way  of  acceptance  with  God. 

In  our  text,  St.  Paul  adds  his  testimony 
to  the  former,  the  testimony  of  his  own  ex- 
perience. He  was  a  man  of  learning,  and 
had  been  a  zealot  for  the  Jewish  Taw,  a 
hater  of  Christ,  and  a  bloody  persecutor  of 
his  church;  but  grace  had  renewed  his 
mind  and  changed  liis  heart ;  he  no  longer 
boasted  of  his  works,  or  went  about  to  es- 
tablish his  own  righteousness ;  but  the  law 
became  his  schoolmaster,  to  bring  him  to 
Christ ;  through  the  law,  he  became  dead 
to  the  law  ;  now  he  desires  to  be  found  in 
Christ,  and  depends  alone  on  his  righteous- 
ness. 

What  things  were  gain  to  him,  he 
counted  loss  for  Christ ;  and  that  not  only 
at  his  first  conversion,  but  many  years 
after,  when  he  wrote  this  epistle,  he  was 
still  of  the  same  mind.  "  Yea,  doubtless," 
saith  he,  "  I  count  all  things  but  loss,  for 
the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
Jesus  my  Lord."  He  gladly  parted  with 
all  his  carnal  confidence,  all  his  former 
reputation,  and  all  his  worldly  enjoyments, 
for  this  excellent  knowledge  ;  and  thought 
himself  an  immense  gainer  by  the  change. 

The  true  knowledge  of  Christ  is  as  ex- 
cellent as  ever.  We  ought  to  value  it  as 
much  as  Paul  did;  and  that  we  may  do 
so,  let  us  consider, 

1.  What  this  knowledge  is ;  and 

2.  The  excellency  of  it. 

•  1.  Let  us  show  what  this  knowledge  is. 

We  may  consider  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  as  opposed  to  Paganism,  to  Juda- 
ism, and  to  the  merely  National  religion 
of  formal  professors. 

The  knowledge  of  Christ  stands  opposed 


SERMON  XL. 


183 


to  the  ignorance  of  the  heathen.  "  The 
world  by  wisdom  knew  not  God."  (1  Cor. 
i.  21.)  The  wisest  Pagans,  by  tlieir  natu- 
ral light  and  boasted  philosophy,  did  not 
attain  a  true  knowledge  of  God,  and  the 
way  of  salvation ;  "  they  became  vain  m 
their  imaginations,  and  tlieir  foolish  hearts 
were  darkened."  Witness,  not  only  their 
altar  "  to  the  unknown  God,"  but  also  the 
multitude  of  idols  they  worshipped ;  the 
absurd  notions  tlicy  entertained  of  their 
gods ;  and  the  horrid,  bloody,  and  obscene 
rites  of  their  worship. 

The  knowledge  of  Christ  is  to  be  distin- 
guished from  tiie.  knowledge  of  the  law  of 
Moses.  "The  law  came  by  Moses,  but 
grace  and  truth  by  Jesus  Christ."  The  re- 
ligion of  the  Jews  consisted  much  in  rites 
and  ordinances,  which  were  obscure,  com- 
pared with  the  religion  of  the  Gospel. 
They  had  "  the  shadow  of  good  things 
to  come,"  we  have  the  substance. 

This  knowledge  is  also  something  far 
superior  to  the  speeulative,  unsanctilied 
notions  of  nominal  Christians,  "  who  pro- 
fess they  know  God,  but  in  works  deny 
him;"  who  have  "the  form  of  godliness, 
but  deny  the  power ;"  who  "  name  the 
name  of  Christ,  but  depart  not  fi"om  ini- 
quity ;"  and  to  whom  Christ  wiD  say, 
"  Depart  from  me,  ye  workers  of  iniquity, 
I  never  knew  you."  That  knowledge 
which  Paul  so  much  prized  was  truly  val- 
uable and  useful,  and,  indeed,  includes  the 
whole  of  true  vital  religion.  We  may  de- 
fine it  to  be, 

A  spiritual,  supernatural,  experimental, 
and  practical  knowledge  of  Christ,  in  his 
person,  character,  and  work ;  as  revealed 
in  the  Gospel. 

It  is  spiritual.  It  is  the  work  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  to  communicate  it — "  God 
shines  into  tlie  heart."  Believers  have 
"  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the 
.knowledge  of  Christ :"  (Eph.  i.)  and  the 
words  which  he  speaks  to  the  soul  "  are 
spirit  and  life :"  "  it  is  the  Spirit  that 
quickeneth,  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing." 
John  vi. 

It  is  therefore  supernatural ;  it  is  above 
nature.  No  man  can  give  it ;  no  natural 
man  can  receive  it.  We  are  assured,  1 
Cor.  ii.  14,  that  the  natural  man,  (that  is 
the  animal  or  rational  man ;  he  wlio  acts 
only  upon  principles  of  reason,)  receivcth 
not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  that 
is,  he  does  not  embrace  and  approve  them ; 
for  they  are  foolishness  to  him:  through 
the  darkness,  prjde,  sensuality  and  depravi- 
ty of  his  mind,  he  cannot  reconcile  thorn 
to  his  own  mistaken  views  of  things;  and, 
therefore,  condemns  tliem  as  weak,  irra- 


tional, enthusiastic :  the  apostle  adds ; 
neither  can  he  Iniow  them,  because  tiiey 
are  spiritually  dinctrned:  tor  want  of  a 
renewed  faculty,  he  cannot  receive  them  ; 
for  tliey  are  perceived  in  tlieir  divine  truth, 
beauty,  and  glory  only  by  an  imdcrstand- 
ing  illuminated  and  roctilicd  by  the  iSpirit 
of  God.  What  an  eminent  iiislunce  ot  this 
was  St,  Paul  himself!  Betbrc  conversion, 
no  man  hated  the  Gospel  more;  after  con- 
version, no  man  loved  it  better ;  and,  to 
this  day,  the  change  that  takes  place  in 
the  minds  of  men  respecting  gospel  truth 
is  little  less  remarkable. 

It  is  experinicnial.  Believers  receive 
the  "  love  of  the  truth;"  they  "  taste  that 
the  Lord  is  gracious  ;"  "  as  new-born  babes 
they  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word;" 
— the  faith  which  they  mix  with  the  word 
gives  a  subsistence  and  reality  to  the  truth 
in  their  minds ;  so  that  it  greatly  ditiers 
from  a  bare  speculation;  the  truth  is  in 
them,  and  the  truth  makes  them  free. 
Once  more. 

It  is  practical.  Knowledge  in  Scripture 
is  sometimes  put  for  the  whole  of  religion, 
and  forms  the  grand  distinction  between 
the  church  and  the  world.  Hence  wicked 
men  are  often  said  "  not  to  know  the 
Lord ;"  as  the  sons  of  Eli,  for  instance, 
though  they  certainly  had  a  speculative 
knowledofe  of  the  whole  law.  Knowledire 
often  includes  all  its  proper  etiects,  as  as- 
sent to  the  truth  known ;  affiance  in  the 
person  known ;  and  that  lo\'e  to  him,  which 
secures  obedience.  Thus  St.  John  speaks, 
Eph.  i.  3,  4,  "  He  that  saith,  I  know  him, 
and  keepeth  not  his  commandments,  is  a 
liar,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  him ;  and 
thereby  we  Icnow  that  we  Icnow  him,  if  we 
keep  his  commandments." 

The  knowledge  we  speak  of,  and  which 
St.  Paul  so  much  commends,  is  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ.  Christ  is  the  object  of  it ; 
Christ  Jesus  my  Lord.  It  is  a  principal 
part  of  this  knowledge  to  have  right  views 
of  him  ;  accordingly,  we  find  our  Lord 
himself  catechising  his  disciples  upon  this 
point.  Matt.  xvi.  "  Whom  do  men  say,, 
that  I,  the  Son  of  Man,  am  .'"  and  again, 
"  Whom  say  ye  that  I  am  f '  To  others  he 
said,  "  What  think  ye  of  Christ !  Whose 
Son  is  he  .'"  Peter  answered,  "  Thou  art 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God."  This 
was  a  good  answer,  and  he  greatly  com- 
mended it,  saying,  "  Blessed  art  tliou  Si- 
mon Bar-Jonah,  for  flesh  and  blood  hath 
not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father, 
which  is  in  heaven."  His  knowledge  of 
the  person  of  Christ  was  supernatural : 
and  our  Lord,  further  .to  siiow  the  import- 
ance of  it,  adds — "Tiiou  art  Peter ;"  (whici» 


184 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


signifies  a  rock,)  and  having  mentioned  his 
name,  takes  occasion  to  speak  of  this  con- 
fession he  made,  this  article  of  faith  as  the 
rock,  or  foundation,  on  which  the  whole 
New  Testament  Church  sliall  be  built. 
Indeed  this  is  "  the  pillar  and  ground  of 
truth ;  and  without  doubt,  the  great  mys- 
tery of  godliness,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  God 
manifest  in  thejiesh  ;"  "  the  Word  made 
Jlesh,  who  dwelt  among  us." 

The  character,  office,  or  work  of  Christ, 
is  of  equal  importance.  St.  Paul's  reso- 
lution was,  "  to  Imow  nothing  but  Jesus 
Christ,  and  him  crucified.''''  Christ  as  cru- 
cified, as  a  sacrifice  and  atonement,  was 
his  darling  topic  ;  though  it  was  a  stum- 
bling-block to  the  Jews,  and  foolishness  to 
the  Greeks,  he  knew  it  to  be  "  tlie  power 
of  God  to  salvation;"  and,  indeed,  tiie 
names  he  mentions  in  the  text  include 
much  the  same :  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord. 
The  word  Christ  signifies  Anointed. 
Priests,  and  others,  used  to  be  anointed 
with  oil,  which  denoted  their  fitness  for 
the  office,  and  their  appointment  to  it ;  so 
Christ  was  anointed  by  the  Father,  filled 
with  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  set  apart  by  di- 
vine authority,  to  be  the  prophet,  priest, 
and  king  of  the  church.  The  name  Jesus 
signifies  a  Savior .;  it  was  given  him  "be- 
cause he  should  save  his  people  from  their 
sins."  And  the  apostle  adds,  my  Lord  : 
he  acknowledges  him  to  be  the  sovereign 
ruler  of  his  people,  head  over  all  things ; 
and  calls  him  his,  because  he  wfs  his 
sworn  servant. 

The  knowledge  of  Christ,  includes  an 
acquaintance  with  his  whole  character,  as 
drawn  out  in  the  New  Testament.  Here 
we  see  his  innocence,  his  benevolence,  his 
zeal,  and  especially  his  regard  to  poor  sin- 
ners :  how  readily  he  listened  to  the  cry 
of  misery,  how  graciously  he  relieved  the 
sick,  the  poor,  and  the  guilty,  when  they 
applied  to  him ;  in  a  word,  wa  see  his 
glory,  "  the  glory  of  the  only  begotten  of 
the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth." 

But  the  knowledge  of  Christ  also  in- 
cludes faith  in  him;  according  to  that 
Scripture,  Isa.  liii.  11.  By  his  knowledge 
shall  my  righteous  servant  justify  many: 
this  cannot  mean  the  knowledge  that  is  in 
Christ,  but  the  knowledge  of  Christ  that 
is  in  his  people ;  and  so  stands  for  faith, 
which  alone  justifies  a  sinner  in  the  sight 
of  God.  The  true  knowledge  of  Christ 
is  always  accompanied  with  faith  in  him, 
for  "  they  that  know  his  name  will  put  their 
trust  in  him." 

This  then  is  that  knovidedge  which  St. 
Paul  attained,  and  which  he  prized  so 
highly,  that  he  said,  "  I  count  all  things 


but  loss"  on  account  of  it.  Surely  it  must 
be  most  excellent  in  itself  and  in  its  ef- 
fects, to  be  preferred  above  all  things.  If 
we  saw  a  man  willingly  parting  with  all 
his  property ;  selling  his  furniture,  his 
house,  his  land  for  the  sake  of  buying  one 
single  article ;  we  must  conclude,  if  we 
had  a  good  opinion  of  his  prudence,  that 
the  article  was  of  extraordinary  value.  And 
tliis  is  no  more  than  the  Christian  is  ex- 
pected to  do,  according  to  our  Lord's  para- 
ble, Matt.  xiii.  45.  *'  The  kmgdom  of  hea- 
ven is  like  unto  a  merchant,  seeking  good- 
ly pearls;  who,  when  he  had  found  one 
pearl  of  great  price,  went  and  sold  all  that 
he  had,  and  bought  it."  Such  a  merchant 
was  our  apostle.  May  divine  grace  make 
us  such  also !  That  we  may  sec  the  wis- 
dom of  his  conduct.  Let  us  now  proce'ed 
to  consider, 

II.  The  excellency  of  this  Imowledge 
of  Christ. 

1.  It  is  the  most  necessary  kind  of 
knowledge.  Of  many  thmgs  we  must  be 
ignorant,  because  we  cannot  attain  the 
knowledge  of  them ;  and  of  many  things 
we  may  safely  be  ignorant ;  but  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ  is  necessary  to  salvation. 
"  That  the  soul  be  without  knowledge,  is 
not  good."  Prov.  xix.  2.  There  can  be 
no  faith  in  Jesus  without  it,  and  without 
faith  no  salvation.  There  can  be  no  love 
to  Jesus  without  it,  and  if  no  love,  no  sal- 
vation. Indeed  we  may  see  how  necessary 
it  is  by  the  pains  which  Satan  takes  to  pre- 
vent the  attainment  of  it ;  for  he,  as  the 
god  of  this  world,  hath  blinded  the  eyes  of 
men,  lest  they  should  get  this  knowledge 
by  the  Gospel.  On  the  other  hand,  we 
learn  its  necessity  from  Christ's  zeal  to 
extend  the  word  of  salvation  ;  for  God  our 
Savior  "  will  have  all  men  (that  is  all  sorts 
of  men)  to  be  saved,  and  to  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth."  1  Tim.  ii.  4. 
Observe, — they  must  have  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth,  in  order  to  their  being  saved. 

2.  It  is  the  most  heavenly  kind  of  know- 
ledge. Every  good  gifl  comes  down  from 
God,  but  this  especially.  He  who  first 
created  light  in  the  world  "  shines  into  the 
heart  of  man."  It  is  the  Holy  Spirit  who 
takes  the  things  of  Christ,  and  shows  them 
unto  us.  It  is  written  in  the  prophets,  and 
daily  fulfilled  in  the  Church:  "All  thy 
children  shall  be  taught  of  God."  The 
Spirit  of  God  is  the  great  teaclier ;  but  he 
teaches  by  the  word.  "  To  expect  that 
tlie  Spirit  will  teach  you  without  the  word 
is  rank  enthusiasm ;  as  great  madness  as 
to  hope  to  see  without  eyes ;  and  to  expect 
tiiat  the  word  will  teach  you  without  the 
Spirit  is  as  great  an  absurdity,  as  to  pre- 


SERMON  XL. 


185 


tend  to  sec  witliout  liglit.  God  has  joined 
the  word  and  the  Spirit  togetlier,  and  let 
no  man  put  them  asunder."  We  read  of 
having  "  the  eyes  of  our  understanding 
enlightened,"  (Eph.  i.  18.)  and  we  read 
also  of  Christ's  opening  the  understanding 
of  his  disciples,  that  they  niigiit "  understand 
tlie  Soriptures."  It  thercibre  becomes 
every  one,  who  wishes  for  this  heavenly 
knowledge,  to  pray  with  David,  "  O  Lord, 
open  mine  eyes,  tliat  I  may  see  wondrous 
things  out  of  thy  law." 

3.  It  is  the  m9st  useful  kind  of  know- 
ledge. Every  kind  of  knowledge  is  use- 
ful in  its  place,  for  it  is  to  the  mind  what 
light  is  to  the  eyes ;  but  this  knowledge 
exceeds  all  other  in  its  blessed  efl'ects. 
Wliat  was  it  that  made  so  vast  an  altera- 
tion in  ihe  heathen  world,  so  that,  from 
beasts  and  devils,  they  became  holy  saints 
and  children  of  God  J  It  was  the  Gospel, 
which  "  opened  their  eyes,  and  turned 
them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the 
power  of  Satan  unto  God."  Hereby  thou- 
sands and  tliousands  escape  the  pollutions 
of  the  world.  In  this  consists  much  of  our 
regeneration ;  for  the  new  man  is  "  re- 
newed in  knowledge,  at\er  the  image  of 
him  that  created  him."  Col.  iii.  10.  And 
tliis  renewing  work  is  carried  on  by  the 
same  means ;  "  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the 
glory  of  the  Lord,  we  are  transformed  into 
the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory."  As 
the  face  of  Moses  got  a  heavenly  lustre  by 
converse  with  God,  so,  by  the  clear  view 
of  Ciirist's  glory,  in  the  looking-glass  of 
the  Gospel,  we  ourselves  obtain  something 
of  his  own  amiable  and  holy  likeness.  O, 
the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ, 
which  makes  us  like  Christ ;  and,  depend 
upon  it,  the  more  you  know  him,  tlie  more 
you  will  be  like  him. 

This  knowledge  will  humble  the  soul. 
Other  knowledge  puflelh  up.  TJie  rays 
of  the  sun,  which  sliow  its  own  glory,  dis- 
cover the  uncleanncss  of  a  room  into  which 
they  shine;  so  this  excellent  knowledge 
at  once  makes  manifest  the  glory  of  Christ, 
and  the  deformity  of  the  sinner.  Isaiah, 
upon  beholding  Christ,  the  Lord  of  Hosts, 
cries  out,  "  Woe  is  me !  I  am  unclean." 
Job  also  exclaims,  "  Behold  I  am  vile :" 
and  John  fell  at  his  glorious  Savior's  feet 
as  one  dead. 

We  observed  before,  that  tliis  knowledge 
is  connected  with  fuitk :  "  they  that  know 
thy  name  will  put  their  trust  in  thee." 
"  It  would  be  arrant  fiilly  to  tru.^t  a  stran- 
ger with  our  all:  but  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  encourage:-;  tiic  .soul  to  confide  in 
him.  In  lohmn  ye  trusled,  tiftir  Ihal  i/e 
heard  Ihe  word  of  Irulh,  saitli  St.  Paul  to 


I  the  Ephesians.  None  can  trust  him  till 
they  know  him,  and  whoever  knows  him 
aright  will  trust  him.  Well  may  we  trust 
him,  when  we  consider  his  almighty  power, 
his  infinite  love,  his  divine  righteousness, 
and  his  perfect  faithfulness.  In  the  view 
of  these,  Paul,  in  the  prospect  of  death, 
could  say,  "I  know  whom  I  have  believed, 
and  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep 
tliat  which  I  have  committed  unto  him, 
against  that  day."  "  If  we  had  a  thou- 
sand souls,  we  might  safely  trust  Jesus 
with  them  all. 

4.  This  knowledge  is,  of  all  other,  the 
most  pleasant.  Knowledge,  in  general,  is 
grateflil  to  the  mind  ;  and  yet  some  kinds 
of  knowledge  are  painful.  Solomon  says, 
"  in  much  wisdom  is  much  grief;  and  he 
that  increaseth  knowledge  increaseth  sor- 
row." Eccl.  i.  18.  There  must  be  a  great 
deal  of  pains -to  get  it,  and  a  great  deal  of 
care  to  keep  it ;  the  more  we  know,  the 
more  we  see  remains  to  be  known ;  and 
the  more  we  perceive  of  the  folly,  mad- 
ness, and  misery  of  men.  But  there  are 
no  such  inconveniences  attending  this 
knowledge  ;  it  is  more  easily  attained  ;  and 
he  that  increaseth  it  increaseth  his  joy  at 
the  same  time.  "  I  rejoice  at  thy  word," 
saith  the  Psalmist,  "  as  he  that  findcth 
great  spoil."  "  The  law  of  thy  mouth  is 
to  me  better  than  gold  or  silver."  "  Thy 
word  was  found  of  me,  and  I  did  eat  it,  and 
it  was  the  joy  and  rejoicing  of  my  lieart." 
What  support  does  the  afflicted  Christian 
find  in  the  Gospel  of  Christ !  ho  may  say, 
"  Thy  statutes  have  been  my  song  in  tlic 
days  of  my  pilgrimage."  Hear  Paul  and 
Silas  singing  aloud  at  midnight,  in  the  jail 
of  Philippi:  it  was  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  that  made  them  sing.  And  thou- 
sands of  dying  believers  liave  rejoiced  in 
Christ,  amidst  the  pains  of  dissolving  na- 
ture, and  even  in  the  flames  of  martyrdom. 
How  excellent  then  is  tiiis  knowledge  of 
Christ ! 

APPLICATION. 
Is  the  knowledge  of  Christ  so  excellent, 
then,  Do  we  possess  it  /  St.  Paul  said  to 
the  Corinthians — "  Some  of  you  have  not 
the  knowledge  of  God  ;  I  speak  it  to  your 
shame;"  and  a  shame  indeed  it  is,  for 
those  who  have  the  means  of  knowledge, 
to  remain  destitute  of  it.  And  it  is  more 
than  a  shame,  it  is  a  sm ;  and  a  sin  of  the 
most  tatal  kind  ;  it  keeps  us  from  tlie  ex- 
ercise of  repentance,  faith,  love,  and  obe- 
dience :  yea,  our  liOrd  makes  it  the  grand 
cause  of  final  ruin.  "  "^l^his  is  the  condem- 
nation, that  light  i.=!  come  into  the  world, 
and  men  have  loved  darkness  rather  tlian 
ligiit,  because  their  deeds  are  evil." 
16* 


186 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


O  think  of  this,  while  opportunity  re- 
mains to  obtain  the  knowledge  of  Christ. 
Seek  it  in  the  means  of  his  appointment. 
"  If  any  man  lack  wisdom,  let  liim  ask  it 
of  God."  Seek  it  earnestly  according  to 
the  divine  direction.  Prov.  iii.  3,  4.  "  If 
thou  criest  after  knowledge,  and  liftest  up 
thy  voice  for  understanding;  if  thou  seekest 
her  as  silver,  and  searchest  for  her  as  for 
hid  treasure;  then  shalt  thou  understand 
the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  find  the  know- 
ledge of  God;  for  the  Lord  giveth  wis- 
dom, he  layeth  up  sound  wisdom  for  the 
righteous." 

And,  O  what  cause  have  they  for 
thankfulness,  who  have  obtained  this 
"  sound  wisdom,"  this  most  excellent 
knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ !  You  cannot 
have  a  greater  cause  for  joy.  Christ  him- 
self giveth  you  joy  of  it.  "  Blessed  are 
your  eyes,  for  they  see !"  On  a  like  oc- 
casion, "  Jesus  rejoiced,  and  said,  I  thank 
thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
that  thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the 
wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed  them 
to  babes ;  even  so,  Father,  for  so  it  seemed 
good  in  thy  sight."  You  have  greater 
cause  for  joy  and  praise,  than  if  you  had 
got  the  knowledge  of  all  languages,  arts, 
and  sciences ;  these  might  make  you  famous 
among  men,  but  their  advantage  would 
be  dropped  in  the  grave.  A  very  learned 
man  once  said  on  his  dying  bed,  "  I  have 
spent  my  life  in  laborious  trifling."  He 
only  is  truly  wise,  who  is  "  wise  to  salva- 
tion." In  this  excellent  knowledge  you 
are  allowed  to  glory ;  for  "  thus  saith  the 
Lord,  Let  not  the  wise  man  glory  in  his 
wisdom,  neither  let  the  mighty  man  glory 
in  his  might ;  let  not  the  rich  man  glory 
in  his  riches;  but  let  him  that  gloneth, 
glory  in  this,  that  he  understandeth  and 
knoweth  me,"  &c.  O  be  thankful  to  him, 
who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into 
this  marvellous  light. 

But  while  you  are  thankful  for  it,  do  not 
be  proud  of  it.  The  wisest  know  but 
little  of  what  is  to  be  known.  "  Follow 
on  to  know  the  Lord."  "  Grow  in  grace, 
and  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ."  Read 
the  word,  and  meditate  on  it  day  and  night. 
Pray  over  it,  and  pray  for  the  Spirit  to 
lead  you  into  all  truth.  And  while  you 
praise  him  with  your  lips,  remember  also 
to  praise  him  with  your  lives.  Let  it  not 
be  said,  "  What  do  you  more  than  others  !" 
But  prove  the  superior  excellency  of  your 
knowledge,  by  the  superior  excellency  of 


your  conduct :  "  for,  ye  were  sometimes 
darkness,  but  now  are  ye  light  in  the 
Lord  ;  walk  as  children  of  light,  proving 
what  is  acceptable  unto  the  Lord."  Be- 
lievers are  appointed  to  be  lights  ui  the 
world :  and  much  of  their  duty  is  com- 
prehended in  one  word — Shine  !  "  Let 
your  Light,  says  our  Savior,  sJtine,  and 
shine  before  men  too;  that  is  not  forbid- 
den ;  yea,  it  is  commanded.  But  it  is  thus 
commanded.  Let  your  light  so  shine  before 
7nen,  that  they,  seeing  your  good  works — 
yourselves  as  little  as  may  be — your  works 
more  than  yourselves,  (as  the  sun  giving 
us  light,  will  scarcely  suffer  us  to  look 
upon  itself) — rnay  glorify — Whom?  You? 
No,  but  your  Father,  who  is  in  heaven. 
Let  your  light  shine ;  it  is  given  for  that 
purpose ;  but  let  it  always  shine  to  the 
glory  of  the  Father  of  lights.'" — Thus 
may  you  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of 
his  will,  in  all  wisdom  and  spiritual  un- 
derstanding ;  being  fruitful  in  every  good 
work,  and  increasing  in  the  knowledge  of 
God,  until  you  see  him,  no  more  "  through 
a  glass  darkly,  but  face  to  face ;"  until  you 
know,  even  as  also  you  are  known. 

Now  unto  God,  the  Father  of  lights — 
to  Jesus  Christ,  tlie  sim  of  righteousness, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit  of  truth,  be  all  glory, 
by  every  enlightened  mind  in  heaven  and 
earth,  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 


PRAYER.— O  thou  who  art  the  Father  of 
Lights,  enlighten  our  minds,  we  beseech  thee, 
that  we  may  know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and 
Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou  hast  sent.  Enable  us 
to  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of 
the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  We 
bless  thee  that  thou  hast  given  us  thy  holy  word, 
which  is  able  to  make  us  wise  unto  salvation. 
Remove,  we  beseech  thee,  all  darkness  from  our 
minds,  and  all  hardness  from  our  hearts.  May 
the  Holy  Spirit,  by  whose  inspiration  the  Scrip- 
tures were  written,  lead  us  info  all  truth.  May 
he  enable  us  to  discern  the  glory  of  Christ,  and 
to  comprehend,  in  some  degree,  that  love  which 
passeth  knowledge.  Grant,  O  Lord,  that  the 
word  of  Christ  may  dwell  in  us  richly  in  all  wis- 
dom and  spiritual  understanding.  May  it  give 
peace  to  our  consciences,  and  holiness  to  our 
hearts.  May  we  grow  in  grace  and  in  the  know- 
ledge of  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ.  Help 
us  to  walk  as  children  of  light,  and  to  cause  our 
light  so  to  shine  before  men,  that  they,  seeing 
our  good  works,  may  glorify  thee  our  heavenly 
Father.  Prepare  us  for  the  world  of  light  and  great 
glory,  and  that  we  may  have  increasing  evidence 
of  a  meetness  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints 
in  light.  We  ask  these  blessings  in  the  name  of 
JesuB  Christ,  thy  beloved  Son,  to  whom,  with 
thyself  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  glory  for  ever. 
Amen. 


SERMON  XLI. 


187 


SERMON  XLI. 

THE  HEART  TAKEN. 

Luke  xi.  21,  22.  Whon  a  strong  man  armed,  keepeth 
liis  palace,  his  goods  are  in  peace  :  But  when  a 
stronger  than  he  shall  come  upon  him,  and  over- 
come him,  he  taketh  from  him  all  his  armor 
wherein  he  trusted,  and  divideth  his  spoils. 

The  miracles  which  our  Lord  perform- 
ed were  so  obvious,  that  it  was  impossible 
for  his  greatest  enemies  to  deny  them ;  but 
such  was  the  malice  of  their  hearts,  that 
they  said  lie  performed  tliem  by  the  power 
of  the  devil.  Our  Savior,  in  answer  to 
this,  shows  how  unreasonable  and  absurd 
it  is,  to  suppose  that  Satan  should  cast 
out  himself,  or  any  way  oppose  his  own 
kingdom ;  "  for  every  kingdom  divided 
against  itself  is  brought  to  desolation,  and 
a  house  divided  against  itself  falleth." 
But  in  the  text  he  shows  how  he  had  per- 
formed the  miracle  of  casting  out  Satan, 
namely,  by  his  superior  power.  He  com- 
pares Satan  to  a  strong  man,  armed  with 
weapons  to  defend  his  house  ;  and  he  com- 
pares himself  to  one  that  is  stronger  than 
the  strong  man.  He  allows  that  the  devil 
is  strong,  but  asserts  that  he  is  mucli 
stronger,  and  therefore  able  to  cast  him 
out.  By  this  similitude  our  Lord  vindicates 
his  miracles,  and  proves  he  did  not  act  in 
concert  with  Satan.  But  the  words  are 
also  fairly  applicable  to  Christ's  continual 
victories,  over  the  devil  in  the  hearts  of 
men,  by  that  power  which  still  goes  along 
with  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel.  They 
describe  two  tilings : 

L  The  sad  condition  of  an  unconverted 
sinner :  and 

II.  The  wonderful  power  of  divine 
grace  in  his  conversion. 

1.  Here  is  the  sad  condition  of  an  un- 
converted sinner ;  his  heart  is  the  habita- 
tion of  Satan  ;  the  faculties  of  his  mind, 
and  the  members  of  his  body,  are  Satan's 
goods ;  they  are  employed  by  him  in  the 
service  of  sm,  and  while  this  is  the  case, 
there  is  peace — a  false  and  dangerous 
security;  until  Christ,  by  his  Gospel, 
disturbs  it,  and  by  his  grace  delivers  the 
prey  from  the  hands  of  the  mighty. 

(1.)  The  human  heart  is  a  palace,  a 
noble  building ;  at  first  erected  for  the 
habitation  of  tlie  great  and  glorious  God, 
who  made  man  "  in  his  own  image,  after 
his  own  likeness,"  "  in  knowledge,  righte- 
ousness and  holiness."  "  But  tiie  holy  God 
"has  withdrawn  himself,  and  left  this 
"temple  desolate.  The  stately  ruins  are 
"visible  to  every  eye,  and  bear  in  tiieir 
"  front  this  doleful  mscription — Here  God 


"  once  dwelt.  The  comely  order  of  this 
"  house  is  turned  into  confusion ;  the 
"  beauties  of  lioliness  uito  noisome  im- 
"  purities ;  the  house  of  prayer  into  a  den 
"of  thieves;  the  noble  powers  of  the  soul, 
"designed  for  divine  contemplation,  and 
"  delight,  are  alienated  to  the  service  of 
"base  idols  and  despicable  lusts.  The 
"wliole  soul  is  like  a  ruined  palace  of 
"some  great  prince,  in  which  you  see, 
"  here  the  fragments  of  a  lofty  pillar,  there 
"  the  sliattered  remains  of  a  curious  statue, 
"and  all  lying  neglected  and  useless 
"  among  lieaps  of  dirt.  The  faded  glory, 
"the  darkness,  the  impurity  of  this  palace, 
"  plainly  show  the  great  inhabitant  is 
''gone!"  But, 

(2.)  The  heart  is  now  become  the  palace 
of  Satan.  Great  is  the  power  of  the  devil 
in  this  world,  and  over  the  minds  of  wick- 
ed men.  This  is  an  unwelcome  truth; 
but  it  must  be  told.  Our  Savior  himself 
calls  him,  John  xiv.  30,  the  Prince  of  this 
world — he  who  rules  in  this  kingdom  of 
darkness,  and  who  is  also  called,  2  Cor.  iv. 
4.  the  god  of  this  world,  because  of  the 
great  interest  he  has  in  the  world,  and  the 
homage  that  is  paid  to  him  by  the  multi- 
tudes in  the  world,  and  the  great  sway 
that,  by  divine  permission,  he  beareth  in 
the  hearts  of  his  subjects.  The  worship 
of  the  heathen  is  the  worship  of  the  devil. 
Those  who  worship  Jupiter,  Bacchus, 
Venus,  or  any  other  idol,  do  really  worship 
the  devil;  and  the  foolish,  filthy,  and 
bloody  rites  and  ceremonies  of  their  wor- 
ship are  very  fit  for  such  devilish  gods. 
But  it  is  not  among  pagans  only  that  he 
reigns.  St.  Paul  assures  us,  Eph.  ii.  2, 
that  unconverted  men  "  walk  according  to 
the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  the 
prince  of  the  power  of  the  air — the  spirit 
that  now  warketh  in  the  children  of  dis- 
obedience"— those  who  are  disobedient  to 
God,  are  obedient  to  Satan :  he  works 
powerfully  in  them  ;  they  follow  his  sug- 
gestions; they  comply"  with  his  tempta- 
tions; they  are  subject  to  his  command- 
ments ;  and  are  "  led  captive  by  him  at 
his  will."  This  is  a  very  awful  state ! 
People  may  be  in  it  without  knowing  it. 
But  all  are  in  it  by  nature :  all  are  yet  in  it, 
who  "  walk  after  the  flesh,  fulfilling  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind." 

The  dwelling  of  Satan  in  a  sinner  is 
further  insisted  on  in  this  chapter,  verse, 
24,  &c.  "When  the  unclean  spirit  is 
gone  out  of  a  man,  he  walkcth  tlirough 
dry  places,  seeking  rest;  and  finding  none, 
lie  saith,  /  tvill  return  to  my  house.''* 
There  may  be  a  partial  and  temporary  re- 
formation in  a  simier  ;  but  without  a  real 


188 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


change,  the  devil  will  resume  his  power, 
and  "  the  last  state  of  that  man  is  worse 
than  the  first." 

The  heart  of  man  is  cither  God's  house 
or  Satan's.  If  God  do  not  rule  there  by 
his  Spirit,  Satan  does ;  and  it  may  easily 
be  known  who  rules.  St.  John  plainly  de- 
cides this  matter,  1  John  iii.  7.  "  Little 
children,  let  no  man  deceive  you :  he  that 
doth  rigliteousness,  is  righteous.  He  that 
committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil.  In  this  the 
children  of  God  are  manifest,  and  the  chil- 
dren of  the  devil."  Our  Lord  spake  the 
same  language  to  the  wicked  Jews.  They 
boasted  that  they  were  Abraham's  chil- 
dren, and  the  people  of  God  ;  but  he  faith- 
fully told  them,  "  Ye  are  of  your  father 
the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father  ye 
will  do."  "  Know  ye  not,"  saith  the  apostle 
Paul,  Rom.  vi.  16,  "  that  to  whom  ye  yield 
"  yourselves  servants  to  obey,  his  servants 
"ye  are,  to  whom  ye  obey;  whether  of 
"s/«  unto  death,  or  of  obedience  unto 
"  rigliteousness  ?"  Sin  is  the  devil's  work, 
find  deatli  is  the  wages  of  sin.  One  per- 
son is  under  the  power  of  drunkenness, 
another  of  uncleanness — anotlier  curses 
and  swears,  another  lies,  another  steals. 
All  these  are  Satan's  drudges  and  slaves. 
Their  slavery  is  the  most  abject  in  the 
world,  and  is  wor^c  than  any  other,  for  in 
other  cases  the  poor  slave  longs  for  free- 
dom, and  gladly  escapes  if  he  can ;  but 
here  the  wretched  sinner  hugs  his  yoke, 
fancies  music  in  his  chains,  and  scorns  the 
proposal  of  liberty.  All  this  is  owing  to 
the  power  and  craft  of  the  devil,  who 

(3.)  Endeavors  by  all  means  to  keep  pos- 
session— "  the  strong  man  armed  keepeth 
•the  house;"  and  this  he  docs  by  hiding 
from  his  vassals  the  fatal  consequences  of 
sin — by  hindering  any  intercourse  with 
the  riglit  owner,  and  by  filling  the  heart 
witii  prejudice  against  liim. 

lie  keeps  possession  of  the  sinner's 
heart,  by  hiding  from  him  the  evil  and 
wages  of  sin.  lie  is  called  a  ndtr  of 
fftrrkness,  he  reigns  in  darkness,  and  by 
darkne-ss.  Sinners  little  think  where  he 
is  leading  them.  "  Surely,  in  vain  the  net 
is  spread  in  the  sight  of  any  bird."  Prov.  i. 
17.  Tlie  silly  birds  are  wiser  tlian  sinners. 
Sinners  are  told  of  the'r  danger,  but  to  no 
purpose.  Satan  hath  shut  tlieir  eyes,  and 
they  are  determined  to  keep  them  shut; 
"  they  love  darkness  rather  than  light,  be- 
cause their  deeds  are  evil ;  and  liow  justly 
may  a  lioly  God  doom  that  soul  fo  everlast- 
ing darkness,  who  wilfully  rejected  the 
light  of  life. 

Satan  does  all  ho  can  to  prevent  any  in- 
tercourse between  tliC  sinner  and  the  bless- 


ed God,  who  is  the  original  and  rightful 
owner  of  the  Jieart.  Such  is  the  love  of 
God  to  his  rebellious  creatures,  that  he  has 
sent  his  Son  into  the  world  to  make  recon- 
ciliation ;  and  he  has  also  sent  his  servants 
to  publish  the  Gospel,  or  the  ministry  of 
reconciliation,  "  beseeching  sinners,  in 
Christ's  stead,  to  be  reconciled  to  God." 
But  Satan  dreads  the  effects  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  therefore  tries  to  hinder  it.  St. 
Paul  says,  "  Satan  hath  blinded  the  minds 
of  unbelievers,  lest  the  light  of  the  glori- 
ous Gospel  should  shine  into  them."  He 
would  keep  the  light  of  the  Gospel  out  of 
the  world,  if  he  could  ;  and  he  tries  hard 
for  it  in  some  places,  by  his  persecuting 
agents ;  but  as  he  cannot  do  this,  he  will 
keep  it  out  of  men's  hearts,  if  possible.  He 
loves  to  keep  men  in  ignorance  and  error. 
He  persuades  some  to  break  the  sabbath, 
and  to  forsake  the  house  of  God,  and  to 
neglect  the  Bible ;  and  he  keeps  others  in 
a  state  of  wretched  formality;  they  wor- 
ship God  with  tlieir  bodies,  but'their  hearts 
are  far  from  him. 

He  fills  the  hearts  of  many  with  preju- 
dices against  Christ  and  the  Gospel.  Those 
who  preach  it,  and  receive  it,  generally  go 
under  some  name  of  reproach,  and  are  so 
misrepresented  by  ignorant,  interested,  and 
carnal  persons,  that  they  are  afraid  to  hear 
and  judge  for  themselves.  Where  open 
persecution  is  not  permitted,  this  is  one  of 
Satan's  principal  means  of  keeping  the 
possession  of  the  sinner's  heart.  But  this 
snare  would  be  broken,  if  men  would  re- 
member tliat  it  has  always  been  the  lot  of 
good  men  to  be  despised — that  Christ  him- 
self was  treated  in  the  same  manner — that 
he  tells  all  his  followers  to  e.xpect  re- 
proach :  and  calls  upon  them  to  rejoice 
and  be  exceeding  glad  on  that  account. 
Thus  you  see,  that 

(4.)  Satan  is  but  too  well  qualified  to 
maintain  his  ground — he  is  compared  to  a 
slro))g  man — and  to  a  strong  man  armed. 
Devils  are  fallen  angels,  strong  in  tlieir 
natural  powers;  vastly  superior  to  men; 
and  they  have  been  long  practised  in  the 
arts  of  destruction ;  they  are  like  enemies 
flushed  with  victory,  liaving  succeeded  in 
millions  of  instances,  and  were  therefore 
not  afraid  to  attack  the  innocent  Jesus 
iiiniself.  Satan  is  armed;  armed  with  as- 
tonishing cunning;  he  is  "the  old  serpent 
that  deceived  the  whole  world !"  armed 
with  inveterate  malice  against  God  and 
against  man :  as  a  hungry  and  ravenous 
lion,  he  goeth  about  seeking  whom  he  may 
devour. 

We  read  in  2  Cor.  x.  4.  of  Satan's  strong 
holds — fortified  places.     Ignorance,  preju- 


SERMON  XLI. 


189 


dice,  beloved  lusts,  evil  habits,  the  way  of 
tlie  world,  &c.  are  Satan's  strong  iiolds  in 
the  heart  of  some  ;  vain  iniajvinations, 
carnal  reasonings,  and  proud  conceits  of 
self-righteousness,  exalt  themselves  in 
others,  agamst  the  knowledge  of  God; 
and  by  tliesc  means  the  devil  keeps  men 
from  faith  in  Christ,  and  retains  the  pos- 
session of  their  hearts  as  his  own  prop- 
erty. 

(5.)  While  the  strong  man,  thus  armed, 
keepeth  his  palace,  his  goods  are  in  peace. 
There  is,  indeed,  "  no  (true)  peace  to  the 
wicked :"  God  hath  not  spoken  peace  :  but 
sinners  speak  peace  to  themselves,  and 
Satan,  by  wicked  and  carnal  ministers, 
who  are  some  of  his  best  agents,  speaks 
peace  also.  Carnal  persons  have  generally 
a  good  opinion  of  themselves,  and  of  their 
state ;  they  think  they  have  good  hearts, 
are  not  so  bad  as  others,  and  have  no  occa- 
sion to  be  uneasy.  Just  like  St.  Paul  be- 
fore his  conversion — /  ivas  alive,  said  he, 
toithout  the  law,  once.  He  thought  if  any 
man  should  go  to  heaven,  he  should.  He 
trusted  in  his  birth  and  education ;  his 
good  church,  and  his  good  life :  Satan,  the 
strong  man  armed,  had  then  full  possession 
of  his  heart,  and  therefore  all  was  quiet ; 
"  but  when  the  commandment  came  ;" — 
when  the  holy,  fiery,  spiritual  law,  Christ's 
pioneer,  came,  and  showed  him  he  was  a 
sinner,  a  great  sinner,  the  chief  of  sinners ; 
then  farewell  this  old  peace,  this  false 
peace,  this  fatal  peace ;  then  he  saw  jvhal 
he  was,  and  where  he  was;  and  was  glad 
to  get  peace  from  another  quarter,  even 
from  the  blood  of  Jesus,  the  Prince  of 
Peace. 

If  a  person  is  never  uneasy  about  his 
sins,  it  is  no  good  sign.  It  may  be  feared 
that  Satan  keeps  his  heart ;  for  wherever 
the  Gospel  comes,  though  it  be  tiie  Gospel 
of  peace,  it  creates  disturbance.  It  often 
occasions  great  agitation  in  a  parish,  in  a 
family,  and  in  the  heart;  and  be  not  of- 
fended, brethren,  if  it  do  so  among  you. 
Jesus  Christ  has  told  us  it  will  do  so.  Luke 
.\ii.  51.  "  Suppose  ye  that  I  am  come  to 
give  peace  on  earth  !  I  tell  you,  Nay ;  but 
rather  division'" — '■'a.  sword'''' — '■'■fire.''''  Ver. 
49.  The  Gospel  certainly  tends  to  pro- 
mote peace  with  God  and  man ;  but  through 
tlie  carnal  enmity  of  the  natural  man,  it 
becomes  an  occasion  of  great  discord. 
Wherever  tlie  Gospel  was  first  preaclied 
by  the  apostles,  it  excited  disturbance  and 
persecution;  and,  to  this  day,  where  the 
true  Gospel  is  newly  preached,  it  makes  no 
"  small  stir,"  and  people  are  ready  to  say, 
as  of  old,  "  Tlie  men  who  have  turned  the 
world  upside  down  are  come  hitlier  also." 


Satan  will  not  quietly  part  with  his  prey; 
and  ungodly  men,  who  know  not  the  na- 
ture and  need  of  the  Gospel,  will  oppose  it. 

The  Gospel  is  designed  to  bring  the 
heart  to  rest  and  peace  in  Jesus ;  but.  as 
the  soul  must  change  masters,  this  revolu- 
tion cannot  be  brouglit  about  without  divi- 
sion.— There  must  be  a  separation  of  the 
heart  from  the  creature,  in  order  to  its 
union  witli  God ;  for  peace  with  the  world, 
and  peace  with  God,  are  inconsistent. 

Having  tlius  shown  you  the  first  thing 
in  the  text,  namely,  the  sad  condition  of 
an  unconverted  sumer,  let  us  proceed  to 
display, 

n.  The  wonderful  power  of  divine  grace 
in  his  conversion — when  a  stronger  than 
he  shall  corne  upon  him,  and  overcome 
him,  he  taketh  from  him  all  his  armor 
wherein  he  trusted,  and  divided  his  spoils. 

Observe  here,  the  greatness  of  the  Con- 
queror, Jesus  Christ ;  he  alone  is  stronger 
than  Satan.  Strong  as  the  devil  is,  he  is 
but  a  creature,  and  his  power  is  finite : 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  Creator,  and  his  power 
is  infinite.  He  made  the  world.  This 
earthly  ball,  the  glittering  stars,  the  silver 
moon,  and  the  glorious  sun,  are  all  the 
work  of  his  hands ;  and  by  his  power  all 
nature  stands;  "  in  him  all  things  consist;" 
"for  of  him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him, 
are  all  thuigs,  and  to  him  be  glory  for  ever. 
Amen."  This  glorious  and  gracious  God 
"  was  manifested  in  the  flesh,"  he  took  our 
feeble  nature,  and  became  a  man,  that  he 
might  "  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil," 
and  rescue  his  people  from  Satan's  destruc- 
tive hands. 

See  him  in  the  wilderness  encountering 
this  hellish  foe;  he  was  tempted  m  all 
points  like  ourselves;  but  he  vanquished 
the  enemy,  and  he  fled  from  him.  See 
him  disi)laying  liis  superior  power  in  cast- 
ing out  devils  from  the  bodies  of  many 
miserable  people.  They  could  never  resist 
his  conmiand.  By  a  single  word  he  re- 
lieved multitudes  who  had  long  been  op- 
pressed by  Satan,  and  whose  bodies,  as  well 
as  souls,  liad  been  his  habitation.  He  gave 
a  portion  of  tlie  same  power  to  his  disci- 
ples, who,-  returning  from  their  mission, 
joyfully  cried,  "  Even  the  devils  are  sub- 
ject unto  us  through  thy  name !"  "  I  be- 
held," said  he,  "  Satan  "fall  as  lightning 
from  heaven."  Thus  was  "  the  prince  of 
this  world  judged."  The  conquest  was 
completed  when  he  hung  on  the  cross; 
and  the  triumph  was  celebrated  when  he 
rose  to  the  skies — "  he  spoiled  principali- 
ties and  powers,  and  made  a  show  of  them 
openly ;"  "  he  led  captivity  captive,  and  re- 
ceived gifts  for  men." 


190 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


The  power  of  Christ  over  Satan  was 
displayed  in  every  country  where  the  Gos- 
pel was  preached.  The  heathens  became 
ashamed  of  their  idols,  and  the  altars  of 
their  gods  were  deserted.  Those  oracles, 
in  which,  perhaps,  Satan  had  been  suffered 
to  speak,  were  struck  dumb;  the  most 
abandoned  of  mankind  were  reformed  and 
renewed,  and  the  world  was  astonished  at 
the  triumphs  of  the  cross.  For  it  was  not 
by  the  three  of  human  laws,  it  was  not  by 
the  edge  of  the  sword,  nor  was  it  by  the 
power  of  eloquence,  that  the  Gospel  prevail- 
ed ;  no,  "  the  weapons  of  this  warfare  were 
not  carnal,"  and  however  mean  they  seemed 
in  the  eyes  of  men,  they  were  "  mighty, 
through  God,  to  pull  down  the  strong  holds 
of  the  devil."  Every  man  who  knew  its 
nature,  and  felt  its  effects,  would  say  witli 
the  apostles,  "  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ,  for  it  is  the  power  of 
God  to  salvation,  to  every,  one  that  be- 
lieveth ;"  "  God  forbid  that  I  should  glpry, 
save  in  the  cross  of  Christ ;  by  which  the 
world  is  crucified  to  me,  and  I  to  the 
world." 

As  the  strong  man  was  armed,  Jesus 
Christ  is  also  armed.  So  speaks  the  Psalm- 
ist, "  Gird  thy  sword  upon  thy  thigh,  O 
"  most  mighty,  with  thy  glory  and  thy  ma- 
"jesty;  and  in  thy  majesty  ride  prosper- 
"  ly,  because  of  truth,  meekness,  and  right- 
"  eousness ;  and  let  thy  right  hand  teach 
"thee  terrible  things:  Thine  arrows  are 
"  sliarp  in  the  heart  of  the  king's  enemies, 
"  whereby  tlie  people  fall  under  thee." 
Psal.  xlv.  3 — 5.  Here  Christ  is  described 
as  a  warrior  armed  for  the  field.  The 
sword  is  "  the  word  of  Christ,"  or  the  Gos- 
pel; with  this  weapon  he  prevailed,  and 
made  his  "  glory  and  majesty"  known 
throughout  the  world,  subduing  idolatry 
and  iniquity  to  the  faith  and  temper  of  the 
Gospel,  and  thus  rescuing  his  elect  from 
the  power  of  the  devil. 

In  this  conquest,  Christ  "  takes  away 
the  armor,"  on  which  so  much  depend- 
ence was  placed.  By  the  teaching  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  he  takes  away  the  scales  of 
ignorance  which  covered  the  eyes ;  tlie 
soul  discovers  its  danger  and  Tuin.  He 
renews  the  will,  for  his  people  are  "  made 
willing  in  the  day  of  his  power:"  they  are 
glad  to  quit  the  service  of  their  old  master, 
and,  "  willingly  yield  tjiemselves  unto  the 
Lord."  Thus  is  that  prophecy  of  Isaiah 
fulfilled,  "  I  will  divide  him  a  portion  with 
the  great,  and  he  shall  divide  the  spoil 
with  the  strong."  Laiah  liii.  12.  Having 
conquered  Satan,  he  takes  possession. 
Much  of  the  glory  of  Christ  consists  in  the 
»rast  multitudes  of  redeemed  souls  becom- 


ing his  faithful  subjects  and  humble  fol- 
lowers. Subdued  by  his  grace,  they  give 
up  themselves  to  him  to  be  saved,  taught, 
and  governed :  thus  he  "  sees  the  travail 
of  his  soul,"  the  fruit  of  his  sufferings: 
and  thus  "  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  pros- 
pers in  his  hands." 

"  He  divideth  the  spoil."  As  a  conqueror 
takes  possession  of  the  enemy's  property, 
so  Christ,  having  subdued  the  sinner,  now 
possesses  what  was  before  at  the  disposal 
of  Satan.  It  is  a  sad  truth,  that  whatever 
gifts  a  natural  man  has,  they  are  applied 
to  the  purposes  of  sin ;  his  wealth,  his 
wisdom,  his  time,  his  influence,  and  all 
that  he  hath.  How  reasonable  is  it  then, 
that  the  saved  sinner,  constrained  by  the 
mercies  of  God,  should  present  his  body  a 
living  sacrifice  to  the  Lord,  holy  and  ac- 
ceptable ;  it  is,  indeed,  his  reasonable  ser- 
vice, and  the  poet's  sweet  language  will 
be  cordially  adopted : 

"  Were  the  whole  realm  of  nature  mine. 

That  were  a  present  far  loo  small : 
Love  so  amazing,  so  divine. 

Demands  my  soul,  my  life,  ray  all. 

APPLICATION. 

Whose  habitation  we  are  ?  Christ's  or 
the  devil's?  One  or  the  other  rules  in  our 
hearts.  Every  man  is  under  the  influence 
of  the  good  Spirit  of  God,  or  the  evil  spirit 
of  the  devil.  "  I^ow  ye  not  that  ye  are 
the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost  1"  said  the 
apostle  to  the  first  Christians.  So  we  may 
say  to  wicked  men,  Know  ye  not  that  ye 
are  the  temples  of  Satan,  the  Spirit  that 
iiow  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobe- 
dience ]  Does  sin  or  Christ  reign  in  you '? 
What  is  your  leisure  time  devoted  to] 
What  are  your  affections  set  upon  ?  Is  it 
upon  vanity,  pleasure,  the  lusts  of  the 
flesh'!  while  Christ  and  his  great  salvation 
are  neglected,  the  soul  forgotten,  sin  in- 
dulged, prayer  omitted,  religion  despised  f 
O,  sirs !  your  case  is  dreadful.  You  may, 
perhaps,  laugh  at  all  this ;  you  may  even 
say  there  is  no  such  a  being  as  the  devil ; 
that  the  Scriptures  speak  in  a  figurative 
way,  and  use  strong  eastern  figures.  But 
you  may  as  well  deny  that  you  have  a  ra- 
tional spirit  within  you,  as  deny  the  exist- 
ence of  good  and  evil  spirits  without  you. 
Our  Lord  teaches  us  daily  to  pray,  "  Lead 
us  not  into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  from 
evil ;"  or,  as  it  might  be  rendered — the 
evil  one.  O  that  you  miglit  put  up  that 
prayer  from  your  heart !  O  that  you  had 
a  wish  to  be  delivered  from  his  power !  for 
if  you  should  live  and  die  under  it,  you  must 
hear  that  awful  sentence  from  the  mouth 
of  Christ,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed, 


SERMON  XLII. 


191 


into  everlastinnf  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil 
and  his  aiigels.^^  Horrible  company ! 
frightful  association !  Yet  how  just.!  Sin- 
ners hearkened  to  his  temptations,  and 
they  must  parttike  in  his  torments.  His 
works  they  would  do,  his  wages  tliey  must 
receive.  In  this  life  they  joined  with 
devils  against  God  and  holiness :  in  tiie 
other,  they  must  be  shut  up  with  them  for 
ever.  O  that  men  would  consider  this  in 
time ;  renounce  the  devil  and  his  works, 
and  open  the  door  of  tiieir  hearts  to  the 
Lord !  why  should  men  choose  that  com- 
pany in  tiiis  world,  which  they  would  ab- 
hor in  the  next!  Those  who  hate  the 
company  of  the  religious  now,  will  not  be 
troubled  with  it  hereafter  ;  but  as  ungodly 
company  is  their  delight  now,  they  will  have 
a  miserable  eternity  to  pass  with  it :  and 
let  those  who  foolisiily  invocate  the  devil 
to  take  them,  soberly  consider,  that  the 
company  so  often  invited  will  be  terrible 
when  it  comes. 

But,  O  believer  in  Jesus,  hail !  thou  art 
happily  delivered.  Adore  and  love  the 
great  Deliverer.  Had  not  he  interposed, 
had  he  not  conquered  Satan  for  thee  on  the 
cross,  and  led  thee  by  his  Spirit,  thou 
hadst  still  been  his  wretched  vassal.  When 
Jesus  had  cast  the  devil  out  of  a  man,  who 
had  been  miserably  treated  by  him,  he  was 
so  transported  with  love  and  gratitude, 
that  he  besought  him,  "  that  he  might  be 
with  him:"  Luke  viii.  38;  he  longed  to 
enjoy  his  company,  as  Mary  Magdalene 
and  others  whom  he  had  healed  did  ;  but 

p-    our  Lord  saw  fit  to  deny  him  this  request ; 

*  and  ordered  him  "  to  return  to  his  own 
house,  and  show  what  great  things  God 
had  done  for  him."  Go,  Christian,  and  do 
likewise.  Let  him  "  publish  througliout 
the  whole  city,  how  great  things  Jesus  has 
done  for  thee." 

The  castle  of  the  human  heart, 

Strong  in  its  native  sin, 
Is  guarded  well  in  every  part, 

By  him  who  dwells  within. 

Thus  Satan  for  a  season  reigns, 
And  keeps  iiis  goods  in  peace  ; 

The  soul  is  pleas'd  to  wear  his  chains, 
Nor  wisiies  a  release. 

But  Jesus,  stronger  far  than  he, 

In  his  appointed  hour 
Appears,  to  set  his  people  free 

From  the  usurper's  power. 

The  rebel  soul  that  once  withstood 

The  Savior's  kindest  call. 
Rejoices  now,  by  grace  subdu'd 

To  serve  Him  with  her  all. 

Olney  Hymns. 


PRAYER. — Almighty    and    most    merciful 
God,  we  confess  that  we  are  by  nature  children 


of  wrath,  and  children  of  the  wicked  one.  Wc 
are  ashamed  and  conlbunded  when  we  think 
that  our  hearts,  which  should  have  been  conse- 
crated to  thee,  have  been  the  dwelling  place  of 
Satan ;  and  that  we  have  been  led  captive  by 
him  at  his  will.  But,  O  most  gracious  (jod,  de- 
liver us,  we  beseech  thee,  from  his  domuiion. 
We  bless  thee  that  thy  dear  Son  w^s  manifested 
10  destroy  the  works  of  the  Devil :  we  rejoice 
that  he  subdued  the  great  enemy,  and  is  able  to 
make  us  also  more  than  conquerors.  Grant  that 
wo  may  enjoy  the  glorious  liberty  wherewith 
Jesus  Cfhrist  makes  his  servants  free.  May  we 
be  delivered  from  the  condemnation  of  sin  by  the 
blood  of  Jesus,  and  from  its  reigning  power,  by 
the  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
May  our  hearts  now  become  the  temples  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  May  he  seal  us  unto  the  day  of 
complete  redemption,  and  be  to  us  the  earnest 
of  the  heavenly  inheritance!  May  Satan  be  sub- 
dued under  our  i'eet;  and  may  we  be  admitted 
into  that  world  where  temptation  and  trial  shall 
be  known  no  more.  We  ask  it  in  the  name  of  our 
dear  Redeemer,  to  whom,  with  thyself,  and  the 
Divine  Spirit,  be  glory  for  ever.   Amen. 


SERMON  XLII. 

CHRIST  IS  ALL. 
Colossians  iii.  2.    But  Christ  is  all. 

The  necessity  of  having  some  religion 
is  generally  admitted,  even  by  the  most 
ignorant  and  profane.  All  agree  that  we 
ought  to  be  religious ;  but  what  true  reli- 
gion consists  in,  is  very  much  disputed. 
Every  man  forms  a  system  for  himself,  and 
then  flatters  himself  it  must  be  right.  But 
as  there  are  various  schemes,  whicli  con- 
tradict each  other,  we  are  sure  that  they 
cannot  all  be  right.  How  then  shall  we 
judge  whether  they  are  right  or  wrong "? 
I  answer,  the  Gospel  is  our  only  rule. 
Bring  every  thing  called  religion  to  this 
touchstone.  Bring  it  to  this  text,  Christ 
is  all ;  that  is,  in  true  Christian  religion, 
Christ  is  all ;  he  is  the  sum  and  substance 
of  it ;  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  it. 

St.  Paul  is  here  speaking  of  a  conduct 
agreeable  to  the  Christian  profession ;  he 
is  recommending  to  tlie  Colossians  the 
mortification  of  all  corrupt  affections ;  to 
"  put  off"  the  old  man  of  sin,"  and  to  "  put 
on  the  new  man  of  grace ;"  for  a  true 
Christian  is  "  a  new  creature ;"  and  in  this 
state  of  renovation,  or  under  the  present 
Gospel  dispensation,  he  says,  "there  is 
neither  Greek  nor  Jew ;  circumcision,  nor 
uncircumcision,  barbarian,  Scythian,  bond 
nor  free :  but  Christ  is  all  arid  in  oil ;" 
that  is,  under  tlie  Gospel,  God  has  no  par- 
tial respect  to  persons,  on  account  of  their 
country,  their  religious  forms,  customs,  or 
situations  in  life :  Christ  has  taken  away 


192 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


all  partition  walls,  and  men  of  all  sorts 
stand  on  the  same  level  before  God,  both 
as  to  duty  and  privilege ;  and  for  this  rea- 
son, Christ  is  tlie  all  of  a  Christian,  let 
him  be  wlio  he  may,  Jew  or  Gentile,  rich 
or  poor,  master  or  servant ;  his  whole  sal- 
vation, hojJe,  and  happiness,  from  fa-st  to 
iast.  The  words  then  teach  us  the  grand 
truth,  that. 

In  the  religion  of  the  Gospel,  Christ 
is  all. 

This  is  the  general  language  of  Scrip- 
ture. Whatever  we  want  in  religion,  we 
must  have  it  from  Jesus.  So  St.  Paul 
speaks,  1  Cor.  i.  30.  "  Christ  is  made  unto 
us,  tvisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification, 
and  redemption."  We  are  ignorant  and 
foolish  in  the  things  of  God;  Christ,  by 
his  word  and  Spirit,  is  made  ivisdom  to  us. 
We  are  guilty  sinners,  liable  to  God's 
wrath ;  he  is  made  righteousness  to  us,  he 
is  our  great  atonement  and  sacrijfice.  We 
are  depraved  and  corrupt,  he  is  made 
sanctification  to  us ;  he  is  the  source  of  all 
grace,  and  "  out  of  his  fullness  we  receive 
grace  for  grace."  We  must  die  and  see 
corruption  ;  but,  if  united  to  him,  he  shall 
raise  us  up  again,  and  deliver  us  from  the 
•  power  of  the  grave,  and  so  be  made  re- 
demption to  us.  Thus  is  he  our  all,  that 
"  no  flesh  should  glory  in  his  presence," 
but  that,  as  "Christ  is  all,"  Christ  may 
have  all  the  glory. 

Whatever  we  want  in  religion,  we  have 
in  Christ.  To  be  accepted  of  God ;  to  be 
sanctified  in  heart  and  life ;  and  to  be  made 
happy  here  and  hereafter,  are  the  great 
things  we  seek  in  religion.  In  Jesus  we 
liave  them  all. 

I.  Jesus  Christ  is  all  in  our  justification. 

We  are  sinners.  We  have  broken  the 
holy  law  of  God,  and  by  so  doing  we  have 
exposed  ourselves  to  the  dreadful  curse  of 
the  law,  and  to  the  terrible  wratli  of  an 
oifended  God.  However  easy  and  secure 
ignorant  sinners  may  be,  it  is  a  certain 
truth,  that  sin  renders  us  liable  to  wrath. 
Fornication  and  uncleanness  :  drunkenness 
and  covetousnessf  shut  men  out  of  the 
kingdom  of  God.  "  Let  no  man  deceive 
you  witli  vain  words ;  for  because  of  these 
things  Cometh  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the 
children  of  disobedience."  Ephes.  v.  3.  6. 
And  O,  who  can  tell  the  power  of  his  an- 
ger T  "  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fiill  into  the 
hands  of  the  living  God." 

Now  wiien  the  blessed  God  intends 
mercy  for  a  sinner,  he  opens  his  eyes  to 
behold  his  true  condition.  He  perceives 
that  he  has  to  do  with  a  most  holy  Gwl, 
who  hates  sin,  and  will  certainly  punish  it. 
He  sees  plainly  that  he  is  a  simier,  a  great 


sinner,  a  rebel  against  God.  He  is  alarm- 
ed, and  justly  too.  His  fears  are  well 
grounded  ;  and  in  the  manner  of  persons 
terrified  at  the  approach  of  danger,  he 
cries  out.  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ]  Is 
salvation  possible  !  How  may  I  get  if?  I 
would  fly  from  the  wratii  to  come,  but, 
whither  must  I  fly  ! 

To  a  person  in  this  state  the  Gospel  is 
welcome  indeed!  It  aftbrds  glad  tidings 
of  great  joy.  It  sets  before  the  distressed 
sinner,  just  exactly  what  he  wants,  a 
SAVIOR,  miglity  and  ready  to  save;  to 
"  save  to  the  uttermost,"  all  who  come 
unto  God  by  him. 

Some,  indeed,  who  are  under  concern  of 
soul,  do  not  at  first  see  that  Christ  nnist  be 
all,  in  their  coming  to  God.  Sensible  of 
sin  and  afraid  of  hell,  "  they  go  about  for 
a  time  to  establish  their  own  righteous- 
ness." "  I  have  been  a  wicked  sinner, 
saith  one,  but  I  will  reform  my  life,  and 
if  I  do  my  best,  will  not  that  suflice "!  I 
will  be  sorry  for  what  is  past,  and  amend 
in  future.  I  will  be  religious,  devout,  and 
charitable ;  will  not  God  then  accept  me  !" 

I  answer  by  another  question.  Is  this 
making  Christ  all  ?  No ;  it  is  making  him 
nothing.  Christ  alone  is  a  sinner's  right- 
eousness. See  what  the  Scriptures  say  on 
this  head. 

Is  the  wrath  of  God  due  to  sin  1  Christ 
hath  delivered  us  from  the  wrath  to  come. 

1  Thess.  i.  10.  Does  the  holy  law  de- 
nounce a  curse  against  every  transgressor? 
Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse 
of  the  laio,  being  made  a  curse  for  us. 
Gal.  iii.  13.  Can  there  be  no  remission  of 
sin  without  shedding  of  blood?  Christ 
hath  shed  his  blood  for  the  remission  of 
sins.  Matt.  xxvi.  28.  Does  the  law  re- 
quire of  us  a  perfect  righteousness?  Christ 
was  inade  sin  for  us,  thai  we  might  be 
mads  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him. 

2  Cor.  V.  21.  Are  we  far  from  God  1  He 
died,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  to  bring  us 
unto  God.  1  Peter  iii.  18.  Are  we,  as 
sinners,  abominable  to  God,  and  justly  re- 
jected /  If  believers  in  Christ,  we  are  ac- 
cepted in  the  Beloved.  Eph.  i.  6.  Are 
we  every  way  imperfect  in  ourselves ! — 
We  are  complete  in  him.  Col.  ii.  10. 
Are  we  pursued  by  the  law  1  We  have 
fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  on  (Christ)  the 
hope  set  before  us  in  the  Gospel.  Heb. 
vi.  16.  Are  we  filthy  by  reason  of  sin  ? 
The  blood  of  Christ  cleanseth  us  from  all 
sin.    1  John  i.  7. 

These  Scriptures,  and  many  more  which 
might  be  quoted,  show,  that  in  the  grand 
affair  of  a  sinner's  justification,  or  accept- 
ance with  God,  Christ  is  all.    Nothing 


SERMON  XLU. 


193 


more  is  needed ;  and  every  thing  else  must 
be  rejected.  No  works  or  righteousness 
of  our  own  have  any  thing  to  do  in  this 
matter.  Good  works  are  the  proper  fruits 
of  faith,  and  necessary  in  their  place ;  but 
in  a  sinner's  pardon  and  acceptance  with 
God,  let  Christ  alone  be  e.xalted;  for  by 
grace  are  we  saved,  through  faith:  not 
of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast. 
Eplies.  ii.  8,  9. 

2.  Jesus  Christ  is  all  in  our  sanctifi- 
cation. 

It  is  admitted,  on  all  hands,  that  men 
ehould  be  good  and  holy.  Morality,  at 
least,  is  thought  necessary ;  but  the  Scrip- 
tures go  farther,  and  require,  not  only  mo- 
rality of  conduct,  but  holiness  of  heart ; 
and  declare,  that  "  without  holiness  no  man 
sliall  see  the  Lord,"  or  go  to  heaven.  But 
the  great  matter  is,  how  shall  this  holiness 
be  got] — Many  think  that  the  free  will 
and  natural  powers  of  man,  properly  ex- 
cited by  fear  of  punishment  and  hope  of 
reward,  will  produce  it.  But  this  is  a  great 
rnistake.  "  Who  can  brinor  a  clean  thinof 
out  of  an  micleanl  Not  one."  In  this 
business  then  of  sanctification,  as  well  as 
in  that  of  justification,  we  shall  prove  that 
Christ  is  all. 

"  Sanctification  is  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  on  the  souls  of  believers,  purifying 
their  natures  from  the  pollution  of  sin ; 
renewing  them  in  the  image  of  God ;  and 
enabling  them,  from  a  principle  of  grace, 
to  yield  obedience  to  him ;  and  all  this  is 
done  by  virtue  of  tlie  life  and  death  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  the  union  of  believers  to 
him." 

Many  devout  persons  take  pains  to  re- 
form and  purify  their  liearts  and  lives 
without  sufficiently  looking  to  Christ. 
They  think  that  they  must  be  justified  by 
the  righteousness  of  Clirist,  but  they  must 
be  sanctified  by  a  holiness  wrought  out  by 
themselves,  which,  as  one  says,  "  is  like 
squeezing  oil  out  of  a  flint."  They  are  not 
aware  that  sanctification  is  by  receiving  a 
new  nature  from  above,  and  by  union  to 
Christ  himself  Christ  dwells  in  the  hearts 
of  believers;  they  are  members  of  his 
body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones.  "  He 
that  is  joined  to  the  Lord  is  one  spirirt."  It 
is  therefore  by  virtue  derived  from  him 
that  we  become  lioly.  "Abide  in  me, 
saitii  Jesus,  and  I  in  you.  As  the  branch 
cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  e.xcept  it  abide 
in  the  vine;  no  more  can  yc,  except  ye 
abide  in  me;  for  without-me,  ye  can  do 
nothing."  John  -xv.  5.  Thus  "  Christ  is 
made  unto  us  sanctification."  He  procured 
it  for  us ;  it  is  one  of  the  fruits  of  his  death; 
what  he  designed,  in  dying  for  us ;  "  he 


gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  purify 
us  unto  himself)  a  peculiar  people,  zealous 
of  good  works.  Titus  ii.  14.  It  is  one  of 
"  tlie  spiritual  blessmgs  with  which  we  are 
blessed  in  him  ;"  a  special  part  of  his  sal- 
vation. All  the  springs  of  our  sanctifica- 
tion are  in  him ;  and  they  are  communi- 
cated to  us  by  the  constant  agency  of  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  who  dwells  in  all  be- 
lievers. 

The  example  of  Christ  is  also  the  grand 
rule  of  our  sanctification.  "  We  are  pre- 
destinated to  be  conformed  to  his  image," 
that  "  as  he  was,  so  we  may  be  in  this 
world."  He  is  proposed  to  us  in  the  Gos- 
pel, in  the  purity  of  his  nature,  in  the 
glory  of  his  graces,  and  in  the  usefulness 
of  his  conversation,  as  the  holy  example 
which  we  should  constantly  imitate.  It 
was  one  design  of  his  coining  into  our 
world,  that  we  might  have  before  our  eyes, 
in  our  own  nature,  a  perfect  model  of  love 
to  God  and  man ;  of  holiness,  innocence, 
meekness,  patience,  devotion,  and  zeal. 
Nor  is  he  a  Christian,  except  merely  in 
name,  who  does  not  daily  strive  to  follow 
him,  who  was  "  holy,  harmless,  undefiled, 
and  separate  from  sinners."  Happy  would 
it  be  for  Christians,  if  they  labored  more 
to  be  like  Christ ;  and  by  constantly  medi- 
tating on  the  beauty  of  holiness  in  him, 
they  would  be  "  clianged  into  the  same 
image  trom  glory  to  glory." 

The  word  of  Christ  is  the  great  instru- 
ment of  our  sanctification.  By  the  word 
of  Christ  we  are  begotten  again,  and  by 
the  same  word  we  are  nourished  unto  eter- 
nal life.  When  our  Savior  prayed  for  the 
sanctification  of  his  disciples,  he  mentioned 
tlie  means  or  instrument  thereof;  "  Sanc- 
tify them  through  thy  truth ;  thy  word  i3 
truth."  It  is  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  as  our  Redeemer  and 
Savior,  that  the  Lord  blesses  for  our  puri- 
fication. We  must  indeed  study  the  law, 
as  contained  in  the  ten  commandments,  not 
in  order  by  our  obedience  to  it  to  obtain 
heaven,  but  to  learik  its  spirituality  and  pu- 
rity, to  be  made  sensible  of  our  inability 
to  obey  it  perfectly,  and  then  to  see  Clirist 
as  the  fulfiller  of  the  law,  tliat  we  may 
live  by  faith  in  his  righteousness.  Confi- 
dence in  Jesus,  peace  of  conscience,  joy 
in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  hope  of  glory,  will 
wonderfully  contribute  to  our  growth  in 
holiness.  And  thus  it  appears  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  all  in  the  matter  of  our  sanctifi- 
cation. 

3.  Christ  is  all  in  respect  of  true  happi- 
ness, both  here  and  hereafter. 

That  man  is  a  nnserable  creature,  few 
will  deny;  and  that  sin  alone  has  made 
17 


194 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


him  such,  none  will  deny,  who  Hnow  the 
Scriptures.  It  is,  therefore,  only  tlie  re- 
moval of  what  made  him  miserable,  that 
can  ever  make  him  happy  again  ;  and  none 
can  do  this  but  Jesus  Christ.  Sin  has 
blinded  the  eyes  of  men  in  their  pursuit 
of  good.  They  seek  the  living  among  the 
dead  ;  like  Satan  himself,  "  they  wander 
about  seeking  rest,  and  finding  none."  On 
the  contrary,  sin  produces  misery.  The 
pleasures  of  sin  are  momentary,  but  fol- 
lowed by  long  and  tedious  hours  of  painful 
reflection  and  remorse.  Envy,  and  wrath, 
and  anger,  and  malice,  frequently  raise  a 
storm  in  the  sinnei-'s  bosom ;  and  many  a 
gay  worldling  feels,  at  times,  a  foreboding 
and  dismal  prelude  of  that  "indignation 
and  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish,"  which 
will  be  the  sinner's  portion  in  hell. 

But,  O  the  matchless  mercy  of  God  our 
Savior!  "He  remembered  us  in  our  low 
estate."  He  looked  down  from  heaven 
with  an  eye  of  compassion.  He  pitied  our 
miserable  condition,  and  determined  upon 
our  relief  "  Ye  know  the  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who,  though  he  was 


through 


his 


rich,  became  poor,  that  we 
poverty  might  become  rich." 

The  religion  of  the  Gospel  is  calculated 
to  make  man  happy.  "  The  kingdom  of 
God  is  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost."  Rom.  xiv.  17 :  that  is,  in  the 
righteousness  of  faith,  and  true  holiness  in 
heart  and  life;  m  solid  peace  of  con- 
science, through  the  sprinkling  of  the 
blood  of  Jesus,  and  a  peaceable  temper  to- 
wards others,  under  a  sense  of  God's  be- 
ing at  peace  with  us ;  and  in  holy,  hea- 
vefily  joy  and  consolation,  in  communion 
with  God,  and  lively  expectation  of  eter- 
nal glory. 

Christ  is  the  author  of  true  peace.  It 
does  not  arise  from  a  Christian's  good  opin- 
ion of  himself  and  his  duties;  not  his  good 
heart ;  or  his  good  frame ;  or  his  good 
deeds ;  not  from  any  thing  done  bv  Jiim, 
or  wrought  in  him  ;  but  from  what  "Christ 
has  done  and  suffered :  from  the  glory  of 
his  person,  the  love  of  his  hea;rt,  the  per- 
fection of  his  righteousness,  and  the  full- 
ness of  his  grace.  The  believer  looks  not 
at,  depends  not  upon  himself,  but  upon  Je- 
sus ;  and  draws  all  his  safety  and  happi- 
ness from  him.  "  His  conscience  says,  I 
will  have  nothing  to  do  with  any  thing,  for 
salvation,  but  the  righteousness  of  Jeho- 
vah Jesus,  and  his  atonement  on  the  tree. 
His  heart  says.  This  is  all  my  salvation 
and  all  my  desire.  Hope  says.  I  have  cast 
anchor  in  Jesus,  I  cannot  bo  disappointed. 
Fear  soys,  I  would  not  for  the  world  of- 
fend my  God  and  Father.  Thus  the  whole 


man  bows  in  subjection  to  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Spirit,  the  miserable  sinnei;  becomes 
a  happy  believer,  and  Christ  is  all  in  all." 
Abundant  is  the  provision  made  in  the 
covenant  of  grace  for  the  present  happi- 
ness of  the  Christian  in  his  way  to  hea- 
ven ;  and  look  at  this  which  way  you  will, 
Christ  is  the  sum  and  substance  of  it. 
Many  are  the  great  and  precious  promises 
made  to  believers,  and  "  all  the  promises 
are  in  him,  Yea,  and  in  him  Amen."  The 
Christian's  state  is  safe,  because  Christ  is 
his  keeper,  his  sheep  are  in  liis  hand,  and 
none  shall  ever  pluck  them  thence. 

And  as  much  of  the  believer's  comfort 
is  conveyed  to  him  througli  the  channel  of 
ordinances,  let  it  be  observed,  that  in  them 
also  Christ  is.  all  in  all.  Does  he  pray  ? 
he  cannot  live  without  it ;  but  Christ  is  the 
life  of  his  prayers.  He  only  is  the  way  to 
the  Father :  the  new  and  living  way  into 
the  holiest  of  all,  by  which  he  has  access 
with  boldness  and  confidence,  being  en- 
couraged to  ask  what  he  will,  and  expect 
what  he  asks.  Does  he  offer  praise  ?  The 
chief  matter  of  it  is,  "Blessed  be  God, 
who  hath  blessed  me  with  all  spiritual 
blessings  in  Christ  Jesus."  He  sees  all 
temporal  blessings  ffowing  to  him  through 
Jesus,  aiid  is  thankful  for  them ;  but  his 
highest  note  of  praise  is — "  Thanks  be  to 
God  for  his  unspeakable  gift !"  Does  he 
read  or  hear  the  word?  he  loves  it  be- 
cause it  is  "  the  v.'ord  of  Christ,"  and  no 
preaching  has  any  sweetness  in  it,  if  Jesus 
is  forgotten,  or  slighted. 

■  Look  at  the  sacraments,  and  you  will 
find  them  saying,  Christ  is  all.  What  is 
baptism,  but  a  declaration  of  our  misery 
by  sin,  our  need  of  Christ  as  a  purifier, 
belonging  to  him  ?  We  are  "  baptized  unto 
Christ,"  we  are  "buried  and  risen  with 
Christ,"  we  »  put  on  Christ."  The  LonVs 
Supper  was  instituted  to  be  a  memorial 
of  Christ;  the  bread  is  the  conmninion  of 
his  body,  and  the  cup  the  communion  of 
his  blood.  This  ordinance  shows  us  that 
Christ  is  the  food  of  our  souls,  sufficient  to 
nourish  them  unto  eternal  life ;  and  is  in- 
tended to  stir  up  and  strengthen  believers 
to  receive  and  feed  upon  him  in  their 
hearts,  by  faith  with  thanksgiving. 

As  Christ  is  the  Christian's  all,  through 
life,  so  is  he  especially  his  all  in  a  dying 
hour.  In  that  important  season,  creatures, 
however  useful  before,  are  no  longer  of 
any  use.  What  can  then  support  the  soul, 
just  entering  into  eternity,  but  a  precious 
Christ !  It  is  his  death  that  takes  away  the 
sting  of  death.  It  is  the  hope  of  being 
with,  him.,  and  being  like  him^  that  recon- 
ciles the  believer  to  the  great  change:  to- 


SERMOW  XLil. 


195 


gether  with  his  faithful  promise,  that  "of  | 
all  tlie  Fatlior  hath  given  him,  none  sliall 
be  lost,  and  lie  will  raise  them  up  at  the 
la;5t  clay."  Through  Christ  alone  it  is  that 
the  dying  Christian  may,  and  often  does, 
triumph,  saying,'  "  O  deatii,  where  is  thy 
sting !  O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  !" 

We  go  one  step  further,  and  add,  that  in 
heaven  itself,  Jesus  Christ  is  all  in  all.  It 
is  his  glorious  presence  that  brightens  and 
cheers  the  heavenly  world.  "  I  have  a  de- 
sire to  depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ,"  said 
St.  Paul.  This  was  what  he  thought  "  far 
better"  than  all  his  spiritual  enjoyments 
and  useful  employments  below.  Yea,  Clirist 
hitnself  expresses  his  most  affectionate  de- 
sires for  the  happiness  of  his  people,  by 
saying,  "  Father,  I  will  tliat  tliey  whom 
thou  hast  given  me  be  with  me,  where  I 
am,  that  they  may  behold  my  glory."  It 
is  an  infinite  mercy  to  be  in  Christ,  this  is 
our  security ;  it  is  an  unspeakable  favor  to 
have  Christ  with  us,  this  is  our  chief  hap- 
piness on  earth ;  but  the  blessing  that  com- 
pletes and  crowns  the  whole  is,  to  be  with 
Christ,  for  ever  and  ever.  There  all  the 
millions  of  the  redeemed  shall  be  of  one 
heart  and  of  one  mind,  and  with  one  voice 
concur  to  sing  that  Jesus  Christ  is  all  in 
all. 

APPLICATION. 

1.  From  what  has  been  said,  it  appears 
how  erroneous,  unscriptural,  defective,  and 
destructive,  every  system  of  religion  must 
be,  wherein  Christ  is  not  all.  Look  around 
you ;  such  systems  will  readily  be  found 
in  which  Christ  is  not  all ;  in  which  he  is 
little  or  nothing.  The  mere  moral  scheme, 
or  the  notion  of  men's  bemg  saved  by  their 
good  works,  deprives  him  of  all  his  glory, 
and  renders  the  expense-  of  his  precious 
blood  a  needless  waste ;  "  for  if  righteous- 
ness come  by  the  law,  Christ  is  dead  in 
vain."  Gal.  ii.  21.  Beware  of  every  doc- 
trine that  would  lessen  the  honor  of  Jesus, 
and  your  regard  to  him.  You  cannot  raise 
him  too  iiigh,  or  exalt  him  too  much,  for 
he  is  all  in  all. 

2.  Let  every  one  of  us  then  examine  his 
own  religion  by  this  rule.  Wiiat  is  Christ 
to  7ne .'  Do  /  prize  and  esteem  him  above 
all,  as  "  the  chief  of  ten  thousands,  and 
altogether  lovely  1"  In  the  all-important 
concern  of  approacliing  to  God,  and  seek- 
ing acceptance  with  him,  what  do  I,  a 
guilty,  filthy,  helpless  sinner,  look  to  and 
rest  upon?  Is  it  Jesus  alone?  Is  he  ?ny 
all  in  coming  to  God  !  In  the  grand  aflliir 
of  sanctijication — the  love  of  God  and  the 
love  of  man — do  I  consider  this  as  a  part 
of  the  salvation  that  is  in  Christ,  as  pre- 


pared for  me,  and  laid  up  in  Jesus  to  be 
recoLvod  daily  out  ofiiis  fullness  by  faith? 
And  as  to  ?/<//  happiness  in  this  world  of 
misery,  do  4  draw  it  out  of  the  broken  cis- 
terns of  perishing  creatures,  or  from  the 
unfailing  and  boundless  ocean  of  divine 
love?  l)o  I  daily  endeavor  to  walk  with 
God  as  my  God,  reconciled  to  me,  in  Je- 
sus; trusting  in  him  for  all  needful  bless- 
ings, to  keep  me  safe,  and  render  me 
happy ;  seeing  all  my  affairs  in  his  hands, 
working  together  for  my  good,  and  lead- 
ing me  forward,  step  by  step,  to  his  blessed 
presence,  where  there  is  fullness  of  joy 
and  pleasure  for  ever  more  ?  Happy,  thrice 
"  happy  is  the  man  that  is  in  such  a  case ; 
yea,  happy  is  that  man  whose  God  is  the 
Lord."  Ps.  cxliv.  15. 

How  rich  is  the  believer !  He  who  has 
Christ,  has  all,  for  Christ  is  all.  All  are 
yours,  says  the  apostle,  whether  Paul,  or 
Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  world,  or  life, 
or  death,  or  things  present,  or  things  to 
come ;  all  are  yours.  1  Cor.  iii.  22.  The 
various  gifts  of  Christian  ministers  are 
yours;  the  government  of  the  world  is 
upon  the  shoulders  of  Christ,  who  is  "  Head 
over  all  things  to  the  church :"  jj^our  lives 
are  given  you  for  a  blessing,  whether  they 
be  long  or  short,  prosperous  or  adverse; 
death  itself,  the  king  of  terrors,  is  disarm- 
'  ed  of  its  sting !  and  in  whatever  form  it 
comes,  it  comes  to  be  your  eternal  gain. 
All  present  things,  spiritual  or  temporal, 
comfortable  or  afflictive,  work  together  for 
your  good ;  every  occurrence  yet  before 
us  in  this  world  is  wisely  adjusted  by  infi- 
nite love :  and,  to  crown  all  in  tlie  future 
world,  there  is  "  an  inheritance  incorrupti- 
ble, undefilcd,  and  that  fadeth  not  away, 
reserved  for  you,"  and  ready  to  be  re- 
vealed. 

On  the  otlier  hand,  how  poor,  how 
miserably  poor,  is  the  carnal  worldling, 
the  careless  sinner,  the  man  who  lives 
"  without  Christ  in  the  world  ?"  He  has 
nothing,  "  let  him  possess  what  he  may. 
Could  Tie  call  both  the  Indies  his  own,  he 
is  "poor,  and  wretched,  and  miserable, 
and  blind,  and  naked :"  even  now  he  feels 
an  aching  void,  and  death  will  soon  con- 
vince him  that  all  is  vanity  and  vexation 
of  spirit.  O  that  you  may  be  wise  in  time ! 
Behold  this  glorious  Savior  stands  at  the 
door  of  your  hearts,  and  sues  for  admission. 
O  consider  tlie  matter  well,  before  it  be 
too  late.  "Have  you  sins,  or  have  you 
none?  If  you  liave,  wliither  sliould  you 
go,  but  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh 
away  the  sins  of  the  world  ?  Have  you 
souls,  or  havci  you  none  ?  If  you  have, 
whither  should  you  go,  but  to  the  Savior 


196 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


of  souls  ?  Is  there  a  liffe  to  come,  or  is 
there  not?  If  there  is,  whither  shouH  you 
go,  but  to  him,  who  only  liath  tlie  words  of 
eternal  life  !  Is  there  a  wrath'  to  come,  or 
is  there  not !  If  there  is,  whither  should 
you  go,  but  to  him  who  only  can  deliver 
from  the  wrath  to  come  1  And  will  he  not 
receive  you  ?  If  he  yielded  himself  into 
the  hands  of  them  that  sought  his  life,  will 
he  hide  himself  from  tlie  hearts  of  them 
that  seek  his  mercy  1  If  he  was  willing 
to  be  taken  by  the  hand  of  violence,  is  he 
not  much  more  willmg  to  be  taken  by  the 
hand  of  faith  1  O  come,  come,  come !  I 
charge  you  come.  I  beseech  you  come. 
Come,  and  he  will  give  you  life.  Come,  and 
he  will  give  you  rest.  Come,  and  he  will 
receive  you.  Come  as  thou  art,  come  poor, 
come  needy,  come  empty."  Christ  is  all, 
and  has  all,  and  will  give  thee  all,  to  make 
thee  happy  now  and  for  ever. 

To  him,  who  is  all,  be  all  glory,  now 
and  ever.     Amen. 


PRAYER.— God  and  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  we  bless  thee  for  all  the  gifts  thou 
hast  bestowed  upon  us;  but  most  of  all  we  bless 
thee  for  thine  unspeakable  gift.  May  we  have 
a  deep  and  humbling  sense  of  our  need  of  all 
those  blessings  Which  the  Gospel  reveals.  May 
we  be  enabled  to  seek  them,  as  thy  free  gifts 
through  the  blessed  Redeemer,  We  are  ignoranf 
creatures,  grant  that  Christ  Jesus  may  be  made 
unto  us  wisdom  :  we- are  guilty,  may  he  be  made 
to  us  righteousness;  we  are  unholy,  may  he  be 
made  to  us  sanelification  ;  we  must  soon  die  and 
see  corruption,  may  he  be  made  to  us  complete 
and  eternal  redemption.  Grant,  O  Lord,  that  we 
may  enjoy  the  blessedness  of  being  united  by 
faith  to  thy  dear  Son,  that  we  may  from  his  ful- 
ness daily  derive  grace  for  grace  ;  through  him 
may  we  obtain  strength  for  every  duty,  succor 
in  every  temptation,  support  in  every  trial,  and 
p.t  last,  victory  over  death  itself  Hear  these  our 
petitions,  O  God  of  love,  for  the  sake  of  our  Ad- 
vocate and  Mediator  Jesus  Christ,  unto  whom  be 
glory,  world  without  end.    Amen. 


SERMON  XLIII. 

APOSTASY    FROM    CHRIST    TO    BE 
DREADED. 

John  vi.  68.  Then  said  Jesus  unto  the  twelve.  Wilt 
ye  also  go  away  ?  Then  Simon  Peter  answered 
him,  Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go?  Thou  bast  the 
words  of  eternal  life. 

These  words  were  occasioned  by  a  re- 
markable falling  off  among  the  followers 
of  the  Lord.  Vast  numbers  of  people  at- 
tended his  ministry,  and  no  wonder.  The 
sanctity  of  his  character,  the  benevolence 
of  his  heart,  the  amazing  miracles  that  he 
wrought,  and  especially  his  sweet,  heaven- 
ly, powerful  manner  of  preacliing,  could 


not  but  excite  great  multitudes  to  follow 
him.  Thousands  and  thousands  listened 
to  him  with  pleasure ;  and  yet  the  number 
of  his  genuine  disciples  was  very  small. 

Having  performed  aji  amazing  miracle, 
m  feeding  five  thousand  people  with  five 
loaves,  the  people  were  satisfied  that  he 
was  the  Messiah,  and  determined  to  make 
him  a  king.  Our  Lord  withdrew,  and 
crossed  the  sea.  The  people  followed 
him ;  when  he  took  occasion  to  deal  very 
closely  with  them,  and  to  point  out  the 
cause  of  their  not  coming  to  him  for  life. 
This  gave  them  great  offence ;  but  it 
proved  who  were  his  true  disciples,  and 
that  the  rest  were  such*  only  in  preten'ce. 
The  whole  of  his  conference  with  them 
displays  the  faitlifulness  of  Christ,  and  the 
fickleness  of  men. 

The  words  of  our  text  are  very  affecting. 
Many  of  his  nominal  disciples  having  left 
him,  he  puts  the  question  to  the  twelve 
apostles,  "  Will  ye  also  go  away  1"  Will 
you  follow  their  example ;  or  will  you 
abide  with  me"?  Peter,  in  the  name  of- 
the  rest,  dreading  the  thought  of  apostasy, 
answered,  "  Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go  1 
Thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life ;"  we 
can  never  expect  so  much  happiness  from 
another.  And  he  answered  well :  for  those 
who  forsake  Christ  will  never  mend  them- 
selves, go  where  they  will. 

The  words  may  be  usefully  applied  to 
ourselves.  Let  us  consider  Jesus  as 
putting  the  same  question  to  us ;  and  we 
may,  with  Peter's  sincerity,  make  the 
same  reply. 

1.  Let  us  consider  tlie  question,  "  Will 
ye  also  go  away '!" 

This  question  was  put  to  persons -who 
had  professed  some  regard  for  Christ. 
They  had  seeil  his  miracles  with  admira- 
tion. They  had  heard  his  preaching  with 
delight ;  and  they  had  crossed  the  lake  to 
meet  him  again.  The  same  question  there- 
fore, as  put  to  us,  supposes  a  professed  re- 
gard for  Christ,  as  set  before  us  in  the 
Gospel ;  for  if  we  have  not  in  some  sense 
come  to  him,  of  course  we  cannot  forsake 
him.  But  as  the  people  of  old  followed 
him  from  false  motives,  and  with  wrong 
views,  it  may  be  proper  for  us  to  consider 
what  it  is  that  makes  many  among  us 
profess  to  follow  him.  And  it  is  plain 
that  the  little  profession  wliich  some  make 
is  the  mere  efl'ect  of  custom.  They  are 
Christians,  because  their  parents  were 
such,  and  because  their  neighbors  are 
such.  It  is  the  religion  of  tlie  country ; 
and  were  these  people  in  Turkey,  they 
would  be  Mahometans.  The  influence  of 
superiors  or  friends  sometimes  bruigs  them 


SERMON  XLIIL 


197 


to  hear  the  Gospel,  and  the  love  of  novelty 
keeps  them  under  it  for  a  time.  Some 
persons  are  much  struck  with  tiie  fervency 
of  a  minister  of  Christ,  who  speaks  in 
earnest  and  from  tiie  heart ;  while  the 
seriousness,  the  fervor,  and  the  singing  of 
a  lively  congregation,  make  an  additional 
unpression.  Self-interest  and  worldly  ad- 
vantage make  other  men  professors :  as 
the  people  referred  to  in  our  text  followed 
Christ  for  the  loaves  and  fishes.  A  few 
others  were  alarmed  by  sickness  and  the 
fear  of  death,  or  affected  at  some  public 
calamity. 

But  if  a  person's  religion  has  no  better 
foundation  than  these  afford,  we  wonder 
not  at  his  apostasy.  Sooner  or  later,  such 
professors  will  go  back,  and  follow  Christ 
no  more.  And  the  world  abounds  with 
temptations,  which  will  be  fatal  to  those 
who  have  not  "  the  root  of  the  matter"  in 
them.  It  may  be  profitable  to  point  out 
some  of  these. 

Persecution  frightens  some.  Our  Lord 
has  bid  us  expect  opposition  ui  following 
him,  for  "they  who  will  live  godly  in 
Christ  Jesus,  shall  suffer  persecution." 
We  must  "  take  up  the  cross,"  if  we  fol- 
low him ;  and  those  who  sit  not  down  to 
count  the  cost,  will  be  offended  when  the 
trial  comes.  If  relations  and  friends  are 
angry  and  frown  upon  them,  if  superiors 
and  employers  withdraw  their  favors,  if 
their  neighbors  ridicule  and  laugh  at  them, 
they  begin  to  repent  of  becoming  religious. 
They  regard  man  more  than  God,  and  re- 
solve to  be  religious  only  so  far  as  may 
consist  with  their  worldly  ease  and  ad- 
vantage. These  are  the  people  described 
by  our  Lord  in  the  parable  of  tiie  sower. 
Matt.  xiii.  20.  "He  that  received  tlie 
seed  into  stony  places,  the  same  is  he  that 
heareth  the  word,  and  anon  with  joy  re- 
ceiveth  it.  Yet  liath  he  not  root  in  him- 
self, but  dureth  for  a  while ;  for  when 
tribulation  or  persecution  ariseth  because 
of  the  word,  by  and  by  he  is  ofi'ended." 

Worldly  pleasures,  worldly  cares,  and 
worldly  connexions,  make  others  forsake 
Christ.  The  Christian  life  is  a  spiritual 
life.  Whoever  is  led  by  tiie  Spirit,  will 
not  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  fiesh,  nor  walk 
according  to  the  flesh.  "  If  we  live  after 
the  flesh,  we  perish ;  but  if  we,  through  the 
Spirit,  do  mortify  the  deeds  of  tlie  body, 
we  shall  live."  If  we  are  Christians  in- 
deed, the  world  will  be  crucified  to  us, 
and  we  to  the  world  ;  and  thougii  we  are 
in  it,  we  shall  not  be  of  it.  But  if  the 
professor  forgets  this,  and  is  drawn  by  de- 
grees into  self-indulgence,  if  he  gets  a 
taste  for  gaiety  and  public  amusements,  if 


he  can  visit  the  play-house,  and  sit  down 
at  the  card-table,  he  will  gradually  lose 
the  savor  of  the  Gospel ;  and  finding  a 
manifest  contradiction  between  the  two 
masters  he  serves,  he  will  soon  quit  one 
of  them.  He  carmot  follow  Christ  and 
the  world  too. 

Excessive  cares  are  almost  as  danger- 
ous. They  distract  the  mind,  and  make  it 
unfit  for  religious  duties.  They  steal 
away  the  heart  from  Christ.  Anxiety 
about  tiie  world  perplexes  the  mind  :  and 
tliey  who  "  will  be  rich,"  and  determine, 
at  all  events,  to  make  a  forfune,  usually 
make  such  compliances  with  that  view,  as 
are  inconsistent  with  their  profession ;  they 
"  fall  mto  temptation  and  a  snare,  and  into 
many  foolish  and  hurtful  lusts,  which 
drown  men  in  destruction  and  perdition." 
1.  Tim.  vi.  .'.  Thus  our  Lord  saith,  "  he 
also  that  received  seed  among  the  thorns, 
is  he  that  heareth  the  word ;  and  the  cares 
of  this  world,  and  the  deceitfulness  of 
riches,  choke  the  woi'd,  and  he  becometh 
unfruitful." 

Worldly  connexions  ruin  others.  It  is 
a  precept  of  great  importance,  but  too  lit- 
tle regarded :  "  Be  not  unequally  yoked 
with  unbelievers."  Christians  should  marry 
"only  in  the  Lord."  How  many  "have 
made  shipwreck  of  faith  and  of  a  good 
conscience,"  by  neglecting  this  rule  ;  and 
by  presuming  upon  tlieir  ability  both  to 
keep  their  own  ground,  and  influence  their 
partner  also!  When  Lot  was  about  to 
leave  Sodom,  the  angels  bid  him  give 
warning  to  all  his  relations  of  the  destruc- 
tion that  was  coming ;  accordingly  "  he 
went  to  his  sons-in-law,  who  married  his 
daughters,  and  said.  Up !  get  ye  out  of  this 
place,  for  the  Lord  will  destroy  this  city ; 
but  he  seemed  to  them  as  one  that  mocked." 
Thus  the  two  daugliters  who  had  married 
carnal  men  perished,  while  tiie  two  who 
were  with  him  at  home,  escaped  the  fire 
with  their  father.  Gen.  xix. 

Familiarity  with  worldly  men  has  a  bad 
influence  on  the  mind.  "  They  that  feared 
tlie  Lord,  in  old  times  spake  often  one  to 
another ;"  the  primitive  Christians  were 
much  together,  "  and  continued  daily  in 
social  religion ;  and  while  they  did  so, 
they  were  edified  and  multiplied.  But  if 
professors  needlessly  associate  with  wick- 
ed and  vain  persons,  they  will  soon  re- 
semble them,  learn  their  manners,  and  go 
back  from  Christ. 

Negligence  in  religious  duties  is  an- 
other cause  of  apostasy.  The  means  of 
grace  are  of  divine  appointment;  they  are 
wisely  calculated  to  promote  tlie  life  of 
God  in  the  soul ;  and  tliey  have  the  prom 
17* 


198 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


ise  of  the  liOrd's  blessing  to  make  them 
effectual.  They  cannot  therefore  be 
slighted  without  injury.  As  the  body 
must  suffer,  if  there  be  not  proper  atten- 
tion to  wholesome  food ;  so  the  soul  must 
be  injured,  if  ordinances  be  omitted,  or 
carelessly  attended.  Declensions  in  reli- 
gion' usually  begin  in  the  closet,  then  ex- 
tend to  social  duties,  and  at  length  to  the 
duties  of  the  Sabbath  and  the  house  of 
God.  Be  not  slothful  then ;  but  "  be  dili- 
gent ;"  followers  of  them  who  through 
faith  and  patience  inherit  the  promises. 

The  falls  and  divisions  of  some  profes- 
sors have  a  very  ill  effect  upon  others.  It 
is  common  for  beginners  in  religion  to  en- 
tertain too  high  an  opinion  of  serious  char- 
acters, and  to  place  too  much  confidence 
in  them  ;  and  if  any  of  these  miscarry, 
they  are  hurt,  and  rashly  conclude  that 
there  is  no  reality  in  religion.  But  they 
forget  that  there  was  a  Judas  among  the 
twelve,  and  in  every  age  there  have  been 
apostates  ;  "  nevertheless,  the  foundation 
of  God  standeth  sure,  the  Lord  knoweth 
them  that  are  his."  But  "  woe  to  the 
world,"  and  to  ignorant  professors  of  this 
sort,  "  because  of  offences ;  for  it  must 
needs  be  that  offences  come ;  but  woe  to 
that  man  by  whom  the  offence  cometh." 

This  chapter  will  furnish  us  with  an- 
other common  cause  of  apostasy.  We 
shall  find  that  it  was  the  Doctrine  of 
Christ  which  offended  those  "  many  disci- 
ples who  went  back,  and  walked  no  more 
with  him."  Let  us  see  what  this  offensive 
doctrine  was. 

The  multitude  had  followed  him  because 
of  the  miraculous  entertainment  he  gave 
them.  This  raised  their  hopes  of  his  being 
a  temporal  king,  and  of  their  getting  rich 
in  his  service.  Our  Lord,  who  knev/  their 
thoughts,  directed  them  to  seek,  not  the 
bread  which  perisheth,  but  that  which  en- 
•dureth  to  eternal  life ;  not  meat  for  tlieir 
bodies,  but  for  their  souls.  He  also  de- 
clares himself  to  be  that  meat ;  that  he 
came  down  from  heaven ;  that  he  would 
give  his  flesh  for  the  life  of  the  world ;  and 
that  e.xcept  a  man  should  eat  his  flesh,  and 
drink  his  blood,  he  could  have  no  life  in 
him ;  but  that  whoever  should  partake  of 
him  should  never  die,  but  have  eternal 
life. 

These  high  and  mysterious  declarations 
confounded  and  offended  them.  They 
murmured  when  he  said  he  came  down 
from  heaven,  for  tliey  knew  Joseph,  his 
reputed  father ;  and  having  no  spiritual 
ideas  of  his  discourse,  they  cried,  "  How 
can  he  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat'J"   In  short, 


they  thought  these  "  hard  sayings,"  not  to 
be  understood  or  believed. 

Our  Lord  still  maintained  the  doctrine 
of  his  descent  from  heaven,  and  intimated, 
that,  ere  long,  they  would  see  him  ascend 
thither.  He  told  them,  that  eating  his 
Jiesh  was  not  to  be  taken  in  the  gross 
sense  of  the  words,  but  was  to  be  under- 
stood spiritually.  He  also  showed  them 
that  their  cavils  and  murmurs  arose  from 
the  ignorance,  corruption,  and  unbelief  of 
their  hearts;  and  tliat  they  needed  divine 
teaching  to  make  them  wise  to  salvation, 
and  that  no  man  could  or  would  come  to 
him,  and  believe  upon  him,  without  supe- 
rior assistance.  "  No  man  can  come  unto 
me,  except  the  Father,  who  sent  me,  draw 
him." 

These  were  the  sublime  and  mysterious, 
but  great  and  glorious  truths,  which  so  of- 
fended the  Jews,  and  occasioned  such  a 
falling  off  among  tlie  disciples. 

And  is  it  not  just  the  same  to  this  day  7 
Do  we  not  still  find  that  these  doctrines 
give  offence !  The  claim  of  Christ  to  a  di- 
vine origin  is  opposed  by  some.  The  doc- 
trine of  his  atonement  is  rejected  by 
others.  And  the  humbling  doctrines  of 
the  necessity  of  divine  influences,  and  of 
the  sovereignty  of  God  in  bestowing  them 
where  he  pleases,  are  held  in  abhorrence 
by  many.  Talk  to  men  of  morality,  virtue, 
and  good  works,  and  they  will  hear  you  : 
but  speak  of  grace,  of  the  blood  of  Christ, 
of  faith  in  his  blood,  of  being  taught  of 
God,  and  drawn  by  the  Spirit,  and  then 
they  cry  Enthusiasm  !  Fanaticism  !  &c. 
But  let  us  not  be  offended  at  this.  It  should 
confirm  us  in  the  belief  of  the  truth.  And 
while  many  go  back  and  follow  Christ  no 
more,  let  us  consider  him  as  putting  tlie 
solemn  question  to  us,  "  Will  ye  also  go 
away  ]" 

The  question  is  the  language  of  affec- 
tion. It  speaks  the  kindness  of  his  loving 
heart.  Our  gracious  Lord  has  a  real  con- 
cern for  his  servants,  for  his  friends,  for 
his  brethren ;  and  he  is  not  willing  to  part 
with  them.  But  he  would  have  them  serve 
him  freely,  and  without  constraint.  He 
keeps  no  slaves.  This  question  was  put 
to  try  them,  to  give  them  an  occasion  of 
reflecting  upon  their  own  happiness,  and 
upon  the  misery  of  those  who  had  just  for- 
saken him.  And  it  operated  accordingly. 
It  gave  occasion  for  the  excellent  answer 
of  Peter,  which  we  now  proceed  to  con- 
sider. 

2.  Then  Simon  Peter  answered  him. 
Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go  1  Thou  hast 
the  words  of  eternal  life. 


SERMON  XLIII. 


199 


In  this  answer  we  see  the  character  of 
the  man  who  made  it.  Peter  was  bold 
and  forward,  but  sincere,  affectionate,  and 
candid.  He  speaics  in  the  name  of  all  his 
brethren,  taking  it  for  granted  they  were 
air  of  the  same  mind  ;  though,  alas !  there 
was  a  Judas,  a  devil,  among  them ;  one 
who  had  "  no  part  nor  lot  in  this  matter." 
— Peter  answers  the  question  of  our  Lord 
by  another  question.  To  whom  shall  we 
go  ]  We  seek  eternal  life,  and  where  can 
we  find  it  but  in  thee  !  It  is  as  if  he  had 
said.  Whose  disciples  shall  we  be,  if  we 
cease  to  be  tliine  ! — Shall  we  go  to  the 
heathen  philosopliers  for  instruction  ?  They 
are  become  vain  in  their  imaginations; 
professing  themselves  to  be  wise,  they  are 
fools  in  the  matter  of  eternal  life.  Shall 
we  go  to  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  ?  They 
are  blind  leaders  of  the  blind.  Shall  we 
go  to  Moses  ■?  He  will  send  us  back  to 
thee.  Therefore  we  will  stay  where  we 
are ;  we  shall  never  do  better. 

It  is  observable,  that  in  Peter's  answer, 
eternal  life  appears  to  be  the  grand  object 
of  the  disciples ;  and  the  reason  why  they 
would  not  forsake  Christ  is,  because  he 
has  the  words  of  eternal  life.  He  teaches 
the  true  doctrine  of  eternal  life,  and  he  is 
able  and  willing  to  give  us  eternal  life,  as 
his  discourse  has  largely  shown.  Let  it 
then  be  remembered,  that 

Serious  thoughts  of  eternity,  and  sin- 
cere desires  for  eternal  life,  have  a  power- 
ful tendency  to  prevent  apostasy. 

Serious  thoughts  of  eternity !  Alas ! 
how  few  possess  them !  In  how  few  do 
they  abide  and  operate !  How  few  live 
under  the  daily  impression  of  the  shortness 
of  time,  and  the  length  of  eternity! 
Which  is  as  much  as  to  say,  How  few  are 
believers !  Fur  it  is  the  office  of  faith  to 
look  forward  to  things  •'  not  seen,"  and  to 
be  influenced  by  them  as  if  they  were 
present.  And,  indeed,  this  forms  the  grand 
distinction  between  the  cliildren  of  God 
and  the  children  of  this  world.  He  that 
is  of  the  earth  is  earthy ;  he  tliinks  and 
speaks  of  eartlily  things ;  he  that  is  born 
of  heaven,  is  heavenly-minded.  "  That 
which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that 
which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit."  And 
it  highly  concerns  each  of  us  to  know 
which  of  these  is  our  character.  It  must 
be  one.  There  is  no  middle  state.  And 
according  to  our  state  \^ere,  such  will  be 
our  state  hereafter.  If  eternal  life  be  not 
our  pursuit,  it  will  never  be  our  portion. 

Those  who  are  duly  affected  with  eter- 
nal things  will  certainly  be  desirous  of  in- 
struction. They  will  seriously  inquire 
how  eternal  life  may  be  obtained.   "  What 


sh.all  we  do  to  be  saved  V  is  the  substance 
of  their  inquiry.  Even  the  people  who 
forsook  Christ  asked  a  question  of  this 
kind,  ver.  28.  "  What  shall  we  do,  tbat 
we  might  work  the  works  of  God  !"  Our 
Lord  gave  them  this  plain  answer.  "  This 
is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  in  me." 
As  elsewhere  also  he  declares,  "  He  that 
believeth  on  me  shall  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life." 

Every  thing  that  relates  to  eternal  life 
depends  on  Jesus.  He  has  Ihe  words  of 
eternal  life.  He  discovered  it  more  fully, 
and  revealed  it  more  plainly,  than  any  of 
the  propjiets.  His  Gospel  gives  us  a  clear 
account  of  the  blessed  life  and  immortal 
glory  of  soul  and  body  in  the  heavenly 
world.  It  shows  us  the  true  and  spiritual 
nature  of  that  state,  and  wliat  will  be  the 
business  and  blessedness  of  glorified  saints. 
It  leaves  us  to  no  uncertain  conjectures, 
poetical  flmcies,  or  sensual  notions  of  para- 
dise ;  but  clearly  describes  it  as  a  state  of 
knowledge,  purity  and  bliss,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  Immanuel,  God  with  ns. 

The  true  and  only  way  to  eternal  life 
is  revealed  by  Christ.  Many  ways  have 
been  devised  by  men.  A  thousand  super- 
stitions have  been  invented  by  crafty  or 
deluded  men,  imposed  upon  the  world,  as 
means  of  obtaining  eternal  felicity.  Every 
country  and  every  imposture  has  produced 
something  with  this  view :  and  carnal  men 
still  ludicrously  and  profanely  talk  of  every 
one's  setting  up  his  own  ladder  to  heaven. 
But  away  with  all  these. — Christ  has  the 
words  of  eternal  life.  "  Whither  I  go," 
said  he  to  his  disciples,  "  ye  know,  and 
the  way  ye  know."  John.  xiv.  4.  Thomas, 
mistaking  his  meaning,  said — "  Lord,  we 
know  not  whither  thou  goest,  and  how  can 
we  know  the  way  1"  This  mistake  gave 
occasion  for  a  charming  declaration  on  our 
Lord's  part.  "Jesus  saith  unto  hmi — "I 
am  the  way — the  trvlh — and  the  life  :  no 
man  comcth  unto  the  Father,  but  by  me." 
No  words  before  were  ever  so  plain.  The 
substance  of  this  great  truth  was  indeed 
taught  by  sacrifices.  These  preached  the 
necessity  of  a  Mediator,  and  showed,  that 
without  shedding  of  blood  there  could  be 
no  remission  of  sins ;  but  it  remained  for 
him  who  is  the  Truth,  the  substance  of 
the  Old  Testament  types,  himself  to  say, 
/  am  the  way.  Christ,  by  his  dcatli,  opened 
the  gates  of  heaven.  The  cross  of  Christ 
is  the  only  key  that  opens  the  door  of 
glory.  "  We  have  boldness  to  enter  into 
the  holiest,  by  the  blood  of  Jesus."  This 
alludes  to  the  Iligli  Priest  of  the  Jews, 
who,  once  a  year,  went  into  the  holy  of 
holies  with  the  blood  of  an  animal.     The 


200 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


way  into  this  was  by  the  veil  which  sepa- 
rated it  from  the  holy  place.  Our  way  to 
heaven  is  through  the  veil  of  Christ's  body, 
crucified  for  us.  And  it  is  remarkable, 
that  at  the  time  of  his  death,  the  veil  of 
the  temple  was  rent  in  two,  without  hands, 
from  the  top  to  the  bottom ;  which  signifi- 
ed, that  every  obstruction  to  our  entrance 
into  heaven  was  removed  by  the  death  of 
Jesus;  so  that  we  may  now  draw  near  to 
God,  and  enter  into  glory,  in  full  assurance 
of  faith. 

The  words  of  Christ  are  "  the  words  of 
eternal  life"  on  another  account.  They 
are  the  means  and  instrument  of  that  new 
and  spiritual  life  in  the  soul,  whereby  it  is 
prepared  for  eternal  life.  The  words  that 
I  speak  unto  you,  said  our  Lord,  verse  63 
of  this  chapter,  they  are  spirit  and  they 
■  are  life — they  are  to  be  taken,  not  in  a 
carnal,  but  in  a  spiritual  sense ;  and  they 
are  the  means  of  conveying  the  Holy 
Spirit,  whose  influence  is  effectual,  unto 
spiritual  and  eternal  life.  It  is  by  the 
Gospel  that  "  Christ  speaketh  from  hea- 
ven ;"  and  when  the  Gospel  is  accompanied 
with  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  "  the  dead 
hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  live." 
For  this  purpose  it  was  that  the  apostles, 
though  forbidden  of  men,  were  commanded 
of  Christ  to  "  go,  stand  and  speak  in  the 
temple  to  the  people  all  the  words  of  this 
life."  By  the  same  words  the  ciiildren  of 
God  are  directed,  established,  encouraged, 
and  nourished  into  eternal  life. 

In  the  view  of  advantages  like  these, 
well  might  Peter  say,  "  Lord,  to  whom 
shall  we  go?"  Eternal  life  is  our  aim. 
Thy  words  reveal  it.  Thou  showest  us 
the  way  to  it.  Thou  art  thyself  the  way. 
Thy  word  is  the  seed  of  life  in  our  souls.. 
Yea,  thou  art  eternal  life.  To  whom  then 
can  we  go  ]  We  cannot,  we  dare  not,  we 
will  not,  forsake  thee. 

Such,  my  brethren,  are  the  sentiments 
of  every  gracious  soul.  With  such  views 
as  these  we  shall  "  cleave  to  the  Lord  with 
purpose  of  lieart,"  and  abhor  the  thoughts 
of  apostasy  from  him. 

APPLICATION. 
Have  we  come  to  Christ  ?  Are  we,  in. 
any  sense,  his  followers]  If  not,  as  we 
have  already  said,  we  cannot  forsake  him : 
but  our  case  is  no  less  dangerous.  Woe 
be  to  those  who,  in  a  Christian  land,  a  land 
of  bibles  and  sermons,  "  refuse  to  hear  him 
that  speaketh  from  heaven."  Woe  be  to 
us,  if  he  should  say  to  us,  "  Ye  will  not 
come  unto  mc,  that  ye  might  have  life." 
O,  consider  of  it,  thoughtless  souls.  If 
you  would  have  eternal  life,  and  surely  you 


wish  for  it,  remember  you  must  have  the 
words  of  eternal  life.  You  must  learn  the 
way  of  life.  You  must'  be  interested  in 
Jesus,  who  is  the  life.  •  The  Lord  incline 
you,  while  it  is  called  to-day,  to  hear  hi^ 
voice  and  live. 

What  we  have  heard  of  the  words  of 
life  should  endear  them  to  us.  The  doc- 
trines pf  grace  are  not  idle  speculations, 
or  needless  disputings  about  words  and 
names;  they  are  not  a  vain  thing;  they 
are  words  of  life.  O  then  "  let  the  word 
of  Christ  dwell  in  us  richly,"  let  us  lay  it 
up  in  our  hearts,  and  prize  it  above  our 
chief  treasure. 

And  now  let  us  consider  Christ  himself 
as  putting  this  question  to  each  one  of  us 
—  Wilt  thou  go  away  ?  Others  do.  We 
live  in  a  day  when  great  niunbers  do.  Like 
the  apostate  Jews  referred  to  in  our  text, 
their  carnal  minds,  filled  with  reasoning 
pride,  reject  the  Gospel,  revile  the  Scrip- 
tures, deny  Christ,  and  renounce  the  very 
name  of  Christian.  The  Lord  pity  them, 
and  bring  them  back  again  to  his  fold  !  But 
wilt  thou  also  go  away  !  O  consider  well 
before  you  go.  To  whotn  will  you  go  I 
Will  you  go  to  the  modern  philosophers  1 
Not  for  eternal  life,  surely !  They  say 
there  is  no  such  thing  ;  and  if  you  do  want 
eternal  life,  where  will  you  find  it  but  in 
Jesus  ? — Will  you  go  back  into  the  world  ] 
Alas,  it  is  vain,  and  will  deceive  you.  Will 
you  return  to  sui  and  folly  1  It  will  insure 
your  eternal  death.  Resolve  then  with 
Peter  to  cleave  to  Christ. 

But  pray  for  preserving  grace.  Be  sen- 
sible of  your  own  weakness,  and  pray, 
"  Lord,  leave  me  not  to  my  own  wdl.  To 
be  willing  to  go  away  and  leave  thee,  is 
to  be  willing  to  perish  ;  and  I  shall  infalli- 
bly be  willing  to  do  it,  if  thou  leavest  my 
will  to  itself"  You  must  watch  and  pray 
continually.  Resist  the  first  motions  to 
coldness,  negligence,  and  apostasy.  Guard 
against  the  seductions  of  the  world,  and 
the  bewitching  pleasures  of  sin.  And  may 
God  fulfill  his  gracious  promise — "  I  will 
put  my  fear  in  their  heart,  that  they  shall 
not  depart  from  me." 

"  Lord  !  thou  alone  hast  pow'r,  I  know. 

To  save  a  wrrich  like  nie  ; 
To  whom,  or  whither  could  I  go, 

If  I  should  turn  from  thee  ?" 

"  No  voice  but  thine  can  give  me  rest. 

And  bid  my  fears  depart  ; 
No  love  but  thine  can  make  me  bless'd, 

And  salisly  my  heart." 

"  What  anguish  has  that  question  slirr'd 

1/  I  will  also  go? 
Yet,  Lord,  relying  on  thy  word, 

1  humbly  answer,  No !"  Newiotu 


SERMON  XLIV. 


201 


PRAYKR. — Etkrnal  and  ever  l)losso(l  God, 
we  thank  tlieo  Ihat  life  and  iiiiinortalily  are 
broiiglu  to  liglit  by  the  Gos|)el.  We  l)less  thee 
that  ihou  dosl  give  to  thy  people  elerual  life,  and 
lliai  tins  lile  IS  in  tliy  dear  Son.  Enable  us  to 
come  to  him,  that  we  may  be  saved  ;  and  if  by 
thy  grace  we  have  been  enabled  to  come  to  Jesus, 
O  let  us  never  Ibrsake  the  blessed  Savior.  Permit 
neither  the  smiles  nor  the  frowns,  nor  the  cares 
of  the  world,  to  seduce  us  from  the  way  of  truth 
and  holiness.  May  the  love  of  ("hrisl  constrain 
us  to  Ibllow  him  fully,  and  to  dread  the  thought 
of  wandering  from  his  fold.  May  the  great  and 
gowl  Shepherd  ever  guide  ns  and  defend  us,  and 
provide  for  us.  And  w  hen  we  walk  through  the 
valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  may  we  iear  no 
evil,  but  may  we  know  that  ho  is  with  us,  and 
find  that  his  rod  and  his  staff  comfort  us.  Un- 
worthy, indeed,  are  we  of  mercies,  so  great  as 
these  which  we  now  implort;,  but  we  ask  them 
in  the  all-prevailing  name  of  Jesus,  to  whom, 
with  the  Father,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  the 
kingdom,  and  the  power,  and  the  glory  Ibr  ever. 
Amen. 


SERMON  XLIV. 

THE  BIRTH  OF  CHRIST. 

Luke  il.  15.    Let  us  now  go,  even  unto  Bethlehem, 
and  se"  this  thing  which  is  come  to  pass. 

The  wise  man  observes,  tliat  "  the  eye 
is  not  satisfied  with  seeing."  The  truth 
of  this  observation  is  confirmed  by  the  ex- 
perience of  all  ages ;  only  it  admits  of  one 
exception.  •  There  is  one  object,  and  only 
one,  which  can  satisfy  the  eye  of  the  mind, 
and  that  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  We 
have  a  proof  of  tiiis  in  good  old  Simeon, 
mentioned  m  the  29th  and  30th  verses  of 
this  chapter.  He  had  long  waited  for 
Christ,  "  the  consolation  of  Israel,  and  he 
lived  to  see  the  intant  Savior  brought  into 
the  temple ;  when,  clasping  tiie  holy  child 
in  his  feeble  amis,  "  lie  blessed  God,  and 
said.  Lord,  now  lettcst  thou  thy  servant 
depart  in  peace,  according  to  thy  word,  for 
mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation."  Some 
of  the  Turks,  it  is  said,  put  out  their  eyes, 
as  soon  as* they  have  seen  Maliomet's  tomb, 
because  they  would  not  defile  them  again 
by  regarding  any  common  object.  Does 
superstition  teach  them  so  to  admire  tlie 
grave  of  a  wicked  impostor?  O  let  us,  as 
Christians,  hasten  to  behold  a  sight  of  real 
glory ;  let  us  "  turn  away  our  eyes  from 
beiiolding  vanities ;"  let  us  fix  them  upon 
the  adorable  Jesus;  let  us  say,  with  the 
admiring  shepherds  in  our  text,  when  just 
informed  of  the  Savior's  birth.  "  Let  us 
now  go,  even  to  Bethlehem,  and  see  this 
tlimg  whicli  is  come  to  pass." 

It  was  to  shepherds;  poor,  honest,  in- 
du.slrious  men,  tliat  tiie  good  news  was 
first  announced : — an  encouraging  circuiu- 
2  A 


stance  for  the  jxior  of  this  world  and  an 
encouragement  tor  such  to  be  "dilifrent  in 
business,'  for  it  was  when  the  shepherds 
were  watching  their  flocks  by  night,  that 
these  glad  tidings  were  brought  them. 
An  angel  delivered  the  message  ;  and  a 
multitude  of  angels  joined  in  chorus — 
Glory  to  God  in  the  highest — and  on  earth 
peace — good  will  towards  men.  Here  hu- 
mility and  glory  were  joined  in  their  ex- 
tremes. He  empties  himself  of  his  hea- 
venly glory:  he  takes  upon  him  iiuman 
nature;  his  mother  is  a  poor  woman;  a 
common  inn  is  the  place  of  his  birtii ;  he  is 
born  in  a  stable ;  lie  is  laid  in  a  manger. 
O  deep  humiliation  of  the  Son  of  God,  the 
Creator  of  the  world !  And  yet,  behold 
the  glory !  A  new  star  directs  the  wise 
men. of  the  east  to  the  honored  spot;  and 
a  multitude  of  ministering  spirits  hymn  his 
birth.  Never  was  the  birth  of  an  earthly 
prince  so  highly^  honored. 

God  gives  us  information,  to  put  us  upon 
action.  When  the  shepherds  were  inform- 
ed of  what  had  happened,  and  where  it 
happened,  it  put  them  upon  action.  Is  the 
Savior  born  in  the  city  of  David  !  Let  us 
go  then,  said  they,  and  see  him.  The  wise 
men  made  tlie  same  improvement  of  their 
information.  They  saw  his  star  in  a  dis- 
tant country,  and  they  followed  its  direc- 
tion till  they  came  to  Betlilehcm. 

Let  us  learn  another  piece  of  instruction 
from  them  :  "  Let  us  go  now,''''  said  they. 
What  at  midnight !  Cool  Reason  would 
have  said,  It  is  an  unseasonable  hour;  and 
Covetousness  would  have  said,  What  must 
become  of  our  flocks!  But  the^^e  plain 
men,  who  had  left  their  beds  to  attend 
their  flocks,  now  leave  tlieir  flocks,  to  in- 
quire after  their  Savior.  Let  religion  then 
be  our  first  business ;  it  is  "  the  one  thing 
needful."  And  what  we  do  in  it,  let  us  do 
it  quickly  ;  the  sooner  the  better,  without 
a  moment's  delay. 

We  may  learn  another  thing  from  their 
example :  "  Let  us  go,"  said  they :  they 
excited  one  another  to  this  good  work.  Let 
the  advantages  of  society  be  brought  into 
religion.  How  many»  especially  in  Iioliday 
seasons,  will  say  to  one  another,  "  Let  us 
go  to  such  an  amusement,  such  a  public 
house,  such  a  party  of  pleasure ;"  let  us 
rather  say,  "  Let  us  go  up  to  tlie  house  of 
the  Lord,  and  he  will  teach  us  of  his 
ways."  "  Let  us  go  to  Bethlehem,  and  see 
Jesus." 

The  shepherds  did  as  liicy  propo.-ed : 
"  They  came  with  haste,  and  found  Mary 
and  Joseph,  and  the  babe  lying  in  a  man- 
ger." Tiiey  believed  bof()re  they  cam(! ; 
but  now  their  faitii  is  conlirmed  by  sight. 


202 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


They  were  gratified  and  edified  by  the 
view ;  and  "  they  rieturned  glorifying  and 
praising  God  for  all  the  things  that  they 
had  heard  and  seen." 

Let  MS,  then,  who  are  here  present,  imi- 
tate these  happy  and  simple-hearted  men. 
Let  us  go  to  Bethlehem :  the  name  signi- 
fies   The  house  of  bread;  there,  in  the 
contemplation  of  Jesus,  may  we  find  bread 
for  our  souls.     To  excite  your  serious  at- 
tention to  this  divine  object,  let  me  inform 
you  what  you  may  expect  to  see — 
Deity  displayed — 
Majv  redeemed — and 
Satan  ruined. 

Let  us  go  to  Bethlehem,  and  see  Deity 
displayed.  The  first  promise  that  God 
made  to  guilty  man  was,  that  "  the  seed 
of  the  woman  should  bruise  the  serpent's 
head."  Jesus  Christ,  as  to  the  flesh,  is  the 
seed  of  the  woman  ;  but  he  is  also  infinite- 
ly more.  St.  Paul  says,  ".  When  the  full- 
ness of  time  was  come,  God  sent  forth  his 
Son,  made  of  a  woman,"  Gal.  iv.  4.  It  was 
necessary  to  our  redemption,  that  the  Sa- 
vior of  men  should  be  a  man;  for  the  same 
nature  that  sinned  must  bear  the  punish- 
ment of  sin.  But,  had  Christ  been  pro- 
duced in  the  ordinary  way  of  human  gen- 
eration, he  must  have  been  a  partaker  of 
a  sinful  nature :  this  was  prevented  by  the 
miraculous  way  of  his  conception,  by  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Thus,  that 
holy  thing  which  was  born  of  the  bdessed 
Virgin,  was  to  be  called  the  Son  of  God, 
"  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  and  separate 
from  sinners ;"  fit  to  become  "  sin  for  us, 
because  he  knew  no  sin." 

In  what  manner  the  human  nature  was 
united  to  the  divine,  we  cannot  tell.  It  is 
enough  for  us,  that  it  was  so  united.  The 
testimony  of  Scripture  is  most  abundant 
and  satisfactory  on  this  head.  Let  the  fol- 
lowing texts  suffice.  His  name  shall  he 
called  Immanuel,  lohich  signifes  God 
with  us,  Matt.  i.  23.  In  the  beginning 
was  the  Word  ;  and  the  Word  was  with 
God,  and  the  Word  was  God:  And  the 
Word  was  ma.Ae.  flesh,  and  dwelt  amongst 
us,  John  i.  1.  and  14.  St.  Paul  assures  us, 
1  Tim.  iii.  15,  16,  that  this  is  the  pillar 
and  ground  of  the  truth ;  and,  without 
controversy,  the  great  mystery  of  godli- 
ness— namely,  tliat  God  was  manifest  in 
the  flesh. 

O  glorious  and  pleasing  truth,  God  is 
manifest  in  the  flesh  !  Surely  it  is  higlily 
desirable  for  feeling  mortals  to  know  their 
Maker ;  and,  because  we  could  not  ascend 
to  him,  lo,  he  descends  to  us !  Deplorable 
darkness  had  long  covered  the  earth,  and 
the  wisest  of  men  bowed  down  "  to  an  un- 


known God  ;"  but,  glory  be  to  his  name, 
"  the  only  begotten  Son,  who  was  in  the 
bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath  declared 
him,"  John  i.  18.  This  is  he  who  is  "  the 
brightness  of  the  Father's  glory,  and  the 
express  image  of  his  person" — "  the 
image  of  the  invisible  God."  Heb.  i.  3. 
This  is  he,  "  who,  being  in  the  form  of 
God,  and  who  thought  it  no  robbery  to  be 
equal  with  God,"  condescends  to  become  a 
man,  a  poor  man,  a  servant;  that  we, 
through  his  poverty,  might  become  eter- 
nally rich.  By  his  heavenly  doctrine  ;  by 
his  astonishing  miracles ;  in  his  lovely  dis- 
position, and  especially  in  his  divine  per- 
son, God  was  manifested  to  man.  Show 
us  the  Father  (said  one  of  his  disciples  to 
him)  and  it  svfliceth  us.  Philip  wanted 
some  visible  representation  of  God,  such 
as  was  sometimes  granted  to  the  prophets. 
Jesus,  in  a  way  of  gentle  rebuke,  replied — 
Have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you,  and 
yet  hast  thou  not  known  me,  Philip  ?  and 
then  added  these  remarkable  words,  fully 
proving  that  God  was  manifested  in  the 
flesh — He  that  hath  seen  me,  hath  seen  the 
Father,  John  xiv.  8,  9.  "  Believest  thou 
not  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father 
in  me  1 — henceforth  ye  have  known  him 
and  seen  him,"  ver.  7.  10.  "I  and  my 
Father  are  one."  Jesus  Christ,  then,  is 
God  manifested  in  the  flesh.  Let  us  go  to 
Bethlehem,  and  see  this  great  feight :  An- 
gels desire  to  Jook  at  it.  Glorious  mystery ! 
We  cannot  fully  comprehend  it.  "  Men 
may  speak  and  write  of  it ;  but  it  is  not  so 
proper  to  describe  it,  as  to  say  that  it  can- 
not be  described.  We  may  speak  of  it ; 
but  the  most  we  can  say  about  it  is,  that  it 
is  unspeakable :  and  the  most  we  know  is, 
that  it  passeth  knowledge  !"  Suffice  it  that 
we  believe  and  adore.  Let  but  "  the  light 
shine  into  our  hearts,  to  give  us  the  light 
of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  in 
the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,"  and  it  is  enough : 
we  will  dwell  at  Bethlehem  all  our  days, 
until  he  shall  remove  us  to  Bethel  above, 
where  we  hope  no  longer  to  see  "  through 
a  glass  darkly,  but  face  to  face." 

II.  Let  us  go  to  Bethlehem,  and  behold 
Man  redeemed! 

The  redemption  of  fallen,  guilty,  help- 
less man,  was  the  grand  design  of  the 
Savior's  birth.  God  sent  his  Son  made 
of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  to 
REDEEM  them  that  were  under  the  law. 
He  was  named  Jesus,  because  he  came  to 
"  save  his  people  from  their  sins."  There 
is  something  delightful  in  the  name  Savior. 
Cicero,  the  Roman  orator,  said,  that  when 
travelling  in  Grt^pce,  he  saw  a  pillar  in- 
scribed with  this  word — Savior.     He  ad- 


SERMON  XLiV. 


203 


mired  the  fullness  of  the  name,  but  he 
knew  not  its  Christian  meaning.  How 
much  more  may  the  redeemed  sinner  ad- 
mire it ! — 

"  'Tis  music  in  the  sinner's  ears, 
"  Tis  life,  and  health,  and  peace." 

It  was  in  this  character  that  the  saints  of 
old  long  expected  his  appearance.  "To 
him  gave  all  the  prophets  witness,  that 
through  his  name,  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  receive  remission  of  sins." 
About  the  time  of  his  coming,  the  godly 
people  in  Jerusalem  were  "  looking  for  re- 
demption," and  with  Simeon  "  waiting  for 
the  consolation  of  Israel."  Our  Lord  him- 
self declares  this  to  be  the  chief  design  of 
his  coming. — "  God  so  loved  tlie  world  that 
he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  who- 
soever believeth  in  him  miglit  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life,"  John  iii.  16. 
Observe,  it  was  to  save  sinners  from 
perishing ;  for  perish  we  must  without  an 
interest  in  him.  Do  we  know  this  1  Why 
do  we  call  him  a  Savior,  if  we  see  not 
our  need  of  deliverance  1  and  from  what ! 
— from  sin  and  from  hell.  If  we  are  not 
saved  from  sin  here,  we  shall  not  be  saved 
from  hell  hereafter. 

"6rorf  sent  his  Son  in  the  likeness  of 
sinful  flesh,  and  (by  making  him  a  sacri- 
fice) for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh,''^ 
Rom.  viii.  3.  Mark  how  the  Son  of  God 
appeared — "  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh ;" 
his  nature  was  perfectly  pure ;  but  it  had 
the  likeness  of  ours,  which  is  wholly  cor- 
rupt. "  He  knew  no  sin  :"  none  in  nature, 
none  in  practice.  He  had  a  "  clean  heart 
and  pure  hands."  He  could  challenge  his 
bitterest  enemies  to  convince  him  of  sin ; 
yea,  he  defied  Satan  himself,  the  great 
accuser — "  The  prince  of  this  world  cometh, 
and  hath  nothing  in  me."  Thus  he  was 
a  pure  and  spotless  lamb,  fit  to  become  a 
sacrifice  for  sin.  Under  the  law,  every 
victim  must  be  perfect,  and  without 
blemish.  It  was  necessary  the  Lamb  of 
God  should  be  so  ;  for  "  he  was  manifested 
to  take  away  our  sins,  and  in  him  is  no 
sin."  1  John  iii.  5. 

Being  thus  pure  and  holy,  the  sins  of 
the  whole  Church  were  laid  upon  him. 
"  He^was  made  sin  for  us  ;"  "  he  suflfered 
for  our  sins ;"  the  Lord  laid  upon  him  our 
iniquities ;"  "  he  bore  our  sins  in  his  own 
body,  on  the  tree."  And  thus  God  con- 
demned sin  in  the  flesh  ;  he  condemned 
our  sin  in- the  flesh  of  Christ:  he  showed 
his  extreme  hatred  of  it ;  he  passed 
sentence  of  death  upon  it;  and  executed 
that  sentence  in  the  dreadful  death  of  our 
Lord.  And  thus,  the  condemning  of  sin 
in  Christ,  our  surety,  prevents  the  con- 


demning of  it  in  our  persons.  And  this  is 
the  ground  of  that  excellent  privilege 
mentioned,  Rom.  viii.  1.  "  There  is,  there- 
fore, now  no  condemnation  to  them  which 
are  in  Christ  Jesus."  But  this  is  not  all : 
the  end  and  design  of  this  is,  that  the 
righteousness  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled 
in  us,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but 
after  the  Spirit.  Thus  the  perfect  right- 
eousness demanded  by  the  moral  law  is 
fulfilled  in  us ;  not  in  us  'personally,  but 
by  our  surety  in  our  nature,  and  in  our 
stead ;  and  so  might  be  deemed,  in  legal 
estimation,  to  be  fulfilled  for  and  by  all 
those  of  us  who  truly  believe,  and  who 
prove  the  sincerity  of  our  faith  by  a  holy 
walk. 

O  the  grace  and  love  of  the  blessed 
Jesus !  he,  the  most  high  God,  Blessed 
for  evermore,  consented  to  become  man. 
He,  who  was  life,  ind  gave  life  to  all,  be- 
came a  mortal  man.  He  was  born  to  die. 
Because  we  were  partakers  of  flesh  and 
blood,  he  also  himself  took  part  of  the 
same.  O  love,  beyond  example  or  degree ! 

"  O  for  this  love  let  rocks  and  hills 
Their  lasting  silence  break ; 

And  all  harmonious  human  tongues 
The  Savior's  praises  speak." 

Thus  Jesus  "  delivered  us  from  the 
wrath  to  come." — Our  sin  deserved  wrath, 
the  wrath  that  is  to  coine :  for  God  bears 
with  sinners  now,  and  "  endures,  with 
much  long-suffering,  the  vessels  of  wrath 
which  are  fit  for  destruction."  But  God  is 
reconciled  to  every  believer  in  Jesus. 
"  He  was  angry,  but  his  anger  is  turned 
away."  Those  who  believe,  "  have  passed 
from  death  unto  life ;"  those  who  are  re- 
deemed from  the  curse  of  the  law  receive 
the  adoption  of  sons."  They  are  also  re- 
deemed from  the  power  and  dominion  of 
sin ;  it  shall  not  reign  in  their  mortal 
bodies.  They  are  redeemed  to  God ;  body, 
soul,  spirit,  substance,  talents,  all  they 
have,  and  all  they  are,  belong  to  the  Lord : 
and  when  they  have  served  him  and  their 
generation,  during  his  appointed  time,  he 
will  take  them  to  himself,  and  they  shall 
know  the  full  meaning  of  that  comprehen- 
sive phrase — eternal  life.  Such  are  the 
inestimable  blessings  which  Jesus,  the  Re- 
deemer of  man,  came  to  procure.  But 
let  us  take  another  turn  to  Bethlehem, 
and  see 

III.   Satan  ruined. 

It  was  Satan,  the  head  of  fallen  spirits, 
who,  assuming  the  form  of  a  cunning  ser- 
pent, seduced  our  first  mother  in  the 
garden ;  and  employing  her  as  the  tempter 
of  Adam,  seduced  our  first  father  also. 


204 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


Thus  were  the  flood-gates  of  sin  opened  in 
our  world.  Thus  Satan  usurped  a  sove- 
reign authority  over  the  souls  of  men  :  in 
so  much  that  in  sacred  writ,  he  is  dis- 
tinguished by  the  names  of  "the  prince 
of  this  world;"  yea,  "the  god  of  this 
world." — He  Jias  set  up  an  opposite  throne 
to  that  of  God ;  Jie  rules  in  the  hearts  of 
the  children  of  disobedience,  who  are  led 
captive  by  him  at  his  will.  Millions  of 
souLs  have  readily  submitted  to  his  chains, 
and  have  lived  and  died  in  love  with  tlieir 
bondage.  Cruel  tyrant !  who  shall  deliver 
us  from  thy  destructive  power  1 

It  was  when  our  fallen  parents  stood 
trembling  before  their  Judge,  expecting 
every  moment  to  taste  the  threatened 
death :  it  was  then  that  a  dawn  of  mercy 
glimmered  in  the  first  Gospel  promise. 
Gen.  iii.  14,  15.  The  Lord  turning  to  the 
serpent  who  seduced  them,  utters  this  curse 
— "  Because  thou  hast  done  this,  thou  art 
cursed  above  all  cattle,  and  above  every 
beast  of  the  field;  upon  thy  belly  shalt 
thou  go,  and  dust  shalt  thou  eat  all  the 
days  of  thy  life ;  and  I  will  put  enmity 
.between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  between 
thy  seed  and  her  seed ;  it  shall  bruise  thy 
head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel.  No 
doubt,  the  devil  is  here  condemned,  under 
the  name  of  the  serpent,  be.cause  he  had 
abused  tliat  creature  in  order  to  deceive 
man.  He  is  cursed  ;  for  "  everlasting  fire 
is  prepared  for  him  and  his  angels."  His 
power  was  to  be  contracted  ;  he  was  to 
creep,  not  fly :  his  power  should  be  re- 
strained to  the  dust,  that  is  to  earthly- 
minded  men,  or  to  the  bodies  of  the  saints. 
His  head  was  to  be  bruised;  that  i.s,  his 
power  was  to  be  finally  destroyed  by 
Jesus  Christ ;  for  so  St.  John  expounds  it 
— "  The  Son  of  God  was  manifested  to 
destroy  the  works  of  the  devil."  The 
serpent's  poison,  craft,  and  life,  are  in  his 
head  ;  if  this  bo  bruised,  he  is  destroyed. 
Jesus  Christ,  in  his  temptation,  baffled  the 
tempter  in  all  liis  cunning  assaults.  He 
cast  out  devils  from  the  bodies  of  men ;  lie 
enabled  his  disciples  to  do  the  same,  and 
empowered  them  "to  tread  on  serpents 
and  scorpions,  and  over  all  the  power  of 
the  enemy ;"  and  he  has  promised  also  to 
his  people  that  "he  will  bruise  Satan 
under  their  feet  shortly." 

God  also  declared  there  should  be  "  con- 
stant enmity  between  tiie  seed  of  the  ser- 
pent and  the  seed  of  the  woman,"  which 
includes  the  santijirntion  of  all  the  elect. 
Unconverted  men  are  in  peace  with  the 
devil ;  but,  wlien  grace  comes,  war  com- 
mences, and  God  will  make  the  believer 
more  than  a  conqueror. 


But  all  this  is  .in  consequence  of  the 
birth  of  Jesus.  He  is  most  eminently  "  the 
seed  of  the  woman,"  "  the  Son  of  God 
made  of  a  woman."  By  the  merit  of  his 
death,  and  by  the  grace  of  his  Spirit,  he 
destroys  the  old  serpent.  Satan  was,  in- 
deed, allowed  "  to  bruise  his  heel ;"  and 
he  did  so,  by  his  agents,  when  he  prevailed 
to  procure  the  crucifi.xion  of  our  Lord; 
but  it  was  then,  even  then,  that  "  he 
bruised  Satan's  head,"  and  laid  the  found- 
ation of  his  everlasting  destruction.  Never 
before  did  fallen  Spirits  discover  so  much 
opposition  to  Christ.  "  They  were  aware, 
probably,  of  Christ's  design  to  overturn 
their  empire ;  therefore  they  mustered  all 
their  forces,  employed  all  their  skill ;  and, 
as  all  was  at  stake,  made  one  strong  effort 
in  a  kind  of  decisive  engagement.  They 
armed  every  proper  instrument,  and  set 
every  engine  at  work — temptations,  per- 
secutions, violence,  .  slander,  treachery, 
and  the  like. — Our  Lord,  whom  they  op- 
posed, made  no  formidable  appearance ;  he 
was  despised  of  men,  a  worm  and  no  man. 
But  this  made  the  event  more  glorious.  It 
was  a  spectacle  worth  the  admiration  of 
the  universe,  to  see  the  despised  Galilean 
turn  all  the  artillery  of  hell  back  upon  itself: 
to  see  one  in  the  likeness  of  men,  wrest- 
ing the  keys  of  hell  and  deatli  out  of  the 
hands  of  the  devil ;  to  see  him  entangle 
the  powers  of  darkness  in  their  own  net, 
and  making  them  ruin  their  own  designs 
with  their  own  stratagems.  They  made 
one  disciple  betray  him,  and  another  deny 
him  ;  they  made  the  Jews  accuse  him,  and 
the  Romans  crucify  him.  But  these  were 
the  very  means  of  spoiling  and  triumphing 
over  themselves.  Col.  ii.  15.  The  cruelty 
of  devils  and  their  instruments  was  made 
subservient  to  the  designs  of  infinite 
mercy,  and  the  sins  of  men  overruled  for 
"  making  an  end  of  sin,  and  brinsfino-  in 
everlastinjT  ricrhteousness."* 

Thus  was  the  "  prince  of  the  world 
judged."  Christ,  by  his  deatli,  "  hath  de- 
stroyed him  that  had  the  power  of  death," 
and  rendered  this  evident,  by  the  miracles 
that  attended  his  Gospel,  and  the  power  of 
liis  grace  in  the  experience  of  all  believ- 
ers. All  the  effects  of  Satan's  usurpation 
shall  finally  be  abolished.  Chrisir  «hall 
reign  universally  through  the  earth.  Sa- 
tan shall  be  bound  for  a  thousand  years ; 
and  though  loosed  for  a  sliort  season,  shall 
be  utterly  cast  out,  and  confined  to  hell. 
The  grave  shall  resign  all  its  dead,  and 
Jehovah  Jesus  shall  reign  for  ever — "  The 

*  See  Maclaiirin's  most  admirable  sermon  on 
glorying  in  tlie  Cross  of  Christ. 


SERMON  XLV. 


205 


Lord  God    omnipotent." 
Glory  be  to  him ! 


Glory,  Glory, 


APPLK^ATION. 

Havind  been  to  13ethleheni,  to  see  this 
thing  which  is  come  to  pass,  let  us  now, 
liice  tlie  sht'phords,  "  return,  glorifying 
God  for  all  tlie  things  wo  have  hoard  and 
seen."  '  Wo  iiavc  learned,  tiiat  in  the  in- 
carnation of  tlie  Son  of  God,  we  may  see 
Deity  displayed— Man  redeefned — and 
Satan  ruined.  How  vast  and  glorious  are 
tlicse  designs  of  a  Savior's  birth  !  The  an- 
gels knew  this  when  they  sang — "Glory 
to  God  in  the  liiglicst,  on  earth  peace,  good 
will  towards  men."  But  are  these  pur- 
poses of  his  appearance  answered  as  to  us? 
Is  God,  in  all  his  glorious  perfections, 
manifested  in  the  person  of  Jesus  ?  Well, 
does  this  attract  our  notice,  and  engage 
our  souls  to  adore,  and  love,  and  praise 
him,  "  magnifying  the  God  of  Israel  ]" 
"  The  Lord  hath  visited  and  redeemed  his 
people."  Are  we  among  his  redeemed? 
Are  we  actually  redeemed,  from  the  guilt 
and  power  of  our  own  sins,  and  from  the 
follies  and  vanities  of  this  world?  The 
throne  of  Satan  is  shaken ;  but  is  his 
power  in  us  abolished  ?  Are  we  "  deliver- 
ed from  the  power  of  darlcness,  and  trans- 
lated into  the  kingdom  of  God's  dear 
Son!" 

This  is  the  way  in  which  we  are  to  con- 
sider this  grand  event;  and,  if  the  ends  of 
Clirist's  birth  be  answered  in  our  own  ex- 
perience, we  have  abundant  cause  for  joy. 
But  then  it  will  not  be  the  vain,  frothy, 
carnal  joy  of  tiie  world.  The  manner  in 
which  some  pretend  to  celebrate  the  birth 
of  CJirist,  at  the  season  called  Christmas, 
is  a  disgrace  to  a  Christian  nation.  They 
contradict,  as  mucli  as  possible,  the  design 
of  iiis  coming.  lie  came  "  to  destroy  the 
works  of  tlie  devil ;"  they  try  to  keep  them 
up.  What  have  cards,  dancing,  songs, 
gluttony,  and  drunkenness,  to  do  with  the 
hirtli  of  Jesus  .'  He  came  to  save  his  peo- 
j)h;  from  their  sins,  not  in  them.  O  let 
yoimg  people  guard  against  tiie  tempta- 
tions of  such  a  season ;  for  there  is  more 
sin  committed  at  Christmas  in  a  few  days, 
than  in  many  weeivs  at  other  times;  and 
the  sin  is  the  more  aggravated,  as  it  passes 
under  the  notion  of  religious  joy.  But  it 
is  an  affront  to  a  holy  God,  a  reproach  to 
the  Christian  name,  and  ruinous  to  the 
souls  of  men. 

Let  us  rather  go  to  Bctlilehcm.  Let  us, 
like  Mary,  "ponder  these  things  in  our 
hearts."  No  sooner  did  tlie  shepherds  hoar 
of  him,  than  they  ran  to  in<iuire  after  liim. 
Let  us  also  say,  "  We  would  see  Jesus." 


And  where  shall  we  seek  him  but  in  his 
house,  in  his  word ;  and  ii"  we  seek  him 
earnestly,  we  shall  find  that  the  church  of 
God  is  still  a  Bethlehem,  "a  house  of 
bread."  God  will  feed  our  souls  with  "  the 
bread  which  came  down  from  heaven,  and 
which  endureth  to  eternal  life." 

We  may  also  see  and  serve  him,  in  his 
poor  members. 

"  The  poor  we  have  always  with  us." 
As  Christ  was  found  in  the  stable,  so  we 
may  find  some  of  his  in  a  cottage,  in  a  gar- 
ret, forsaken  and  destitute.  Let  us  go  and 
visit  poor  families,  sick  persons,  fatherless 
cliildren,  in  honor  of  him  who  was  "  wrapt 
in  swaddling  clothes,  and  laid  in  a  man- 
ger ;"  he  will  accept  the  kindness,  and  say, 
"  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  to  one  of  the  least 
of  these,  my  brethren,  ye  did  it  unto  me." 


PRAYER. — Most  gracious  and  merciful  God, 
we  bloss  thee  that  when  the  fulhiess  of  the  time 
was  come,  thou  didst  send  forth  thy  Son  into  our 
world  to  redeem  ns  from  the  curse  of  the  law. 
We  adore  him  as  the  brightness  of  thy  glory,  and 
the  express  image  of  thy  person.  O  thou  who  didst 
cause  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  shine 
into  our  liearts  to  give  us  the  light  of  the  know- 
ledge of  thy  glory  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Clirist 
May  we  feel  our  need  of  the  Savior ;  may  we 
be  enabled  truly  to  believe  on  Jesus,  to  the  sav- 
ing of  our  souls.  May  we  have  satisfactory  evi- 
dence that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life, 
and  that  to  us  there  is  no  more  any  condemna- 
tion. Deliver  us,  O  Lord,  from  the  power  and 
malice  of  our  great  enemy,  who  goeth  about  as 
a  roaring  lion,  seeldng  whom  he  may  devour. 
Give  us  grace  to  watch  and  pray  that  we  enter 
not  into  temptation.  May  we  be  strong  in  the 
grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  through  him 
may  we  be  made  more  than  conquerors,  that  Sa- 
tan may  be  bruised  under  our  feet.  Grant  this, 
O  Lord,  for  the  sake  of  thy  dear  Son,  to  whom 
be  glory,  and  honor,  and  praise,  both  now  and 
ever.  Amen. 


SERMON  XLV. 

THE  CROSS  OF  CHRIST  THE  CHRIS- 
TIAN'S GLORY. 

G.Tl.  vi.  14.  Cod  forbid  that  I  sliould  {ilory,  save  in 
llie  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  t'lirist,  by  whom  the 
world  is  criicilk'd  utito  me,  and  1  unto  tlie  world. 

The  Apostle  Paul,  whose  words  these 
are,  had  good  reason  for  glorying  in  the 
cross  of  Christ.  He  tells  us  in  the  text, 
liow  useful  it  was  to  him.  And  whoever 
obtains  the  true  knowledge  of  "  Christ 
crucified,"  will,  like  him,  "(letermine  to 
know  nothing  else,"  and  "  o-stoeni  all 
things  but  loss  ior  the  c.vcellency  of  it."  It 
is  well  Icnown,  that  the  cross  of  Christ  wae 
18 


206 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


a  stumbling-block  to  the  Jews:  nothing 
offended  them  so  much  as  the  plainness, 
the  poverty,  the  sulierings,  and  death  of 
Jesus:  but  St.  Paul  gloried  in  the  cross;  yea, 
he  would  glory  in  nothing  else.  The  Jev/s 
gloried  in  tlieir  relation  to  Abraham,  in 
tiieir  temple,  in  their  religious  ceremo- 
nies :  but,  he  who  knew  that  these  were 
but  "shadows  of  good  things  to  come," 
gloried  in  the  substance,  gloried  in  the 
cross  of  Christ. 

"  The  cross  of  Christ"  signifies,  either 
our  sufferings  for  him,  or  his  sufferings 
for  us.  In  the  former  sense,  we  are  to 
"  take  up  the  cross  and  follow  him,"  but 
here  we  are  to  understand  his  sufferings 
for  us ;  for  these  are  what  the  apostle  glo- 
ried in.  "  The  cross  of  Christ"  sometimes 
includes  the  whole  Gospel,  the  doctrine  of 
him  who  died  on  the  cross,  of  which  his 
meritorious  death  for  sinners  is  the  most 
principal  part. 

As  the  cross  of  Christ  is  of  so  much  use 
to  a  Christian,  let  us,  first,  Take  a  view  of 
it,  or  contemplate  the  sufferings  of  Christ 
upon  it;  and  then,  secondly,  Consider  its 
practical  uses,  or  the  reasons  we  have  for 
glorying  in  it. 

I.  Let  us  contemplate  the  sufferings  of 
our  Lord. 

But  how,  or  where  shall  we  begin  1  Let 
no  one  rush  into  this  solemn  work  in  a 
thoughtless  manner.  Few  persons  are 
properly  prepared  for  it.  A  mind  polluted 
with  sensual  pleasures,  or  a  heart  crowded 
with  worldly  cares,  is  ill  qualified  for  the 
task.  Wheh  Moses  approached  the  burn- 
ing bush,  he  was  commanded  to  take  off 
liis  slioes,  for  the  place  on  which  he  stood 
was  holy  ground.  Gelhsemane  and  Cal- 
vrnj  are  also  holy  ground.  Let  us  ap- 
proach with  godly  fear,  not  with  vain  curi- 
osity ;  and  may  the  good  Spirit  of  God,  the 
^lorifier  of  Jesus,  take  tliese  sacred  things, 
respecting  his  "  agony  and  bloody  sweat, 
jiis  cross  and  passion,"  and  so  show  them 
to  us,  as  that  we  may  repent,  believe,  and 
rejoice ! 

We  ought  to  remember,  that  the  whole 
life  of  Christ  was  a  life  of  suffering.  He 
was  "  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted 
with  grief"  For  our  sakes  he  became 
poor,  and  endured  the  contradiction  of  sin- 
ners against  himself  But  we  must  now 
confine  our  meditations  to  his  last  suffer- 
ings, in  the  garden ;  during  his  trial ;  and 
at  Golgotha. 

Our  blessed  Lord  having  "loved  his  own 
which  were  in  the  world,  he  loved  them  to 
the  end ;"  and  gave  a  most  affecting  proof 
of  it,  by  washing  their  feet ;  celebrating 
the  Passover  with  them;  instituting  the 


sacred  supper;  and  by  his  pathetic  dis- 
course and  affectionate  prayers.  He  then 
went  forth  out  of  the  city,  accompanied 
by  all  the  apostles  except  Judas,  who  was 
preparing  to  betray  him,  to  a  garden  where 
he  used  to  retire,  and  had  spent  many 
nights  in  devotion.  At  the  entrance  of 
this,  he  left  eight  of  the  disciples,  taking 
Peter,  James,  and  John  to  a  separate  place, 
where  they  were  spectators  of  his  dis- 
tress. 

Then  Jesus  "  began  to  be  sorrowful,  and 
very  heavy," — to  be  "  sore  amazed" — the 
words  signify  much  more  than  they  ex- 
press ;  "  they  imply  that  lie  was  possessed 
with  fear,  horror,  and  amazement ;  encom- 
passed with  grief,  and  overwhelmed  with 
sorrow:  pressed  down  with  consternation 
and  dejection  of  mind;  tormented  with 
anxiety,  and  disquietude  of  spirit." 

How  vast  must  that  pressure  have  been, 
which  obliged  him  to  complain,  and  to 
complain  to  his  inferiors — "  JMy  soul  is  ex- 
ceeding sorrowful,  even  unto  death !"  He 
was  in  an  "agony" — a  word  used  nowhere 
else  in  the  New  Testament ;  an  agony  se 
great  and  astonishing,  that — "  his  sweat 
was  it  were  great  drops  of  blood  falling  to 
the  ground."  In  this  extreme  distress,  he 
betook  himself  to  prayer ;  he  first  kneeled 
down,  and  afterwards  fell  on  his  face  upon 
the  ground,  saying,  "  O  Father,  if  it  be 
possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from  me ;  never- 
theless, not  what  I  will,  but  what  thou 
wilt." 

What  a  mysterious  scene  is  this !  What 
could  be  the  occasion  of  tliis  agony  ?  It 
was  no  human  enemy  that  hurt  him ;  nor 
was  it  the  fear  of  his  approaching  death. 
Probably  it  was  some  peculiar  conflict  with 
the  powers  of  darkness,  for  this  was  "  their 
hour."  Perhaps,  the  restraints  usually  laid 
on  these  malignant  spirits  was  now  re- 
moved ;  and  who  can  tell  what  terrors  they 
may  inflict,  if  permitted  ?  Probably,  our 
Lord  had  now  before  his  eyes  the  collected 
guilt  of  millions  of  sinners ;  and  the  in- 
tolerable misery  due  to  their  iniquities : 
and  what  an  agony  must  tliis  occasion, 
when  an  individual  finds  one  "  wounded 
spirit"  more  than  he  can  bear! 

Here  stop,  and  see  "  the  sinfulness  of 
sin."  Perhaps  you  have  seen  it  only  in 
the  garden  of  pleasure,  wearing  the  mask 
of  happiness :  here,  in  the  garden  of  sor- 
row, behold  sin  stripped  of  its  mask.  See 
in  the  agony  of  Jesus,  its  true  nature  and 
proper  effects.  "The  wages  of  sin  is 
death ;"  therefore  the  soul  of  Christ  was 
sorrowful,  "  even  unto  death."  See  here 
a  specimen  of  that  "  indignation  and  wrath, 
tribulation  and  anguish,"  which  every  soul 


SERMON  XLV. 


207 


of  man,  not  interested  in  Christ,  must  suf- 
fer, not  for  a  few  hours,  but  to  all  eternity. 
And  here,  believer,  see  what  thou  must 
have  sufiered,  if  Jesus  had  not  suffered  it 
for  thee.  But  "it  pleased  the  Lord  to 
bruise  him,  and  put  him  to  grief,"  that  thou 
mayest  be  filled  with  joy  unspeakable.  He 
drank  this  bitter  cup,  that  he  might  put 
into  thy  hand  the  sweet  cup  of  salvation. 

Our  Lord,  who  knew  beforehand  all 
things  which  should  befall  him,  intimated 
to  his  disciples  the  near  approach  of  the 
traitor  Judas.  "Rise,"  said  he,  "let  us 
be  going;  he  is  at  hand  that  betrayeth 
me."  This  infamous  man  had  sold  his  af- 
fectionate Master  to  the  priests;  and, 
knowing  the  place  of  his  retirement,  comes 
attended  with  an  armed  force:  yet,  still 
pretending  friendship,  salutes  him  with  a 
kiss,  which  was  the  appointed  signal  for 
his  apprehension.  Jesus  offers  no  resist- 
ance, nor  attempts  an  escape.  The  Lamb 
of  God  freely  offers  himself  up,  and,  with 
surprising  intrepidity  and  composure,  tells 
them  who  he  is.  He  could  have  slain  them 
all  in  a  moment,  for  he  no  sooner  uttered 
the  words,  7  am  He,  than  his  enemies 
drew  back,  and  "  fell  on  the  ground,"  as 
if  they  had  been  struck  with  lightning. 
He  asks  nothing  for  himself,  but  desires  a 
passport  to  insure  the  safety  of  those  sloth- 
ful disciples,  who  had  been  too  careless  to 
watch  with  him  one  hour.  He  rebukes 
Peter  for  using  his  sword,  and  kindly  heals 
the  officer  whom  he  had  wounded.  "  Then 
all  Jiis  disciples  forsook  him  and  fled." 

Now  let  us  follow  our  Lord  from  the 
garden,  through  the  streets  of  Jerusalem, 
bound,  and  hurried  along  as  if  he  had  been 
a  thief,  from  one  part  of  the  city  to  an- 
other ;  first  to  the  house  of  Annas,  and 
then  to  the  place  of  Caiaphas,  where, 
though  it  was  niglit,  the  principal  part  of 
the  Sanhedrim  were  met  to  receive  their 
prisoner. 

And  here,  what  horrid  injustice  reigned. 
So  innocent  was  he,  that  his  enemies  were 
forced  to  contrive  to  forge  the  shadow  of 
a  charge  against  him.  They  could  scarcely 
find  any  villains  hardy  enough  to  come 
forward  and  accuse  him.  At  length  two 
witnesses  arose,  pretending  that  three 
years  before,  he  had  talked  about  destroy- 
ing the  temple,  and  rebuilding  it  in  three 
days.  This  foolish  charge,  founded  on  a 
gross  perversion  of  his  words,  was  deemed 
sufficient  ground  of  accusation.  And  ac- 
cordingly, early  in  the  morning,  he  was 
brought  before  the  great  council,  and  put 
upon  his  defence.  But  he  thought  proper 
to  decline  any  vindication  of  himself  be- 
fore the  bloody  men,  who  were  determined 


to  murder  him.  Thus  "  he  was  opjjressed 
and  afflicted,  yet  he  opened  not  his  mouth* 
He  is  brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter, 
and  as  a  sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb, 
so  he  opened  not  his  mouth."  ' 

Being  adjured,  by  the  High-Priest,  to 
declare  whether  he  was  the  Messiah,  the 
Son  of  the  blessed  God,  Jie  affirmed  it  fully. 
These  wretched  hypocrites,  taking  the  ad- 
vantage of  his  confession,  and  pretending 
great  concern  for  the  honor  of  God,  charg- 
ed him  with  blasphemy,  and  immediately 
adjudged  him  to  death. 

But  as  the  power  of  life  and  death  was, 
in  a  great  measure,  taken  from  them  by 
the  Romans,  instead  of  putting  him  to 
death  by  stoning,  they  took  him  to  Pontius 
Pilate,  the  Roman  Governor,  who,  at  their 
request,  proceeded  to  his  trial.  Here,  with 
malignant  cunning,  they  charge  him,  not 
with  blasphemy,  but  with  sedition,  refusing 
to  pay  tribute  to  Caesar,  and  calling  him- 
self a  king,  in  opposition  to  the  emperor. 
Our  Lord  was  still  silent;  at  which  Pilate 
was  astonished.  Pilate  having  examined 
him  privately,  was  satisfied  of  his  inno- 
cence, and  wished  to  discharge  him.  But 
the  Jews  increased  in  their  vehemence 
against  him,  insisting  upon  it  that  he 
should  be  put  to  death.  To  which,  at 
length,  Pilate,  an  unjust,  time-serving  man, 
reluctantly  consented. 

Shocking  were  the  insults  which  he  en- 
dured at  various  times  and  j'laces,  from 
the  officers  of  the  priests,  and  from  the 
soldiers.  He  was  mocked,  buffeted,  spit 
upon,  blindfolded,  crowned  with  thorns, 
and  most  severely  scourged.  But  thus 
was  the  Scripture  fulfilled :  for  it  is  re- 
markable, that  every  particular  part  of  his 
sufferings  was  predicted  long  before  by  the 
prophets;  and  thus,  under  the  influence 
of  their  own  wicked  passions,  they,  unwit- 
tingly, accomplished  the  divine  decrees, 
"for  to  do  whatsoever  his  hand  and  his 
counsel  determmed  before  to  be  done." 
Acts  iv.  27. 

And  now,  they  speedily  proceed  to  the 
execution  of  the  unjust  and  bloody  sen- 
tence. And  he,  bearing  his  cross,  went 
forth  to  a  place  called  Golgotlia,  or  the 
place  of  a  skull,  for  there  the  bodies  of 
many  criminals  were  buried.  O,  how  dif- 
ferent a  procession  was  this  from  one  which 
had  passed  the  streets  a  few  days  before ! 
Then  the  uuiltitude  welcomed  him  unto 
the  city,  shouting  Hosannah  !  now,  they 
hasten  his  death  as  a  malnfactor,  cry- 
ing, "  Away  with  him,  crucify  him."  So  j  jt^ 
little  is  popular  applause  to  be  regarded,  l/x 
A  few,  indeed,  sympatliize  with  our  suffer- 
ing Lord ;  but  he,  affected  more  with  their 


208 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


future  woe,  than  with  liis  own  present  suf- 
ferings, says,  "  Weep  not  for  me,  but  weep 
for  yourselves  and  for  your  children." 

Fatigued,  and  ready  to  faint  witli  pain, 
loss  of  blood,  and  the  weiglit  of  the  cross, 
"which  lie  carried  upon  his  bleeding  shoul- 
ders, Cyinon,  a  stranger,  is  compelled  to 
bear  it  tor  him.  At  length  they  arrive  at 
the  place.  It  was  "  without  the  city  :"  in 
answer  to  the  types  of  old,  which  required 
that  the  sin-oftering  should  be  made  with- 
out the  camp ;  and,  as  an  example  to  us, 
that  we  should  be  willing  to  follow  him 
"  without  the  camp,  bearing  his  reproach." 
The  cross  being  laid  upon  the  ground,  tlie 
sacred  body  of  our  Lord,  now  stripped  of 
all  his  garments,  is  laid  upon  it,  stretched 
as  upon  a  rack,  and  fastened  to  it  with 
large  spike  nails,  cruelly  driven  through 
his  hands  and  his  feet.  The  cross  was 
then  drawn  upright,  its  foot  being  placed 
in  a  hole  dug  for  the  purpose.  There  our 
Lord  hangs,  the  whole  weight  of  his  bless- 
ed body  bearing  upon  the  wounded  parts 
of  it.  Not  content  with  the  corporeal  pains 
he  endured,  the  cruel  people  endeavor  to 
aggravate  them  by  bitter  taunts  and  re- 
proaches. They  amused  themselves  with 
his  misery.  They  ridiculed  his  pretending 
to  be  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  king  of  Is- 
rael ;  his  rebuilding  the  temple ;  they  bid 
him  "come  down  from  the  cross,"  and 
then  they  would  believe  on  him ;  they  tell 
him  "  to  save  himself,"  if  he  could  save 
others. — And  in  all  tliis,  the  chief  priests 
and  scribes,  forgetting  their  dignity,  joined 
the  unthinking  rabble. 

Thus  "  it  behoved  Christ  to  suffer,"  and 
thus  "  the  Scriptures  were  fulfilled."  Thus 
was  he  '■'■lifted  tip,"  like  his  type,  the 
brazen  serpent  in  the  wilderness.  He  was 
"  cut  off,  but  not  for  himself,"  as  Daniel 
predicted.  "  They  pierced  his  hands  and 
his»-feet,"  as  said  the  Psalmist. — He  was 
"mocked,  scourged,  and  crucified,"  as 
himself  had  before  declared.  "  They  cast 
lots  for  his  garments,"  and  "  he  was  num- 
bered with  the  transgressors." 

In  this  painful  situation,  our  Lord  con- 
tinued for  several  hours ;  for  it  was  a  slow, 
lingering,  and  extremely  painful  kind  of 
death.  It  was  also  shameful  in  the  high- 
est degree ;  a  gallows  and  a  gibbet  are  not 
names  of  greater  infamy  among  us,  than 
that  of  the  cross  then  was.  It  was  also 
deemed  an  accnrsed  death.  By  the  law 
of  Moses,  a  person  hanged  upon  a  tree  was 
deemed  accursed  of  God.  Alluding  to  this, 
St.  Paul  says,  "  Clirist  hath  redeemed  us 
from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a 
curse  for  us."  Gal.  iii.  1;3. 

Our  Lord,  who,  when  at  large,  went 


about  doing  good,  continued  to  manifest 
his  benevolence,  even  upon  the  cross.  He 
prays  for  his  unfeeling  murderers:  "Fa- 
ther, tbrgive  them,  they  know  not  what 
they  do."  To  the  penitent  thief  ho  said, 
"  This  day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  m  para- 
dise." He  committed  the  care  of  his  mo- 
ther to  John,  his  beloved  disciple.  All  this 
was  done  while  he  suffered  the  most  shock- 
ing pains.  But  the  agony  of  his  mind,  it 
should  seem,  far  exceeded  them.  He  was 
suffering  the  wratli  of  God  due  to  sin. 
The  horrible  darkness,  that  for  three  hours 
covered  the  land,  was  an  emblem  of  the 
more  dreadful  darkness  and  terror  of  soul, 
which  he  endured;  and  which  e.xtorted 
tiiat  mysterious  cry — "  My  God,  my  God, 
why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?" 

But  the  painful  scene  draws  to  a  close. 
All  the  prophecies  were  fulfilled.  All  the 
Father  gave  him  to  do  was  accomplished. 
His  sufferings  therefore  must  terminate. 
Exulting,  then,  in  the  completion  of  his 
vast  and  glorious  work,  he  cried.  It  is  fin- 
ished. And  then,  that  with  his  dying 
breath,  he  might  teach  us  how  to  die,  he 
said,  "  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commit  my 
spirit ;"  and  having  said  thus,  "  bowing  his 
head,  he  gave  up  the  ghost,"  or  "  dismiss- 
ed his  Spirit.^'' 

Thus  have  we  taken  a  brief  view  of  the 
cross  of  Christ.  We  have  seen  the  blessed 
Redeemer  taken  and  bound  as  a  thief; 
hurried  from  place  to  place  through  the 
night ;  unjustly  condemned  both  in  the  ec- 
clesiastical and  civil  court;  treated  \yith 
all  the  indignity  and  insult  that  liellis'i 
malice  could  devise ;  buffeted,  scourged, 
and  spit  upon ;  and  at  length  put  to  death 
on  the  cross.  In  all  this,  the  carnal  eye 
beholds  nothing  but  weaJvness,  pain,  and 
ignominy ;  but  the  enlightened  eye  of  faith 
sees  a  beauty,  a  grandeur,  a  glory,  far  sur- 
passing the  brightest  objects  of  sense.  So 
far  Irom  blushing  at  the  meanness  or  shame 
of  the  cross,  the  true  believer  will  cordially 
unite  with  St.  Paul,  and  say — God  forbid 
that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Let  us  then  pro- 
ceed to  consider 

II.  The  reasons  we  have  for  glorying  in 
the  cross. 

Many  reasons  may  be  offered,  but  we 
have  room  to  mention  only  three.  By  the 
cross  of  Christ,  The  perfections  of  God  are 
displayed ;— the  believing  sinner  is  fully 
justified ; — and  provision  is  made  for  iiis 
sanctification. 

We  glory  in  tlie  crors  of  Christ,  because 
(jod  is  glorified  in  it.  The  eoodne.<ss, 
mercy,  and  love  of  God  appear  in  all  liis 
gifts  to  men ;  but  most  of  all  m  this  un- 


SERMON  XLV. 


209 


speakahle  gift.  Of  no  other  gift  it  is  said 
— "  God  so  loved  tiie  world  as  to  bestow  it." 
"  Herein  is  love ;"  a  love  so  great,  that  it 
includes  and  insures  every  other  good, 
*'  for  he  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but 
freely  ,gave  him  up  for  us  all,  will  assured- 
ly deny  us  notiiing  good."  And  O,  "  the 
manifold  wisdom"  that  beams  from  the 
cross.  How  deep  the  contrivance,  to  make 
"  mercy  and  truth  meet  together,  right- 
eousness and  peace  embrace  each  other. 
Never  did  the  spotless  holiness  and  the  in- 
flexible justice  of  God  appear  witii  such 
awful  splendor  as  at  Calvary.  Not  all  the 
surterings  of  the  damned  can  put  such 
honor  on  the  holy  law,  as  it  received  from 
tlie  sufferings  of  Jesus  upon  the  cross  :* 
those  sufferings  "  magaitied  the  law  and 
made  it  honorable."  Thus  God  "  declared 
his  justice  in  the  remission  of  sins,"  so  that 
the  law  as  well  as  the  sinner  may  justly 
glory  in  the  cross  of  Christ ;  for  both  re- 
ceive eternal  honor  from  it. 

Again,  That  which  endears  the  cross  of 
Christ  to  believers  is,  that  from  thence 
thev  derive  free  and  full  justification  ;  they 
are  "justified  freely,  through  the  redemp- 
tion that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  How  glorious 
is  that  declaration — "  The  Lord  laid  upon 
him  the  iniquities  of.  us  all !"  That  heavy 
burden,  enough  to  crush  a  world,  was  borne 
by  him ;  and  blessed  be  God,  borne  away 
by  him;  so  borne  away,  that,  if  sought  for, 
it  shall  not  be  found.  We  behold  then  in 
a  crucified  Savior,  "  the  Lamb  of  God, 
which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world." 
The  real  Christian  will  glory  in  nothing- 
else.  He  places  no  dependence  on  hi^ 
prayers,  his  repentance,  his  duties,  his 
charity,  his  sufferings;  all  these  are  for 
ever  discarded,  in  respect  of  justification 
by  them.  To  trust  upon  these,  in  whole 
or  in  part,  would  bo  tiie  greatest  dishonor 
to  Christ,  and  render  his  cross  a  necdiess, 
useless  thing.  This  he  abhors  from  Jii,-: 
heart,  as  the  vilest  blasphemy  and  sacri- 
lege ;  and  therefore  sincerely  says  with 
the  apostle,  "God  forbid  that  I  should 
glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ." 

But  there  is  another  reason  for  glory- 
ing in  the  cross,  namely,  it  is  the  cause 
and  the  instrument  of  our  sanctificalion ; 
— hereby  the  world  is  crucified  unto  us, 
and  we  are  crucified  to  the  world.  No- 
thing but  a  spiritual  sight  of  the  glory  of 
the  cross,  and  a  good  hope  of  personal  in- 
terest in  its  blessings,  will  ever  efl'ectually 
wean  our  hearts  from  the  world.  To  be 
dead  tc  the  world,  is  of  the  utmost  iin))ort- 
ancc  in  the  matter  of  our  sanctification  ; 
for  the  love  of  the  world  is  tlie  principal 
2B 


source  of  our  sins. — We  shall  never  cease 
to  make  the  world  our  portion,  till  we  get 
sometlung  better  in  its  stead.  It  is  by  the 
doctrine  of  Christ  we  learn  its  vanity.  It 
is  by  the  example  of  Ciirist  we  learn  to 
despise  it.  His  whole  humiliation,  from 
the  manger  to  the  cross,  poured  contempt 
on  human  greatness,  and  has  sanctified  to 
his  followers  a  life  of  labor,  poverty,  and 
reproach.  A  true  follower  of  Christ  will 
be  ashamed  to  glory  in  those  worldly  ob- 
jects, which  his  Savior  trampled  beneath 
his  feet,  while  it  will  sweetly  reconcile 
liim  to  an  humble  lot,  that  his  master  en- 
dured the  same  ;  and  thus  will  he  learn 
"  to  deny  himself,  take  up  his  cross,  and 
follow  Jesus." 

APPLICATION. 

When  the  people  who  came  together  to 
see  the  doleful  spectacle  of  the  crucifixion, 
beheld  the  things  that  were  done,  they 
smote  their  breasts  and  returned.  And 
surely,  when  we  return  from  this  vipw  of 
the  cross,  and  consider  what  we  have  seen 
and  heard,  we  have  reason  to  smite  our 
breasts,  and  be  deeply  affected  with  our 
sins  and  his  sufferings.  Nature  itself 
seemed  to  sympathize  with  our  suffering 
Lord.  The  sun  was  darkened.  The  earth, 
quaked.  The  rocks  were  torn  asunder. 
The  veil  of  the  temple  was  rent.  The 
graves  were  opened ;  and  the  heathen 
guards  were  constrained  to  say,  "  Truly 
this  was  the  Son  of  God  !"  And  now,  how 
are  our  hearts  affected  !  Is  all  this  "  no- 
thing to  us  .'"  Can  we  behold  this  awful 
scene  with  cold  indifference  !  If  we  can, 
it  may  be  feared  our  hearts  are  harder 
than  the  rocks,  and  that  v/e  have  no  part 
nor  lot  in  the  matter.  Surely  this  awful 
spectacle  will  command  our  attention,  and 
excite  our  serious  thoughts.  Come,  you 
who  have  loved  and  lived  in  shi,  who  have 
rolled  it  as  a  sweet  morsel  under  your 
tongues,  who  have  laughed  at,  and  often 
said,  Wliat  harm  is  there  in  it .'  Come,  and 
see  the  Savior  in  his  agony,  sweating  blood : 
see  liim  buffeted  and  despised ;  sec  him 
bleeding,  groaning  and  dying  on  the  cross. 
Ajid  what  was  all  this  for  .'  It  was  for  sin. 
It  was  to  make  atonement  for  sin.  He 
died,  "  tlie  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he 
might  bring  us  to  God."  It  was  to  save 
sucli  sinners  as  you  from  eternal  suftermgs. 
Such  was  his  love.  O  sinner,  let  this  love 
constrain  tliec  to  forsake  thy  sins,  and  come 
to  him,  that  thou  mayest  liave  life. 

When  I  am  lifted  up,  said  Jesus  before 

his  crucifixion,  /  will  draw  all  men  to  me. 

O  what  blessed  attraction  is  there  in  the 

cnws  of  Christ !  Here  is  salvation.    A  sal- 

18*- 


210 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


vation  complete  and  free :  just  such  as  a 
guilty  helpless  sinner  needs.  When  Christ 
crucified  was  first  preached  by  Peter,  three 
thousand  souls,  and  among  them  perhaps 
many  of  his  murderers,  were  drawn  to  him 
in  one  day.— To-day,  by  this  sermon,  he  is 
lifted  up;  "crucified  before  your  eyes." 
O  for  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to 
draw  your  hearts  to  him !  Come,  and  he 
will  receive  you.  Come,  and  he  will  par- 
don you.  Come,  and  he  will  give  you 
rest.  His  arms,  once  extended  on  the 
cross,  are  still  open  to  receive  the  chief  of 
sinners.  His  blood  still  cleanseth  from  all 
sin ; 
"  Each  purple  drop  proclaims  there's  room, 
"And  bids  the  poor  and  needy  come." 

And  now,  O  that  every  professed  dis- 
ciple of  Christ  would  consider  the  latter 
part  of  the  text,  and  ask  himself  this  ques- 
tion :  "  Is  the  world  crucified  to  me,  and  I 
to  the  world  ]"  Does  the  cross  of  my  Sa- 
vior throw  a  salutary  shade  over  the  gaudy 
glori*  of  the  world.  Is  it  crucified  !  Is 
it  a  dead,  or  at  least,  a  dying  thing  in  my 
esteem ;  and  am  I,  because  of  my  attach- 
ment to  the  truth,  cause,  and  people  of 
Christ,  become  like  a  dead  man  in  the 
world's  esteem  ]  Such,  brethren,  m  some 
happy  degree,  is  the  true  influence  of  the 
cross  of  Christ.  Such  is  the  holy,  prac- 
tical tendency  of  Gospel  truth ;  and  who- 
ever finds  this  in  himself,  has  abundant 
cause  to  glory  in  the  cross  of.  Christ. 

May  divine  grace  teach  us,  more  and 
more,  to  esteem  the  cross  of  Christ,  and 
to  glory  in  nothing  but  our  knowledge  of 
it,  interest  in  it,  expectations  from  it,  and 
its  practical  influence  on  our  hearts.  Then 
may  we  hope,  ere  long,  to  see  "  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain,  seated  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne;"  and  with  our  feeble  voices,  to 
make  some  little  addition  to  the  grand 
chorus  of  the  redeemed  singing,  "  Wortliy 
is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  and  who  hath 
redeemed  us  to  God  by  his  blood." 

PRAYER.— O  Thou  God  of  love,  adored  be 
thy  name  that  thou  hast  so  loved  the  world  as  to 
give  thy  dear  Son  to  suffer  and  to  die  for  sinners. 
We  bless  thee  that  he  gave  his  life  a  ransom  for 
many.  We  bless  thee  that  he  died,  the  just  for 
the  unjust;  and  that  through  him  ihou  canst  be 
just,  and  the  sinner  justified  that  believeth  on 
his  name.  May  our  hearts  be  deeply  affected 
bv  the  consideration  of  the  Savior's  sufferings 
and  death.  Through  his  atoning  death  may  we 
obtain  life  eierual.  By  his  stripes  may  we  be 
healed.  May  we  be  justified  freely  by  tliy  grace, 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus. 
We  desire  to  glory  in  a  Savior's  cross,  and  in  ihat 
alone.  May  we  leel  the  power  of  its  atiraclion. 
By  his  cross  may  the  world  be  crucified  to  ilio 
world.  No  longer  may  we  he  ensnared  by  ils 
vanitiei,  or  alarmed  by  its  threatenings.    Hence- 


forth may  we  live  to  the  glory  of  him  .who  loved 
us,  and  who  gave  himself  for  us.  May  we  es- 
teem it  our  highest  honor  to  suffer  shame  for  his 
name.  May  we  never  be  ashamed  of  him,  but 
boldly  confess  him  before  men  ;  and  may  he  gra- 
ciously acknowledge  us  when  he  comes  in  his 
glory  to  judge  the  world.  And  unto  the  Father, 
to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Spirit  be  the  glory 
and  honor,  world  without  end.    Amen. 


SERMON  XLVI. 

THE  RESURRECTION  OF  CHRIST. 

Luke  xxiv.  34.    The  Lord  is  risen  indeed. 

Never  was  there  a  day  of  greater  glad- 
ness than  that  on  which  our  Lord  arose ; 
never  was  there  greater  cause  for  joy :  for 
were  not  Christ  seen,  our  faith  and  hope 
would  be  in  vain,  and  we  should  yet  be  in 
our  sins. 
,  When  Jesus  Christ  was  laid  in  the  grave, 
great  was  the  triumph  of  his  enemies; 
great  the  dejection  of  his  friends.  The 
sorrowful  disciples  had  fondly  hoped,  "  it 
had  been  He  who  should  have  redeemed 
Israel ;"  but  now  their  hopes  are  buried  in 
his  grave.  How  great  then  must  have 
been  their  surprise,  and  their  joy,  when 
Jesus  actually  arose,  and  appeared  to  sev- 
eral of  them !  Our  text  is  an  exclamation, 
expressive  of  these  passions :  it  was  made 
by  the  ten  apostles  to  the  two  brethren, 
who  had  seen  Christ  at  Emmaus,  and  who 
had  just  returned  from  thence  to  relate  the 
joyful  news.  Before  they  could  well  speak, 
ths  apostles  salute  them  with  this  pleasing 
sentence — "  The  Lord  is  risen  indeed,  and 
hath  appeared  to  Simon."  The  two  disci- 
ples, in  their  return,  communicate  what 
they  had  seen  and  heard,  and  how  "  Jesus 
was  known  to  them  in  breaking  of  bread." 
Blessed  and  heavenly  news!  well  might 
they  all  be  eager  to  tell  it. .  The  primitive 
Christians,  it  is  said,  used  to  salute  each 
other  on  the  Lord's  day  morning  with 
these  words.  The  Lord  is  risen  I  And  it 
is  a  pleasing  custom,  still  continued  in  Lon- 
don, that  the  boys  belonging  to  Christ's 
Hospital  appear  in  Easter  week,  each  with 
a  printed  label  affi.xed  to  his  coat,  having 
the  same  inscription,  "  The  Lord  is  risen." 
Happy,  if  those  poor  children,  or  the  multi- 
tude beholding  them  walk  in  procession  to 
church,  knew  the  sacred  import  of  that 
charming  sentence.  It  will  be  happy  for 
us,  if  now  we  are  taught  "  the  power  of 
his  resurrection;  and  so  contemplate  these 
precious  words,  "  that  our  faith  and  hope 
may  be  in  God." 

We  may  place  the  words  of  our  text  in 
thriee  points  of  view,  and  consider  them  as 


SERMON  XLVI. 


211 


the  language  of— Wonder — Certainty — 
and  Joy. 

I.  Let  us  consider  the  words  as  ex- 
pressive of  their  Wonder. 

And  yet,  we  wonder  it  should  appear  so 
wonderful  to  them.  Had  not  our  Lord  of- 
ten told  tlieni  lie  should  rise  from  the  dead '? 
Had  not  he  said, "  Destroy  this  temple," 
meaning  his  body,  "and  in  three  days  I 
will  raise  it  up  !"  Had  not  he  said,  "  There 
shall  no  other  sign  be  given  to  tiiis  genera- 
tion than  the  sign  of  the  propliet  Jonas : 
for  as  Jonas  was  three  days  and  three 
nigiits  in  the  whale's  belly,  so  shall  the 
Son  of  Man  be  three  days  and  three  nights 
in  the  heart  of  the  earth !"  Could  the  dis- 
ciples forget  these  sayings'?  The  Jews 
certainly  remembered  them,  and,  therefore, 
sealed  and  guarded  the  sepulchre.  There 
were  many  mtunations  of  the  resurrection 
in  tiie  writmgs  of  the  prophets.  It  was 
evident  from  the  Scriptures,  that  "  thus  it 
behoved  Christ  to  suffer,  and  to  rise  from 
tlie  dead  the  third  day."  Indeed,  our  Lord 
rested  the  whole  weight  of  his  mission  on 
this  event ;  to  this  he  referred  the  whole 
credibility  of  all  he  asserted.  It  was,  there- 
fore, of' infinite  consequence  to  the  disci- 
ples, that  their  Master  should  revive  and 
forsake  the  tomb. 

But  who  can  describe  the  state  of  their 
minds,  when  they  saw  the  Lord  in  the 
hands  of  his  foes ;  bound,  tried,  condemned, 
executed,  and  laid  in  the  prison  of  the 
grave  ?  There  was  much  ignorance  and 
unbelief  remaming  in  them.  They  had 
not  wholly  got  rid  of  their  foolish  notion  of 
a  temporal  kingdom;  but  their  hopes  of 
this  kind  were  now  completely  baffled. 
They  might  also  have  many  distressing  ap- 
prehensions about  their  own  personal  safe- 
ty. In  short,  they  were  perplexed  and 
distressed  beyond  measure,  and  they  had 
eitiier  forgotten  wliat  Christ  had  said  of 
rising  again,  or  did  not  clearly  understand 
it,  or  desponded  as  to  the  event. 

Great,  therefore,  was  their  surprise  and 
astonishment,  when  first  informed  of  his 
resurrection.  Mary  Magdalene  and  some 
other  pious  women,  were  tlie  first  witness- 
es of  the  fact ;  tliey  ran  to  inform  Peter 
and  John,  who  immediately  hastened  to  tlie 
spot ;  they  found  the  tomb  open,  and  the 
grave-clotlies  left  in  it,  but  saw  not  Jesus. 
But  Peter  afterwards  saw  him.  He  made 
himself  known  to  the  two  disciples  at  Em- 
maus  on  the  same  day.  Tlie  news  quickly 
spread  among  all,  and  though  they  were 
"  slow  of  heart  to  believe,"  they  were  con- 
strained to  admit  the  fact;  but  they  were 
overpowered  with  surprise  and  astonish- 
ment, and  this  they  expressed  in  the  text, 
"  The  Lord  is  risen  indeed  !"     But 


II.     Theap  words  imply  the  certainty 

of  this  important  fact,  "  The  Lord  is  risen, 
indeed,^'' — strange  as  it  is,  it  is  true ;  it  is 
absolutely  certam ;  we  are  perfectly  satis- 
fied of  it.  And  this  certainty  was  imme- 
diately afterwanls  abundantly  confirmed; 
for,  while  they  were  yet  speaking,  he  ap- 
peared in  the  midst  of  them ;  and,  to  con- 
vince them  he  was  not  a  mere  spirit,  not 
only  siiowed  them  his  wounded  hands  and 
feet,  but  also  ate  and  drank  with  them. 

The  certainty  of  this  event  is  of  the  ut- 
most consequence.  This  great  pillar  bears 
all  the  weight  of  the  Christian  system ; 
and  could  the  Samson  of  infidelity  remove 
it,  the  whole  fabric  must  fall  to  the  ground. 
But,  blessed  be  God,  we  have  no  fears  on 
this  head.  We  know  that  "  we  have  not 
followed  cunningly  devised  fables,"  but 
that  this  grand  truth  comes  to  us  confirm- 
ed by  many  infallible  proofs,  on  which  our 
faith  securely  rests.  Acts  i.  3.  Let  us  ex- 
amine some  of  these : 

1.  The  very  fear  of  imposition  tended 
to  this  certainty.  The  chief  priests,  hav- 
ing heard  that  Christ  declared  he  should 
rise  again,  applied  to  Pilate,  saying,  ♦'  Sir, 
we  remember  that  that  deceiver  said,  while 
he  was  yet  alive,  After  three  days  I  will 
rise  again.  Command,  therefore,  that  the 
sepulchre  be  made  sure  until  the  third  day, 
lest  his  disciples  come  by  night  and  steal 
him  away,  and  say  unto  the  people.  He  is 
risen  from  the  dead:  So  the  last  error  shall 
be  worse  than  the  first."  Matt,  xxvii.  62. 
PUate  complied  with  tlieir  wishes.  The 
huge  stone  that  secured  the  entrance  of 
the  sepulchre  was  sealed  with  the  public 
seal,  which  none  might  break  upon  pain  of 
death ;  and  a  strong  guard  of  soldiers  was 
placed  to  defend  the  whole.  But  how  vain 
is  it  for  man  to  figlit  with  God !  The  stone, 
the  seal,  the  guard,  can  never  keep  the 
Lord  of  life  a  prisoner  of  death ;  but  they 
all  tended  exceedingly  to  confirm  the  truth 
of  his  resurrection.  Had  these  malicious 
precautions  been  omitted,  we  had  lost  one 
of  the  strongest  proofs  of  the  event. 

The  ignorance  or  the  forgetfiilness  of 
the  disciples  respecting  his  rising  again; 
their  cowardice  at  the  time,  rendering 
them  totally  unfit  to  venture  to  steal  the 
body,  had  they  been  so  disposed ;  and  their 
incredulity,  when  first  told  that  he  was 
risen,  all  unite  in  strengthening  the  evi- 
dence ;  but  especially  the  unbelief  of 
Thomas,  who  for  a  whole  week  persisted 
in  refusing  to  believe  any  evidence  but  that 
of  his  own  senses,  which  at  length  was 
granted. 

2.  The  number  of  witnesses  to  the  fact 
strongly  confirms  it  ]\Iary  Magdalene 
was  the  first.  Much  was  forgiven  her,  and 


212 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


she  loved  much;  her  love  was  rewarded 
with  this  honor.  She  first  saw  Jesus,  and 
mistook  him  for  the  gardener;  but  she 
knew  lier  shepherd's  voice,  and  owned  her 
Lord,  by  whose  direction  she  runs  to  tell 
the  apostles.  Next  he  appeared  to  the 
other  Mary,  and  Salome,  when  they  were 
flying  from  the  empty  tomb,  terrified  at  the 
sight  of  the  angel.  Jesus  -met  them,  say- 
ing, All  hail !  they  held  him  by  the  feet, 
and  worshipped  him.  Peter  was  then  fa- 
vored with  a  sight  of  his  risen  Lord.  Mar- 
vellous kindness  to  the  man  who  had  de- 
serted and  denied  him !  Let  it  stand  as  a 
proof  of  Christ's  regard  to  penitent  back- 
sliders. In  the  afternoon,  on  the  same  day, 
he  joined  company  with  two  disciples, 
walking  to  a  village  seven  miles  from  Je- 
rusalem. They  knew  him  not  at  first: 
but  he  talked  to  them — so  sweetly  opened 
the  Scriptures,  and  showed  the  necessity 
of  the  resurrection,  that  their  hearts  glow- 
ed with  holy  fire.  He  condescended  also 
to  sup  with  them.  It  was  then,  while  "he 
brake  the  bread  and  blessed  it,"  in  a  man- 
ner peculiar  to  himself,  that  they  recollect- 
ed his  person.  Fired  with  love,  and  filled 
with  joy,  they  swiftly  retrace  the  seven 
miles  back  to  the  city ;  and,  eager  to  pub- 
lish the  glad  event,  they  hasten  to  the 
chamber  of  the  apostles,  where  they  relate 
"  what  things  were  done  in  the  way,  and 
how  he  was  known  of  them  in  brealdng  of 
bread." 

Immediately  "Jesus  appears  in  the 
midst;"  mild  majesty  beaming  in  his  pla- 
cid countenance,  and  heavenly  consolation 
flowing  from  his  lips,  Peace  be  unto  you. 
When  they  discovered  fear,  he  added. 
Why  are  you  Irouhled  J  Behold  my  hands 
and  my  feet,  that  it  is  I  myself;  handle 
■mc  and  see,  fur  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and 
bones,  as  ye  see  me  have.  And  when  he 
had  spoken  thus,  lie  showed  them  his 
hands  and  his  feet;  there  they  saw  the 
certain  marks  of  his  sufferings,  and  his 
identity  was  fully  proved.  Nor  did  he  im- 
mediately vanish;  he  continued  with  them 
a  considerable  time.  He  showed  them 
from  the  Scriptures,  the  necessity  of  his 
resurrection ;  upbraided  tb.cin  with  their 
unbelief;  and,  to  put  the  matter  out  of  all 
doubt,  he  oflered  to  eat  witli  them,  and  did 
actually  eat  a  piece  of  a  broiled  fish,  and 
of  an  lioney-comb.    Luke  xxiv.  42. 

During  forty  days  that  followed  this 
event,  he  met  them  frequently  in  different 
places,  instructing  them  at  large  "  in 
things  pertaining  to  tlie  kingdom  of  God." 
At  one  of  these  seasons,  Thomas  was  per- 
fectly convinced,  and,  with  a  profound 
reverence  and  adoration,  cries,  "  My  Lord, 


and  my  God !"  He  appeared  upon  another 
occasion,  "  to  above  five  hundred  brethren 
at  once,"  most  of  whom  were  alive  when 
St.  Paul  recorded  it.  1  Cor.  xv.  6.  Surely 
it  was  impossible  that  all  these  witnesses 
could  be  deceived,  and  it  is  equally  impos- 
sible they  could  mean  to  deceive  others ;  for 

3.  They  were  credible  witnesses,  they 
were  sufficient  judges  of  what  they  saw 
and  heard,  and  they  could  have  no  tempta- 
tion to  impose  upon  the  world.  No  tem- 
poral advantage  could  be  looked  for ;  but 
on  the  contrary,  all  the  terrors  of  persecu- 
tion, which  many  of  them  actually  en- 
dured ;  but  they  lived  and  died  stedfastly 
witnessing  to  this  fundamental  truth. 

4.  The  very  Heathen  admitted  the  fact. 
Pilate  wrote  to  Tiberius  the  Roman  empe- 
ror, assuring  him  that  Christ,  who  was  a 
very  extraordinary  person,  and  who  had 
been  put  to  death  at  Jerusalem,  was  risen 
again.  And  Tiberius  proposed  to  the  sen- 
ate at  Rome,  that  his  name  should  be  en- 
rolled among  the  number  of  their  gods. , ' 

5.  The  weakness  of  those  who  denied 
the  fact  tends  to  its  confirmation.  The 
soldiers,  who  composed  the  gaiard,  being 
affrighted  by  the  earthquake,  which  hap- 
pened at  the  moment  of  the  resurrection, 
ran  into  the  city  to  inform  their  employers 
what  had  taken  place.  Upon  which  the 
elders  called  a  council,  to  consider  what 
must  be  done  to  prevent  the  belief  of 
Christ's  resurrection :  when  it  was  deter- 
mined to  bribe  tlie  soldiers,  and  put  this  lie 
in  their  mouths — "  Say  ye,  his  disciples 
came  by  night  and  stole  him  away,  while 
he  slept.''''  What  a  palpable*  contradiction 
does  this  excuse  contain !  If  the  soldiers 
were  asleep,  how  could  they  know  tins'? 
and  if  they  were  not  asleep,  how  could  the 
disciples  effect  it?  But  they  were  not 
asleep.  It  was  death  to  a  Roman  soldier 
to  sleep  on  his  watch.  And  who,  that  con- 
siders the  cowardice  of  the  disciples  at  the 
time,  can  ever  believe  that  they  would 
venture  upon  so  difficult  and  hazardous  a 
business  ?  But  the  priests  had  the  villany 
to  invent  the  lie,  the  soldiers  had  the  base- 
ness to  propagate  it,  and  the  Jews  had  the 
folly  to  believe  it ;  justly  may  God"  give 
up  men  to  "  strong  delusion  to  believe  a 
lie,"  who  will  not  be  persuaded,  even  by 
miracles,  to  believe  the  truth. 

Surely  these  are  infallible  proofs,  that 
we  may  safely  express  our  certainty  of  the 
event,  by  saying,  "  The  Lord  is  risen  m- 
dcedl"  The  important  fact  being  thus  as- 
certained, let  us  in  the  last"  place  consider 
the  text,  as 

III.  The  ]an,'jiiage  of  .Toy. 

In  prospect  oftlii^;  grand  event,  the  pro- 


SERMON  XLVI. 


213 


phet  says,  Psalm  cxviii.  24,  "  This  is  the 
day  which  tlie  Lord  liath  made,  we  will  be 
glad  and  rejoice  tliurein."  The  world 
never  saw  such  a  day  before.  There  was 
joy  in  heaven,  and  joy  on  earth. 

"  A  morning  then  dawned,  which  is  to 
be  followed  by  no  evening;  a  brighter  sun 
rose  upon  the  world,  which  is  to  set  no 
more  ;  a  day  began,  which  shall  never  end ; 
and  night  and  darkness  departed  to  return 
not  again."  "Then  were  the  disciples 
glad  when  they  saw  the  Lord;"  and  well 
they  might!  They  had  often  seen  him  with 
delight,  but  never  so  much  as  now.  Christ 
himself  proposes  this  as  an  argument  of 
joy — "  I  am  the  first  and  the  last :  I  am  he 
that  liveth  and  was  dead  ;  and  behold  /  am 
alive  for  evermore !  Amen."  Consider  we 
now  the  causes  of  joy. 

1.  Hereby  the  truth  of  his  mission  was 
fully  confirmed.  This  is  the  Broad  Seal 
of  heaven,  affixed  to  liis  credentials ;  "  The 
sign  of  Jonas  the  prophet,"  to  which  he 
referred.  "  He  was  declared  to  be  tlie  Son 
of  God,  with  imwer,  according  to  the  Spirit 
of  holiness,  by  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead."  Rom.  i.  4.  He  was  publicly  demon- 
strated to  be  the  Son  of  God,  by  the  unme- 
diatc  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  owned  in 
the  face  of  the  world,  and  freed  from  all 
suspicion  of  being  an  impostor. 

2.  The  sufficiency  and  acceptableness 
of  his  sacrifice  was  hereby  acknowledged. 
Tlie  apostle  truly  argues,  1  Cor.  xv.  17. 
If  Christ  be  not  risen,  we  are  yet  in  our 
sins — under  the  guilt  and  power  of  them, 
condemned  for  ever  ;  since  they  could 
never  be  taken  away  but  by  the  sacrifice 
of  Christ,  and  if  he  were  not  risen,  there 
could  be  no  proof  that  he  had  taken  them 
away.  But,  blessed  be  God,  he  is  risen, 
that  our  faith  and  hope  might  rise  too. 
The  God  of  Peace  hath  brought  again 
from  the  dead  the  Great  Shepherd  of  the 
sheep;  for  he  was  delivered  for  our  of- 
fences, and  raised  again  for  our  justifica- 
tion. When  he  was  discharged  from  the 
])rii-on  of  the  grave,  God  declared,  in  ef- 
fect, that  the  ransom  price  was  paid,  the 
full  penalty  of  the  law  which  required 
death  was  borne,  justice  was  entirely  satis- 
fied, reconciliation  was  made,  and  pardon 
and  peace  procured  through  the  blood  of 
atonement. 

Hence  spring  the  lively  hopes  of  the 
Christian.  Thus  Peter  sang — "  Blessed 
be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Ix)rd  Jesus 
Christ,  who,  according  to  his  abundant 
mercy,  hath  begotten  us  again  to  a  lively 
hope,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ 
from  the  dead."  Thus  Paul  triumphed, 
"  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to,  the  charge 


of  God's  elect  1  It  is  God  that  Jiistifieth ; 
who  is  he  that  condemnetli  .'  It  is  Christ 
that  died,  yea,  rather  that  is  risen  again." 
Rom.  viii.  133. 

3.  The  resurrection  of  Christ  is  the 
cause  of  our  spiritual  resurrection,  from 
the  death  of  sin  to  the  life  of  righteous- 
ness. This  is  what  St.  Paul  principally 
designed  in  that  pious  wish — "  That  I  may 
luiow  the  potver  of  his  resurrection !  Phil, 
iii.  10 — to  experience  that  divine  power  in 
my  soul,  quickening  me  to  a  life  of  grace, 
which  Christ  experienced  in  quickening 
his  dead  body  in  the  grave ;"  and,  indeed, 
it  requires  a  power  no  less.  None  but  God 
can  quicken  a  poor,  lifeless,  carnal  soul, 
dead  m  pleasure,  dead  to  God,  dead  m  sin. 
But,  virtually,  all  believers  were  "  quick- 
ened together  with  Christ;"  the  whole 
body  was  quickened  together,  the  members 
with  the  head;  and,  in  due  time,  by  virtue 
of  union  with  him,  and  the  power  of  the 
Spirit  in  them,  they  shall  be  "  planted  to- 
gether both  in  the  likeness  of  his  death, 
and  of  his  resurrection ;"  that  so,  as  "  he 
died  unto  sin,  once,  but  now  liveth  unto 
God,"  so  shall  they  be  "  dead  indeed  unto 
sin,  but  alive  to  God,  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord."  Rom.  vi.  10. 

4.  The  resurrection  ofChrist  is  a  cause 
of  joy,  as  it  was  introductory  to  his  ascen- 
sion to  heaven,  his  intercession  there,  and 
setting  up  his  new  and  everlasting  king- 
dom. Immediately  after  he  arose,  he  said 
to  Mary — "  Go  to  my  brethren,  and  say 
unto  them,  I  ascend  to  my  Father  and  your 
Father,  and  unto  my  God  and  your  God." 
All  this  was  no  less  necessary  to  our  com- 
plete salvation,  than  his  sufferings  and 
death.  Because  he  lives,  his  people  shall 
live  also.  Because  he  intercedes,  "  he  is 
able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost. "  Be- 
cause he  reigns,  they  shall  be  secured. 
Because  he  is  enthroned,  they  shall  also 
be  glorified.  The  resurrection  necessarily 
preceded  all  these,  and  therefore  with  them 
is  a  cause  of  joy  unspeakable. 

5.  The  resurrection  of  Christ  affords  to 
believers  a  certain  pledge,  and  infallible 
assurance  of  their  joyful  resurrection  to 
eternal  life.  The  one  is  inseparably  con- 
nected with  the  otiier ;  they  stand  or  fall 
togetlier:  for,  saith  St.  Paul,  "If  Christ 
rose  from  the  dead,  how  say  some  among 
you,  that  there  is  no  resurrection  of  the 
dead  ! — wo  have  testified  of  God,  that  he 
raised  up  Christ:  whom  he  raised  not  up, 
if  so  be  the  dead  rise  not.  But  now  is 
Christ  risen,  and  become  the  first-fruits  of 
them  that  slept."  Jesus  Christ  arose  as  a 
public  person ;  as  the  forerunner  and  repre- 
sentative of  all  his  people.     He  arose  as  a 


214 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


mighty  conqueror  over  death,  and  his  re-  ] 
surrection  was  graced  witli  that  of  many 
bodies  of  the  saints,  who  appeared  to  their 
friends  in  Jerusalem,  to  testify  the  grand 
event.  Thus,  "  as  by  Adam  came  death, 
by  Jesus  Clirist  came  the  resurrection  of 
tlie  dead  ;"  and,  as  surely  as  the  first-fruits 
were  gathered,  so  surely  shall  the  whole 
harvest  be  safely  collected.  Of  all  that 
were  given  to  Christ,  the  bodies  of  his 
people  included,  nothing  shall  be  lost ;  and 
he  has  promised  to  raise  them  up  at  the 
last  day,  tor  "  they  are  the  children  of  the 
resurrection." 

APPLICATION. 
And  now — How  are  our  hearts  affected 
by  this  glorious  subject!  The  first  disci- 
ples were  filled  with  joy ;  they  congratu- 
lated each  other,  saying,  "  the  Lord  is 
risen  indeed !"  The  fact  is  now  familiar  to 
us,  so  that  the  relation  may  not  occasion 
wonder;  but,  are  we  satisfied  as  to  the 
ctrtainty  of  if?  If  it  be  not  true,  there  is 
iio  truth  in  Christianity.  If  it  he  true,  then 
Christianity  is  also  true.  The  whole  reli- 
gion of  Christ  stands  on  this  firm  founda- 
tion, and  is  so  connected  with  it,  that 
every  part  is  confirmed  together  with  it. 
This  established  the  whole  revelation  that 
he  made  of  God,  and  heaven,  and  hell. 
This  ratifies  all  his  doctrines  concerning 
man  as  a  sinner,  and  himself  as  a  Savior. 
It  confirms  his  authority  to  rule  and  gov- 
ern the  Church ;  and  it  obliges  us  to  be- 
lieve that  he  will  fulfil  all  his  promises  to 
his  people,  and  all  his  threatenings  to  his 
enemies.  And  it  especially  strengthens 
our  faith  irt  the  belief  of  the  general  resur- 
rection at  the  last  day.  For,  after  his  re- 
surrection, thus  evidenced,  "  Why  should 
it  be  thought  incredible  that  God  should 
raise  the  dead?  Is  any  thing  too  hard  for 
the  Lord  1  All  things  are  possible  to  him. 
He  can  raise  the  dead,  for  he  is  Almighty ; 
and  he  will  raise  them,  for  he  has  promised 
to  do  so." 

There  shall  then  be  a  resurrection  of 
the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and  of  the  un- 
just. All  men  shall  be  raised.  But,  O, 
in  what  a  different  manner,  and  to  wjiat 
different  destinations!  Hear  how  Christ 
himself  describes  it.  "  Marvel  not  at  this ; 
for  the  hour  is  coming,  in  the  which  all 
that  are  in  their  graves  shall  hear  his 
voice,  and  shall  come  forth;  they  that 
have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of 
life;  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  unto 
the  resurrection  of  damnation."  How  im- 
portant is  our  present  state  and  conduct ! 
We  shall  come  forth  from  our  graves  such 
as  we  enter  in:  and  how  soon  may  we 
enter !     What  then  is  our  present  state  1 


Are  we  convinced  of  sin  1  Humbled  for 
sin  'I  Have  we  believed  in  Jesus,  and  fled 
for  refuge  to  him "?  Does  our  faith  work 
by  love,  so  that  we  do  good  ?  This  is  the 
proper  fruit  and  evidence  of  faith,  and 
what  will  be  called  over  at  the  judgment- 
day.  O  that  then  we  may  be  "  found  in 
Christ,"  justified  by  his  righteousness ; 
while  our  faith  in  that  righteousness  is 
justified  by  its  good  and  holy  fruits  ! 

The  Lord  is  risen  !  Blessed  and  delight- 
ful truth !  The  Lord  is  risen,  indeed ! 
Then  we  may  say  with  Job,  "I  know 
that  my  Redeemer  liveth,"  and  because 
he  liveth,  I  shall  live  also.  He  is  the  re- 
surrection and  the  life.  Believing  in  him, 
I  shall  never  die.  John  11.  What  have  I 
to  fear  1  God  is  reconciled  ;  he  is  the  God 
of  peace,  who  raised  up  Jesus  from  the 
dead.  Justice  is  satisfied,  for  the  debt  is 
discharged,  and  the  prisoner  is  released. 
If  any  accusation  is  made,  I  have  "  the 
answer  of  a  good  conscience,  by  the  re- 
surrection of  Christ  from  the  dead,"  for 
"  who  is  he  that  condemneth  1  It  is 
Christ  that  died,  yea,  rather  that  is  risen 
again." 

And  if  we  are  "  thus  risen  with  Christ, 
through  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God,"  let 
us  "  seek  those  things  which  are  above ;"  let 
us  "  set  our  affections  on  things  above,  not 
on  things  on  the  earth."  Are  we  united 
to  Christ?  He  is  in  heaven  preparing 
places  for  us,  let  us  follow  him  in  the  affec- 
tions and  desires  of  our  hearts.  This  world 
is  not  our  rest  and  portion.  "  We  are  dead" 
to  it,  by  profession  and  obligation,  "  and  our 
life  is  hid  with  Christ  hi  God."  The  life 
of  grace  is  a  secret  life,  of  which  Christ  is 
the  author  and  the  keeper ;  and,  "  when 
Christ  who  is  our  life  shall  appear,  then 
shall  we  also  appear  with  him  in  glory." — 
When  he  who  began,  who  supports,  and 
will  complete  the  spiritual  life  in  us,  shall 
appear  as  the  Judge  of  the  world  in  all 
his  glory,  then  shall  our  mortal  bodies  be 
quickened  by  his  Spirit  which  dwelleth  in 
us,  and  resemble  his  own  glorious  body ; 
then  shall  the  creature  itself,  (the  animal 
frame,)  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of 
corruption,  and  be  introduced  into  the 
glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God.  "  So 
when  this  corruptible  shall  have  put  on 
incorruption,  and  this  mortal  shall  have 
put  on  immortality,  then  shall  be  brought 
to  pass  the  saying  that  is  written.  Death 
is  swallowed  up  in  victory.  O  death,  where 
is  thy  sting  ?  O  grave,  where  is  thy  vic- 
tory f 

"  With  joy,  like  Christ's,  shall  every  saint 

His  empty  tomb  survey  : 
Then  rise  witli  his  ascending  Lord, 

To  realms  of  endless  day." 


SERMON  XLVII. 


215 


PRAYER. — Accept  our  praises,  O  God,  that 
Jesus  Christ,  thy  beloved  Son,  died  for  our  sins, 
according  to  the  Scriptures;  and  that  he  rose 
again  from  the  dead,  on  the  third  day,  according 
to  the  Scriptures.  We  bless  thee  for  the  clear 
and  convincing  evidence  of  the  certainly  of  our 
Savior's  resurrection.  We  bless  thee  that  he 
who  was  dehvered  for  our  offences,  was  raised 
again  for  our  justification,  that  our  faith  and  hope 
might  be  in  thee.  Grant,  O  Lord,  that  we  may 
know  and  feel  the  nower  of  his  resurrection. 
May  we  be  quickenen  through  Christ ;  that  being 
delivered  from  condemnation,  we  may  live  to 
thee.  May  the  Spirit  of  life  and  grace  dwell 
within  us,  and  render  us  spiritually-minded, 
which  is  life  and  peace.  May  the  life  which  vve 
live  in  the  flesh  he  henceforth  a  life  of  faith  in 
thy  dear  Son.  We  rejoice  that,  because  he  lives, 
his  people  shall  live  also.  Prepare  us,  O  Lord, 
to  behold  his  glory  in  the  world  above.  When 
absent  from  the  body,  may  we  be  present  with 
the  Lord  ;  and  when  he  shall  come  the  second 
time,  may  our  vile  bodies,  which  must  see  cor- 
ruption, be  transformed  into  the  likeness  of  his 
glorious  body,  according  to  the  working  whereby 
he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  to  himself.  Hear 
us.  Father  of  mercies,  for  his  sake ;  and  unto  him, 
with  thyself  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  glory  for 
ever.    Amen. 


SERMON  XLVII. 

THE  DESCENT  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST. 

Acts  ii.  4.  And  they  were  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Among  the  ancient  predictions  of  Gospel 
times  and  Gospel  blessings,  the  prophecy  of 
Joel  is  none  of  the  least — "  It  shall  come  to 
pass  in  the  last  days,"  saith  God,  "  /  will 
pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  alljlesh,"  &c.  St. 
Peter,  imder  the  immediate  influence  of  that 
Spirit,  assures  us  in  this  chapter,  verse  16, 
that  the  promise  was  fulfilled  on  the  day 
of  Pentecost — "This  is  that  which  was 
spoken  by  the  prophet  Joel."  John  the 
Baptist,  the  harbinger  of  Christ,  had  also 
said* to  his  disciples,  "  I  indeed  baptize  you 
with  water,  but  he  shall  baptize  you  with 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  with  fire."  Our  Lord 
himself  comforted  his  disciples  with  a  fresh 
promise  of  his  great  blessing:  "I  will 
pray  the  Father,  and  he  shall  give  you 
another  comforter,  which  is  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  the  Spirit  of  truth ;  who  shall 
teach  you  all  things ;  who  shall  be  in  you, 
and  abide  with  you  for  ever."  John  xiv. 
16,  17,  26.  Otir  risen  Savior,  when  just 
about  to  ascend  up  to  glory,  renewed  the 
promise,  assuring  them  it  should  be  ful- 
filled in  a  few  days,  and  commanded  them 
to  abide  in  Jerusalem  till  it  was  ac- 
complished. In  dependence  upon  his  word, 
and  e.xpectation  of  the  blessing,  "  they  all 
contiiuied,  with  one  accord,  in  prayer  and 
supplication." 


The  joyful  day  arrived, — It  was  the 
Lord's  day — It  was  also-  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost ;  a  day  observed  by  the  Jews  in 
memory  of  giving  the  law  at  Mount  Sinai, 
about  1500  years  before.  On  this  day  they 
presented  tlie  first  fruits  of  tlieir  harvest 
to  God.  How  highly  was  this  day  honor- 
ed !  A  new  sanction  was  given  to  the  ob- 
servation of  the  first  day  of  the  week  as 
the  Christian  Sabbath ;  the  law  of  faith 
was  first  published  from  Mount  Sion  ;  and 
the  first  fruits  of  a  r^lorious  harvest  of 
saved  sinners  were  presented  to  God.  And 
thus  our  Lord,  who  had  been  crucified  at 
the  Passover  feasts,  fifty  days  before,  was 
glorified  at  tlie  feast  of  weeks ;  upon  both 
which  occasions  there  was  a  vast  assem- 
blage of  people  at  Jerusalem.  ' 

"  The  day  of  Pentecost  was  fully  come." 
The  disciples,  obedient  to  their  Master's 
order,  were  assembled  together,  with 
unanimous  affection,  in  the  same  place, 
waiting  for  the  promised  comforter ;  when 
"  suddenly  there  came  a  sound  from  hea- 
ven, as  of  a  rushing  mighty  wind,  and  it 
filled  all  the  house  where  they  were  sit- 
ting." This  was  not  only  to  engage  their 
attention,  but  to  serve  as  an  emblem  of  the 
powerful  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on 
the  minds  of  men :  for  by  the  energy  of 
his  sacred  operations  the  whole  world  was 
to  be  shaken.  Our  Lord  had  made  use  of 
the  emblem  of  wind,  or  air  in  motion, 
when  he  discoursed  with  Nicodemus  on 
regeneration — "  The  wind  bloweth  where 
it  listeth ;  so  is  every  one  that  is  born  of 
the  Spirit."  As  the  wind,  or  air,  as  the 
food  of  natural  life,  so  is  the  Holy  Spirit 
the  beginner  or  supporter  of  spiritual  life. 
Thus  Jesus,  after  his  resurrection,  "  breath' 
ed  upon  the  apostles,  saying,  Receive  ye 
the  Holy  Gliost."  John  xx.  22.  Perhaps 
he  alluded  to  the  creation  of  man  at  first, 
when  "  the  Lord  God  breathed  into  his 
nostrils  the  breath  of  life  (or  lives,)  and 
man  became  a  living  soul."  Gen.  ii.  7.  As 
the  vital  air  is  necessary  to  our  existence 
in  the  body,  so  the  Spirit  of  God  is  neces- 
sary to  our  spiritual  existence,  or  living  to 
God.  There  was  a  striking  emblem  of 
the  same  kind,  in  the  parable  of  tlie  dry 
bones,  Ezek.  xxxvii.  When  Ezekicl,  ac- 
cording to  God's  command,  prophesied  to 
them,  "  there  was  a  noise,  and  a  shaking  ; 
the  bones  came  together ;  the  flesh  came 
upon  them ;  and  the  skin  covered  tliem ; 
but  there  was  no  breath  in  them  ;  then  tJie 
Lord  said,  Prophesy  to  the  wind,  and  say, 
Come  from  the  four  winds,  O  breath  of  the 
Lord,  and  breathe  upon  these  slain,  that 
fhcy  may  live."  This  parable,  or  vision, 
fitly  represents,  not,  only  tlie  political  state 


216 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


of  tlie  Jews  and  their  recovery,  but  also 
the  deplorable  condition  of  men,  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins,  and  their  revival  to 
spiritual  life  by  the  word  and  Spirit  of 
Christ ;  and  it  shows  there  may  be  a  life- 
less form  of  godliness,  but  that  the  power 
and  life  is  from  the  Holy  Gliost,  "  for  if 
any  man  have  not  the  Spu-it  of  Christ,  he 
is  none  of  his."  This  great  truth  seems 
to  have  been  intimated  by  "  the  mighty 
rushing  wind." 

Another  very  remarkable  sign  accom- 
panied the  descent  of  the  Spirit  on  the  dis- 
ciples— "  There  appeared  unto  them  cloven 
tongues,  like  as  of  fire,  and  it  sat  upon 
each  of  them ;"  a  bright  appearance  over 
the  head  of  each,  resembling  a  tongue, 
terminating  in  several  points — a  very  suit- 
able emblem  of  the  "  gift  of  tongues," 
which  was  then  granted  to  tliem  ;  tor,  at 
that  moment,  "  they  were  filled  with  tlie 
Holy  Ghost,  and  began  to  speak  with  other 
tongues,  as  the  Spirit  gave  them  utter- 
ance." The  intention  of  this  miracle  was 
to  enable  them,  at  once,  to  speak  the  lan- 
guage of  every  country  to  which  they 
might  be  sent  to  preach  the  Gospel ;  and 
this  ability  was  attained,  not  in  the  ordina- 
ry and  slow  way  of  learning  a  foreign 
tongue,  as  we  do,  but  in  a  moment,  as  an 
attestation  to  the  truth  of  the  Gospel.  The 
dividing  of  tongues  at  Babel,  proved  the 
unhappy  means  of  losing  the  true  know- 
ledge of  the  true  God ;  but  by  this  new 
division  of  tongues,  the  knowledge  of  God 
in  Christ  was  restored,  and  readily  com- 
municated to  men  of  every  nation.  A 
specimen  of  this  was  immediately  afford- 
ed :  for  as  this  happened  at  the  time  of  a 
great  festival,  there  were  then  in  Jerusa- 
lem devout  Jews,  who  did  not  usually  re- 
side there,  but  sojourned  there,  having 
visited  the  temple*  from  all  parts  of  the 
known  world ;  and  when,  upon  the  report 
of  what  had  happened,  the  multitude  were 
gathered  together,  they  were  quite  con- 
founded and  amazed-;  for  every  one  of 
this  various  assembly  heard  one  or  other 
of  the  apostles  and  disciples,  as  they  ad- 
dressed themselves  by  turns  to  people  of 
a  different  language,  speaking  to  them  in 
his  own  proper  dialect.  And  they  were 
all  amazed  at  this  wonderful  event,  know- 
ing that  the  speakers  were  all  Galileans  : 
yet  did  they,  who  before  knew  no  language 
but  their  own,  speak  to  this  mixed  assembly 
in  a  great  variety  of  tongues. 

This  was  a  wonderful  testimony  to  the 
truth  of  the  Gospel  which  they  preached  ; 
and  it  was  intended  to  i)ut  an  honor  upon 
preaching  the  word  :  it  is  the  appointment 
of  God  for  the  conversion  of  sinners ;  it  is 


"  the  power  of  God  to  salvation ;"  and 
therefore  the  first  miracle,  after  the  Spirit 
was  given,  was  to  enable  his  servants  to 
preacli  it. 

The  tongues  were  of  fire.  Thus  the 
prophecy  was  fulfilled — "  he  shall  baptize 
you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire." 
And  does  not  this  emblem  denote  the 
illuminatwg  and  animating  nature  of 
divine  truth  ? — When  the  Gospel  is  at- 
tended with  thQ  power  of  the  Spirit,  it 
both  enlightens  and  ivarms  the  heart. 
Gospel  truths  are  not  cold  speculations ; 
they  afford  both  light  and  heat ;  they 
purify  the  mind,  purge  away  the  dross  of 
sensuality,  and  make  the  soul  mount 
heavenward.  Thus  the  hearts  of  the  two 
disciples  "  burnt  within  them,"  when  Jesus 
walked  with  them  and  opened  the  Scrip- 
tures. Come,  O  celestial  flame,  come,  and 
sit  upon  lis  also ;  enlighten  our  darkness, 
purify  our  affections,  consume  our  corrup- 
tions, and  fill  us  with  thyself! 

And  do  not  these  tongues  of  fire  speak 
a  lesson  to  all  the  minislers  of  the  Gospel  I 
Do  they  not  intimate  the  manner  in  which 
they  ought  to  preach  the  truth? — Not 
with  cold  indifference  or  frozen  formality, 
but,  like  John,  who  was  "  a  burning  and 
a  shining  light,"  witli  fervency  of  spirit, 
and  vigor  of  affections,  as  men  in  earnest, 
believing  and  feeling  what  they  speak, 
anxious  for  the  glory  of  Christ,  and  eager 
to  win  souls. 

What  was  the  subject  which  first  en- 
gaged the  heaven-taught  tongues  of  the 
disciples'! — The  wonderful  works  of  God. 
— "  We  do  hear  them  speak  in  our  own 
tongues — the  wonderful  works  of  God" — 
the  great  things  of  God — the  magnificent, 
stupendous  things  of  God.  And  what 
were  they  ?  Surely  they  were  tliose 
"  things  of  Christ"  which  the  Spirit  was 
given  to  show  them,  that  they  might 
"  glorify  him ;"  the  person,  miracles, 
death,  resurrection,  and  ascension  of 
Christ,  together  with  this  effusion  of  the 
Spirit;  in  a  word,  the  glorious  salvation 
of  tlie  Son  of  God  ;  and  these  will  always 
be  the  favorite  topics  of  those  ministers 
whose  tongues  are  touched  with  the  flame 
of  the  altar. 

The  multitude  who  witnessed  this  re- 
markable scene,  were  all  in  a  mixture  of 
amazement  and  perplexity,  and  said  to 
one  another,  What  can  this  mean  ;  the 
l)ious  and  devout  were  thus  affected  ;  but 
their  minds  were  prepared  to  listen  to 
the  voice  of  God,  as  soon  as  they  were 
convinced  it  was  his.  Others,  probably 
the  native  Jews,  who  understood  none  of 
these  foreign  languages,  and  heard  only 


SERMON  XLVII. 


217 


unintelligible  sounds,  derided  iheni,  as- 
cribing their  preaching  to  intoxication. 
"  These  men,"  said  they,  "  are  full  of  new 
wine."  Let  us  not  wonder,  if,  in  our  day, 
the  preachijig  of  the  Gospel  is  treated  in 
the  same  manner.  There  always  have  been 
mockers,  to  whom  the  Gospel  of  Christ 
has  been  foolishness. — The  Lord  pity  and 
pardon  them ! 

Then   Peter,   full  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
standing  up  with  the  eleven  apostles,  litled 
Tip  his  voice  and  addressed  the  multitude. 
He  begged  them  to  have  so  mucii  candor, 
as  not  rashly  to  conclude  them  to  be  men 
overcome  with  liquor,  especially  by  nine 
o'clock  in  the  morning ;  an  hour,  in  which 
it  should  seem  no  Jew  was  ever  known  to 
be  drunk.     But  he  directs  their  attention 
to  a  well-known  passage  of  Scripture,  a 
prophecy  of  Joel,  in  which  the  Lord  says — 
It  shall  come  to  pass,  in  the  last  days,  that 
I  will  pour  out  of  my  Spirit  upon  all 
Jlesh ;  and  your  sons  and  your  daughters 
shall  prophesy,  and  your  young  men  shall 
see  visions,  and  your  old  men  shall  dream 
dreams :  and  on  my  servants,  and  on  my 
handmaidens,  I  will  pour  out,  in   those 
days,  of  my  Spirit,  and  they  shall  proph- 
esy :  and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  who- 
soever shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  saved.   The  apostle  declares 
this  prophecy  to  be  then  fulfilling ;  and 
proceeds  to  show  them  that  Jesus  of  Naz- 
areth, whom  God  approved  among   them 
by  many  miracles,  and   whom   they  had 
lately  crucified,  was  the  true  Messiah,  the 
Son  of  God ;  and  tliat,  while  they  gratified 
their  own  wicked  passions  in  putting  him 
to  death,  they  had  fulfilled  the  divine  de- 
crees concerning  hiin.     But  that  all  their 
malice  had  been  in  vain,  for  God  had  rais- 
ed him  up,  according  to  the  prophecies  of 
■David.     Peter  declares  himself  and  his 
brethren  witnesses  of  his  resurrection  from 
the  dead,  and  affirms  that  his  divine  master, 
having  ascended  to  heaven,  had  sent  down, 
on  that  day,  the  promised  Spirit,  whose 
operations  on  his  disciples  they  now  beheld. 
The  design  of  this  sermon  was  to  con- 
vince them  of  sin,  which  is  the  first  work 
of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  the  I^ord  crowned 
it  with   vast  success.      Multitudes  were 
pierced  to  the  heart  with  a  sense  of  their 
guilt,   and   especially  with  the  guilt  in- 
curred  by   the  murder  of  Christ ;    and, 
filled  with  terror  and  perplexity,  they  ap- 
plied to  the  apostles  tor  advice,  saying, 
"  Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do  .'" 
Then  Peter,  agreeably  to  the  Lord's  direc- 
tion, "  preached  repentance  and  remission 
of  sing  in  his  name,  beginning  at  Jerasa- 
Icni."     Here  is  a  fine  specimen  of  Gospel 
2C 


preaching :  he  exhorts  the  vilest  sinners 
to  repent ;  encouraging  them  thereto  by 
the  hope  of  the  full  pardon  of  all  their 
sins,  u}X)n  believing  in  Jesus  ;  "  and  with 
many  other  words  did  he  testify  and  exhort, 
saying,  Save  yourselves  from  this  untoward 
generation." 

Wonderful  was  the  success  of  this  day — 
three  thousand  souls  converted  to  God  at 
once  !  Most  of  them,  probably,  bigoted 
Jews,  ignorantly  attached  to  the  law  of 
Moses,  and  bitter  enemies  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Many  of  them,  perhaps,  had  cried,  "  Cruci- 
fy him,  crucify  him !"  and  had  said,  "  his 
blood  be  upon  us  and  upon  our  children." 
Surprising  grace !  What  mercy,  what 
power,  was  that  day  displayed  !  What 
cannot  God  do  ]  Three  thousand  convert- 
ed; not  merely  alarmed,  but  changed  in 
heart.  Their  sincerity  was  manifest : 
they  sacrificed  all  their  worldly  interest  to 
Christ:  the  pardon  of  sin  filled  their  hearts 
with  gladness;  they  were  all  love,  and  lib- 
erality: and  they  continued  stedfast  ui 
the  apostle's  doctrine  and  fellowship,  and 
in  breakmg  of  bread,  and  in  prayers ;  prais- 
ing God,  and  having  favor  with  all  the 
people. 

Glorious  confirmation,  this,  of  the  truth 
of  the  Gospel !  Delightful  encourage- 
ment to  the  preachers  of  it !  Charming 
specimen  of  its  happy  effects,  and  blessed 
first  fruits  of  an  extensive  harvest !  O  for 
another  out-pouring  of  the  blessed  Spirit 
upon  tlie  Churches !  Such  we  expect,  in 
fulfilment  of  many  precious  promises.  In 
the  meantime,  may  we  be  the  happy  sub- 
jects and  witnesses  of  the  ordinary  work  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  conversion  of  sinners,  and 
in  the  edification  of  the  saints.  And  this 
staled  ivork  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  what  we 
shall  now,  in  tlie  second  place,  consider. 


We  have  taken  a  brief  view  of  the  glo- 
rious events  which  took  place  on  the  day 
of  Pentecost.  We  have  seen  the  apostles, 
and  probably  the  rest  of  the  hundred  and 
twenty  disciples,  endued  with  the  gift  of 
tongues.  This  gift,  together  with  the  pow- 
er of  healing  diseases,  casting  out  devils, 
with  many  other  miraculous  works,  was 
long  continued  in  the  Church;  perliaps 
above  an  hundred  years.  These  are  gene- 
rally called  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the 
Spirit.  These  have  long  since  ceased. 
When  Christianity  was  established,  there 
was  no  longer  occasion  for  tliem.  But, 
have  all  the  operations  of  the  Spirit 
ceased ]  Some  say  so:  but  we  deny  it.  We 
allow  that  the  extraordinary  powrrs  just 
mentioned  are  witlidrawn :  but  we  atlirm, 
and  tliink  it  an  affirmation  cf  prime  im- 
19 


218 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


portance,  that  the  gracious  influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  on  the  minds  of  believers, 
are  still  continued,  and  that  there  is  no  true 
vital  religion  without  them. 

The  extraordinary  gifts  at  first  possess- 
ed by  Christians,  did  not,  necessarily,  im- 
ply those  gracious  injitiences  for  which  we 
plead.  It  is  probable  that  some  had  the 
former,  who  were  destitute  of  the  latter ; 
for  St.  Paul,  1  Cor.  xiii.  1,  &c.  seems  to 
intimate,  that  a  person  might  speak  with 
various  tongues,  have  the  gift  of  prophecy, 
understand  all  mysteries,  and  work  mira- 
cles, and  yet  not  have  love,  an  eminent 
"  fruit  of  the  Spirit ;"  from  which  we  con- 
clude, that  the  ordinary  and  gracious  ope- 
rations of  the  Spirit  upon  the  souls  of  men 
may  be  continued,  although  his  miracu- 
lous gifts  are  withdrawn:  and  we  shall 
prove  that  the  former  are  promised  to  be 
continued  in  the  Church,  and  that  they  are 
now  as  necessary  to  make  men  Christians, 
as  they  were  in  the  apostles'  days. 

When  our  Lord  promised  to  send  liis 
Holy  Spirit  to  his  disciples,  he  assured 
them  that  he  should  abide  with  them  for 
EVER,  John  xiv.  16.  He  was  to  abide — to 
continue  with  them,  not  for  three  or  four 
years,  as  our  Lord  had  done,  but  for  ever ; 
and  as  this  presence  of  the  Comforter  was 
to  supply  the  place  of  Christ  on  earth,  we 
may  safely  conclude,  that  the  promise  ex- 
tended not  to  the  apostles  only,  but  like  his 
intercession,  John  xvii.  20,  "  to  them  also 
who  should  believe  on  him,  through  their 
word,"  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world. 

The  Holy  Spirit  is  promised,  John  vii. 
38,  as  the  common  privilege  of  all  believ- 
ers. "  He  that  believeth  in  me,  out  of  his 
belly,  or  heart,  shall  flow  rivers  of  living 
water.  This  spake  he  of  the  Spirit,  which 
they  that  believe  on  him  should  receive." 
This  promise  is  not  confined  to  believers 
of  the  first  century,  or  to  the  age  of  mira- 
cles ;  it  is  as  much  a  promise  to  believers 
at  large,  as  any  other  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament. A  sunilar  promise  is  made,  John 
iv.  14. 

The  Holy  Spirit  is  said  to  dwell  in  be- 
lievers, 1  Cor.  iii.  16.  and  vi.  19.  "  The 
Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you ;"  "  your  body 
is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  This 
is  spoken  to  the  whole  body  of  Corinthian 
Christians,  without  a  single  hint  that  the 
blessing  was  intended  to  be  confined  to 
them,  or  to  Christians  of  that  age  only. 
Were  we  to  admit  that  expressions  of  this 
kind,  respecting  the  Spirit,  must  be  con- 
fined to  the  first  believers,  we  should  be 
obliged  to  admit  the  same  restriction  as  to 
all  the  privileges,  tempers,  and  duties  of 
Christians  in  general.  And  indeed,  those 
who  deny  the  work  of  the  Spirit  do  gene- 


rally give  up  all  the  essentials  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  leave  us  nothing  but  a  system 
of  mere  morality — a  refined  heathenism, 
graced  with  the  name  of  Christ.  And  we 
may  seriously  "  advise  persons  to  be  cau- 
tious of  confining  the  Spirit  to.  primitive 
times,  lest  they  confine  Heaven  to  -primi- 
tive times,  and  so  miss  of  it  themselves ; 
for  indeed  there  is  no  going  to  Heaven 
without  receiving  the  Holy  Spirit." 

This  will  appear  still  more  clearly,  if  we 
consider  for  what  purposes  he  is  given  to 
the  Church ;  we  shall  then  see  that  there 
is  always  the  same  occasion  for  his  gra- 
cious influences  as  there  was  at  first. 

The  whole  dispensation  of  the  Gospel  is 
called — The  ministration  of  the  Spirit,  2 
Cor.  iii.  8.  The  whole  business  of  Gospel 
Salvation,  from  first  to  last,  is  in  the  hands 
of  the  Spirit.  Not  only  at  first,  but  in  all 
ages,  he  calls,  qualifies,  and  assists  the 
ministers  of  the  Gospel  in  preaching  it; 
and  all  its  efficacy  in  the  world  is  from  the 
power  of  his  grace. 

Illumination  is  his  work.  No  truth  of 
the  Gospel  is  rightly  understood  but  by  his 
teaching.  He  was  promised  as  "  the  Spirit 
of  truth,"  who  was  to  "glorify  Christ,"  by 
"  showing  the  things  of  Christ"  to  men. 
This  is  fully  proved  by  those  words  of  St. 
Paul,  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  "The  natural  man 
(that  is,  every  man  by  nature)  receiveth 
not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they 
are  foolishness  unto  him;  neither  can  he 
know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually 
discerned ;"  that  is,  they  are  knovra  only 
by  the  teaching  of  the  Spirit,  in  the  use  of 
the  word.  Now,  as  all  real  Christians  are 
illuminated  and  taught  of  God,  it  is  evi- 
dently necessary  that  they  should  all  have 
the  Spirit ;  and  if  the  Spirit  be  not  given, 
then  no  man  in  the  world  knows,  or  can 
know,  the  things  of  God. 

Again,  all  real  Christians  are  praying 
persons ;  but  no  man  knows  "  how  to  pray, 
and  what  to  pray  for,"  without  his  assist- 
ance ;  and  therefore  it  is  mentioned,  Rom. 
viii.  26,  as  the  common  privilege  of  all  be- 
lievers, that  "  the  Spirit  itself  helpeth  our 
infirmities"  in  this  duty;  which  shows  that 
all  Christians,  in  all  ages,  need  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Spirit. 

Our  Savior,  in  his  discourse  with  Nico- 
demus,  (John  iii.)  strongly  insisted  on  the 
necessity  of  regeneration,  or  the  new  birth, 
solemnly  declaring,  that  "  unless  a  man  be 
born  again,  or  born  of  the  Spirit,  he  could 
not  be  saved."  This  then  shows,  that  eve- 
ry Christian  must  needs  have  the  Spirit, 
for  he  is  tlie  author  of  that  inward  change, 
without  which  no  man  is  inwardly  a  Chris- 
tian. 

Sanctification  is  also  the  privilege  of  all 


SERMON  XLVII. 


219 


true  believers:  they  are  "elect,  according 
to  the  foreknowledge  of  God  the  Father, 
through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit."  1 
Pet.  ii.  2.  No  man  can  be  saved  who  is 
not  sanctified,  and  no  man  can  be  sanctifi- 
ed but  by  tiie  Spirit. 

The  Holy  Ghost  was  promised  "  to  con- 
vince of  sin,  of  righteousness,  and  of  judg- 
ment." But  will  any  person  say,  it  is  less 
necessary  now  to  be  convmced  of  sin,  &lc. 
than  at  lirst .'  Can  there  be  any  repent- 
ance without  it!  Certainly  not:  and  if 
not,  then  the  Spirit  is  as  necessary  as  ever. 

He  is  also  called  the  iSpirit  of  Faith. 
He -is  the  Co/rforler,  tlie  Seal,  the  Wit- 
ness, the  First  Fruits  of  Heaven.  No 
man  then  can  have  faitii  in  Christ,  spirit- 
ual joy  and  conitbrt,  nor  any  evidence  for 
Heaven,  unless  he  liave  the  Holy  Spirit. 

This  might  be  more  abundantly  proved 
from  a  great  number  of  texts  and  argu- 
ments, bi^t  the  narrow  limits  of  a  short 
sermon  forbid.* 

APPLICATION. 
Have  ye  received  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  said 
St.  Paul,  to  some  early  disciples.  We  ask 
the  same  question — Have  ye  received  the 
Holy  Ghost  ?  We  have  proved  the  neces- 
sity of  his  sacred  influences :  do  we  know 
any  thing  of  them  by  experience  1  Remem- 
ber what  the  Scripture  says,  Rom.  viii.  9. 
"If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
he  is  none  of  his."  And  how  awful  must 
their  portion  be,  who  are  not  his!  The 
whole  world  is  under  the  dominion  eitlier 
of  the  good  Spirit  of  God,  or  the  evil 
spirit,  "  who  worketh  in  the  hearts  of  all 
the  children  of  disobedience."  It  is  there- 
fore of  the  greatest  importance  for  us  to 
consider,  under  whose  influence  we  act. — 
"  If  we  sow  to  the  flesh,  we  shall  reap  cor- 
ruption ;  if  we  sow  to  the  Spirit,  we  shall 
of  the  Spirit  reap  eternal  life."  By  our 
fruits  are  we  known.  "  The  fruits  of  the 
Spirit,  are  love,  and  joy,  and  peace,  and 
goodness,  and  meekness,  and  temperance." 
— "  The  works  of  the  flesh  are  adultery, 
fornication,  hatred,  drunkenness,  &c.  and 
they  who  do  such  things  shall  not  inherit 
the  kingdom  of  God."  Wliat  does  our  con- 
duct say  !  O  conscience,  be  faithful — give 
a  true  verdict!  Does  it  appear  that  you 
are  a  stranger  to  his  grace,  in  enlighten- 
ing the  mind,  renewing  the  will,  convinc- 
ing of  sin,  leading  the  soul  to  Christ,  and 

*  The  necessity  of  Divine  Influences  is  dis- 
nlaved,  in  a  very  pleasing  manner,  by  Mr.  T. 
Williams,  in  his  Iwok,  called  "An  Historic  De- 
fence of  Experimental  Religion,  as  supjwrted  by 
the  authority  of  Scripture,  and  the  experience  of 
the  wisest  and  best  men  in  all  agee,"  &c. 


sanctifying  the  whole  manl  Know,  then, 
that  your  state  is  deplorable  and  danger- 
ous. May  you  be  sensible  of  it :  and,  if 
you  are,  you  will  earnestly  pray  to  God  to 
give  you  liis  Spirit,  which  he  has  promised 
to  them  that  ask  him. 

To  those  who  know  the  Lord,  the  efliii- 
sion  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost will  appear  exceedingly  glorious. 
Such  persons  will  rejoice  to  think  that  his 
gracious  influence  is  still  continued  in  the 
church.  Above  all,  they  will  be  continu- 
ally desirous  to  experience  it.  All  the 
light,  love,  peace,  joy,  and  consolation,  to 
be  found  in  the  religion  of  Jesus,  spring 
from  his  constant  operations.  Honor,  then, 
this  blessed  Spirit,  by  seeking  his  daily  as- 
sistance. When  you  pray,  read,  hear,  or 
perform  any  spiritual  action,  seek  his  help. 
Thus  shall  you  "  be  filled  with  all  joy  and 
peace  in  believing;"  thus  shall  "the  love 
of  God  be-  shed  abroad  in  your  hearts ;" 
thus  shall  you  "abound  in  hope,  through 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;"  and  having 
this  experience,  you  possess  "  the  seal"  of 
God,  and  "  the  earnest"  of  heaven ;  "  for 
he  that  hath  wrought  us  for  the  self-same 
thing  is  God,  who  hath  also  given  us  of  his 
Spirit."  This  is  the  grand  evidence  of  our 
being  Christians  indeed :  and  "  liereby 
know  we  that  we  dwell  in  him,  and  he  in 
us,  because  he  hath  given  us  of  liis  Spirit." 
•  To  the  blessed  Spirit  of  all  grace ;  to 
Jesus  Christ  the  only  Savior ;  and  to  the 
Father  of  mercies ;  the  one  covenant  God 
of  our  salvation,  be  glory,  in  all  the 
churches,  world  without  end.    Amen. 

"  Let  thy  kind  Spirit  in  my  heart 
For  ever  dwell,  O  God  of  love  ! 

And  light,  and  heavenly  peace  impart, 
Sweet  earnest  of  the  joys  above." 


PRAYER. — Our  Father  who  art  in  Heaven, 
if  we,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  to 
our  children,  wilt  thou  not  give  thy  Holy  Spirit 
to  them  who  ask  thee  ?  Blessed  be  thy  name  for 
his  glorious  descent  and  miraculous  operations 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  Blessed  be  thy 
name  for  the  gracious  promise,  that  he  should 
abide  with  the  church  ibr  ever.  Without  him 
we  can  do  nothing.  Impart,  we  beseech  thee, 
this  heavenly  gift.  May  the  Holv  Spirit  be  our 
teacher,  leading  us  into  all  truth.  May  he  be  our 
Sanctifier,  subduing  all  our  iniquities,  and  sanc- 
tifying us  in  body,  soul,  and  spirit.  May  he  bo 
our  Comforter,  giving  us  joy  and  peace  in  be- 
lieving. May  he  be  to  us  the  l^arnest  of  the 
heavenly  inheritance,  seahng  us  to  the  day  of 
redcmpiioii.  Grant  that  we  may  I'C  the  temples 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  that  it  may  be  our  anxious 
concern  not  to  grieve  him.  May  we  be  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost;  may  we  be  filled  with  all 
the  fullness  of  God.  Grant  this,  O  Lord,  for  the 
sake  of^  thy  dear  Son  ;  and  to  the  Father  of  mer- 
cies, the  Son  of  his  love,  and  the  Spirit  of  his 
grace,  be  glory  and  honor  for  ever  and  ever. 
Amen. 


220 


VILLAGE  SERMONS 


SERMON  XLVIII. 

CHRIST  OUR  BENEFACTOR. 

Acts  X.  38.  Who  went  about  doing  good. 

BY  THE  REV.  SAMUEL  GREATHEED.* 

The  apostle  Peter  said  this  to  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  The  occasion  of  his  saying 
it,  shows  us  that  the  Spirit  of  God  works 
upon  the  minds  of  men,  and  inclines  them 
to  serve  him,  even  before  they  know  how 
to  serve  him  in  a  right  manner.  In  this 
case,  they  are  very  glad  and  thankful  to 
be  taught  the  will  of  God.  Do  yon,  breth- 
ren, wish  to  know  how  you  may  please 
God,  and  become  "  wise  to  salvation  V  If 
we  do  not  wish  to  do  you  good,  we  should 
not  come  to  you.  The  Lord  is  altogether 
good,  and  is  always  doing  good.-  We  may 
surely  hope  he  will  do  us  good  now,  if  we 
are  truly  desirous  of  knowing  his  will. 

We  find  from  this  chapter,  that  the 
words  of  the  text  were  spoken  by  Peter  to 
Cornelius,  who  was  an  officer  in  the  Ro- 
man army,  and  had  been  brought  up  a 
heathen,  and  an  idolater.  He  was  quar- 
tered among  the  Jews,  who  were  the  only 
nation  at  that  time  that  knew  there  is  only 
one  God,  who  is  eternal  and  holy.  Corne- 
lius learned  from  them  this  doctrine,  which 
is  the  ground  of  all  true  religion  ;  and  he 
prayed  to  God,  as  every  body  should  do, 
who  believes  thfere  is  a  God.  If  you  do 
not  pray  to  God,  you  are  worse  than  the 
heathens,  for  they  do  not  know  there  is  a 
God  to  pray  to.  Besides  this,  we  are  told 
that  Cornelius  feared  God  with  all  his 
house.  Do  yon  try  to  lead  your  families 
and  friends  to  know  and  serve  God!  If 
not,  you  see,  tliat  instead  of  being  true 
Cliristians,  you  come  far  short  of  what  Cor- 
nelius did,  before  he  ever  heard  the  Gos- 
pel of  Christ. 

Tiiey  who  do  not  pray  to  God  are  with- 
out excuse,  because  God  assures  us,  in  his 
word,  that  he  liears  and  answers  prayer. 
The  history  of  Corncliuii  gives  a  proof  of 
it.  The  apostle  Peter  was  i)reaching  tlie 
Gospel  at  a  place  about  forty  miles  distant 

*  This  disrotirse  was  composed  by  Mr.  Great- 
heed  solely  for  the  use  of  some  persons  who  vis- 
ited the  villages  near  Newport-Pagnell,  Bucks, 
and  who  read  written  or  j)rinted  sermons  to  the 
people,  and  before  the  publication  of  the  first 
volume  of  the  Village  Sermons;  consequently 
without  ony  intention  of  its  publication  from  the 
press.  But  it  appears  in  this  volume  by  the  par- 
ticular desire  of  Mr.  Rurdcr,  who  wishes  it  to 
slai>d  as  a  token  of  his  unfeigned  respect  for  the 
autl  or,  and  a  memorial  of  their  mutual  friend- 
ehip. 


I  from  the  town  where  Cornelius  lived.  The 
j  Lord  informed  Cornelius  of  this,  and  told 
him  to  send  for  Peter  to  come  and  instruct 
him.  Peter  accordingly  came,  and  preach- 
ed Jesus  Christ  to  all  who  had  met  on  the 
occasion  ;  showing  them  how  God  anoint- 
ed Jesus  of  Nazareth  with  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  with  power;  who  went  about  doing 
good.  He  told  them  also  much  more  about 
Jesus  Christ ;  and  indeed,  if  he  had  not 
preached  about  Christ,  he  need  not  have 
come  there.  "Christ  is  the  Way,  the 
Truth,  and  the  Life ;"  by  whom  alone  a 
sinner  can  find  mercy  with  God.  Wherever 
the  apostles  went,  they  preached  Christ. 
This  is  one  mark  by  wliich  you  may  know 
who  they  are  that  preach  most  like  the 
apostles.  If  you  hear  little  or  nothing 
about  Christ,  you  are  likely  to  get  little  or 
no  good. 

The  apostle  Peter  informed  Cornelius 
and  his  family,  that  the  doctrine^he  had  to 
deliver  was  the  same  which  they  must 
have  heard  of,  as  it  had  been  published 
throughout  all  the  neighboring  country  of 
Judea ;  and  had,  indeed,  been  first  preach- 
ed in  Galilee,  the  country  where  they  then 
were.  You  may,  perhaps,  think  it  strange, 
that  Cornelius  had  not  inquired  about  it 
sooner ;  but  the  reason  probably  was,  that 
Christianity  was  then  everywhere  spoken 
against;  the  apostles  and  disciples  of 
Christ  were  suspected,  even  by  their  own 
countrymen,  the  Jews,  to  be  either  mad  or 
wicked  men,  because  they  worsliipped  God 
in  a  way  different  from  that  which  was  es- 
tablished by  law ;  and  because  they  con- 
tinued preaching  Christ  to  their  neighbors, 
when  it  was  opposed  and  forbidden  by  the 
great  people  and  rulers.  If  you  read  the 
book  of  the  Acts,  you  will  see  this  was  the 
cage :  and  you  will  not  be  surprised  at  it, 
if  you  consider  that  Jesus  Christ  himself 
was  crucified,  (which  is  like  being  hanged 
in  our  country)  for  both  the  rulers  and  the 
mob  accused  hiin  of  tlie  vilest  criines.  But 
the  prejudices  of  Cornelius  were  now  re- 
moved, and  it  was  an  excellent  disposition 
which  he  discovered,  when  he  said  to  the 
apostle,  "  Now,  therefore,  we  are  all  here 
present  before  God,  to  hear  all  things  that 
are  commanded  thee  of  God."  May  the 
Lord  give  us  now  the  saine  disposition  ! 

One  thing  which  Peter  told  Cornelius 
concerning  Jesus  Christ  was,  tiiat  "he 
went  about  doing  good."  If  Cornelius  had 
heard  any  thing  of  Christ  before,  it  might 
be  that  he  went  about  doing  harm.  Christ 
had  been  charged  by  the  Jews  with  trea- 
son and  blasphemy.  He  had  been  tried, 
condemned,  and  executed,  as  a  malefactor. 
Cornelius  was  likely,  from  the  common  re- 


SERMON  XLVni. 


221 


port,  lo  have  a  very  bad  opinion  of  CiirisL 
He  determined,  however,  to  hear  all  that 
Peter  had  to  say  in  belialf  of  Christ;  and 
then  to  judge  for  liimsclf.  Let  us  all  be 
careful  how  we  take  matters  upon  hearsay, 
especially  about  religion,  and  religious 
people. 

Peter  convinced  Cornelius  that  Jesus 
Christ  went  about  doing  good.  So  far  as 
you  know  tiie  history  of  Christ,  you  are 
doubtless  convinced,  that  he  did  not  go 
about  to  hurt  people,  but  to  do  them  good. 
Even  those  ignorant  and  foolish  persons, 
wlio  deny  that  Christ  was  sent  from  hea- 
ven, own  that  he  did  good  in  some  re- 
spects. But  what  we  should  desire  to 
know  is,  Whether  he  can,  and  will,  do  us 
good  .'  If  we  do  not  obtain  good  from  Christ 
in  this  life,  and  in  that  to  come,  we  might 
as  well  never  have  heard  of  him. 

As  to  the  power  of  Christ  to  do  us  good, 
we  have  reason  to  trust  in  it,  from  the 
wonderful  power  he  had  to  do  good  to  all 
as  long  as  he  was  upon  earth.  His  works 
were  such  as  no  man  ever  did  before  nor 
since.  He  satisfied  the  hunger  of  many 
thousands  of  people  with  a  very  few  small 
loaves  and  fishes.  By  merely  touching,  or 
even  speaking  to  weak  and  sick  persons, 
he  cured  them  of  the  most  desperate  dis- 
eases. He  raised  up  several  people  from 
death  to  life ;  one  man,  who  had  been 
buried  some  days,  was  restored  to  his  af- 
flicted relations.  In  that  age  of  the  world, 
when  God  was  so  little  known,  the  devil 
was  worshipped  by  many ;  and  he  was  per- 
mitted to  torment  the  bodies  of  mankind 
in  a  shocking  manner :  but  no  wicked 
spirit  could  keep  possession  of  any  person 
wlio  was  brought  to  Christ  for  relief  One 
word  from  him  was  enough  to  restore  any 
one  to  perfect  health  and  reason.  The 
power  of  Christ  was  also  sliown  in  preserv- 
ing his  disciples  in  a  dreadful  storm  at  sea. 
He  said  to  the  wind  and  the  waves,  "  Be 
still,"  and  they  became  perfectly  calm  in 
a  moment.  But  it  is  not  possible  now  to 
tell  you  a  liundrcdth  part  of  the  proofs  that 
Jesus  gave  of  his  power  to  do  good  to  those 
around  him.  The  four  Gospels  are  full  of 
such  accounts :  yet,  at  the  close  of  the  last, 
St.  John  says,  "  there  were  also  many 
otlicr  things  which  Jesus  did,  the  which, 
if  they  should  be  written  every  one,  I  snp- 
jMse  that  even  the  world  itself  could  not 
contain  the  books  that  should  be  written." 
People  in  general  are  fond  of  reading  and 
hearing  wonderful  tilings.  Now  tliere  is 
no  true  history,  nor  scarcely  any  story,  that 
contain  things  so  wonderful  as  those  which 
Jesus  did  for  the  good  of  mankind.  Yet 
they  are  all  certainly  true,  for  they  were 


written  by  four  different  persons,  who  saw 
what  they  relate;  who  were  honest  and 
good  men  ;  who  did  good  like  their  Mas- 
ter ;  and  suffered  themselves  to  be  put  to 
death  rather  than  deny  what  they  knew 
to  be  true,  or  keep  silence  about  it.  You 
would  do  well,  as  often  as  you  can,  to  take 
up  your  Bibles,  and  read  tlie  history  of 
Jesus  Christ ;  and  also  consider,  whenever 
you  read  it,  what  was  his  reason  for  doing 
good  in  such  surprising  ways  ?  Why  was 
the  history  of  his  actions  written  over  and 
over  again,  and  handed  down  to  us,  so 
many  hundred  years  after  J  The  whole 
must  surely  be  meant  for  our  good.  It 
would  be  tantalizing  to  you,  to  tell  you  of 
his  doing  so  much  good  to  others,  if  tjou 
could  ffet  no  trood  from  him.  You  sutFer 
pains  and  wants ;  your  relations  and  neigh- 
bors are  afflicted ;  if  Christ  was  now  upon 
earth,  he  might  do  them  the  same  good  he 
formerly  did  to  others.  But  if  you  read 
the  Scripture  with  care,  you  may  see  that 
Jesus  took  more  pains  to  leach  people  tlian 
to  heal  them.  He  performed  all  these 
miracles  to  gain  their  attention,  and  their 
belief  of  what  he  taught.  His  doctrine 
could  do  them  much  greater  good  than  the 
healing  of  their  diseases.  If  you  could  be 
certain  that  God  forgave  all  your  sins,  and 
would  give  you  eternal  life,  would  you  not 
think  it  a  greater  benefit  than  merely  to 
be  cured  of  a  bodily  complaint  ]  The  doc- 
trine of  Ciirist  was,  that  "  God  so  loved 
the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son  ;  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
might  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life."  And,  accordingly,  he  healed  one 
man  of  the  palsy,  on  purpose  to  show  lie 
could  forgive  his  sini^.  When  the  poor 
creature  was  brought  to  our  Lord,  his  first 
words  to  him  were,  "  Son,  thy  sins  are  for- 
given thee."  Some  who  were  present, 
murmured  at  his  pretending  to  forgive 
sins ;  but  he  soon  silenced  tiiem.  "  That 
ye  may  know  that  the  Son  of  man  hath 
power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins,"  said  he, 
turning  to  tlie  poor  man,  "  I  say  unto  thee. 
Arise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and  go  to  thine 
house."  And  immediately  he  arose,  took 
up  his  bed,  and  went  forth  before  them  all. 
See  the  2d  chapter  of  St.  Mark. 

Now,  brethren,  wliat  think  ye  of  the 
power  of  Christ  to  do  good  1  Nothing 
could  be  more  true  or  just  than  the  prm- 
ciple  upon  which  the  Jews  reasoned  among 
themselves — "Who  can  forgive  sins,  but 
God  only?"  But  you  see  our  I-ord  Jesus 
Christ  did  forgive  sins;  and  proved  his 
power  to  do  so,  by  working  a  miracle.  It 
is  plain,  tlierefore,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  God. 
All  of  you  have,  probably,  been  told  so 
19* 


222 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


froiTi  your  infancy;  but  now  you  Bee  it 
cannot  be  otlierwise.  On  this  account,  the 
Scriptures  call  him  "  Iminunuel ;"  which 
signifies  "  Uod  with  ws;"  they  also  call 
hun  *'  the  Son  nf  God,'"  having  the  same 
nature  with  his  Father ;  and  tliey  declare, 
that  "  all  men  should  honor  the  Son,  even 
as  they  honor  the  Father,"  for  He  and  the 
Father  are  one :  tliey  also  call  him  "  the 
Word  of  God,"  and  then  say,  "  the  Word 
was  God," 

Now  as  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  "  God 
over  all,  blessed  for  evermore,"  his  power 
to  do  good  must  be  boundless,  and  always 
the  same.  You  have  seen  that  he  worked 
a  miracle  to  prove,  that  whilst  on  earth, 
he  had  power  to  forgive  sins ;  and  surely, 
now  he  is  exalted  to  heaven,  he  must  have 
the  same  power.  If,  whilst  he  was  on 
earth,  in  the  form  of  a  servant,  he  had  this 
jjower,  you  cannot  reasonably  doubt  that, 
now  he  reigns  in  heaven,  king  of  the 
world,  "  he  is  able  even  to  save  to  the  ut- 
termost, all  who  come  to  God  by  him." 

And  do  you  not  all  need  his  pardoning 
mercy  ?  Have  you  not  transgressed  his 
holy  law "]  Remember,  it  is  written,  "  Curs- 
ed is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all 
things,  commanded  in  the  book  of  the  law, 
to  do  them."  Galatians,  iii.  10.  If  you 
have  obeyed  it  in  some  respects,  or  even 
in  most  things,  this  will  not  excuse  you 
for  having  disobeyed  or  neglected  it  in 
others.  The  law  of  God  admits  of  no  com- 
position ;  and  makes  no  allowance  for  any 
failure  whatever.  The  Apostle  James  as- 
sures us  (ch.  ii.  ver.  10.)  that  "  whosoever 
shall  keep  the  whole  law,  exceptinig  in  one 
point,  and  oflcnds  in  that,  he  is  guilty  of 
all."  And  the  reason  he  gives  for  this  is, 
that  it  is  the  same  authority  which  enforces 
each  of  the  commandments ;  so  that  who- 
ever disobeys  any  one  of  them,  tramples 
upon  all  the  authority  of  God.  Instead, 
therefore,  of  inquiring  who  can  forgive 
sins  but  God,  it  might  be  asked,  How  can 
God  himself  forgive  sins  committed  against 
that  law,  which  he  himself  hath  given  to 
mankind  for  the  rule  of  their  conduct,  and 
by  which  he  has  appointed  that  men  should 
be  judged! — This  question  must  forever 
have  perplexed  a  convinced  sinner,  if  the 
Gospel  had  not  told  us  that  "  God  was  in 
Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself, 
not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them :" 
for  "  God  made  him  to  be  a  sin-offering  for 
us,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  in  him."  2  Cor.  v.  19.  21.  On 
this  ground  there  is  encouragement  to  hope 
for  pardon.  "  There  is  forgiveness  with 
God,  that  he  may  be  feared."  Yea,  "  it  is 
a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  accepta- 


tion, that  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world 
to  save  sinners/'  So  that,  if  any  of  you 
have  been  distressed  and  terrified  on  ac- 
count of  your  sins,  you  see  it  is  not  right 
for  you  to  despair  of  forgiveness.  Christ 
was  Crucified,  that  he  might  bear  the  pun- 
ishment due  to  your  sins ;  and,  after  being 
buried,  he  performed  the  greatest  miracle 
of  all,  in  raising  up  his  own  body,  by  his 
own  power,  from  the  grave ;  in  order  that 
he  might  prove  he  had  fully  discharged  the 
debt  which  sinners  had  incurred.  He  af- 
terwards ascended  up  to  heaven ;  and,  in 
some  of  his  last  words  to  his  disciples,  said, 
"  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature.  He  that  believ- 
eth,  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved ;  but 
he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  damned." 
Mark  xvi.  15,  16.  We  are  all  under  con- 
demnation ;  for  all  have  sinned.  No  obe- 
dience that  we  can  pay  in  future  to  the  law 
of  God  can  make  amends  for  past  sins. 
But  Christ  has  power  to  forgive  them, 
"  For  by  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith, 
and  that  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of 
God."  When  a  certain  person  came  to 
Christ  on  earth,  he  seemed  to  doubt  his 
power  to  help,  saying,  "  If  thou  canst  do 
any  thing,  have  compassion  on  us,  and 
help  us."  Jesus  said  unto  him,  "  If  thou 
canst  believe,  all  things  are  possible  to  him 
that  believeth."  "  Lord,"  answered  the 
poor  man,  with  tears,  "  I  believe ;  help 
thou  mine  unbelief!"  So,  under  your  fears 
about  the  possibility  of  your  sins  being  for- 
given, go  to  Jesus  by  prayer ;  plead  that 
he  has  said,  "  He  that  believeth  shall  be 
saved,"  and  cry,  "  Lord,  I  believe,  help 
thou  mine  unbelief" 

I  hope  you  are  now  satisfied  as  to  the 
power  of  Jesus  to  do  you  good.  If  so,  it 
should  be  your  chief  concern  to  know 
whether  he  is  willing  also  to  do  you  good, 
and  all  the  good  that  you  need.  May  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  make  you  as  earnest  on 
this  point,  as  reasonable  creatures,  with 
the  word  of  God  before  them,  ought  to  be ! 
what  would  it  profit  you,  if  you  could  gain 
the  whole  world,  and  should  lose  your  own 
souls?  You  think,  perhaps,  but  little  of 
this  now.  But  you  are  near  the  hour  of 
death ;  you  don't  know  how  near.  •  And  if 
you  have  your  reason  then,  you  will  won- 
der how  you  could  have  been  so  stupid 
through  your  lives  as  not  to  be  concerned, 
above  all  things,  to  know  whether  Christ 
was  willing  to  save  your  souls.  It  may  then 
be  too  late,  and  you  would,  in  vain,  give 
the  whole  world  for  a  few  minutes'  time 
like  those  which  we  yet  have  to  spend  to- 
gether. But  "  NOW,"  I  have  to  declare  to 
you,  from  the  Scriptures,  "  now  is  the  ac- 


SERMON  XLVm. 


223 


cepted  time ;  noii>  is  the  day  of  salvation." 
"  O  seek  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found, 
call  upon  him  while  he  is  near." 

You  have  heard  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
ever  blessed  God :  be  assured,  then,  from 
the  gracious  character  in  which  God  has 
revealed  himself  in  his  word,  tliat  he  will 
not  despise  any  soul  that  is  truly  humbled 
and  contrite  on  account  of  his  sin.  "  Tlie 
tender  mercy  of  God  is  over  all  his  works." 
You  see  every  day,  wliat  compassion  he 
shows  to  the  evil  and  unthankful.  His 
rain  descends,  and  his  sun-beams  shine,  on 
the  land  of  the  wicked,  as  well  as  on  that 
of  the  good.  And  has  he  less  compassion 
on  your  sutds  than  on  your  bodies  !  By 
no  means.  He  desireth  not  the  death  of  a 
sinner,  but  rather  that  he  should  turn  from 
his  wickedness  and  live.  "  Turn  ye  ;" 
said  the  Lord  to  the  rebellious  house  of  Is- 
rael, "turn  ye  from  your  evil  ways;  for 
why  will  ye  die  1"  How  long,  already, 
has  God  delayed  avenging  himself  upon  us 
for  sins !  Why  7  "  Not  that  he  is  slack 
concerning  his  promise,  but  that  he  is  long- 
suffering  to  US-ward ;  not  willing  that  any 
should  perish,  but  that  all  should  come  to 
repentance :"  "  for  except  we  repent,  we 
must  all  perish;"  but  a  godly  sorrow  works 
repentance  unto  salvation. 

You  have  heard  that  "  God  was  mani- 
fested in  the  flesh"  in  the  person  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Astonishing  as  it  is,  it  is  certain, 
that  he  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  ser- 
vant, suffered  infirmity,  want,  contempt, 
persecution,  and  a  shameful,  miserable 
death.  So  wonderful  an  event  must  an- 
swer some  good  purpose.  The  prophe- 
cies of  the  Old  Testament  concur  with  the 
sayings  of  our  Lord  himself,  and  his  apos- 
tles, in  the  New  Testament,  to  teach  us 
what  was  the  design  of  the  sufferings  and 
death  of  Christ.  "  He  bore  our  griefs,  and 
carried  our  sorrows ;  was  wounded  for  our 
transgressions,  and  bruised  for  our  iniqui- 
ties ;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was 
upon  him;  and  with  his  stripes  we  are 
healed.  AH  we,  like  sheep,  have  gone 
astray;  we  have  turned  every  one  to  his 
own  way,  and  the  Lord  hath  laid  upon  him 
the  iniquity  of  us  all."  Isa.  iii.  4.  6.  "lam 
the  good  shepherd,"  said  Jesus.  "I  lay  down 
my  life  for  the  sheep.  They  shall  never  per- 
ish, but  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life." 
John  X.  "Whom  God  hath  set  forth," 
says  the  apostle  Paul,  "  to  be  a  propitia- 
tion, through  faitii  in  his  blood,  to  de- 
clare his  righteousness  for  the  remission 
of  sms  that  are  past,  through  the  forbear- 
ance of  God ;  that  he  might  be  just  and 
the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Je- 
sus."    Rom.  iii.  25,  26.     And  can  any  one 


believe  that  Jesus  humbled  himself  as  a 
man,  and  suffered  as  if  he  had  been  a  male- 
factor, for  the  sole  purpose  of  saving  sin- 
ners ;  and  yet  suspect  that  he  will  refuse 
salvation  to  those  tliat  seek  it  from  him  1 
It  was  for  "  the  joy"  of  saving  sinners 
that  he  "  endured  the  cross,  disregarding 
the  shame."  Well  may  it  then  be  said, 
that  "  there  is  joy  in  Heaven  over  every 
sinner  that  repenteth."  May  you  now  be- 
lieve in  Christ,  that  he  may  "  see  of  the 
travail  of  his  soul"  in  your  salvation,  "and 
be  satisfied." 

Consider  what  is  said  in  the  text,  "  He 
we7it  about  doing  good."  He  not  only 
never  rejected  one  request  for  help,  of  all 
the  numberless  persons  who  applied  to  him, 
but  he  went  about,  in  order  "  to  seek  and 
save  that  which  was  lost."  He  travelled 
for  this  purpose  on  foot,  with  much  weari- 
ness and  faintness,  from  one  end  of  the 
land  of  Canaan  to  the  other,  again  and 
again.  He  compares  himself  to  a  shepherd, 
who  seeks  far  and  wide  for  a  poor  wander- 
ing sheep,  that  never  could  have  found  its 
way  back  to  the  fold.  So  his  willingness 
to  do  good  to  sinners  is  still  proved,  by  his 
command  to  those  who  are  mtrusted  with 
the  Gospel,  that  they  should  preach  it  to 
all  mankind ;  by  his  providence,  in  sending 
his  disciples  throughout  the  world,  without 
which  the  Gospel  would  to  this  day  have 
been  unknown  in  this  country ;  and  by  the 
influence  of  his  Spirit  upon  the  heart  of  all 
them  who  are  made  willing,  in  the  day  of 
his  power,  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  be- 
fore them  ;  for  what  but  the  sovereign 
grace  of  God  makes  any  of  you,  who  long 
for  his  salvation,  to  dilfer  from  the  rest, 
who  reject  it  to  their  everlasting  destruc- 
tion] If  toe  feel  any  love  to  God,  it  is 
"  because  he  first  loved  us  :"  and  he  hath 
said,  "  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall 
come  to  me  ;  and  him  that  cometh  to  me  I 
will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 

Brethren,  the  Scriptures  inform  us,  that 
besides  the  two  great  purposes  for  which, 
as  we  liave  observed,  Christ  came  into  this 
world,  there  was  a  third.  He  came,  not 
only  to  declare  to  us  the  will  of  God,  and 
to  offer  himself  up  for  the  pardon  of  our 
sins,  but  also — "  To  leave  us  an  example 
that  we  might  walk  in  his  steps."  "  He 
was  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  and  separate 
from  sinners."  We  are  unworthy  to  be 
called  Christians,  if  we  do  not  imitate 
him.  Let  us  set  liis  bright  and  blessed 
example  before  us,  as  the  text  holds  it  forth. 
Let  us  do  all  tlie  good  we  can,  to  those 
around  us,  both  to  their  bodies  and  their 
souls ;  yea,  even  to  "  our  enemies,  perse- 
cutors, and  slanderers ;"  but  especially  to 


224 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


our  relations  and  friends,  and  to  those  who 
serve  God.  Let  us  remember  Christ's  la- 
bor and  patience  in  going  about  to  do  good 
to  those,  wlio  either  could  net  or  would  not 
come  to  receive  it.  We  are  humbly  try- 
ing to  follow  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in 
coming  here  to  do  you  good.  Our  con- 
sciences bear  us  witness  that  we  earnestly 
desire  your  welfare,  and  have  no  other  end 
in  view.  We  know  nothing  that  can  do 
you  greater  good,  than  to  lead  you  to  think 
more  of  God,  and  eternity  ;  and  to  pro- 
mote in  you  the  knowledge  and  love  of 
Jesus  Christ.  We  hope  that  God  is  visit- 
ing you  by  our  means ;  and  that  he  will, 
by  his  Spirit,  make  this  meeting  useful  to 
your  souls.  If  you  remain  strangers  and 
enemies  to  God,  it  is  not  for  want  of  the 
power  or  willmgness  of  Christ  to  do  you 
good.  Do  not  tbrget  what  he  has  said  to 
you  on  this  subject.  "  I  beseech  you, 
brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye 
present  yourselves  living  sacrifices  to  him, 
holy,  and  acceptable,  which  is  your  reason- 
able service."  If  you  do  7iot,  every  mercy 
you  have  received,  and  the  very  means  of 
instruction  you  have  now  had,  must  ap- 
pear against  you  at  the  day  of  judgment. 

But  if  your  hearts  are  now  seriously  af- 
fected with  what  you  have  heard ;  if  you 
feel  yourselves  to  be  guilty  and  helpless 
creatures ;  if  you  earnestly  desire  the  par- 
don of  your  sins,  through  the  mercy  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  have  your  minds 
renewed,  and  made  like  the  mind  that  was 
in  him ;  these  things  should  encourage 
you  to  pray  to  Christ,  to  depend  upon  his 
grace,  and  to  rejoice  in  the  fullness  of  his 
ealvation.  We  shall  be  extremely  glad  to 
find  that  this  is  the  case,  with  any  among 
you ;  for  we  know,  that  "  he  who  begins  a 
good  work  in  you,  will  perform  it  until  the 
day  of  Christ."  "  Now,  to  Ilim,  who  is 
able  to  keep  us  from  falling,  and  to  present 
us  faultless  before  the  presence  of  his  glo- 
ry with  exceeding  joy ;  to  the  only  wise 
God  our  Savior,  be  glory  and  majesty,  do- 
mmion  and  power,  both  now,  and  for  ever. 
Amen. 


PRAYER.— O  Lord  our  God,  thou  art  good, 
and  doest  good  to  iis ;  and  thy  tender  mercies  are 
over  all  thy  works.  All  thy  works  praise  thee, 
and  ihy  saints  shall  bless  thee !  they  shall  abun- 
dantly utter  the  memory  of  thy  great  goodness ! 
We  bless  thee  especially  for  that  expression  of 
thy  goodness,  which  thou  dost  thyself  commend, 
in  that  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died 
for  us.  We  desire  to  love  and  to  adore  him  who, 
while  he  lived  upon  earth,  went  about  doing 
good.  May  we  be  interested  by  faith  in  all  the 
benefits  Which  flow  from  the  labors  of  his  life 
and  the  sutferings  of  his  death !  Grant,  O  Lord, 
that  the  mind  that  was  in  Christ  may  be  also  in 
us.    May  our  hearts  be  under  the  constant  influ- 


ence of  love  to  thee  and  love  to  man  !  May  we 
not  look  only  on  our  own  things,  but  also  on  the 
things  of  others!  May  it  be  our  desire  and  en- 
deavor to  do  good  to  all  men,  so  far  as  we  have 
opportunity,  and  especially  to  them  who  are  of 
the  household  of  faith  !  Bless  us  and  make  us 
blessings  !  We  ask  it  for  the  Redeemer's  sake ! 
Amen. 


SERMON  XLIX. 

HE  CHRISTIAN  TEMPER. 


Philip,  ii.  5.  Let  this  mind  be  in  you,  which  was  also 
ill  Christ  Jesus. 

WftOEVER  takes  a  view  of  Christianity, 
as  displayed  in  the  precepts  and  example 
of  Christ,  its  great  founder,  must  acknow- 
ledge it  to  be  a  very  lovely  religion  ;  admi- 
rably calculated  to  promote  the  happmess 
of  man  in  the  present  world,  as  well  as  to 
secure  his  eternal  salvation  in  the  no.xt. 

"  It  is  a  faithful  snying,  and  worthy  of 
all  acceptation,  that  Jesus  Christ  came  in- 
to the  world  to  save  sinners" — to  save 
them  "  from  their  sins  :" — not  only  to  de- 
liver them  from  the  wrath  to  come,  which 
is  the  wages  of  sin,  but  also  to  restore  in 
them  the  holy  image  of  God,  which  they 
had  lost  by  their  fall  in  Adam.  He  came, 
not  only  to  restrain  the  practice  of  sin,  but 
to  purify  the  fountain  of  the  heart,  from 
whence  the  streams  of  sinful  practice  pro- 
ceed. 

To  effect  these  great  designs,  he  became 
a  sacrifice  for  sin ;  he  was  made  sin  for  us : 
he  died  for  our  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust, 
that  he  might  bring  us  to  God.  He  prp- 
cured  for  us,  and  sent  down  to  us,  the 
Holy  Spirit,  the  great  Sanctifier  of  the 
Church.  And  having  given  to  the  world 
the  purest  precepts  that  were  ever  deliver- 
ed, he  gave  infinite  force  to  them,  by  a 
perfect  example  of  purity,  in  his  own  tem- 
per and  walk,  and  has  left  us  this  exam- 
ple for  our  imitation. 

All  true  Christians  are  followers  of 
Christ ;  they  must  walk  even  as  he  walk- 
ed ;  and  in  order  to  this  they  must  pos.?ess 
the  same  holy  temper ;  or,  as  it  is  express- 
ed in  the  text,  "  the  same  mind"  must  be 
in  them,  which  was  in  Christ  Jesus.  This 
mind  or  disposition,  is  the  subject  of  the 
present  discourse.  May  the  good  Spirit  of 
God  explain  it  to  us,  and  produce  it  in  us! 

We  might  express  the  whole  in  a  single 
word.  LOVE  is  the  mind  of  Chri-st ;  for 
"  God  is  love."  The  whole  Ip-w  is  fulfilled 
in  love:  love  to  God,  and  love  to  man. 
This  filled  t!ie  heart  of  the  great  Redeem- 
er, actuated  him  in  the  whole  of  his  obedi- 


SERMOiN  XI.IX. 


225 


ence  and  sufierings,  supported  him  under 
thciii,  and  rendered  tlieni  acceptable,  meri- 
torious and  clKcacious  to  the  salvation  ot" 
the  Cimrch.  niis  is  the  mind  that  was  in 
Christ ;  this  his  prevailing  disposition  ;  and 
the  principal  part  of  our  holiness  consists 
in  being  like  him,  and  living  under  the 
daily  inthience  of  love  to  God,  and  love  to 
man.  But  it  is  necessary  to  be  more  par- 
ticular, and  to  consider  the  Christian  temper 
in  its  several  branches.     We  begin  with, 

>1.  HUMILITY.  This  deserves  the  first 
place,  both  because  it  is  that  grace  in 
Christ,  to  which  the  text  refers,  and  be- 
cause it  is,  in  every  believer,  the  7-oot  of 
all  other  graces.  Wonderful  indeed  was 
the  humility  of  the  Son  of  God,  "  who, 
being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not 
robbery  to  be  equal  with  God  ;  but  made 
himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon 
him  the  fonrt  of  a  servant,  and  was  made 
in  tlie  likeness  of  men  :  and  being  found 
in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself, 
and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the 
death  of  the  cross !"  Behold,  here,  the 
greatest  example  of  humility  that  the 
world  ever  saw,  or  ever  will  see !  and  this 
example  is  proposed  to  our  imitation.  And 
what  argument  can  be  so  forcible'?  for, 
shall  the  glorious  Savior  be  humble,  and 
the  miserable  sinner  be  proud  J  How  pre- 
posterous !     How  absurd  ! 

Pride  is  natural  to  apostate  man.  It 
was  a  principal  ingredient  in  the  sin  of 
Adam,  and  every  child  of  his  is  born 
proud.  Adam  got  it  from  the  devil,  and 
we  get  it  from  Adam.  And,  yet,  it  is 
truly  said,  "  Pride  was  not  made  for  man ;" 
it  ill  becomes  him.  For  a  sinner  to  be 
proud,  is  the  most  monstrous  thing  in  the 
world  !  Nothing  is  so  hateful  to  CJod ;  and 
if  we  are  born  of  God,  nothing  will  be  so 
hateful  to  us.  Now  faith  lays  the  ax  at 
the  root  of  Pride.  Fai^h  beholds  the 
majesty  and  liolincss  of  God,  and  shrinks, 
as  it  were,  into  nothing  before  him.  The 
proud  man  swells  by  comparing  himself 
with  other  sinners:  but  the  Christian  com- 
pares himself,  his  conduct,  and  then  his 
heart,  with  the  most  pure,  holy,  spiritual 
law  of  God  :  this  prevents  self-righteous 
boasting,  and  shows  that  even  his  best 
duties  are  tinged  with  sin.  He  was  "alive 
without  the  law  once ;  but  now  the  com- 
mandment is  come,  sin  revives,  and  he 
dies."  This  experience  will  force  iiini  to 
the  cross;  ho  will  gladly  renounce  his  own 
works  and  righteousness,  and  supremely 
desire  to  be  found  in  CJn'ist." 

Let  but  tiie  Christian   thiiik  of  tiu'ce 
things,  iind  it  will  |)n)mol('  his  humility — 
what  he  was — whiit  hr  is — and  what  he 
2  D 


shall  lir.  He  teas  a  poor,  blind,  naked, 
tilthy  rebel;  an  enemy  to  God,  and  an 
heir  of  hell.  He  is,  by  ^-aco,  a  pardoned 
sinner,  and  an  adopted  ciuld  ;  but,  O,  what 
imperfections  in  all  his  graces !  What 
defects  in  all  his  duties  !  VVhat  strength 
in  his  corruptions  !  What  a  disproportion 
between  his  obligations,  and  his  returns  to 
God;  between  his  professions,  and  his 
practice ;  between  his  privileges,  and  his 
enjoyments!  So  that  lie  can  cordially 
unite  with  a  better  man  than  himself  in 
saying,  "  I  am  the  chief  of  sinners,"  and 
"  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints."  Let 
him  also  consider  what  he  shall  he — lie 
shall  be  "  with  Christ ;"  he  shall  be  "  like 
Christ ;"  he  shall  wear  a  crown  of  glory ; 
he  shall  possess  a  heavenly  inheritance; 
he  shall  be  a  king  and  a  priest  to  God. 
Amazing  prospects !  Animating,  yet  hum- 
bling hopes  !  he  will  then,  with  David,  sit 
down,  and  say,  "  Who  am  I,  O  Lord  God, 
that  thou  hast  brought  me  hitherto :  and, 
as  if  this  were  a  small  thing  in  thy  sight, 
thou  hast  spoken  of  thy  servant's  house 
for  a  great  while  yet  to  come  :  and,  Is  this 
the  manner  of  men,  O  Lord  !  and  what 
more  can  David  say  unto  thee  !" 

2.  PIETY,  or  "the  fear  of  God,"  or 
"godliness,"  was  an  eminent  branch  of 
the  mind  that  was  in  the  man  Christ  Jesus. 
These  terms  are  nearly  of  the  same  im- 
port, and  denote  the  habitual,  prevailing 
frame  of  mind  in  its  regard  to  the  blessed 
God.  It  is  the  character  of  the  natui'al 
man  that  he  is  "ungodly,"  "there  is  no 
fear  of  God  before  his  eyes,"  he  lives 
"  without  God  in  the  world,"  he  is 
"alienated  from  the  life  of  God,"  "he  says 
to  the  Almighty,  Depart  from  me."  The 
very  reverse  of  all  this  is  tiie  temper  of 
the  Christian,  as  it  was  also  of  his  Master. 
We  learn  from  the  Gospels,  and  more 
abundantly  from  the  Psalms,  what  a  spirit 
of  devotion  continually  animated  the  hu- 
man nature  of  Christ !  What  reverential 
fear,  what  supreme  affection,  what  lively 
zeal,  what  fervent  prayer !  A  portion  of 
the  same  spirit  pervades  the  heart  of  every 
real  Christian.  "  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is 
the  beginning  of  wisdom,"  and  "  the 
whole  duty  of  man."— His  great  duty,  his 
first  interest,  his  chief  delight.  And  this 
divine  principle  is  implanted  in  every 
believer.  "I  will  put  my  fear  in  their 
heart,"  is  the  grand  covenant  promise, 
and  it  is  fulfilled  to  every  elect  soul,  when 
called  by  grace.  The  new-born  sou!  turns 
naturally  to  God,  as  flowers  to  tlio  sun,  or 
the  needle  to  the  pole ;  and  though  it  may 
be  disturbed  or  diverted  for  a  time,  the 
heavenly  principle  within  abides  and  pre- 


226 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


vails,  and  the  Christian  is  constrained  to 
say  "  Return  to  thy  rest,  O  my  soul,  for 
the  Lord  hath  dealt  bountifully  with  thee." 

The  spirit  of  piety  will  render  those 
acts  of  religion,  which  were  intolerably 
burdensome  to  the  unconverted  man,  nat- 
ural and  pleasant.  Religion  is  no  longer 
his  medicine,  but  his  food ;  not  his  task,  but 
his  delight.  And  the  fear  of  God  will  cer- 
tainly produce  a  reverence  for  his  name  ; 
the  Christian  cannot  be  a  profane  man ;  he 
cannot  habitually  "take  in  vain,"  in  the 
light  manner  of  the  world,  the  great  and 
fearful  name  of  the  Lord  his  God.  And 
this  principle  will  insure  his  sacred  re- 
gard to  the  holy  Sabbath,  the  Bible,  the 
house  of  God,  the  preached  Gospel,  the 
table  of  the  Lord,  and  every  means  divine- 
ly appointed  for  his  growth  in  grace. 
,  3.  SPIRITUALITY  is  another  essential 
part  of  tiie  Christian  temper.  This  is  a 
necessary  effect  of  regeneration,  for  as 
"  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh, 
so  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is 
spirit."  Every  nature  generates  its  own 
likeness.  We  derive  from  our  first  parent 
the  likeness  of  his  apostate  nature,  earth- 
ly and  sensual,  not  having  the  Spirit ;  but, 
if  begotten  again  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  we 
derive  from  him  a  nature  that  is  spiritual. 
Natural  men  "  mind  earthly  things,"  they 
understand,  pursue  and  relish  only  things 
of  a  worldly  nature,  while  the  things  of 
the  Spirit  of  God  are  foolishness  to  them  ; 
but  the  believer,  being  born  from  above, 
minds  heavenly  things,  and  sets  his  affec- 
tions supremely  on  things  above,  and  not 
on  things  below.  This  constitutes  the 
grand  difference  between  the  children  of 
this  world  and  the  children  of  God  ;  and 
our  future  destination  will  be  accordingly; 
for  "  to  be  carnally  minded  is  death,  but  to 
be  spiritually  minded  is  life  and  peace." 
While  we  are  in  the  world,  a  due  regard 
must  be  paid  to  our  worldly  callings,  for 
religion,  so  far  from  encouraging  sloth  and 
idleness,  requires  us  to  be  "diligent  in 
business;"  but  it  requires  us  also  to  be 
"  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord."  The 
things  of  this  world,  however  great  and 
important  in  some  views,  will  be  consider- 
ed, in  the  light  of  eternity,  as  empty 
bubbles,  insignificant  trifles,  and  childish 
toys.  The  Christian  weighs  every  thing 
in  the  balance  of  eternity.  He  considers 
what  their  value  will  be  when  he  is  on  a 
dying  bed ;  and  judges  how  far  they  may 
be  conducive  to  his  everlasting  interest, 
for  he  "  walks  by  faith,  not  by  sight." 

Besides,  he  is  "  crucified  to  the  world, 
and  the  world  to  him,"  by  the  cross  of 


Christ.  Our  gracious  Lord  never  dis- 
covered any  taste  or  relish  for  the  pomps 
and  vanities  of  this  world.  As  Lord  of 
all,  lie  could  have  commanded  every  thing 
that  was  noble  and  great.  But  it  is  evi- 
dent that  he  poured  contempt  on  worldly 
grandeur.  His  whole  life,  death,  and 
doctrine,  tended  to  stam  the  pride  of  hu- 
man glory,  and  to  sanctify  to  his  humble 
followers  that  lowly  state  he  intended  for 
them.  Luxury  of  living,  gaiety  of  dress, 
and  conformity  to  the  vain  world,  can 
plead  no  countenance  from  the  example  of 
Christ ;  but  self-denial,  plainness  of  living 
and  manners,  deadness  to  the  world,  and 
heavenly  mindedness,  are  the  very  mind 
that  was  in  Christ,  and  will  be  in  us,  if 
we  are  his  genuine  followers. 

4.  CONTENTMENT  is  another  fea- 
ture of  the  Christian  character.  And  this 
will  result  in  a  happy  degree,  from  spiritu- 
ality and  heavenly  mindedness.  A  proper 
view,  by  faith,  of  eternal  thmgs,  and  a  good 
hope,  by  grace,  of  an  interest  in  them,  will 
occasion  a  holy  indifference  about  worldly 
matters,  and  render  'us  content  with  our 
present  lot.  Of  old  time,  those  persons 
"  took  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  their  goods, 
who  knew  in  themselves  that  they  had  in 
heaven  a  better  and  more  enduring  sub- 
stance." Heb.  xi.  34.  The  way  to  be 
happy  in  this  world  is  not  to  elevate  our 
station  to  our  mind.  The  first  is,  perhaps, 
impossible  ;  for  the  ambitious  mind  of  the 
prosperous  man  continues  to  rise  with  his 
lot ;  so  that  he  is  never  satisfied.  The 
last  may,  by  divine  grace,  be  accomplished. 
The  Christian  believes  that  God  reigns, 
that  his  providence  is  universal,  that  a 
sparrow  does  not  fall  without  his  observa- 
tion, and  that  the  very  hairs  of  his  head 
are  numbered  ;  and  if  so,  he  has  reason  to 
conclude,  that  a  special  and  most  gracious 
providence  presides  over  all  his  affairs. 
The  believer,  therefore,  having  committed 
all  liis  concerns  to  the  Lord's  care,  in  the 
diligent  and  prudent  use  of  means,  will 
rest  satisfied  with  the  disposal  of  heaven. 
He  will  say,  "  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do 
what  seemeth  him  good."  We  are  led  to 
expect  trouble  in  this  world ;  man,  being 
born  in  sin,  is  born  to  trouble ;  and  instead 
of  wondering  that  things  are  so  bad,  we 
have  reason  to  wonder  that  they  are  no 
worse.  He  who  knows  the  evil  of  sin,  and 
tlie  plague  of  his  own  heart,  will  say,  at 
tlie  worst  of  times,  "  he  hath  not  dealt 
with  me  according  to  my  sins,  nor  re- 
warded me  according  to  my  iniquities." 
Besides,  tliefe  is  generally  some  cause  for 
praise, 


SERMON  XLIX. 


227 


"■  There  is  Mercy  in  ev'ry  place, 
And  Mercy,  (encouraging  thought!) 
Gives  even  aflhction  a  graitc, 
And  reconciles  man  to  his  lot." 

Thrice  happy  was  the  apostle  Paul,  who 
could  say,  "  I  have  learned,  in  whatsoever 
state  I  am,  tlierewith  to  be  content.  I 
know  both  how  to  be  abased,  and  I  know 
how  to  abound ;  everywhere,  and  in  all 
things  I  am  instructed,  both  to  be  full  and 
to  be  hungry,  both  to  abound,  and  to  suffer 
need." — Sliould  you  think  tliis  a  difficult 
lesson,  and  that,  in  certain  cases,  you  could 
not  practise  it — mark  what  follows — "  I 
can  do  all  things  through  Clirist  which 
strengtheneth  me."  Phil.  iv.  11,  12,  13. 
St.  Paul,  in  himself,  was  as  weak  as  an- 
other man ;  but  he  had  learned  to  live  upon 
Christ,  and  by  faith  to  receive,  out  of  his 
fullness,  grace  for  grace.  Every  believer 
may  do  the  same.  And  let  him  remember, 
this  patient  temper  is  "the  mind  that  was 
in  Christ."  Through  a  whole  life  of  pov- 
erty and  sufferings,  here,  we  read  not  of  a 
single  murmur;  and  when,  in  his  agony, 
the  bitterest  cup  that. ever  was  mingled 
was  put  into  his  hands,  he  said,  "  The  cup 
which  my  Father  giveth  me  to  drink,  shall 
I  not  drink  of  it !  Not  my  will  but  thine 
be  done." 

»  5.  MEEKNESS  must  also  be  mention- 
ed as  an  amiable  branch  of  the  Christian 
temper.  Jesus  Christ  was  remarkably 
meek,  and  he  pronounces  a  blessing  on  his 
meek  followers.  "  Blessed  are  the  meek, 
for  tliey  shall  inherit  the  earth."  We 
read  of  "  the  gentleness  of  Christ."  How 
calmly  did  lie  endure  the  contradiction  of 
sinners  against  himself;  how  meekly  sub- 
mit to  the  vilest  indignities!  Happiest 
they,  who  most  resemble  him !  It  is  a 
great  victory  for  a  man  to  subdue  his  own 
angry  temper ;  and  to  preserve  a  sacred 
composure  amidst  all  the  ruffling  storms 
and  tempests  of  cross  affairs,  affronts,  loss- 
es, and  injuries.  This  meelmcss  is  not 
the  effect  of  constitution,  a  temper  natu- 
rally mild,  nor  the  result  of  art  and  deceit; 
but  a  truly  Christian  grace,  wrought  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  arismg  from  self-know- 
ledge, self-possession,  a  sense  of  the  good- 
ness and  love  of  God  ;  it  is  seated  in  the 
heart,  and  will  discover  itself  in  the  coun- 
tenance and  in  t!ie  language.  Tlie  meek 
Christian  may  be  angry;  but  meekness 
will  restrain  his  anger  witliin  proper  bounds, 
as  to  the  degree,  duration,  and  effects  of 
it ;  he  will  not  be  easily  provoked,  he  will 
readily  forgive,  and  will  acquire  that  happy 
useful  art — the  government  of  the  tongue. 
A  loud,  clamorous,  boisterous,  boasting  pro- 
fessor, little  resembles  the   nieok  Jesus ; 


but  the  meek  Christian  adorns  the  doc- 
trine of  God  his  Savior,  greatly  recommends 
the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and  enjoys  a  tran- 
quillity of  soul,  which  is  heaven  begun  on 
earth — a  blessed  foretaste  of  the  undisturb- 
ed serenity  of  glorified  saints. 

6.  MERCY  was  a  distinguishing  grace 
in  the  character  of  Christ,  and  must  be  the 
prevailing  disposition  of  his  followers. 
Compassion  to  perishing  sinners  brought 
him  down  from  heaven.  Compassion  dic- 
tated all  his  words,  and  directc*  all  his  ac- 
tions ;  and,  blessed  be  God,  we  have  still 
."  a  merciful  and  a  faithful  High-Priest, 
who  can  have  compassion  on  the  ignorant, 
and  on  those  who  are  out  of  the  way." 
Wlien  the  sick  and  afflicted  were  brought 
to  Jesus,  he  had  compassion  on  them,  and 
healed  them.  When  the  multitude  who 
followed  him  from  far  to  hear  him  preach, 
were  hungry  and  faint,  he  had  compassion 
on  them,  and  fed  them.  He  went  about 
doing  good.     O  let  us  be  like  him  ! 

Hard  as  a  rock,  is  the  heart  of  man,  by 
nature.  Anger,  envy,  malice,  revenge 
and  selfishness  reign,  and  make  men  re- 
semble the  devil.  The  greater  part  of 
men  called  Christians  "  live  to  themselves,''^ 
and  are  satisfied  if  they  do  no  harm, 
though  they  do  no  good ; — are  secure,  self- 
ish, angry,  and  peevish;  confine  their 
kindness  to  their  relations ;  do  little  good 
but  what  they  are  pressed  to ;  esteem  all 
lost  that  is  done  for  the  relief  of  others ; 
and  think  it  wise  to  be  cautious,  and  dis- 
believe the  necessities  of  men  :  in  a  word, 
they  make  SELF  the  end  of  their  lives  : 
whatever  their  profession  be,  they  very  lit- 
tle represent  or  glorify  God  in  the  world. 
But  on  the  contrary,  a  man  whose  nature 
is  cured  and  rectified  by  grace,  freed  from 
pride,  envy  and  selfislmess,  and  thence 
rendered  benevolent  and  useful  to  his  fel- 
low-men, i^  the  best  representation  we 
have  of  God  upon  earth,  since  the  human 
nature  of  Christ  was  removed  from  it. 

"  Blessed  are  the  merciful,"  said  the  be- 
nevolent Redeemer,  "  for  they  shall  obtain 
mercy."  We  are  not  to  purchase  God's 
mercy  by  our  mercy ;  but  it  is  a  good  evi- 
dence of  being  ourselves  "  vessels  of  mer- 
cy," when  we  are  inwardly  disposed  to  be 
merciful.  We  are  exhorted  to  "  put  on, 
as  the  elect  of  God,  bowels  of  mercies." 
If  we  have  felt  the  need  of  mercy,  and 
tasted  the  sweetness  of  mercy,  we  shall 
find  a  divine  pleasure  in  being  merciful  to 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  affliction ;  we 
shall  be  forward  to  give  and  forgive,  to 
pity  and  relieve  them. 

The  sonls  of  men  claim  our  first  regard. 
Millions  of  men  are  perishing  for  lack  of 


228 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


knowledge.  The  merciful  man  will  not 
only  pray  for  them,  but  will  gladly  endea- 
vor to  send  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Jesus 
to  them :  he  will  cast  a  pitying  eye  upon 
the  poor  ignorant  children  around  him,  and 
promote  their  'religious  instruction:  he 
will  gladly  support  the  Cin-istian  ministry, 
knowing  its  important  use  in  the  conver- 
sion of  sinners.  Nor  will  the  bodies  of 
men  he  neglected.  He  will  pity  and  visit 
the  sick  ;  he  will  feed  the  hungry ;  he  will 
clotlie  the  naked :  and,  in  order  to  do  this, 
he  will  rather  deny  himself  even  lawful 
indulgences,  than  be  disabled  from  acts  of 
generosity. — The  word  of  God  abomids 
with  exhortations  to  this  disposition ;  and 
if  there  be  not  a  desire  and  endeavor  thus 
to  be  useful,  we  may  say,  with  St.  John, 
"  How  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in  him?" 

The  narrow  limits  of  this  discourse  pre- 
vent the  mention  of  several  other  branches 
of  this  holy  temper,  as  well  as  a  proper  en- 
largement on  those  already  mentioned. — 
We  have  room  only  to  propose  one  more, 
whicli  is  the  beauty  and  strength  of  them 
all,  namely. 

7.  SINCERITY.— This  is  the  very  soul 
of  all  religion  ;  for  every  Christian  grace 
has  its  counterfeit.  There  are  men  who 
assume  a  profession  of  religion,  on  purpose 
tiie  better  to  deceive  others ;  and  pretend 
to  be  devout  towards  God,  that  they 
may  more  eEectually  cheat  and  defraud 
tlicir  neighbors. — From  this  vile  hypocri- 
sy, good  Lord  deliver  us  ! — If  there  be  a 
]):ace  in  hell  hotter  than  another,  it  will  be 
the  portion  of  the  hypocrite ;  for  how  shall 
such,  "escape  the  danmation  of  hell!" 
(jreat  is  the  importance  of  truth  and  up- 
rightness. The  Christian  must  needs  be 
an  honest  man,  exact  and  conscientious  in 
all  his  afikirs,  conforming  himself,  in  all 
his  dealings,  to  that  golden,  tiiat  divine 
rule,  Whatsoever  ye  would  that  others 
should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  that  to  them. 
The  Christian  will  study  "  simplicity  and 
godly  sincerity,"  speaking  the  truth  in 
love,  and  managing  all  the  affairs  of  life 
as  under  the  eye  of  God,  and  with  a  re- 
gard to  Ins  glory.  Happy  the  man  of  whom 
the  Lord  will  testify,  as  of  Nathaniel, 
"  Behold  an  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  there 
is  no  guile  !" 

APPLICATION. 
We  may  learn,  fi'om  what  has  been  said 
oi"  the  Christian  temper,  how  excellent  is 
the  religion,  and  how  holy  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ;  how  admirably  calculated  to 
promote  godliness,  nnd  brotherly  kindness, 
and  charity.  W^hat  a  happy  world  would 
this  be,  if  men,  w  ho  piofe:s  and  call  them- 


selves Christians,  possessed  the  mind  that 
was  in  Christ.  We  may  learn  also  the 
necessity  of  something  more  than  morali- 
ty. Men  may  be  honest  and  harmless; 
but  this  is  not  enough.  We  see  many 
who  are  deemed  moral  characters,  who  are 
ungodly,  unbelievers,  neglecters  of  Christ, 
despisers  of  the  Gospel.  Let  them  not 
suppose  that  their  regard  to  men  will  atone 
for  their  contempt  of  God.  Let  them 
know,  that  "without  holiness,  no  man  shall 
see  the  Lord." 

How  vain  also  is  that  profession  of  the 
truths  of  the  Gospel,  which  leaves  a  man 
destitute  of  the  Christian  temper,  a  slave 
to  his  wretched  passions,  and  under  the 
dominion  of  covetousness,  pride,  anger, 
selfishness,  and  worldly-mindedness !  For, 
some  there  are,  not  only  negligent  of  holy 
tempers,  but  who  despise  that  preaching 
which  enforces  them,  calling  it  legal  and 
low.  But  it  is  evident  that  our  Lord  in- 
sisted much  upon  inward  purity,  and  pro- 
nounced his  first  blessings  upon  heavenly 
dispositions.  The  apostles  abound  in  simi- 
lar exhortations,  throughout  their  epistles; 
nor  is  he  a  Christian  who  does  not  lumger 
and  thirst  after  the  attainment  of  theni ; 
all  believers  being  "  predestinated  to  be 
conformed  to  the  image  of  God's  dear 
Son." 

On  the  survey  of  this  brief  sketch  of 
the  "  mind  that  was  in  Christ,"  who  has 
not  cause  to  blush,  and  sigh,  and  say.  Holy 
Jesus,  how  far  am  I  from  possessing  thy 
likeness  !  One  of  the  ancients,  on  a  like 
occasion,  cried,  "  Blessed  Lord,  either 
these  are  not  thy  precepts,  or  we  are  not 
Christians !"  But,  let  me  ask,  Is  this  the 
temper  you  sincerely  and  earnestly  desire ! 
Do  you  mourn  over  your  daily  defects? 
Do  you  see  an  excellency  and  a  beauty  in 
holiness,  and  do  you  ardently  long  to  re- 
semble your  Savior  !  If  so,  be  not  deject- 
ed. This  desire  is  from  the  Lord,  and  is 
a  token  for  good.  Let  no  believer  sit  down 
in  sullen  despair,  and  say,  when  he  con- 
templates the  character  of  Jesus — It  is 
too  high  and  great.  I  can  never  master 
my  corruptions,  and  attain  his  dispositions. 
Why  not !  All  things  are  possible  to  God  : 
all  things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth. 
Does  not  all  fullness  dwell  in  Christ!  and 
is  it  not  treasured  up  for  thy  use '!  Go  to 
him  for  it- — make  free — it  is  thine  for 
fetching.  Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive,  that 
yoin-  joy  may  be  fiill. — Come  boldly  to  the 
.throne  of  grace,  to  find  grace ;  tliere  is 
grace  sufficient  for  thee.  ()pen  thy  mouth 
wide,  and  it  shall  be  filled,  and  though 
conscious,  like  the  apostle  Paul,  that  you 
liave  not  already  attained,  neither  are  you 


SERMON  L. 


229 


already  perfect ;  yet,  like  him,  follow  after, 
reacli  forth  unto  those  things  which  are 
before ;  press  towards  the  mark,  for  the 
prize  of  tlie  hioh  calling  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus.  Look  much  at  Christ;  it  will  make 
you  like  him  ;  you  shall  be  "  transformed 
into  tiie  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory;" 
and,  ere  long,  you  "  shall  see  him  as  he  is," 
anc|  "  be  satisfied,  when  you  awake,  with 
his  likeness." 


PRAYER.— Most  holy  God,  we  bless  thee  for 
making  known  to  us  tliy  holy  will,  not  only  in 
the  precepts  of  thy  word,  but  also  in  the  life  and 
character  of  thy  beloved  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  Grant  that  the  mind  which  was  in  him 
may  bo  also  ni  us!  May  Christ  dwell  in  our  hearts 
by  faith!  and  may  we  be  rooted  and  grounded 
in  love  !  Give  us,  we  beseech  thee,  true  humility. 
— May  we  lothe  ourselves  on  account  of  our  ini- 
quities, and  have  a  deep  sense  of  our  daily  im- 
perfections!— Give  us,  we  entreat  thee,  that  holy, 
filial  fear  of  thee,  which  is  the  beginning  of  wis- 
dom. Put  thy  fear  into  our  hearts,  that  we  may 
not  sin  against  thee.  Render  us  spiritually-mind- 
ed by  the  constant  indwelhng  of  thy  Holy  Spirit 
in  our  hearts.  Fix  our  affections  on  things  above  ,■ 
and  even  in  the  engagements  of  the  present  life, 
enable  us  to  be  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  thee. 
May  we  be  contented  with  the  station  and  the 
circumstances  allotted  us  by  thy  providence  in 
the  present  world  ;  and  under  all  the  afflictions 
of  life,  may  we  ho  enabled  to  say.  Father,  thy 
will  be  done !  Make  ns,  we  beseech  thee,  after 
the  example  of  our  blessed  Savior,  meek  and 
lowly  in  heart;  and  may  we  display  in  some  de- 
gree the  gentleness  of  Christ !  Call  forth  in  our 
hearts  a  kind  and  merciful  disposition  towards 
our  fellow-men.  In  all  our  dealings  with  them, 
may  we  manifest  simplicity  and  godly  sinceritv, 
and  prove  ourselves  to  be  Christians  indeed,  in 
whom  is  no  guile.  Hear  us,  holy  Father,  for  the 
Redeemer's  sake !  Amen. 


SERMON  L. 

CHRISTIAN  PRACTICE. 

Titus  ii.  11,  12.  For  the  crace  of  God,  th.it  briiifrcth 
salviitioii,  h;ith  iippcarod  to  all  iiifii ;  ti-aching  ns, 
that  dciiyiiiK  UMf;i)dliiii>ss  and  worldly  lasts;  \\p 
sitonid  li>e  soberly,  righteously,  and  {rodly,  in  this 
presonl  world. 

The  disease  of  our  nature,  our  dislike 
of  that  which  is  good,  and  our  love  of  that 
wiiich  is  evil,  has 'been  observed  and  la- 
mented by  wise  men  in  all  ages.  The  fact 
could  not  be  denied.  The  tlifficulty  was, 
where  to  find  a  cure.  JMany  attempts  were 
tried,  but  all  in  vain,  till  Jesus  Christ  the 
great  phy.Kician  appeared.  Tlie  Gospel 
alone  allbrds  a  certain  and  universal  reme- 
dy for  the  fatal  distemper  of  the  soul ;  and 
this  is  the  subst.ancc  of  our  text. 

St.  Paul  is  here  directing  Titus,  wlio 
was  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  how  to  dis- 


charge his  duty,  so  as  to  be  usefbl  to  all 
sorts  of  people,  because  the  Gospel  was 
sent  to  all  sorts  of  people.  He  w^as  to 
teach  and  exhort  both  young  and  old,  pa- 
rents and  children,  masters  and  servants : 
it  being  the  design  of  the  Gospel  to  brine 
a  present  salvation  from  sin,  as  well  as  a 
future  deliverance  from  hell,  and  to  teach 
all  sorts  of  men  to  deny  all  doctrines  and 
practices  which  are  ungodly;  and  all 
worldly  lusts  of  sensuality ;  and  that  we 
should  live  soberly  with  respect  to  our- 
selves ;  righteously  and  honestly  with  re- 
spect to  our  neighbor  ;  and  in  a  holy 
manner  viath  respect  to  God.  This  will 
appear  more  plainly,  by  considering  the 
several  parts  of  the  text  distinctly,  and  in 
the  following  order : 

1.  The  Gospel  of  Christ  is  the  grace  or 
gift  of  God. 

2.  It  bringeth  salvation. 

3.  It  hath  appeared  to  all  men. 

4.  It  teaches  us  to  live  a  holy  life. 

I.  The  Gospel  is  the  grace  of  God.  The 
word  Grace  signifies,  in  general,  the  fa- 
vor of  God,  either  in  his  good  will  towards 
us,  or  in  his  good  gifts  to  us.  Here  it 
means  one  of  his  good  gifts  to  us,  namely, 
the  Gospel :  and  the  Gospel  may  well  be 
called  his  grace,  for  it  is  the  Gift  of  his 
grace ;  it  is  the  Revelation  of  his  grace  ; 
and,  it  is  the  Instrument  of  his  grace. 

The  Gospel  is  called  the  grace  of  God, 
because  it  is  the  Gift  of  his  grace ;  it  is  a 
matter  of  pure  favor  tliat  we  have  tlie  Gos- 
pel ;  it  ought  to  be  thought  a  very  great 
blessing  indeed,  and  to  be  esteemed  above 
all  earthly  blessings.  It  is  a  mercy  to  have 
health,  it  is  a  mercy  to  have  bread,  but  it 
is  a  much  greater  mercy  to  have  the  Gos- 
pel. Blessed  is  the  people  who  know  the 
joyful  sound. 

Tlie  Gospel  is  also  called  the  grace  of 
God,  because  it  is  the  Revelation  of  his 
grace  and  good  will  to  poor  siimers.  We 
could  never  have  known  whetlier  God 
would  be  gracious  to  sinners,  or  not,  witii- 
out  the  Gospel.  We  could  never  have 
known  that  salvation  is  by  grace.  All 
mankind  naturally  seek  it  by  their  own 
works,  and  not  by  grace.  But  the  very 
design  of  the  Gospel  is  to  declare  the  grace 
of  God ;  to  let  us  know  the  love  of  God  to 
man,  which  he  has  proved  in  the  gift  of 
his  Son,  and  in  his  readiness  to  pardon  sin 
for  the  sake  of  his  Son.  Sinners  had  more 
reason  to  expect  a  revelation  of  his  wrath, 
than  of  his  mercy,  for  all  have  sinned,  and 
the  "  wages  of  sin  is  death."  As  soon  as 
our  first  parents  had  sinned,  and  heard  the 
voice  of  tlie  Krtrd  God  in  tlie  garden,  they 
W(!re  afraid,  and  ran  to  hide  themselves, 
20 


230 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


for  they  expected  to  lioar  nothing  but  the 
sentence  of  death.  But  they  were  mis- 
taken, for  God  was  pleased  to  give  them  a 
promise  of  his  Son.  In  all  ages  he  gave 
some  hints  of  his  intended  mercy,  but 
never  so  plainly  as  by  the  Gospel,  or  good 
news  of  salvation  by  grace.  We  must 
take  care  to  distinguish  the  Gospel  from 
the  law.  The  law  of  the  ten  command- 
ments requires  perfect  love  and  perfect 
obedience,  and  it  curses  to  hell  every  man 
who  breaks  it  but  once.  Ignorant  people 
expect  little  from  the  Bible  but  to  teach 
them  their  duty,  and  how  to  be  good,  and 
so  to  get  to  heaven  by  their  obedience ;  to 
be  sure,  the  Bible  does  teach  us  our  duty, 
and  it  would  be  well  if  people  learned  and 
did  it  better ;  but  the  first  design  of  the 
Bible  is  to  reveal  Christ  as  a  Savior;  the 
design  of  the  law  is  not  only  to  teach  us 
our  duty,  but  to  convince  us  we  have  not 
done  it ;  to  show  us  our  sin  and  our  dan- 
ger, and  to  oblige  us  to  fly  to  Christ,  that 
we  may  be  saved  by  grace. 

Again — the  Gospel  is  called  the  grace 
of  Goa,  because  it  is  the  Instrument  of  his 
grace ;  it  is  what  he  sends  by  his  ministers, 
and  blesses  by  his  Spirit,  "  to  open  men's 
eyes,  and  to  turn  them  from  darkness  to 
light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto 
God."  Nothing  but  the  truth  of  God  will 
do  this.  All  the  finest  preaching  in  the 
world  about  virtue  and  morality,  will  do  no 
good  as  to  the  conversion  or  salvation  of  a 
sinner.  It  often  makfes  men  proud  of  them- 
selves, keeps  them  ignorant  of  Christ,  and 
makes  them  "  go  about  to  establish  their 
own  righteousness;"  which  is  "to  frus- 
trate the  grace  of  God,"  and  is  as  much  as 
to  say  that  "Christ  died  in  vain."  But 
the  Gospel  is  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  the 
rod  of  his  strength,  and  the  power  of  God 
to  salvation,  to  every  one  that  believeth. 
V'ou  see,  therefore,  with  what  good  reason 
the  Gospel  is  called  the  grace  of  God.  We 
are  now  to  show  that, 

II.  The  Gospel  bringeth  salvation. 

The  grand  subject  of  this  Gospel  is  sal- 
tation. It  supposes  the  guilt  and  danger 
of  man  as  a  sinner.  It  declares  what 
Christ  has  done  and  suffered  for  our  deliv- 
■erance.  It  declares  God's  readiness  to  for- 
give all  manner  of  sin  and  blasphemy,  if 
we  come  to  him  by  Jesus  Christ.  In  sliort, 
it  is  to  restore  man  from  all  the  effects  of 
his  fall.  Is  he  far  gone  from  God "]  it  is  to 
bring  him  back.  Is  he  fallen  1  it  is  to  raise 
him  up.  Is  he  condemned  on  account  of 
sin "?  it  is  to  justify  him  from  all  things.  Is 
he  an  enemy  of  God  ?  it  is  to  make  iiim  a 
friend.     Is  he  a  slave  of  Satan  1  it  is  to 


make  him  a  fVee  man.  Thus  it  bringeth 
salvation. 

It  brings  it  to  the  Ear.  The  trumpet 
of  the  Gospel  sounds  with  an  inviting 
voice,  it  is  a  joyful  sound.  No  music  was 
ever  so  sweet,  as  the  sound  of  mercy  to  a 
convinced  sinner.  And  faith  cometh  by 
hearing.  It  is  the  will  of  God  that  tliis 
sound  should  go  out  into  all  the  earth,  and 
that  the  Gospel  should  be  preached  to 
every  creature.  "He  that  hath  ears  to 
hear,  let  him  hear." 

It  brings  it  to  the  Mind,  or  understand- 
ing. All  God's  children  are  taught  of  God, 
and  every  one  that  is  taught  of  God  com- 
eth to  Christ.  Many  people  plead  their 
ignorance,  and  think  they  shall  be  excused 
on  account  of  it ;  but  the  Gospel  is  sent  on 
purpose  to  enlighten  the  ignorant ;  and  it 
will  be  our  own  fault,  and  our  ruin,  if  we 
remain  in  the  dark ;  it  can  only  be  because 
we  love  darkness  rather  than  light.  The 
Gospel  is  a  glorious  light,  and  when  it  is 
attended  with  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  it 
chases  away  all  the  natural  darkness  of 
our  minds,  and  makes  us  clearly  see  the 
wonderful  plan  of  salvation  by  .grace. 

It  brings  it  to  the  Heart.  It  comes  with 
power  and  life.  It  is  not  entertained  with 
a  cold  and  formal  assent,  as  a  matter  of 
small  concern,  but  cordially  welcomed  as 
the  messenger  of  life.  It  is  said  of  Lydia, 
in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  that  "  the  Lord 
opened  her  heart,  so  that  she  attended  to 
the  things  which  were  spoken  of  Paul." 
He  does  the  same  for  all  real  Christians. 
They  receive  the  word  with  joy.  They 
approve  of  it  heartily.  It  brings  peace  to 
their  troubled  consciences,  and  it  brings 
love  to  God  and  man  into  their  hearts. 

It  brings  it  to  the  lAfe.  It  is  designed 
to  regulate  the  conduct,  and  to  make  the 
believer  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversa- 
tion and  godliness.  But  this  will  appear 
more  plainly  hereafter. 

III.  The  Gospel  of  salvation  hath  ap- 
peared to  all  men. 

To  all  nations  of  men ;  it  wa^  not  con- 
fined to  the  Jews,  as  they  thought  it  would 
be.  Jesus  Christ  ordered  it  to  be  preached 
to  all  nations,  to  all  tlie  world,  to  every 
creature.  Accordingly,  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost, the  apostles  preaclied  it  in  a  great 
variety  of  languages  to  people  of  various 
countries,  and  afterwards  they,  and  many 
other  preachers,  went  into  all  the  coun- 
tries then  known. 

To  all  sorts  of  men.  This  is  the  chief 
design  of  the  words.  In  human  society 
here  must  be  various  ranks  and  orders  of 
men,  and  they  must  be  distinguished  by 


SERMON  L. 


231 


different  names ;  but  the  Gospel  knows  no 
distinctions ;  it  is  equally  sent  to  iiigli  and 
low,  rich  and  jwor,  bond  and  free,  male 
and  female,  for  "  Christ  is  all  in  all."  Col. 
iii.  11.  Let  none,  therefore,  think  tliey 
may  be  excused  from  regarding  it.  Many 
of  the  rich  think  tJie  Gospel  is  well  enough 
for  the  poor,  but  they  are  too  wise  to  need 
it.  Many  of  the  poor,  on  tiieir  part,  tliink 
religion  rather  belongs  to  the  rich ;  but 
they  are  so  ignorant,  and  have  so  much  to 
mind  for  the  body,  that  they  think  they 
may  be  excused.  But  you  see,  this  salva- 
tion is  sent  to  all  men ;  and  "  how  sliall 
we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great  salva- 
tion .'"  But  again,  this  Gospel  is  sent, 

To  sinners  of  every  degree  ;  great  sin- 
ners, or  little  sinners,  if  it  be  proper  to 
call  any  so.  Jesus  Christ  came  to  call, 
not  the  righteous,  but  sinners,  to  repent- 
ance ;  and  none  but  those  who  feel  them- 
selves to  be  sinners  will  regard  his  call. 
Such  persons  heard  him  gladly  on  earth, 
while  the  proud  pharisees,  who  thougiit 
themselves  good,  despised  hun,  and  abused 
him,  as  the  friend  of  publicans  and  sin- 
ners. Blessed  be  God  that  sinners,  how- 
ever great,  are  not  excluded  from  the  hope 
of  the  Gospel.  Christ  commanded  it  to  be 
first  preached  at  Jerusalem,  among  his 
murderers:  where,  probably,  many  of  them 
were  converted;  and  to  this  very  day, 
"  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from 
all  sin." 

Let  it  also  be  observed,  that  our  text 
says  the  Gospel  bringeth  salvation ;  not,  it 
shall  bring  it  hereafter,  but  it  bringeth  it 
now.  It  brings  it  near  at  this  moment; 
"  the  word  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth 
and  in  thine  heart."  Many  people  dread- 
fully mistake  the  matter,  who  look  only 
for  a  salvation  hereafter;  they  do  not  tliink 
of  being  saved  till  they  die ;  but  salvation 
is  a  present  business ;  and  if  we  are  not 
saved  before  we  die,  we  shall  never  be 
saved  at  all.  We  must  now  be  enlighten- 
ed, convinced,  believe  in  Christ,  pass  from 
death  unto  life,  and  thus  be  made  new 
creatures,  or  we  can  never  enter  mto  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  O  that  this  Gospel 
may  now  bring  into  our  hearts  a  present 
salvation !  We  proceed  to  the  last  and 
principal  thing  in  our  text. 

IV.  The  Gospel  which  bringeth  salva- 
tion, teacheth  us  to  live  a  holy  life — it 
teachelh  us  that  denying  ungodliness  and 
worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly, 
righteously  and  godly,  in  this  present 
world;  that  is^  it  teacheth  us — What  a 
holy  life  is,  The  necessity  of  living  such  a 
life — and,  How  we  may  attain  it. 

1.  The  Gospel  which  bringelli  salvation, 


teacheth  us  what  a  holy  life  is — the  true 
nature,  and  full  extent  of  it.  We  iiave  no 
other  sufficient  rule.  The  world  affords 
nothing  but  imperfect  examples,  and  our 
own  deceitful  licarts  would  often  curtail 
the  perfect  rule.  This  is  our  teacher.  Let 
us  ever  hear  and  read  it  with  this  view. 
Let  it  be  a  light  to  our  feet,  and  a  lamp  to 
our  paths. 

This  holy  guide  directs  us,  in  the  first 
place,  to  deny  ungodliness, —  to  renounce, 
abhor,  and  forsake  all  infidelity,  idolatry, 
and  impiety  of  ever^  kind;  every  thing 
contrary  to  the  first  four  commandments. 
If  the  devil,  or  wicked  men,  or  our  own 
wicked  liearts,  would  tempt  us  to  neglect 
the  worship  of  God,  or  to  take  his  name  in 
vain,  or  to  break  the  Sabbath,  we  must 
deny  and  reftise  to  do  it.  We  must  also 
deny  worldly  lusts,  all  irregular  inclina- 
tions and  desires,  tbrbidden  by  the  last  six 
commandments.  These  are  worldly  lusts; 
such  as  the  men  of  the  world  gratify,  and 
place  their  happiness  in.  These  will  often 
ask  for. indulgence.  They  will  plead  very 
strongly  that  they  arc  "natural,  that  there 
is  no  harm  in  them,  and  that  all  the  world 
indulges  them,  but  they  are  "worldly 
lusts,"  and  must  be  denied,  unless  we  are 
willing  to  be  damned  with  the  world ;  for 
the  "  end  of  these  things  is  death."  These 
are  the  things  that  chain  men  to  the  world 
and  to  a  life  of  sense,  make  us  like  the 
brutes,  cause  us  to  forget  God,  to  neglect 
the  salvation  of  our  souls ;  and  "  for  these 
things'  sake,  cometh  the  wrath  of  God 
upon  the  children  of  disobedience."  This 
ungodliness,  and  these  worldly  lusts,  must, 
therefore,  be  denied ;  and  this  is  that 
Self-denial  which  our  Lord  insists  upon, 
and  without  which  we  cannot  be  his  dis- 
ciples. 

But  this  is  not  all.  We  are  taught  by 
the  Gospel  how  to  live.  We  are  to  live — 
soberly,  righteously  and  gndly ;  these 
three  words  tell  us  our  duty  as  to  ourselves, 
our  neighbor,  and  our  God. 

To  live  soberly,  is  not  only  to .  abstain 
from  drunkenness,  which  is  a  damnable 
sin,  but  from  all  exce>s  in  eating,  drinking, 
and  other  bodily  indulgences.  It  is  to  be 
sober  and  moderate  in  our  passions,  our 
recreations,  our  speech,  our  dress,  and 
whole  behavior ;  it  is  to  be  temperate  and 
moderate  in  all  lawful  things,  using  the 
world  as  not  abusing  it ;  using  it  as  pil- 
grims and  strangers;  not  making  it  our 
rest  or  portion;  but  making  all  worldly 
comforts  secondary  things,  subservient  to 
the  interests  of  our  souls,  and  the  glory  of 
our  God.     This  is  to  live  soberly. 

We  are  also  to  live  righteously,  that  is. 


232 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


in  respect  of  our  neighbor ;  to  give  every 
one  his  due ;  to  honor  all  men ;  and  do  the 
duty  of  our  stations,  whether  to  our  supe- 
riors, inferiors,  or  equals.  The  New  Tes- 
tament is  full  of  excellent  directions  as  to 
relative  duties.  The  apostles  largely  teach 
us  the  duties  of  husbands  and  wives,  pa- 
rents and  children,  masters,  servants  and 
subjects.  A  true  Christian  will  study  his 
Bible  with  this  view ;  and,  in  every  rela- 
tion of  life,  he  will  endeavor  to  conform 
himself  to  it ;  and  he  that  pretends  to  reli- 
gion without  tills,  IS  a  mere  hypocrite. 
This  is  too  little  regarded  by  many  profes- 
sors of  religion,  as  beneath  their  notice  ; 
they  would  even  deter  ministers  from  en- 
forcing the  relative  duties,  by  calling  it 
"legal  stuff,  working  for  life,  and  armin- 
ianism ;"  but  these  people  know  not  what 
they  say,  and  how  much  they  disgrace  the 
Gospel  of  Christ,  which  our  te.xt  declares 
is  intended  to  teach  us  these  things.  It 
was  a  weighty  saying  of  Mr.  Whitefield, 
that  "  To  be  really  holy,  is  to  be  relative- 
ly holy."  All  sincere  believers  think  so, 
and  act  accordingly. 

But  the  Gospel  also  requires  us  to  live 
godly.  Many  ignorant  people  think  that 
if  they  live  soberly  and  righteously  it  is 
enough.  How  many  do  we  hear  excusing 
themselves  from  all  regard  to  Gospel-reli- 
gion, by  pleading  that  they  are  sober  and 
honest.  And  will  these  people  call  them- 
selves Christians  ?  Moral  heathens  they 
may  be.  We  deny  they  are  Christians ; 
for  the  Christian  has  a  constant  regard  to 
God  in  Christ ;  he  knows  him,  he  believes 
in  him,  he  fears  him,  he  loves  him,  he 
prays  to  him,  he  converses  with  him,  he 
lives  to  him.  O  the  miserable  blindness 
of  many  in  this  land  of  light !  How  many, 
on  a  dying  bed,  build  all  their  hopes  on 
their  honesty,  and  having  done  no  harm  ; 
while  tliey  have  lived  all  their  days  in  neg- 
lect of  the  salvation  of  Christ,  neglect 
of  his  Sabbath  and  worship,  buried  alive 
in  the  cares  of  the  world  ;  sensual,  world- 
ly, covetous ;  perhaps  opposers  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  persecutors  of  the  faithful.  The 
Lord  in  his  infinite  mercy  open  the  eyes 
of  such  mistaken  persons,  and  preserve 
them  from  going  out  of  the  world  with  a 
lie  in  their  right  hand  ! 

To  live  godly  includes  a  great  deal. 
We  must  know  God,  by  the  teaching  of 
his  Spirit.  We  must  believe  on  him  as  a 
God  reconciled  in  Christ.  We  must  love 
him  as  our  heavenly  Father.  We  shall 
then  love  his  law,  and  gladly  be  governed 
by  liis  connnandments.  His  word  will  be 
precious  to  us.  Ills  sabbath  delightful. 
His    worship    pleasant.     His    ordinances 


sweet.  In  a  word,  we  shall  "  wallc  hum- 
bly with  our  God  *'  it  'will  be  our  meat 
and  drink  to  do  his  will;  and  being  no 
longer  our  own,  but  bought  with  a  price, 
we  shall  glorify  God  in  our  bodies,  and  hi 
our  spirits,  which  are  his. 

This  is  that  kind  of  life  which  the  Gos- 
pel teaclies  us.  This  is  its  nature  and  ex- 
tent. The  Gospel  also  shows  us  the  abso- 
lute necessity  of  it.  Many  deceive  them- 
selves with  vain  words,  and  think  there  is 
no  occasion  to  be  so  strict ;  and  they  labor 
to  render  a  life  of  holiness  contemptible, 
by  calling  it  ill  names,  such  as  fanaticism 
and  enthusiasm,  and  by  ridiculing  serious 
persons  as  enthusiasts,  hypocrites,  and 
righteous  over-much.  But  we  abide  by 
the  Bible.  We  abide  by  our  text.  The 
God  of  truth  has  prescribed  this  as  the  way 
of  life ;  and  has  awfully  declared,  that 
without  repentance,  without  faith,  without 
holiness  and  godliness,  no  man  shall  see 
the  Lord.  By  this  we  are  determined  to 
abide,  and  let  others  look  to  themselves. 

But  should  any  say.  All  this  is  very  right 
and  good,  but  who  can  come  up  to  it  ]  By 
what  means  can  we  attain  it  ]  I  answer, 
The  Gospel  that  bringeth  salvation  teach- 
eth  us  how  to  attain  it,  and  this  is  the  pe- 
culiar excellency  of  the  Gospel.  The 
teachers  of  mere  morality  are  like  the 
task-masters  of  Pharaoh,  who  required  the 
Israelites  to  make  brick  without  straw. 
They  are  always  preaching  that  men 
should  do  this  and  that,  but  they  tell  tliem 
not  their  own  inability,  nor  where  their 
great  strength  lies.  When  we  view  a 
natural  man  wedded  to  tlie  world,  or  tied 
and  bound  with  the  chains  of  his  sin,  or 
wallowing  in  the  mire  of  sensual  lusts,  we 
are  ready  to  say.  Can  tlie  Etliiopian  change 
his  skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots  ?  But  no- 
thing is  too  hard  for  the  Lord.  The  Gos- 
pel first  directs  the  sinner  to  repair  by 
faith  to  Christ,  and  to  obtain  the  pardon  of 
his  sins  through  his  precious  blood.  This 
is  his  first  business.  And  if  the  sinner  be 
enabled  to  believe  in  Jesus,  his  faith  will 
work  by  love,  will  purify  his  heart,  and 
overcome  his  lust.  We  are  not  by  our 
own  power,  first  to  reform  our  lives,  and 
then,  as  gracious  and  good  people,  to  trust 
in  Ciirist  for  salvation ;  but,  as  soon  as 
ever  we  discover  our  need  of  a  Savior,  to 
fly  to  him  without  delay,  just  as  we  are. 
And  he  casts  out  none  that  come  to  him. 
Believing  in  him  will  give  a  new  turn  to 
our  affections.  We  shall  mourn  for  par- 
doned sin.  Wo  shall  hate  the  murderers 
of  our  Lord.  We  shall  be  crucified  to  the 
world  by  the  cross  of  .losus  ;  and  the  ways 
of  godliness  will  no  longer  be  a  burden 


SERMON  L. 


233 


and  a  task,  but  our  pleasant  and  easy  ser- 
vice. The  love  of  ('lirist  will  constrain 
us,  and  we  shall  judjre,  that  if  one  died 
for  all,  then  were  all  dead ;  and  tiiat  he 
died  for  all,  that  henceforth  they  who  live 
should  not  live  to  themselves,  but  unto 
him  who  died  for  them. 

Besides,  Whoever  believes  in  Jesus  is 
really  united  to  him,  in  tiie  same  manner 
as  the  vine  and  its  branches  arc  united. 
All  our  fruitfulness  in  good  works  depends 
on  this  union.  "Abide  in  me,"  said  our 
Lord;  "thus  shall  ye  bring  forth  much 
fruit,  for  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing." 
This  is  the  true  secret  of  godliness,  the 
Gospel  mystery  of  sanctification,  and  the 
only  way  of  becoming  holy.  In  this  way 
nothing  is  too  hard  to  be  accomplished ; 
and  on  this  ground  every  believer  may  say, 
with  St.  Paul,  "  1  can  do  all  things,  Ihrouwh 
Christ  which  strengtheneth  me."  We 
shall  now  conclude  with  some  Inferences 
and  Exhortutions. 

1.  Is  the  Gospel  the  Grace  of  God  ? 
The  Gift  of  his  grace  ?  The  Revelation 
of  his  grace  ?  And  the  Instrument  of  his 
grace  .'  Then  take  care  to  distinguish  the 
Gospel  from  all  false  doctrine.  Beware  of 
"  another  Gospel."  Whatever  does  not 
I  '  bring  to  helpless  sinners  the  good  neWs  of 
a  free  grace  salvation  is  not  the  Gospel. 
Reject  it.  And  O  take  care  that  "  you 
receive  not  the  grace  of  God  in  vain."  2 
Cor.  vi.  1.  The  grace  of  God,  as  a  divine 
principle  in  the  heart,  cannot  be  received 
in  vain,  but  the  Gospel,  which  is  also  call- 
ed the  grace  of  God,  is  often  received  in 
vain.  It  is  a  great  privilege  to  have  the 
Gospel  preached  to  us,  but  a  dreadful  thing 
to  have  it  prove  "  the  savor  of  death  unto 
death ;"  for,  Christ  has  said  it,  "  He  that 
belicveth  not  shall  be  damned."  Marie 
xvi.  16. 

Is  the  Gospel  the  grace  of  God  !  Prize 
it  yourselves,  and  recommend  it  to  others. 
Next  to  Christ  himself,  it  is  the  greatest 
gift  of  God  to  a  ruined  world.  What  an 
inexpressible  privilege  and  honor  is  it,  to 
be  in  any  way  instrumental  in  communi- 
cating this  heavenly  gift  to  others !  Let  us 
invite  our  neighbors  to  hear  it.  Let  us 
put  some  Gospel  tracts  into  their  hands. 
Let  us  speak  of  it  to  our  relations  and 
friends.  Let  us  support  and  countenance 
the  preaching  of  it  at  home  and  abroad  ; 
and,  especially,  let  us  recommend  it  to 
others  by  the  holy  effects  it  has  produced 
on  ourselves.  Let  us  recommend  it  by 
our  lives. 

It  appears  from  what  has  been  said  that 
there  is  no  ground  for  the  reproach  often 
cast  on  the  Gospel  of  grace,  that  it  leads 
2  E 


to  licentiousness,  or  that  the  doctrine  of 
faith  and  graco  is  hurtful  to  morality  and 
good  works,  it  is  a  foul  and  groundless 
slander.  Nothing  is  more  false.  Our  text 
confutes  it  at  once.  We  have  shown  that 
the  Gospel  is  properly  called  the  grace  of 
God  ;  it  i§  the  Gospel  that  bringeth  salva- 
tion by  grace ;  and  this  free-grace  Gospel 
teacheth  us  to  live  a  holy  life.  What  can 
be  plainer  .'  And  let  it  be  noted,  that  no- 
thing but  the  Gospel  of  grace  can  truly 
teach  or  produce  a  holy  life.  This  was,  at 
first,  the  power  of  God  to  the  salvation  of 
bigoted  Jews,  and  beastly  Heathens.  In 
every  succeeding  age  it  has  had  the  same 
blessed  effects.  And  it  is  the  same  to  this 
day.  While  moral  preachers  labor  in  vain, 
aud  many  of  them  address  their  Heathen 
lectures  to  sleepy  hearers  and  empty  pews, 
we  know  and  are  sure,  that  the  plain  truths 
of  the  Gospel  are  etlectual  to  quicken 
dead  sinners,  to  convert  notorious  rebels, 
and  to  produce  in  numberless  persons  "the 
fruits  of  good  living."  This  is  its  proper 
tendency ;  these  its  genuine  fruits.  And  we 
adore  that  grace  that  renders  the  word 
powerful  for  these  blessed  purposes. 

If  any  false  professors  of  religion  abuse 
the  doctrines  of  grace  for  licentious  prac- 
tices, they  have  no  countenance  in  so  do- 
ing from  the  Gos'pel  or  the  preachers  of 
it.  Our  text  will  at  once  confront  and 
confound  such  base  hypocrites.  It  teaches 
them  the  nature,  necessity,  and  method  of 
attaining  a  holy  life.  Believers  were 
"  chosen  in  Christ,  that  they  might  be  holy 
and  without  blame  before  him  in  love." 
All  the  commands  of  God,  both  in  the  Old 
and  New  Testament,  require  it.  It  was 
an  eminent  branch  of  the  design  of  Christ 
in  dying  for  his  people.  It  is  necessary  to 
the  present  peace  and  happhiess  of  our 
souls  in  this  world  of  sin  and  vanity.  This 
is  the  way  in  which  God  expects  us  to  glo- 
rify him  among  men.  And  in  this  consists 
our  "  meetness  for  the  inheritance  of  the 
saints  in  light." 

May  our  holy  God,  who  has  favored  us 
with  liis  holy  Gospel,  render  it  effectual 
by  his  Holy  Spirit,  to  make  us  "holy  in  all 
conversation  and  godlmess;"  and,  at  the 
great  day,  "present  us  holy,  and  unblama- 
ble, and  unreprovable  in  his  sight."  To 
him  be  glory,  now  and  for  ever.    Amen. 


PRAYER. — Father  of  mercies  and  God  of 
all  grace,  we  give  lliee  humble  and  hearty  thanks 
for  llie  glorious  Gospel  of  lliy  grace.  We  re- 
joice ihal  it  bringeth  salvalion  lo  the  ear,  to  the 
uuderslundiDg,  and  lo  the  heart !  We  bless  tliee 
that  it  is  designed  for  sinners  of  all  nations  and 
of  every  degree  !  We  bless  thee  for  the  holi- 
ness it   exhibits  and   requires!     May  it,  by  thy 

20'= 


234 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


grace,  effectually  teach  and  constrain  us  to  deny 
all  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  so- 
berly, righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present  evil 
world  !  May  we,  by  moderation  in  all  lawful 
pursuits  and  enjoyments,  so  use  the  things  of  this 
world  as  not  to  abuse  them  !  May  we,  by  faith 
in  the  Redeemer,  be  clothed  with  his  spotless 
righteousness,  and  be  rendered  holy  in  all  man- 
ner of  conversation  and  godliness !  Enable  us  to 
live  near  to  Christ,  and  to  experience  the  blessed- 
ness of  constantly  abiding  in  him.  From  him 
may  we  derive  all  our  qualifications  for  obedi- 
ence, and  all  our  joys  and  consolations;  and,  at 
the  last  great  day,  may  we  be  presented  holy, 
unblamable,  and  unreprovable  in  thy  sight,  in 
the  Savior's  name  we  implore  these  great  mer- 
cies ;  and  to  him,  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  be  everlasting  praise!    Amen. 


SERMON  LI. 

NONCONFORMITY  TO  THE  WORLD.* 
Romans  xii.  2.  And  be  not  conformed  to  this  world. 

This  is  a  general  exhortation,  adapted 
to  a  great  variety  of  occasions.  It  af- 
fords an  excellent  rule  for  the  Christian's 
conduct,  which  he  may  readily  apply, 
when  tempted  to  follow  the  course  of  this 
world.  It  is  easy  to  know  what  the  world 
loves  and  pursues,  and  it  is  easy  to  remember 
that  the  Christian  must  take  a  different 
course.  The  way  of  the  world  is  the 
broad  way  to  destruction;  the  way  of 
life  is  narrow,  and  trodden  but  by  few. 

The  text  is  a  plain  and  direct  prohibi- 
tion against  conformity  to  the  world.  It 
is  addressed  to  the  people  of  God,  and  stands 
connected  with  an  affectionate  exhortation 
to  be  devoted  to  him.  This  chapter  is 
wholly  practical ;  and  follows  a  large  and 
excellent  discourse  upon  the  exceeding 
riches  of  divine  grace  to  sinners,  in  their 
free  and  full  justification  through  faith  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  the  most  noble  and  glo- 
rious privileges  to  which  they  are  called. 
"  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  mercies 
of  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a  living 
sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God,  which 
is  your  reasonable  service."  Thus  are  the 
doctrines  of  grace  sweetly  connected  with 
a  gracious  walk  and  conversation.  They 
are  connected  in  the  Bible,  and  they  are 
connected  in  all  those  who  are  taught  of 
God.  May  we  happily  know  their  sacred 
union  by  our  own  experience  ! 

*  As  this  sermon  is  designed  to  expose  the  sin 
and  danger  of  Carnal  Games  and  Amusements, 
especially  in  the  professors  of  Religion,  it  may 
be  usefully  read  in  Holiday  seasons;  at  the  time 
of  a  Fair  or  Wakes  ;  or  when  Theatrical  amuse- 
ments are  introduced  into  a  town.  It  may  also 
be  lent  to  a  friend,  who  is  in  danger  of  being 
tempted  to  sinful  compliance  upon  such  occasions. 


In  order  to  this  complete  devotedness  to 
God,  the  apostle  here  advises  believers 
"  not  to  be  conformed  to  this  world" — not 
to  be  moulded  into  the  same  fashion — not 
to  comply  witli  their  temper  and  spirit — 
not  to  imitate  their  depraved  customs  and 
manners ;  but  on  the  contrary,  to  "  be 
transformed,  by  the  renewing  of  their 
minds ;"  to  be  changed  into  a  contrary, 
better,  more  glorious,  and  abiding  form — 
in  the  daily  renovation  of  their  souls,  yet 
more  and  more  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  The 
text,  therefore,  teaches  us  this  great  and 
useful  doctrine,  that. 

Christians  must  not  be  conformed  to 
this  world. 

By  "  the  world,"  we  are  certainly  to  un- 
derstand, the  men  of  the  world,  in  opposi- 
tion to  true  believers,  or  the  people  of  God. 
That  there  is  a  real  and  essential  distinc- 
tion between  the  world  and  the  Church,  is 
abundantly  plain  from  the  Scriptures.  Je- 
sus Christ  saith  of  his  disciples,  "  They 
are  not  of  the  world,  even  as  I  am  not  of 
the  world ;"  and  St.  John  saith  of  believ- 
ers, "  We  know  we  are  of  God,  and  the 
whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness."  This 
important  distinction  prevails  throughout 
the  Bible.  Everywhere,  God's  people  are 
repr'esented  as  differing  from  the  world. 
Believers  are  called  children  of  God; 
others,  the  children  of  the  Devil  and  the 
children  of  wrath ;  the  one  are  fi-iends,  the 
other  enemies ;  the  one  far  from  God,  the 
other  are  brought  nigh  to  God. 

It  was  the  design  of  Christ,  in  dying  for 
his  people,  "  to  deliver  them  from  this  pres- 
ent evil  world" — to  save  them  "  from  the 
evil  that  is  in  the  world" — to  make  an  ev- 
ident separation,  and  "  to  purify  unto  him- 
self a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good 
works ;"  that  is,  to  separate  them  from  the 
wicked  world  for  his  own  use,  and  for  his 
own  glory,  as  his  precious  and  peculiar 
property,  that  they  might  be  zealously  af- 
fected towards  him  and  his  cause,  in  the 
performance  of  every  good  work. 

The  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  calls  believ- 
ers to  this  separation,  and  is  the  instrument 
of  effecting  it.  "  Come  out  from  among 
them,  and  be  ye  separate,"  saith  the  Lord, 
"  and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing,  and  I 
will  receive  you."  2  Cor.  vi.  17.  There 
is  much  danger  in  the  company  of  idola- 
ters, and  in  connexion  with  unbelievers ; 
there  is  danger  of  being  infected  and  de- 
filed ;  therefore  a  proper  distance  must  be 
kept.  And  the  Gospel  of  Christ  becomes 
an  occasion  of  this  separation ;  it  creates 
division,  it  causes  disunion;  the  believer 
is  crucified  to  the  world,  and  the  world 
unto  him.  Tims  faitlt,  wliich  is  the  bond  of 


I 


SERMOx^  LI. 


235 


union  with  Christ,  is  the  instrument  of 
separation  from  tlie  world.  And  liow  rea- 
sonable is  it  to  expect,  that  persons,  whose 
state  and  character  now  ditier  essentially 
from  others,  and  who  will  be  eternally  sep- 
arated as  far  as  Heaven  is  from  Hell, 
should  now  bear  tlie  visible  marks  of  dis- 
tinction, and  not  be  conformed  to  this 
world ! 

We  may  proceed  to  inquire  in  what 
this  nonconformity  consists,  or  in  what 
degree  it  is  required ;  for  a  total  separa- 
tion is  impossible,  in  the  present  state  of 
things.  There  are  family  connexions, 
which  are  not  to  be  dissolved,  because 
some  of  the  parties  are  gracious,  and 
others  remain  in  their  sins,  1  Cor.  vii.  10. 
There  are  also  civil  connexions,  in  the 
lawful  affairs  of  this  world,  with  which 
religion  cannot  interfere.  If  we  would 
wholly  avoid  intercourse  with  the  wicked, 
"  we  must  needs  go  out  of  the  world,"  for 
the  world  is  full  of  them,  1  Cor.  v.  10. 
Neither  does  religion  require  or  counte- 
nance a  morose  and  sullen,  or  uncivil  be- 
havior to  the  men  of  the  world ;  much  less 
does  it  demand  an  entire  exclusion  from 
the  affairs  of  life,  and  a  solitary  confinement 
in  a  monastery  or  nunnery.  Christians 
are  not,  like  the  old  Pharisees,  to  say  to 
others — "  Stand  off — we  are  holier  than 
thou."  On  the  contrary,  believers  are 
"  the  salt  of  the  earth,"  and,  by  their  ne- 
cessary and  lawful  connexions  with  the 
world,  are  the  happy  means  of  preserving 
it  from  utter  corruption ;  they  are  "  the 
liglits  of  the  world,"  and  diffuse  some 
general  rays  of  knowledge  amidst  the 
general  darkness.  And  by  their  wise, 
holy,  and  prudent  conduct  among  men, 
ore  to  condemn  the  world,  as  to  what  is 
evil  in  it,  and  recommend  the  Gospel  they 
profess  to  the  notice  and  approbation  of 
others.  But  while  they  are  thus  engaged, 
they  are  not  to  be  conformed  to  the  world, 
in  the  following  respects. 

1.  As  to  the  Errors  of  the  world — their 
falls  and  dangerous  sentiments  in  religion. 
The  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  are  directly 
contrary  to  the  generally  received  opinions 
of  worldly  men :  they  directly  tend  to 
humble  the  sinner,  to  exalt  the  Savior, 
and  to  promote  holiness ;  while  the  notions 
of  the  world  tend  to  make  the  sinner 
proud,  with  .some  fancied  opinion  of  liis 
goodness,  works,  and  righteousness;  to 
diminish  the  glory  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  "the 
Ijord  our  Righteousness ;"  and  to  make 
holiness  in  iieait  and  life  a  needless,  if  not 
a  contemptible  thing.  It  is  the  high 
privilege  of  God's  people  to  be  "taught 
of  God ;"  to  "  have  tlie   Spirit  of  truth, 


whom  the  world  cannot  receive ;"  to 
"know  the  truth,"  to  "be  of  the  truth,"  to 
"  keep  the  truth,"  and  to  be  "  sanctified 
by  the  truth."  False  teachers  "are  of 
the  world,  therefore  tliey  speak  of  the 
world,  and  tlie  world  heareth  them ;"  but 
he  that  is  of  God,  and  knoweth  God, 
heartily  embraces  the  truth  of  the  Gospel ; 
he  "  heareth  the  voice  of  Christ,  the  true 
Shepherd,  but  the  voice  of  a  stranger  he 
will  not  follow."  1  John  iv.  5,  6.  John  x. 
16.  26,  27.  This  separation  from  the  re- 
ligious errors  of  the  world  is  of  the  greatest 
importance;  and  while  we  pay  all  civil 
respects  to  all  men,  and  abhor  persecution, 
we  must  give  no  countenance  to  error. 
St.  John  gives  us  this  direction — "If  there 
come  any  unto  you,  and  bring  not  this 
doctrine  (the  doctrine  of  Christ),  receive 
him  not  into  your  house,  neither  bid  him 
God  speed  :  for  he  that  biddeth  him  God 
speed,  is  partaker  of  his  evil  deeds."  2 
John  10,  11. 

2.  We  must  not  be  conformed  to  the 
ivorld  in  its  sinful  Practices.  "  The  lust 
of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eye,  and  the 
pride  of  liffe,"  are  called  "  the  world's 
trinity,"  tlieir  'god  whom  they  worship 
and  obey.  The  works  of  the  flesh,  and 
the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  are  directly  con- 
trary to  each  other ;  they  who  are  in  the 
flesh  practise  the  one,  they  that  are  in  the 
Spirit  practise  the  other.  "  Now  the 
works  of  the  flesh  are  manifest,  as  adulte- 
ry, fornication,  uncleanness,  lascivious- 
ness,  wrath,  strife,  seditions,  envyings, 
murders,  drunkenness,  revellings,  and 
such  like ;  the  doers  of  which  shall  not 
inlierit  the  kingdom  of  God,"  Gal.  v.  19 
— 21.  But  "  if  we  walk  in  tlie  Spirit,  we 
shall  not  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  :  and 
they  that  are  Christ's  have  crucified  the 
flesh,  with  its  affections  and  lusts."  The 
Christian  must  therefore  dissent  from  the 
world  in  its  evil  practices ;  even  "  the  ap- 
pearance of  evil"  must  be  carefully  shun- 
ned. Pure  religion  and  undefiled  is  to 
keep  himself  unspotted  from  the  world — 
to  behave  himself  in  such  a  circumspect 
and  holy  manner,  as  to  keep  clear  of  the 
pollutions  of  this  evil  and  ensnaring  world, 
that  he  may  not  bring  a  slur  upon  his 
conscience  or  his  character. 

3.  Christians  must  not  be  conformed  to 
the  Spirit  of  the  world.  There  is  a  cer- 
tain disposition  and  taste  which  forms  the 
true  character  of  a  man  of  tlic  world,  and 
wliich  operates  as  a  powerful  principle  in 
the  regulation  of  his  wliole  conduct 
There  is  also  an  opposite  principle  given 
to  the  people  of  God  in  their  new  birth, 
which  gives  a  new  taste  to  tlieir  minds, 


230 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


and  a  new  bias  to  their  affections.  St. 
Paul,  speaking  of  both  these,  saith,  "  now 
we  have  received  not  the  spirit  of  the 
world,  but  tlie  Spirit  which  is  of  God."  1 
Cor.  ii.  12.  The  spirit  of  the  world  must 
of  course  bo  a  worldly  spirit ;  or,  in  the 
language  of  Scripture,  a  "  carnal  mind  !" 
it  can  be  no  other ;  for  "  that  which  is 
born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh."  So  God  him- 
self declared  of  man,  before  the  flood — 
"  My  spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with 
man,  for  that  he  also  is  flesh — wholly 
fleshly  and  carnal" — "  sensual,  not  having 
the  Spirit."  The  desires,  the  pursuits, 
the  deliglits  of  natural  men  are  only 
worldly.  Their  cry  is,  "  Who  will  show 
us  any  good!" — "What  shall  we  eat, 
what  shall  we  drink,  wherewithal  sliall 
we  be  clotlied  V  The  world,  in  some 
form  or  other,  is  their  beloved  object. 
But  the  people  of  God,  "  redeemed  from 
their  vain  conversation,"  have  a  nobler 
object  in  view. — They  are  spiritual  in 
their  taste  and  pursuits :  they  can  no 
longer  grovel  in  the  dust,  or  feed  on 
husks  :  they  are  renewed  in  the  spirit  of 
their  minds,  and  seek  the  things  that  are 
above.  How  poor,  and  •  mean,  and  low, 
are  the  sordid  objects  of  the  world  in  their 
esteem !  even  tlie  wisest  and  greatest 
among  natural  men  are  amusinfj  them- 
selves  with  toys  of  children,  the  baubles 
of  idiots,  or  tho  pranks  of  madmen,  com- 
pau^d  with  the  manly,  solid,  heavenly 
aims  and  emplojnnents  of  true  believers. 

4.  'JVie  Ckristimi  nmst  not  he  conform- 
ed to  tlfP  company  of  the  world.  The 
men  of  the  world  are  not  his  chosen  com- 
panions. We  liavc  already  observed  that 
converse  with  them  cannot  be  wholly 
avoided.  'J'he  lawful  business  of  life  will 
necessarily  bring  tliem  together.  But  we 
speak  of  making  them  intimate  friends, 
and  tiie  companions  of  leisure  hours.  But 
"  how  can  two  walk  together,  except  they 
be  agreed  ?"  What  fellowship  hatli  liglit 
with  darkness!  What  concord  hath 
(.'hrist  willi  T?elial,  or  (christians  with  the 
sons  of  Belial !  p]ither  must  the  Cliristian 
conform  himself  to  tiie  liglit,  vain,  frothy 
and  often  profane  conversation  of  worldly 
men,  or  \\\oy  must  conform  themselves  to 
his  spiritual  views;  and  whicli  of  these  is 
most  likely  to  happen,  it  is  not  hard  to 
tell.  We  become  insensible  like  our  in- 
timate friends,  and  naturally  drink  into 
their  spirit :  as  theretorc  there  is,  in 
general,  but  little  probability  of  doing 
good  to  carnal  "  icm  by  our  company,  it  is 
far  wisest  and  safest  for  us  to  keep  oin* 
distance.  Tntimate  and  habitual  friendship 
with  wicked    mon    is   considered,   in  tije 


Scripture,  as  opix)sition  to  God.  St.  James, 
addressing  himself  to  conforming  pro- 
fessors, saith,  "  Ye  adulterers  and  adulter- 
esses, know  ye  not  that  the  friendship  of 
the  world  is  enmity  with  God  !  whosoever, 
therefore,  will  be  a  friend  of  the  world,  is 
the  enemy  of  God." — If  our  chief  happi- 
ness be  in  the  things  of  the  world,  and  if 
we  court  the  friendship  of  wicked  men  in 
order  to  procure  them,  we  are,  at  heart, 
enemies  to  God  ;  and  in  persons  of  a  re- 
ligious character,  who  profess  to  be  be- 
trothed unto  Christ  as  their  spiritual  hus- 
band, this  is  heart-adultery. 

And  if  this  occasional  conformity  to 
worldly  persons  be  so  blamable,  what 
must  we  think  of  forming  connexions 
with  them  for  life?  How  criminal  and 
how  dangerous,  to  act  directly  contrary 
to  the  grand  rule  in  this  case — to  marry 
— "  only  in  the  Lord."  1  Cor.  vii.  39. 

5.  Christians  must  not  conform  them- 
selves to  the  world  in  their  carnal  nmuse- 
ments.  The  taste  of  men  discovers  itself 
in  nothing  more  plainly  than  in  their 
choice  of  amusements.  It  is  easy  to  know 
what  these  are,  and  what  is  adapted  to  the 
corrupt  taste  of  the  carnal  mind.  Worldly 
men  are  never  so  much  in  their  element 
as  when  engaged  in  them  ;  and,  to  enjoy 
them,  they  will  oflen  sacrifice  their  most 
important  interests.  Among  these  the 
amusements  of  the  theatre  have  the  first 
place ;  for  these  the  world  strongly  pleads, 
and  affects  to  place  them  on  a  level 
with  divine  ordinances,  by  saying.  They 
can  learn  as  much  from  a  good  play  as 
from  a  sermon.  But  it  should  be  remem- 
bered that  sermons,  and  means  of  grace, 
derive  all  their  virtue  from  the  authority 
of  Christ  wlio  appointed  them,  and  has 
promised  to  bless  them ;  but  the  advocates 
of  plays  can  never  pretend  that  Christ  has 
either  ordained  them,  or  engaged  to  put 
his  blessing  upon  them. 

So  far  are  plays  from  being  useful'  to 
the  cause  of  virtue,  that  they  are  one  of 
tlie  most  successful  engines  of  vice  that 
Satan  ever  invented.  Several  of  the 
heathen  philosopliers  and  law-givers  op- 
posed them  in  the  strongest  terms.  Plato 
banishes  them  from  his  conmionwealth. 
Xenophon  ccmnnends  the  Persians  for  not 
suflfering  tlieir  youth  to  hear  any  thing- 
amorous,  thinking  it  dangerous  to  add  any 
weight  to  the  bias  of  nature.  Seneca 
complains,  that  by  the  stage,  vice  made  an 
insensible  approach,  and  stole  on  the  peo- 
ple in  tlie  disguise  of  pleasure.  Tacitus 
says,  the  German  ladies  preserved  their 
honor,  by  having  no  play-houses  among 
tlien).     The  Atiieuians  would  not  sufler  a 


SERxMON  LL 


237 


judge  to  compose  a  comedy.  The  Lace- 
demonians would  not  endure  the  stage, 
under  any  kind  of  regulation.  The  Ro- 
mans, in  their  better  tunes,  reckoned  the 
stage  so  disgraceful,  tliat  any  Roman 
turning  actor  was  degraded.  And  we 
may  add,  that  the  English  laws,  till  very 
lately,  denominated  stage-players — rogues, 
vagabonds,  and  sturdy  beggars. 

The  earliest  Christians  abhorred  them. 
TertuUian,  in  tlic  second  century,  says, 
"  We  (Christians)  have  nothing  to  do  with 
the  frenzies  of  tiie  race-ground,  the  lewd- 
ness of  the  play-house,  or  the  barbarities 
of  the  bear-garden."  Some  of  the  ancient 
councils  ordained  tliat  players  should  be 
exconununicated,  and  tliat  even  the  sons 
of  clergymen  must  not  be  present  at  plays, 
"  it  being  always  unlawful  for  Christians 
to  come  among  blasphemers."  A  good 
WTiter  says — "  Will  you  not  avoid  tlie  seat 
of  infection  !  The  very  air  suffers  by  their 
impurities,  and  they  breathe  the  plague.  I 
What  thougli  the  performance  be  enter- 
taining ;  what  tliough  innocence  and  vir- 
tue shine  in  some  parts  of  it ;  it  is  not  the 
custom  to  prepare  poison  unpalatably.  No; 
to  make  tlie  mischief  spread,  they  must 
oblige  the  sense,  and  make  the  dose  plea- 
sant. Thus  the  devil  throws  in  a  cordial 
drop  to  make  the  draught  go  down,  and 
steals  some  ingredients  from  the  dispensa- 
tory of  heaven.  Look  upon  all  their  fine 
sentences,  their  flights  of  rhetoric,  and 
their  loftiness  of  style — as  honey  dropping 
from  the  bowels  of  a  toad,  or  the  bag  of  a 
spider."  "  And,  admitting,"  says  anotlier, 
"  that  sotiie  good  may  be  learned  at  tlie 
play-house — do  people  use  to  send  their 
dau!:;hters  to  a  bawdy-house  to  learn  dis- 
cipline ?  Do  gentlemen  educate  their  sons 
under  highwaymen  to  teach  tliem  courage ! 
Or  will  any  man  venture  on  board  a  leaky 
vessel,  tliat  he  may  learn  tlie  art  of  shift- 
ing in  a  storm!"  Besides,  if  plays  have 
siicli  a  moral  tendency,  how  is  it  that  tb.e 
players  are  generally  the  most  immoral 
people  in  the  world,  and  the  neighborhood 
of  play-houses  the  very  sink  of  filtlii- 
ness !" 

Archbishop  Tillot';on  thought  plays  "  a 
mighty  reproach  to  Britain,  and  not  fit  to 
be  tolerated  in  a  civilized,  iiuich  less  in  a 
(christian  nation."  He  calls  (he  play-house 
"  the  devil's  chapel,  the  school  and  nur.sery 
of  vice  and  lewdness."  And  one  of  the 
judges  well  said— "One  play-house  ruins 
nioi-e  souls  than  fifty  churches  can  save." 

Dinirintx. — The  (hiiicing  of  both  sexes, 
and  especially  in  public  places,  is  another 
species  of  amusement  highly  pleasing  to 
tlie  world,  but  extremely  dangerous  to  goivj 


morals.  The  gaiety  it  inspires ;  the  com- 
pany into  which  it  leads,  and  various  evils 
connected  with  it,  render  it  every  way  un- 
becoming the  Christian ;  who  has  the  ut- 
most need  to  cultivate  seriousness  and 
gravity,  and  to  live  and  act  as  a  pilgrim 
and  a  stranger.  There  is  scarcely  any 
thing  not  absolutely  and  notoriously  wick- 
ed, in  which  conformity  to  the  world  con- 
sists more  than  the  amusement  of  the  ball- 
room. Not  a  few  have  been  called  out  of 
it  into  eternity  ;  but  where  is  the  person 
who  would  wish,  when  summoned  to  the 
bar  of  God,  to  be  found  so  employed  ] 

Playing  at  Cards  is  another  favorite  di- 
version with  the  world.  The  express  pur- 
pose of  this  amusement  is  a  sufficient  ar- 
gument against  it — it  is  to  kill  time.  Alas  I 
our  time  is  short  enougli,  and  will  die  of 
itself;  we  need  not  hasten  its  exit.  Our 
days  are  as  an  handbreadth,  and  our  age 
is  as  nothing.  We  complain  of  the  short- 
ness of  life,  and  yet  labor  to  reduce  its. 
narrow  span.  It  may  justly  be  doubted 
whether  any  game  be  lawful  which  de- 
pends upon  casting  a  lot ;  for  dealing  the 
cards  is  of  that  nature,  and  is  therefore  a' 
kind  of  appeal  to  God  for  the  success  of 
our  play,  for  "  the  lot  is  cast  into  the  lap, 
but  the  disposal  thereof  is  of  the  Lord."" 
But,  not  to  insist  upon  this,  it  is  really  a 
childish  business.  It  is  a  poor  employment 
for  rational  and  immortal  beings  to  spend 
many  hours  of  precious  time  in  throwing 
about  bits  of  spotted  paper.  The  conver- 
sation that  accompanies  it,  is  generally 
frivolous  and  foolish.  The  passions  of  ava- 
rice and  anger  are  frequently  excited,  o.nd 
the  tragical  consequences  of  gaming  are 
so  perfectly  opposite  to  the  Christian  char- 
acter, that  a  good  man  ought  to  reject  the 
amusement  altogether. 

There  are  other  diversions,  as  horse- 
racing,  cock-fighting,  bull-baiting,  &c.  as 
well  as  conformity  to  the  world  in  gay,  in- 
decent, or  too  expensive  fashions  of  dress, 
upon  which  we  have  not  room  to  comment 
particularly.  There  is  one  grand  rule  ap- 
plicable to  them  all,  and  which  may  afford 
a  pretty  good  test  of  their  propriety  or  im- 
propriety. You  Vv'ill  find  this  apostolic  di- 
rection in  Col.  iii.  17.  "  Whatsoever  ye  do 
in  word  or  deed — do  all  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesns,  giving  thanks  to  C«od  and  the 
Fatiier,  by  him."  '  Now,  can  you  tell  me 
how  to  see  a  play,  to  dance  a  minuet,  or  to 
play  a  g-ame  at  cards — "  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  to  the  glory  of  God  ]" 
Can  you  pray  for  the  Lord's  presence  and 
blessing  on  these  engagements?  A  good 
man  once  convinced  a  company  of  the  folly 
of  tiiese  things  by  offering  to  say  grace 


238 


VILLAGE  BERMONS. 


before  cards,  or  to  pray  for  a  blessing  on 
them.  The  company  felt  the  impropriety, 
and  asked  him  what  he  was  going  to  do  ] 
The  good  man  replied — "  God  forbid  I 
should  do  any  thing  on  which  I  cannot  ask 
ills  blessmg."  Common  sense  forbids  you 
to  say — "Lord,  go  with  me  to  the  play- 
house, and  bless  the  good  instruction  I  go 
to  receive !"  or,  "  Lord,  give  me  a  good 
hand  at  cards !"  Such  petitions  would  be 
justly  reckoned  impious;  but  the  impro- 
priety clearly  shows,  that  what  cannot  be 
done  with  prayer,  cannot  be  done  with  a 
good  conscience,  cannot  be  done  to  the 
glory  of  God,  and  tlierefore  ougjit  not  to 
be  done  at  all.  In  all  these  things  the  con- 
sistent Christian  must  remember  the  text 
— "  Be  not  conformed  to  this  world." 

APPLICATION. 

From  what  has  been  said,  it  is  surely 
evident,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  Christians 
not  to  be  conformed  to  this  world.  It  is 
plain  that  God's  people  are  a  distinct  peo- 
ple, and  ought  to  be  a  separate  people. 
There  is  a  holy  singularity,  though  not  an 
a,ffected  singularity,  which  well  becomes 
them.  This  indeed  requires  courage.  In 
certain  situations,  where  persons  have  been 
closely  connected  with  the  carnal  and  the 
gay,  and  especially  with  the  great,  it  will  not 
be  very  easy  to  come  out  from  among  them, 
and  avow  that  they  belong  to  Christ.  Yet, 
let  none  despair.  The  Scripture  shows  us 
how  it  may  be  done,  1  John  v.  4. — "  Who- 
soever is  born  of  God,  overcometh  the 
world :  and  this  is  the  victory  that  over- 
cometh the  world,  even  our  faith."  By 
the  new  nature  which  the  Christian  re- 
ceives, he  gets  above  the  terrors  and  allure- 
ments of  the  men  and  things  of  this  world, 
so  as  not  to  be  driven  away  by  the  one,  or 
drawn  aside  by  the  other,  from  his  duty  to 
God.  And  this  noble  conquest  is  obtained, 
not  by  our  owti  power,  but  by  the  strength 
we  derive  from  Christ,  tlirough  faith  in 
him.  Faith  realizes  eternal  things,  and 
shows  us  how  vain  and  mean  are  the  pur- 
suits of  the  world.  Faith  also  realizes  the 
presence  of  God,  and  judges  his  approba- 
tion to  be  infinitely  superior  to  the  friend- 
ship of  men. 

Thus  Moses,  the  man  of  God,  triumphed 
over  the  world. — "  When  come  to  years, 
he  refused  to  be  called  the  son  of  Phara- 
oh's daughter;  choosing  rather  to  suffer 
affliction  with  the  people  of  God,  than  to 
enjoy  the  pleasure  of  sin  for  a  season :  es- 
teeming the  reproacli  of  Christ  greater 
riches  than  the  treasures  m  Egypt."  Heb. 
xi.  24.  It  was  by  faith  that  Moses  did 
this.     Faith  showed  him  the  vanity  and 


danger  of  a  court-life,  of  riches  and  gran- 
deur, and  sensual  pleasure.  Faith  also 
showed  him  "  the  recompense  of  reward" 
— the  glories  of  the  eternal  world,  which 
we  should  continue  to  enjoy,  when  all  hu- 
man pomp  is  buried  in  the  dust.  He  there- 
fore wisely  chose  the  better  part,  though 
attended  with  poverty  and  shame.  With 
the  crown  of  glory  in  view,  he  was  will- 
ing to  take  up  the  cross,  and  even  to  glory 
in  it.  He  determined  to  unite  himself  with 
God's  people,  and  suft'er  reproach  and  af- 
lliction  with  them,  rather  than  be  conform- 
ed to  this  sinful  and  perishing  world. 

This  subject  shows  the  necessity  of  the 
new  birth.  If  we  would  not  be  conformed 
to  this  world,  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  be 
transformed  by  the  renewing  of  our  mind, 
as  the  apostle  adds,  immediately  after  our 
text.  Be  ye  transformed — changed  into 
a  better  form — from  being  "  earthly,  sen- 
sual, devilish,"  to  become  heavenly,  spirit- 
ual, angelical ;  and  this  is  done  "  by  the 
renewing  of  our  minds."  The  Holy  Spirit 
begins  this  renewing  work  in  regenera- 
tion; it  is  gradually  carried  on  in  sanctifi- 
cation;  in  dying,  more  and  more,  to  sin 
and  the  world,  until  the  blessed  work  be 
perfected  in  everlasting  glory.  Thus  shall 
we  "  prove  what  is  that  good,  and  accept- 
able, and  perfect  will  of  God."  The  will 
of  God,  as  revealed  in  his  word,  for  our 
direction  in  this  particular,  and  in  every 
other  branch  of  duty,  is  good — good  in  it- 
self, and  good  for  us ;  conformity  to  it  is 
acceptable  and  well-pleasing  in  his  sight, 
through  Jesus  Christ ;  and  it  is  perfect — it 
is  sufficient  to  make  a  finished  Christian, 
"  thoroughly  furnished  to  every  good  work." 
O  that  divine  grace  may  so  transform  our 
hearts,  that  we  may  prove,  and  prove  by 
our  own  experience  (for  nothing  else  can 
teach  it)  how  happy  a  thing  it  is  to  be 
wholly  devoted  to  God,  and  to  be  governed 
in  every  respect  by  his  sacred  will ! 


PRAYER. — Great  and  glorious  Jehovah, 
thou  art  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity 
without  abhorrence.  We  adore  thee  for  that  for- 
bearance vi'hich  thou  hast  long  manifested  to  a 
world  lying  in  iniquity,  and  overspread  with  cor- 
ruption. O  deliver  us,  through  the  blessed  Re- 
deemer, from  this  present  evil  world  !  Deliver  us 
from  the  condemnation  of  the  ungodly  world.  • 
Deliver  us  from  the  spirit  and  temper  of  the  men 
of  the  world.  Suffer  us  not  to  ,be  conformed  to 
the  world  in  its  errors,  in  its  practices,  or  in  its 
amusements.  Give  us,  we  beseech  thee,  that 
faith  which  overcomes  ihe  world.  May  we  walk 
by  that  failh  which  realizes  an  unseen  world,  an 
unseen  God,  an  unseen  Savior!  Conform  us,  O 
Lord,  in  heart  and  life  to  thy  holy  will.  May  we 
be  transformed  by  the  renevving  of  our  mind, 
that  we  may  prove  what  is  thy  good,  acceptable, 
and  perfect  will.    Take  entire  possession  of  our 


SERMON  LIL 


239 


hearts  by  thy  Holy  Spirit,  and  let  no  iniquity 
have  dominion  over  us.  Prepare  us  tor  that 
world  of  perfect  holiness,  into  which  nothing  can 
enter  that  detileth.  Hear,  merciful  God,  these 
our  petitions,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ,  our 
Lord  and  Savior!  Amen. 


SERMON  LIL 

PREPARATION  FOR  DEATH. 

Matt.  xxiv.  44.  Therefore,  be  ye  also  ready.* 

Death  is  a  most  serious  thing !  It  is  im- 
possible to  express,  in  words,  what  a  most 
serious  thing  DEATH  is !  Those  who  have 
thought  and  said  the  most  about  it,  in  the 
time  of  tlieir  health,  have  found  dying  to 
be  a  far  more  serious  matter  than  they 
could  before  conceive.  "  The  living  know 
that  they  must  die ;"  and  yet,  how  few  lay 
it  to  heart !  How  few  there  are  who  "  so 
number  their  days  as  to  apply  their  hearts 
to  wisdom !"  In  small  country  villages, 
where  death  seldom  comes,  the  people 
scarcely  think  of  it;  and  "their  inward 
tiiought  seems  to  be,  that  their  houses  shall 
continue  for  ever,  and  their  dwelling- 
places  to  all  generations:"  and  in  large 
cities,  where  the  bell  tolls  every  day,  and 
people  constantly  see  coffins  and  funerals, 
the  commonness  of  death  takes  away  the 
solemnity  of  it.  And  in  some  places,  it  is 
shocking  to  reflect  how  little  seriousnegg 
attends  a  funeral,  and  that  by  excessive 
eating,  drinking,  and  unseasonable  mirth, 
the  house  of  mourning  is  turned  into  the 
house  of  feasting.  All  this  shows  that  the 
heart  of  man  is  filled  with  criminal  vanity, 
and  how  far  it  is  from  that  constant  seri- 
ousness which  becomes  mortals  living  on 
the  borders  of  eternity.  Yet,  when  death 
comes  into  our  houses  or  our  neighborhood, 
we  should  be  particularly  thoughtful. 
When  it  pleases  God  to  remove  a  relation, 
a  friend,  or  a  neighbor,  we  should  consider 
him  as  speaking  to  us — speaking  the  sol- 
emn language  of  the  text,  "  Be  ye  also 
ready."  It  is  as  if  he  said — "  Thoughtless 
mortals,  remember  your  latter  end.  Con- 
sider this  providence.  Your  fellow-crea- 
ture is  dead  : — he  speaks  no  more — he 
moves  no  more — he  breathes  no  more  :  he 
has  done  with  all  the  business,  all  the 
pleasures,  all  the  relations  of  life:  he  is 
stripped  of  his  former  raiment,  and  wrap- 
ped in  a  shroud:  he  walks  no  more  at 


*  This  sermon  may  be  peculiarly  seasonable, 
when  the  providence  of  God  hath  removed  a  re- 
lation, a  friend,  or  a  neighbor. 


large,  but  is  confined  to  the  narrow  limits 
of  the  coffin :  he  mixes  in  human  society 
no  more ;  he  is  now  the  companion  of 
worms ;  he  has  forsaken  all  his  former  pos- 
sessions, and  retains  nothing  but  a  little 
spot  of  earth,  with  which  he  will  shortly 
mingle,  so  as  not  to  be  distinguished  from 
it  This  is  the  end  of  man.  This  will 
shortly  be  your  end.  Prepare  for  it ;  pre- 
pare to  die ;  prepare  to  meet  your  God." 
Such  is  the  lanafuage  of  Providence.  He 
that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear  it. 

The  words  of  our  te.xt  were  spoken  by 
Jesus  Christ  to  his  disciples,  with  respect 
to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  also 
with  respect  to  tiie  end  of  the  world.  The 
destruction  of  Jerusalem  was  a  "  coming 
of  the  Son  of  ]\lan,"  to  execute  terrible 
judgments  on  the  unbelieving  Jews.  The 
Son  of  Man  will  also  come  to  judge  the 
world  at  the  last  day.  But  the  particular 
time  of  the  first  event  was  kept  secret ; 
"  the  day  and  the  hour  was  knowai  to  no 
man."  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  day 
of  judgment.  Our  Savior  uses  this  as  an 
argument  with  his  disciples  to  be  always 
ready.  "  Watch,  theretbre,"  saith  he,  "  tor 
ye  know  not  what  hour  your  Lord  doth 
come."  And  this  he  enforces  by  two  com- 
parisons, taken  from  the  common  prudence 
of  men.  If  any  housekeeper  was  told,  that 
some  time  or  another  in  the  night  his  house 
would  be  attacked  by  thieves,  he  would  be 
sure  to  watch,  at  every  hour,  till  the  dan- 
ger was  over.  And  if  a  servant  is  ordered 
to  set  up  for  his  master,  but  knows  not 
whether  he  will  come  home  at  twelve 
o'clock,  at  two,  or  at  three,  he  ought  to  be 
watching,  that  whenever  lie  comes,  he 
may  be  ready  to  open  the  door : — so,  Be 
ye  also  ready,  for  ye  know  not  what  hour 
your  Lord  doth  come. 

The  hour  of  death  is  the  hour  of  the 
Lord's  coming  to  us.  He  comes  to  put  a 
period  to  that  life,  which  his  power  had 
constantly  supported.  He  comes  to  sejja- 
rate  the  immortal  spirit  from  the  mortal 
body.  He  comes  to  call  the  soul  to  his 
tribunal,  and  fix  its  state  in  endless  bliss 
or  woe.  And  although  his  coming  will 
not  be  visible,  attended  with  angels  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven,  as  his  last  grand  coming 
shall  be,  yet  it  is  equally  important  and 
solemn  in  its  consequences  to  each  indi- 
vidual. Jesus  has  "  the  keys  of  death ;" 
he  has  a  right  to  close  our  lives  when  he 
pleases ;  and  he  has  "  the  keys  of  the  un- 
seen world,"  to  open  the  doors  of  heaven 
to  his  people,  and  to  open  the  doors  of  hell 
to  the  wicked. 

But  the  time  of  his  coming  is  a  profound 
secret;    "of  that  day  and  of  that  hour 


240 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


jmoweth  no  man."  There  is,  indeed,  "  an 
appointed  time  to  man  upon  tiie  eartli ;" 
"liis  days  are  determined;"  the  number 
of  his  months  are  with  God,  who- has  fixed 
bounds  which  he  cannot  pass.  But  where 
tlie  bounds  are  fixed,  or  how  many  the 
years,  and  months,  and  days — who  can  tell 
it?  It  is  not  fit  for  us  to  know.  If  wicked 
men  knew  certainly  they  should  yet  live 
many  years,  their  hearts  would  be  fully  set 
in  them  to  do  evil ;  they  would  be  more 
presumptuously  wicked  than  they  are. 
And  if  weakly  and  timorous  people  knev/ 
the  time  of  their  death,  they  would  there- 
by be  made  unfit  for  any  of  the  enjoyments 
or  duties  of  life.  It  is  therefore  best  as  it 
is.  Thus  we  are  kept  dependent  on  the 
God  of  our  lives ;  and,  if  truly  wise,  we 
are  kept  always  watchful ;  always  desiring 
and  endeavoring,  according  to  our  Savior's 
advice  in  the  text — to  be  ready,  which  is 
the  subject  of  the  present  discourse.  We 
therefore  observe,  that 

To  be  always  ready  for  death,  should  be 
the  first,  the  grand  business  of  our  lives. 

No  man,  remaining  in  his  natural  state 
cf  sin,  is,  or  can  be,  ready  for  death.  "The 
wages  of  sin  is  death;"  and  he  who  dies, 
"  in  his  sins,"  must  receive  the  wages  of 
them.  "  The  wicked  is  driven  away  in  his 
wickedness ;"  "  chased  out  of  the  world," 
forced  away  in  anger,  and  against  his  will, 
like  a  malefactor  to  the  dungeon,  or  a 
criminal  to  the  gibbet.  The  natural  man 
cleaves  to  the  dust ;  his  head  and  heart  are 
full  of  worldly  schemes,  and  projects  of 
happiness ;  but  death  unexpectedly  arrives, 
and  stops  him  short.  "  In  that  very  day 
liis  thoughts  perish ;"  and  "  while  he  saith, 
peace  and  safety,  sudden  destruction  Com- 
eth upon  him,  as  travail  upon  a  woman  with 
child,  and  he  cannot  escape."  He  is  per- 
haps saying  to  himself,  "  Soul,  thou  hast 
much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years,  take 
thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry ;"  but 
God  saith  unto  him,  "  Thou  fool,  this  night 
shall  thy  soul  be  required  of  thee." 

It  is  unspeakably  awful  for  a  person  to 
die  in  his  sins ;  his  guilt  unpardoned ;  his 
heart  unrenewed ;  under  the  power  of  that 
carnal  mind  which  is  enmity  against  God. 
"  Guilt,"  says  one,  "  is  a  bad  companion  in 
life,  but  how  terrible  will  it  be  in  death ! 
It  lies  now,  perhaps,  like  cold  brimstone  on 
their  benumbed  consciences;  but  when 
death  opens  the  way  for  the  sparks  of  di- 
vine vengeance  to  fall  upon  it,  it  will  make 
dreadful  flames  in  the  conscience,  in  which 
the  soul  will  be  wrapt  up  for  ever." 

Vain  are  the  hopes  of  ungodly  men  with 
respect  to  death.  They  do  not  like  to  think 
of  dying ;  but  when  they  do,  they  flatter 


I  themselves  in  their  iniquity,  and  hope  they 
shall  do  very  well  at  last ;  they  think  they 
have  good  hearts,  or  that  their  good  deeds 
will  make  amends  for  their  bad  ones ;  or 
that  they  shall  have  time  to  repent,  and 
make  their  peace  with  God,  receive  the 
sacrament,  and  get  the  priest's  passport  to 
heaven.  O  vain,  delusive  hopes !  Such 
men  generally  die  as  they  live ;  and  "  what 
is  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite,  though  ho 
hath  gained,  when  God  taketh  aw'ay  his 
soull"  These  foolish  hopes,  not  being 
founded  on  the  word  of  God,  are  like  a 
house  built  upon  the  sand;  and  when  the 
rain  shall  descend,  the  floods  come,  and  the 
winds  blow,  and  beat  upon  the  house,  down 
it  must  fall,  and  great  will  be  the  fall  of  it. 

Only  "  the  pure  in  heart  shall  see  God." 
How  can  the  profane  man,  who  blasphemes 
his  Maker  every  day,  and  with  almost 
every  breath  calls  for  damnation,  expect 
to  meet  God  with  safety?  How  can  the 
unclean,  the  whoremonger,  the  adulterer, 
or  the  lascivious,  expect  to  be  admitted 
into  the  presence  of  a  pure  and  holy  God  ? 
How  can  the  Sabbath-breaker  imagine  he 
shall  be  permitted  to  keep  perpetual  Sab- 
bath in  heaven,  who  could  not  endure  tlie 
work  of  a  short  Sabbath  once  a  week  on 
earth?  Shall  the  wilfully  ignorant  dream 
of  a  share  in  the  inheritance  of  the  saints 
in  light? — the  dishonest  man  think  to  rank 
with  the  righteous  ? — the  self-righteous 
person,  with  those  who  have  washed  their 
robes  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb?  Alas !  all 
such  hopes  will  be  disappointed — "their 
hope  shall  be  cut  oflf",  and  their  trust  shall 
be  as  the  spider's  web." 

What  then  is  it  to  be  ready  for  death  ? 
In  what  does  a  real  preparation  for  it  con- 
sist ? 

1.  The  foundation  of  the  whole  is  an 
interest  in  Christ.  "  Blessed  are  the  dead 
who  die  in  the  Lord."  Sin  and  death  come 
by  Adam;  righteousness  and  life  come  by 
Christ.  "  By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the 
world,  and  deatii  by  sin ;  and  so  death  hath 
passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sin- 
ned."— "Through  the  ofience  of  one  many 
are  dead ;  yea,  by  the  oflence  of  one,  judg- 
ment came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation." 
Now,  as  our  being  in  Adam  is  the  cause 
of  death,  being  in  Christ  is  the  cause  of 
life.  Our  union  with  tlie  first  man  has 
subjected  us  to  sin,  misery,  death,  and  hell; 
union  with  the  Second  can  alone  afford  us 
rigliteousness,  liappiness,  life,  and  glory. 
"  I  am,"  said  Jesus,  "  the  life. — I  am  come 
that  they  may  have  life ;  and  he  that  be- 
lievetli  in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet 
shall  he  live ;  and  whosoever  liveth  and 
bclieveth  in  me,  shall  never  die." 


SERMON  LII. 


241 


There  is  no  security  against  tlie  fatal 
consequences  of  death,  but  by  believing  in 
Jesus.  Tlie  soul  that  is  truly  convinced 
of  sin,  that  sees  its  danger,  that  is  sensible 
of  its  lielplcssness,  that  is  enliglitened  in 
the  knowledge  of  Christ,  will  tly  for  ref- 
uge to  hun,  will  trust  alone  in  his  perfect 
rigliteousness ;  and  in  doing  so  is  secure. 
"  The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower ; 
the  righteous  runneth  into  it,  and  is  safe." 
— This,  therefore,  was  the  summit  of  St. 
Paul's  wish — "  tliat  I  may  bo  found  in 
him ;"  that  is,  as  he  explains  it,  not  having 
on  his  own  rigliteousness,  but  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ,  by  faith,  Phil.  iii.  8. 
lie  saw  that  his  own  righteousness  was  in- 
sufficient. In  the  days  of  his  ignorance 
he  trusted  to  it :  but,  being  taught  of  God, 
he  discarded  it ;  he  despised  it,  as  to  the 
thought  of  appearing  in  it,  or  being  justi- 
fied by  it.  He  now  longs  to  be  found  in 
Christ ;  that  is,  in  his  righteousness  : — to 
be  found  in  it,  as  a  safe  refuge,  in  which 
the  avenger  of  blood  cannot  reach  him — 
to  be  {bund  in  it,  as  the  wedding-garment, 
in  wliich  the  master  of  the  feast  would  ac- 
cept him.  There  is  no  living  happily,  nor 
dying  safely,  but  as  we  are  in  Christ,  and 
some  who  have  vainly  trusted  in  their  own 
works,  in  the  secure  hour  of  prosperity, 
liave  wisely  thought  better  of  it  when 
they  came  to  die,  and  confessed  "  it  was 
safer  to  trust  to  the  righteousness  of 
Clirist." 

If  we  are  united  to  Christ,  and  are  in- 
terested in  his  rigliteousness,  death  cannot 
hurt  us;  it  is  like  a  serpent  that  has  lost 
its  sting.  So  the  apostle  beautifully  speaks, 
1  Cor.  XV.  56.  "  The  sting  of  death  is 
sin,  and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law ;  but 
thanks  be  to  God,  who  giveth  us  the  vic- 
tory, through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
Death  is  compared  to  a  venomous  serpent, 
that  pierces  and  poisons.  Sin  is  tlie  sting 
of  tills  deadly  serpent.  It  is  sin  that  makes 
death  so  terrible  to  nature  :  were  it  not  for 
sin,  death  would  be  of  little  consequence, 
considering  what  a  vain  and  vexatious 
world  this  is.  And  the  strength  of  sin  is 
the  Itiip — that  which  gives  such  a  formida- 
ble power  to  sin,  whereby  it  subjects  us  to 
the  death  of  the  body,  and  to  everlasting 
misery,  is  the  holy  and  righteous  law  of 
God,  armed  with  its  fearful  curse,  and 
binding  the  sinner  under  tiie  guilt  of  his 
sin,  to  the  destruction  of  both  body  and 
soul.  But,  thanks  be  to  God,  Jesus  Christ 
has  taken  away  the  sins  of  his  people  by 
the  sacrifice  of  himself;  redeemed  us  from 
the  curse  of  the  law,  by  becoming  a  curse 
for  us ;  and  thus  he  hath  deprived  death 
of  its  sting.  "  Death  shot  its  sting  into 
2F 


our  Savior's  side ;  there  left  it ;  there  lost 
it." 

This  is  the  true  and  only  foundation  of 
our  preparation  for  death.  It  is  sm  that 
makes  death  terrible :  but  Christ  hatli 
taken  away  sm,  and  so  taken  away  the 
sting  of  death.  If,  therefore,  we  believe 
in' him,  death  cannot  hurt  us;  for  "  there 
is  no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in 
Christ  Jesus,"  the  Gospel  having  freed 
them  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death.  "  He 
that  hath  the  Son  hath  life,"  "he  shall 
never  perish,  but  shall  have  everlasting 
life." 

How  much  to  be  pitied  are  those  poor 
ignorant  creatures,  who,  in  the  prospect 
of  death,  comfort  themselves  with  the 
thoughts  of  having  done  no  harm  :  having 
paid  every  one  liis  own  ;  having  been  good 
livers  ;  liaving  kept  church  and  sacrament; 
and  having  been  good  to  the  poor,  and  so 
on  !  All  these  are  refuges  of  lies,  and  will 
leave  the  sinner  exposed  to  the  curse  of 
the  law,  and  to  the  sting  of  deatii.  As  no 
man  can  keep  the  law,  no  man  can  be 
saved  by  the  law.  Only  Christ  our  Surety 
could  keep  the  law  perfectly ;  he  did  so ; 
and,  by  so  doing,  has  "  brought  in  an  ever- 
lasting righteousness,  which  is  to  and  upon 
all  who  believe."  Blessed  then  are  they, 
and  they  only,  who  die  in  the  Lord  !  To 
be  in  Christ,  then,  is  the  ground-work  of 
our  readiness  for  death  ;  to  have  Christ  in 
us,  by  his  Spirit,  sanctifying  our  nature,  is 
equally  necessary ;  and  these  blessings  are 
always  connected.  "  He  that  is  joined  to 
the  Lord  is  one  spirit,"  for  "  if  any  man 
have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none 
of  his." 

2.  We  cannot  be  prepared  for  death,  un- 
less we  are  prepared  for  heaven :  and  no 
man  is  prepared  for  heaven  but  by  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Our  Lord  has  most  solemnly 
declared,  that "  except  a  man  be  born  again, 
lie  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 
Natural  men  think  little  of  heaven ;  they 
have  little  other  notion  of  it  than  that  it  is 
not  hell.  But  if  they  had  any  just  con- 
ception of  that  holy  and  happy  state,  their 
reason  would  convince  them,  that  without 
an  inward  change  they  could  never  attain 
or  enjoy  it.  Heaven  would  be  a  burthen 
to  a  graceless  soul.  As  well  might  a 
swine  that  wallows  in  filthy  mire,  be  de- 
lighted with  the  splendors  of  a  palace  ;  or 
a  stupid  ass  be  enchanted  with  the  harmo-. 
ny  of  a  concert,  as  a  sensual  carnal  man 
be  satisfied  with  the  joys  of  the  heavenly 
world.  There  must  be  a  new  heart,  a  new 
nature,  and  new  affections,  or  there  can  be 
no  relish  for  a  better  world.  The  more 
any  thing,  or  person,  on  earth,  is  like  he*- 


242 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


ven,  the  more  the  sinner  hates  it ;  and  the 
more  resemblance  it  bears  to  hell,  the 
more  he  loves  it.  His  carnality  of  soul, 
his  love  of  sensual  pleasures,  with  all  the 
wicked  passions  of  his  mind,  are  daily 
fitting  him  for  another  place,  and  another 
sort  of  company.  He  is  treasuring  up 
food  for  the  worm  that  never  dies,  and 
fuel  for  the  fire  that  shall  never  be 
quenched. 

But,  by  regenerating  grace,  the  be- 
liever is  formed  for  glory.  God  has  given 
a  new  bias  to  his  affections.  He  sees  the 
evil  of  sin,  and  sincei'ely  hates  it.  He 
sees  the  beauty  of  holiness,  and  ardently 
desires  it.  He  sees  the  excellency  of  the 
dear  Redeemer,  and  cordially  loves  him. 
He  delights  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  after 
the  inward  man.  He  loves  the  truth,  the 
day,  the  ordinances,  the  people  of  God. 
He  sees  the  vanity  of  the  world,  and  is,  in 
some  degree  M^eaned  from  it.  He  has  a 
glimpse  of  the  glory  that  shall  be  reveal- 
ed, and  longs  to  behold  it ;  and  in  this  ex- 
perience he  enjoys  a  foretaste  of  heaven. 
He  is  not  altogether  a  stranger  to  the  joys 
of  that  celestial  place.  "  He  who  hath 
wrought  us  for  the  self-same  thing  is 
God ;"  and  this  experience  is  a  blessed 
earnest  of  the  future  possession.  The  be- 
liever's title  to  heaven  is  in  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  alone ;  but  his  fitness  for  it 
is  by  these  gracious  operations  of  the  Holy 
Spirit;  and  he  who  enjoys  them,  in  the 
greatest  degree,  is  the  person  best  pre- 
pared for  the  great  change. 

In  these  blessed  dispositions  consists  the 
believer's  habitual  readiness  for  death ;  but 
it  is  usual  also  to  speak  of  his  actual  rea- 
diness. Our  Lord  has  illustrated  the  dif- 
ference between  habitual  and  actual  pre- 
paration, by  the  similies  employed  in  the 
context.  "A  housekeeper  is  habitually 
ready  for  the  thief,  when  he  has  taken  all 
proper  measures  to  secure  his  habitation, 
by  doors  and  bars  and  bolts ;  but  he  is  ac- 
tually ready,  when  he  stands  armed  to 
oppose  his  entrance.  So  the  faithful  ser- 
vant is  habitually  ready  to  serve  his  mas- 
ter at  any  hour  of  the  day,  in  any  work  to 
which  he  may  be  called:  he  is  actually 
ready  for  his  lord's  return,  wlien  he  keeps 
waking,  with  the  light  in  his  hand." 

The  believer  is  actually  ready  for  death, 
when  the  graces  of  the  Spirit  in  his  soul 
are  in  their  lively  exercise.  When  faith 
is  strong,  triumphing  over  doubt  and  un- 
certainty ;  when  hope  is  firm,  subduing 
painful  fears;  when  love  to  God,  and 
Christ,  and  Jieavenly  things,  is  ardent; 
when  he  is  actually  employed  in  perform- 
ing the  proper  duties  of  liis  station,   or 


when  calmly  submittmg  to  the  afflicting 
hand  of  God ;  when  he  is  guarding  against 
excessive  cares,  or  undue  indulgence  in 
the  flesh ;  and  especially  when  the  thoughts 
of  death  become  familiar  and  pleasant,  and 
the  views  of  glory  bright  and  enchanting 
— then,  with  the  world  under  his  feet,  hea- 
ven in  his  view,  and  Christ  in  his  arms,  he 
may  say,  with  pious  Simeon,  "  Lord,  now 
lettest  thou  thy  servant  d^art  in  peace, 
according  to  thy  word,  for  mine  eyes  have 
seen  thy  salvation !" 

APPLICATION. 

How  important  is  readiness  for  death ! 
Remember,  death  will  come»  at  its  appoint- 
ed hour,  whether  you  are  ready  or  not : 
and  O  how  often  at  an  unexpected  hour  ! 
Not  seldom  death  comes  suddenly.  How 
often  do  we  hear  of  sudden  deaths  !  How 
many  go  to  bed  well,  and  never  rise  more ! 
or  go  out  from  home  well,  and  never  re- 
turn ! — Some  are  snatched  away  in  the 
midst  of  their  amusements,  and  others 
while  engaged  in  their  callings.  How  ne- 
cessary then  to  be  always  ready,  to  be 
ready  now.  Delay  in  this  case  is  danger- 
ous indeed.  Almost  all  men  talk  of  pre- 
paring at  some  future  time ;  when  sickness 
shakes  them  over  the  grave,  or  when  the 
Lord  removes  a  relation  or  a  neighbor,  by 
some  alarming  stroke,  they  promise  them- 
selves they  will  repent  or  reform  :  but  the 
impression  soon  dies  away ;  the  world,  like 
the  returning  tide,  fills  their  hearts  with 
its  cares  and  pleasures,  and  the  writing  on 
the  sand  is  all  erased — "  So  dies  in  human 
hearts  the  thoughts  of  death." 

But,  O  consider  the  unspeakably  dread- 
ful consequence  of  dying  unprepared.  We 
can  die  but  once ;  and  if  we  die  in  our 
sins,  we  are  lost,  lost  for  ever  !  Once  lost, 
lost  for  ever.  There  is  no  repentance  in 
the  grave,  no  pardon  in  the  grave,  no  re- 
generation in  the  grave.  Now  then  is  the 
time ;  it  may  be  the  only  tune  ;  certainly 
the  best  time. — It  may  be — Now  or 
Never. 

How  happy  is  the  life  of  that  man  who 
has  "  a  good  hope  through  grace ;"  "  the 
full  assurance  of  hope ;"  a  solid  scriptural 
persuasion  of  his  interest  in  Christ.  He 
truly  enjoys  life;  and  he  may  smile  at 
death.  He  may  say  with  St.  Paul,  "  for 
to  me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain." 
—While  I  live  here,  Christ  is  with  me  : 
when  I  die,  I  shall  be  with  Christ.  How 
contented  and  cheerful  may  lie  be  in  the 
humblest  lot,  who  knows  that  he  is  an  heir 
of  God,  and  a  joint  heir  with  Christ.  O 
happy,  happy,  happy,  man !  Do  not  you 
wish  to  be  like  him  T 


SERMOxN  LIII. 


243 


But  what  is  your  present  course?  If 
you  are  living  in  sin,  g-ratifying  the  lusts 
of  the  flesh,  and  departing  from  the  living 
God,  you  cannot  have  this  assurance.  If 
any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature ; 
and  he  walks  not  accordmg  to  the  flesh, 
but  according  to  the  Spirit.  If  you  are 
living  in  sin,  you  cannot  be  happy. — You 
know  you  are  not.  You  try  to  be  happy 
by  forgetting  death  ;  but  you  cannot  forget 
it.  The  tolling  of  the  bell,  the  sight  of 
a  funeral,  or  the  news  of  another's  de- 
cease, will  force  the  recollection  of  it,  and 
it  makes  you  miserable.  You  are  like 
a  man  at  a  banquet,  with  a  drawn  sword 
hung  over  his  head  by  a  hair. — You  can- 
not enjoy  life  for  fear  of  death.  O  that 
you  were  wise  !  for  religion  is  true  wis- 
dom. Forsake  the  foolish,  and  live.  Let 
the  wicked  tbrsakc  his  way,  and  turn  unto 
the  Lord :  let  him  cry  to  God  for  the  help 
of  his  Holy  Spirit,  without  which  no  ef- 
forts of  nature  to  get  rid  of  sin  will  prove 
effectual;  but  with  which  tlie  strongest 
corruptions  may  be  subdued,  and  the  sin- 
ner prepared  for  death  and  heaven. 

Let  Christians  remember  their  Lord's 
advice — ■"  Be  ye  also  ready,  for  ye  know 
not  the  hour  when  your  Lord  cometh." 
Remember,  even  the  •"  wise  virgins" 
slumbered  and  slept.  Guard  against  this 
slothful  temper.  Cannot  ye  watch  one 
hour  !  Be  sober ;  be  vigilant.  The  Judge 
is  at  the  door.  Be  diligent,  believer  in 
Jesus,  and,  like  your  Master,  "  work 
while  it  is  called  to-day ;  the  night 
Cometh,  in  which  no  man  can  work." 
Many  have,  on  a  dying  bed,  repented  of 
their  negligence — none  of  their  diligence. 
Now  is  the  time  for  activity ;  there  will 
be  rest  enough  in  the  grave.  And  O, 
daily  guard  against  every  obstruction  to 
actual  readiness.  Conform  not  to  the  world 
in  its  levities  and  vanities.  Be  much  alone 
— be  much  with  God.  Make  conscience  of 
redeeming  precious  time,  and  employing  all 
your  talents  for  the  glory  of  God,  the  wel- 
fare of  your  family,  the  church,  and  the 
world.     In  one  word — die  daily. 

When  God  removes  any  one  that  is  dear 
to  us,  what  cordial  consolation  does  it 
afford,  if  we  have  reason  to  believe  he 
was  ready  for  death !  We  must  not  sor- 
row as  men  without  hope.  The  change 
is  his  great  advantage.  It  would  be  selfish 
to  wish  him  out  of  heaven,  to  reside 
again  in  this  vale  of  tears.  "  We  should 
scarcely  dare  to  weep,"  said  one,  "  if 
Christ  had  evidently  taken  the  body  along 
with  the  soul  of  our  friend  to  heaven ;" 
and  why  weep  nowl  Absent  from  the 
body,  he  is  present  with  the  liOrd  ;  and 


though  the  body  must  see  corruption,  it 
shall  not  always  be  the  prisoner  of  the 
grave.  Jesus  has  engaged  to  raise  it  up 
at  the  last  day,  and  to  fashion  it  like  his 
own  glorious  body.  O  let  us  prepare  to 
follow  our  pious  friends,  favored  with  an 
earlier  call  to  glory ;  while  we  remaui 
below,  let  us  be  active  for  God  ;  and  soon 
shall  we  join  our  kindred  spirits  before 
the  throne,  unite  in  the  song  of  the  re- 
deemed, and  "  so  be  for  ever  with  the 
Lord." 


PRAYER. — Eternal  ami  unchangeable  Je- 
hovah, so  teach  us  to  number  our  days,  that  we 
may  apply  our  hearts  unio  wisdom.  May  we 
ever  romomber,  that  it  is  appointed  unto  man 
once  to  die ;  and  that  after  death  there  is  the 
judgment.  May  wo  not  presume  even  on  another 
day,  not  knowing  what  a  day  may  bring  forth. 
Suffer  us  not  to  neglect  the  great  salvation,  or  to 
delay  to  a  future  season  the  grand  concern  of 
liiie.  Prepare  us,  O  Lord,  for  death,  for  judg- 
ment, and  for  eternity.  Grant  us,  by  faith,  a 
personal  interest  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  May 
we  be  justified  freely  by  thy  grace,  through  the 
redemi)tion  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus !  O  may  we 
now  be  accepted  in  the  Beloved !  and  at  the 
great  day  of  his  appearing,  may  we  be  found  in 
him !  May  we  be  delivered  from  the  distressing 
fear  of  death,  by  trusting  in  him  who  hath  sub- 
dued Death  and  taken  away  its  sting.  Prepare 
us  for  that  world  into  which  Death  can  never 
enter.  By  the  sanctifying  influences  of  thy 
Holy  Spirit  fit  us  for  thy  presence  above.  Make 
us  meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light; 
and  when  the  time  of  our  departure  from  this 
world  shall  arrive,  may  we  depart  in  peace,  and 
have  an  abundant  entrance  into  ihy  heavenly 
kingdom.  We  present  these  our  petitions  in  the 
name  of  the  blessed  Mediator  ;  to  whom,  with 
the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  glory  for 
ever.    Amen. 


SERMON  LIII. 

UNIVERSAL  GOOD  NEWS. 

Mark  xvi.  15.    Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  Gospel  to  every  creature. 

This  is  the  commission  wliich  our 
gracious  Savior,  just  about  to  ascend  to 
glory,  was  pleased  to  give  to  his  disciples; 
on  this  commission  they  acted,  as  their 
successors  have  done  ever  since  ;  so  that 
to  this  day  we  enjoy  the  unspeakable  bene- 
fit of  it,  for  "  to  us  is  tlie  word  of  this 
salvation  sent." 

Jesus  Christ  had  come  down  from 
heaven  to  save  sinners  ;  he  had  employed 
himself  most  laboriously  in  preacliing  to 
sinners ;  he  had  laid  down  his  precious 
life  for  sinners ;  he  was  now  about  to 
ascend  to  iieaven  to  plead  for  sinners; 
and,  by  this  commission,  he  is  providing 


244 


VII,LAGE  SERMONS. 


for  sinners  till  he  shall  come  again. 
Having  received  all  power  and  authority 
to  govern  heaven  and  earth,  he  first  em- 
ploys this  authority  in  appointing  the 
ministry  of  the  Gospel ;  in  providing  the 
means  of  instruction  and  salvation  to  un- 
born millions ;  promising,  at  the  same 
time,  ever  to  support,  comfort,  and  succor 
his  ministers ;  for  "  Lo  !  (said  he,)  I  am 
with  you  always,  even  to  the  end  of  the 
world.  Amen."  May  tliis  important 
promise  he  fulfilled  to  us,  while  we  search 
into  the  gracious  meaning  of  this  divme 
commission ! 

We  learn  from  this  text,  that 

It  is  the  gracious  will  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  that  the  good  news  of  his 
great  salvation  should  be  proclaimed  to 
every  human  creature. 

It  may  be  profitable  for  us,  1.  To  in- 
quire into  the  import  of  the  word  Gospel, 
which  comprehends  what  the  ministers  of 
Christ  are  to  preach  ;  and,  2.  To  consider 
the  order  here  issued  for  its  universal 
publication.  Go  ye  into  all  the  world, 
and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature. 

The  word  Gospel  is  so  familiar  to  our 
ears,  that  we  sometimes  forget  what  it 
means.  It  signifies  good  news  ;  and  well 
deserves  that  name,  for-  the  Gospel  brings 
to  our  ears  the  best  news  that  we  ever 
heard.  Now,  good  news,  if  it  be  truly 
such,  should  bring  us — Ivformation  of 
facts  which  we  knew  not  before — informa- 
tion of  something  great,  in  which  we  are 
personally  concerned — It  must  be  of  some- 
thing good,  or  it  cannot  be  "good  news  ;" 
and  above  all,  it  must  be  strictly  l7-iie. 
When  all  these  things  are  combined,  it 
renders  a  message  good  news  ;  and  all 
these  are  certainly  combined  in  the  Gospel. 

1.  The  Gospel  brings  us  news;  news, 
m  the  strictest  sense ;  it  brings  us  in- 
J'ormatinn  of  the  most  extraordinary 
things,  whicli  we  could  never  have  known 
without  it. — Without  the  Gospel,  who 
could  liave  ever  thought  that  the  great 
God  of  heaven  would  liavo  loved  wretched 
sinners,  or  sent  his  dear  and  only  Son  into 
the  world  to  die  for  them.'  who  could 
have  conceived  that  such  blessings,  as 
pardon,  reconciliation,  adoption,  lioliness, 
and  eternal  life,  should  be  the  portion  of 
ungodly  mortals  ?  All  this  is  so  strange 
and  extraordinary,  that  the  scripture  says 
of  it,  "  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
neither  hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of 
man,  the  things  which  God  hatli  prepared 
for  theuj  that  love  him  :  but  God  hath  re- 
vealed them  unto  us  by  his  Spirit,"  in  the 
Gospel.  The  world  at  large,  and  even  the 
Jews  themselves,  before  the  time  of  the 


apostles,  could  have  no  just  conception  t)f 
this  most  sublime  and  glorious  plan  of 
salvation,  as  it  is  now  revealed  in  the  Gos- 
pel :  and  the  more  we  inquire  into  it,  the 
more  new  and  surprising  it  will  appear ; 
for  the  Gospel  has  this  singularity,  that, 
however  well  acquainted  with  it  we  may 
be,  it  is  always  new. 

The  Gospel  brings  us  tidings  of  what  is 
great,  as  well  as  new.  Never  did  a  mes- 
sage of  so  great  importance  salute  the  ear 
of  man  !  Never  was  any  report  of  equal 
magnitude  with  this — "  Jesus  Christ  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners !"  The 
news  of  a  decisive  battle,  of  a  glorious 
victory,  of  a  general  peace,  may  be  great 
news,  and  greatly  atFect  a  whole  nation 
for  a  time ;  but,  compared  with  the  great 
events  which  the  Gospel  reports,  tliey  are 
trifles  light  as  air,  and  trivial  as  the  sports 
of  children.  The  great  things  of  the 
Gospel  affect  not  a  few  individuals  only, 
but  all  the  race  of  Adam ;  tliey  relate  not 
merely  to  the  .present  concerns  of  a  single 
generation,  but  to  the  everlasting  interest 
of  every  succeeding  age,  until  the  end  of 
time.  Much  of  that  news,  which  inquisi- 
tive men  are  anxious  to  receive  and  to 
communicate,  is  of  no  real  consequence  to 
them;  but  the  truths  of  the  Gospel  are 
inseparably  connected  with  our  dearest 
interests;  our  life,  our  soul,  our  all,  our 
everlasting  all,  is  involved  in  them,  ac- 
cording as  we  duly  receive  or  wilfully  re- 
ject them.  We  may  say  of  the  Gospel, 
as  JMoses  did  of  the  law,  "  It  is  not  a  vain 
thing,  it  is  youx  life !" 

Good  news  necessarily  implies  that  the 
tidings  relate  to  something  good,  as  well 
as  something  new  and  great ;  and  the  Gos- 
pel is  emphatically  and  supereminently 
^oofZ  news.  Never  was  any  tidings  com- 
municated by  such  dignified  messengers 
as  these.  God  himself  vouchsafed  to  give 
the  first  intimation  of  them  to  Adam,  when 
he  said,  "  The  seed  of  the  woman  shall 
bruise  the  serpent's  head."     Jehovah,  in  a 

I  human  form,  repeated  the  Gospel  promise 
to  Abrahnni,  and  the  fathers.  And  when 
the  Son  of  God  entered  into  our  world  in 
human  flesli,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  an- 
nounced the  grand  event,  saying,  "Behold! 

'  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy." 
Our  Savior  put  an  eternal  honor  upon  the 
Gospel,  by  preaching  it  with  his  own  lips, 
and  employed  several  successive  years  in 
the  delightful  business :  and  tJiough  it  be 
now  preached  by  men  of  like  passions 
with  their  fellow  mortals,  yet  they  are 
Clirist's  representatives,  and  beseech  us  in 
his  stead  to  be  reconciled  to  God, — relief 
in  the  moment  of  danger,  deliverance  from 


SERMON  LIII. 


245 


threatening  destruction,  release  from  the 
horrors  of  confinement,  supply  in  the  time 
of  necessity,  may  all  be  the  subject  of 
joyful  news;  but  neither  these,  nor  any 
otlier  possible  occasion  of  liuman  gladness, 
will  bear  comparison  witli  the  marvellous 
tidings  of  grace.  And  that  which  gives 
them  a  decided  superiority  above  every 
information  that  ever  gladdened  a  sorrow- 
ful iieart  is,  that  tliey  contain  iiothing-  but 
good  news,  nothing  to^liminish  the  joy,  or 
debase  the  tidings.  Tlie  news  of  a  great 
victory  over  an  enemy  is  much  diminislied, 
by  reflecting  that  it  has  been  acquired  by 
sheddinir  an  ocean  of  blood :  and  that  while 
we  are  triumphing  ni  tiie  important  event, 
a  thousand  helpless  widows  and  orphans 
are  bitterly  lamenting  their  various  mise- 
ries. But  the  good  news  of  the  Gospel  is 
unmixed,  it  is  purely  and  entirely  good, 
unmingled  with  any  alloy.  The  Gospel 
brings  to  our  ears  not  a  single  word  of 
grief  or  sorrow  :  we  sliall  best  conceive  itS 
nature  by  contrasting  it  with  the  law. 

When  the  law  was  given  on  Sinai,  the 
mountain  burned  with  fire ;  and  there 
were  "  thunders,  voices,  and  earthquakes :" 
God  was  represented  in  all  the  terrible 
display  of  his  holiness,  justice,  and  awful 
majesty;  and  so  deeply  were  the  people 
impressed  with  terror  and  dismay,  tliat 
they  entreated  that  the  word  should  not  be 
spoken  to  them  any  more ;  yea,  Moses 
himself,  the  mediator  of  that  covenant, 
was  not  able  to  sustain  the  terrors  of  the 
scene,  for  he  was  forced  to  say,  "I  exceed- 
ingly fear  and  quake."  And  if  people, 
now,  were  aware  of  the  spiritual  extent 
of  the  law  in  its  holy  and  just  demands, 
and  of  the  dreadful  displeasure  of  God, 
wliom  they  have  provoked  by  their  sins, 
they  too  would  be  filled  with  terror,  and 
beg  that  the  law  migjit  not  be  preached  to 
them  any  more ;  but  the  joyful  tidings  of 
the  Gospel. 

Now,  blessed  be  God,  we  as  Christians, 
are  not  called  to  hear  tiie  terrible  trumpet 
of  Sinai  "  sounding  long,  and  waxing  loud- 
er and  louder;"  but  we  are  called  to  Mount 
Sion,  or  the  Gospel  Church,  where  the 
sweet  and  soft  sound  of  the  silver  trumpet 
of  the  Gospel  salutes  our  ear,  proclaiming 
good,  the  highest  good,  and  notliing  but 
good.  So  the  Savior  himself  began  in  the 
synagogue  of  Nazareth  to  utter  tiie  melo- 
dious sound.  Unrolling  the  volume  of  the 
book,  he  read  to  this  effect,  "  The  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  is  upon  ine,  for  the  purpose  to 
which  he  hath  anointed  me;  for  he  hath 
sent  me  to  preach  good  news  to  the  poor ; 
to  heal  those  whose  hearts  are  broken ;  to 
proclaim  dismission  to  captives;  the  recov- 


ery of  siglit  to  them  that  are  blind ;  and  to 
set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised ;  to 
proclaim  the  welcome  year  of  the  Lord," 
the  year  of  spiritual  jubilee.  While  every 
eye  was  fastened  on  him,  he  proceeded  to 
preach  on  the  passage,  and  to  show  its  ac- 
complishment in  hunself,  when  all  the 
hearers  are  constrained  to  admire  the 
graceful  words  which  flowed  from  his  lips. 
These  words  of  grace  continue  to  sound 
in  the  ears  of  all  who  listen  to  the  joyful 
report  of  the  Gospel. 

And  that  which  renders  these  tidings 
completely  good  is  they  are  true ;  strictly 
true ;  divinely  true.  In  eventful  periods, 
when  men  are  eagerly  listening  for  infor- 
mation concerning  some  most  interesting 
fact;  too  often,  some  flying  report  reaches 
their  ears,  which,  meeting  with  their  wish- 
es and  their  interest,  is  greedily  credited ; 
and,  for  a  season,  elevates  their  hearts  with 
joy :  but  alas  !  the  next  messenger,  or  the 
next  post,  contradicts  the  pleasing  intelli- 
gence, and  blasts  all  their  joys  with  disap- 
pointment and  vexation.  Not  so  the  Gos- 
pel of  the  blessed  God.  Not  so  the  good 
news  of  salvation;  for  "God  is  not  a  man 
that  he  should  lie,  nor  the  son  of  man  that 
he  should  change  his  mind."  Every  arti- 
cle of  the  Gospel  history  was  a  fulfilment 
of  some  ancient  prediction,  and  so  gave  a 
wonderful  confirmation  of  its  truth ;  and 
the  numerous  miracles  which  our  Lord 
performed,  crowned  with  his  promised 
resurrection  from  the  dead,  left  no  room  to 
doubt  the  truth  of  his  Gospel.  The  first 
preachers  of  these  glad  tidings  confirmed 
them  with  infallible  signs ;  for  they  healed 
the  sick,  and  raised  the  dead.  And  the 
continual  efficacy  of  the  word  in  all  suc- 
ceeding ages,  in  converting  sinners,  and  m 
sanctifying  and  comforting  believers,  is  a 
standing  and  a  satisfactory  proof  that  the 
tidings  of  the  Gospel  are  not  only  news, 
ffreat  neios,  and  good  news,  but  also  infal- 
libly true  ;  so  that  he  who  belie veth  shall 
never  be  confoimded.  "  Thy  word  is 
truth."  "  The  law  came  by  J\[oses,  but 
grace  and  truth  by  Jesus  Christ." 

Consider,  for  a  moment,  some  of  the 
glorious  contents  of  the  Gospel,  and  it  will 
surely  be  allowed  that  the  tidings  are  great 
and  good  ;  consider  that  weighty  saying 
of  our  liOrd;  a  saying  worthy  to  be  engra- 
ven in  letters  of  gold — God  so  loved  the 
world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son, 
that  tohosoever  bclievcth  in  him,  should 
not  perish,  hit  have  everlasting  life.  Ob- 
serve here,  love — the  love  of  God — the 
love  of  God  in  giving  his  Son,  his  only  be- 
gotten Son — in  giving  him  to  his  creatures 
— to  sinners — to  enemies,  and  that  thev 
121* 


246 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


might  not  eternally  perish  by  his  justice. 
How  unparalleled,  how  inexpressible  is 
this  love  !  O  the  height,  the  depth,  the 
breadth,  the  length  of  the  love  of  God ;  it 
Burpasseth  knowledge  ! 

Consider  what  the  Gospel  reports  con- 
cerning the  glorious  person,  the  gracious 
offices,  and  wonderful  mediation  of  the 
Son  of  God.  We  justly  call  the  history 
of  these  by  the  evangelists,  The  Gospel ; 
for  every  thing  that  it  relates  concerning 
Jesus  is  good  news.  What  joyful  tidings 
is  it  that  "  God  was  manifested  in  the 
flesli ;"  that  "  the  Word,  who  was  with 
God,  and  who  was  God,  was  made  flesh, 
and  dwelt  among  us!"  The  residence  of 
a  beloved  monarch  with  a  loyal  people, 
aflbrds  but  a  low  idea  of  our  blessedness, 
sin(-e  God,  in  very  deed,  hath  condescend- 
ed to  dwell  with  man  upon  the  earth.  The 
people  of  Israel  were  happy  m  having 
among  them  such  a  prophet  as  Moses,  with 
whom  God  spake  face  to  face;  but  far 
greater  is  our  felicity,  who  have  Jesus  for 
our  instructor,  and  who,  by  his  word  and 
Spirit,  still  makes  us  wise  unto  salvation. 

The  priests  under  the  law  were  a  bless- 
ing to  the  people,  when  as  their  represent- 
atives "  they  offered  gifts  and  sacrifices  for 
their  sins ;"  but  "let  us  consider  the  Apos- 
tle and  High  Priest  of  our  profession," 
who,  once  for  all,  offered  himself  as  a  pro- 
pitiation ;  has  put  away  sin,  by  the  sacrifice 
of  himself ;  has  made  an  end  of  sin,  and 
brought  in  everlasting  righteousness ;  and 
now  appears  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us, 
where  he  ever  lives  to  make  intercession, 
and  is  therefore  able  to  save  to  the  utter- 
most. 

The  triumphal  entrance  of  a  victorious 
king  into  the  metropolis  of  his  empire, 
after  the  destruction  of  his  enemies,  hath 
sometimes  made  the  air  to  ring  with  the 
acclamations  of  his  joyful  subjects.  "Re- 
joice greatly  (then)  O  daughter  of  Zion ; 
shout,  O  daughter  of  Jerusalem ;  behold, 
thy  king  cometh  unto  thee:  he  is  right- 
eous, and  having  salvation ;"  "  and  he  shall 
reign  for  ever  and  ever" — "  The  Lord  God 
omnipotent."  He  has  conquered  sin,  Sa- 
tan, the  world,  and  death  ;  "  and  we  shall 
reign  with  him  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen." 

The  rich  and  solid  blessings  procured 
for  the  people  of  God,  and  proposed  by  the 
Gospel  of  Christ,  are  so  immensely  great, 
as  to  entitle  it  to  the  name  of  good  new's. 
Here  is  pardon! — "and  pardon  for  infinite 
offence ! — and  pardon  by  means  that  speak 
its  value  infinite  !  a  pardon  bought  with 
blood  !"  We  can  scarcely  conceive  of 
news  more  welcome  than  that  of  free  par- 
don to  a  guilty  crhninal,  condemned  to 


suffer  death ;  and  this  is  precisely  the 
blessing  of  the  Gospel — "  Let  repentance 
and  remission  of  sins,"  said  the  ascending 
Savior,  "  be  preached  in  all  nations."  "  All 
manner  of  sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  for- 
given to  the  children  of  men."  "  Tlie 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin." 

Victory  over  a  bloody  tyrannical  enemy, 
is  a  cause  of  the  greatest  exultation  !  How 
joyful  the  abolition  of  spiritual  slavery ! 
How  glad  those  tidings — "  Sin  shall  not 
have  dominion  over  you ;  for  ye  are  not 
under  the  law,  but  under  grace  !" 

How  joyful  the  news,  that  God  will  re- 
ceive us  into  his  family,  and  treat  us  as 
his  own  beloved  children ;  that  he  will  be 
our  constant  guide  through  this  dreary 
world  ;  that  he  will  protect  us  from  dan- 
ger all  our  days ;  that  he  will  contrive  to 
make  all  things  work  together  for  our 
good  ;  that  he  will  never  leave  us  nor  for- 
sake us ;  that  he  will  not  suffer  even  death 
to  hurt  us,  but  render  us  more  than  con- 
querors over  it ;  and  tliat  he  will  make  us 
unspeakably  happy  and  glorious,  in  his 
own  immediate  presence,  for  evermore! 
All  this,  and  much  more  than  this,  the 
Gospel  says,  and  is  it  not  then  "  glad 
tidings  of  great  joy"!" 

But  we  must  hasten,  in  the  second  place, 
to  consider  the  order  issued  hy  the  King 
of  Zion,  for  the  universal  puhlication  of 
this  good  news — Go  ye  into  all  the  world, 
and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature. 

Before  this  commission  was  given,  the 
knowledge  of  the  true  God  was  confined, 
in  a  great  measure,  to  the  Jewish  nation; 
and  the  religion  established  among  them 
by  divine  authority  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  designed  for  general  adoption.  Our 
Lord  thought  proper  to  confine  his  own 
labors  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Is- 
rael ;  and  he  prohibited  his  disciples  from 
going  among  the  Gentiles.  But  now  the 
happy  time  was  come,  when  that  great 
mystery,  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  should 
be  unfolded;  when  the  partition  wall, 
which  separated  Israel  from  all  the  world, 
was  to  be  broken  down  ;  and  when  all  the 
former  distinctions  were  wholly  to  cease ; 
that  so,  in  Christ  Jesus,  there  might  be 
"  neither  Greek  nor  Jew,  circumcision 
nor  uncircumcision,  barbarian,  Scythian, 
bond  nor  free,  but  Christ  be  all,  and  in  all" 
sorts  of  people. 

The  general  expression  in  our  text — 
"  to  every  creature,'"  is  very  singular ; 
doubtless  every  human  creature  is  intend- 
ed ;  and  the  expression  seems  designed  to 
prevent  any  restriction  or  limitation  what- 
ever, in  preaching  the  Gospel.  The  Gen- 
tiles were  heartly  despised  by  the  Jews, 


SERMON  LIII. 


247 


and  accounted  little  better  than  dogs: 
pride  had  taught  some  civilized  nations  to 
look  upon  all  others  as  barbarians :  and  in- 
deed many  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
were  sunk  so  low  in  brutality,  as  scarcely 
to  deserve  the  name  of  ?«en.  But  our 
Lord  would  meet  all  the  objections  that 
could  ever  arise  on  this  account ;  "  preach 
the  Gospel  to  every  creature;^'  make  no 
distinctions  of  civilized  and  uncivilized ; 
of  white,  brown,  or  black ;  but  go  into  all 
nations;  into  all  the  world;  and  wherever 
you  find  a  liuman  being,  however  base, 
rude,  or  vile,  preach  my  Gospel ;  publisli 
the  good  news  of  salvation  for  them,  through 
faith  in  my  blood. 

But  the  expression,  "  preach  the  Gospel 
to  every  creature,  "  is  full  of  divine  en- 
couragement to  the  chief  of  sinners,  as 
sinners ; — to  sinners  of  every  degree  and 
description.  And  herein  it  totally  differs 
from  the  law.  The  law  spake  good  only 
to  tiie  righteous  man ;  it  said  "  the  man 
that  doth  it  (doth  it  all,  and  always)  shall 
live  by  it :"  but  the  law  hath  nothing  good 
to  say  to  the  sinner.  On  the  contrary  it 
saith,  "Cursed  is  every  transgressor." 
"  The  soul  that  sinneth  shall  die."  But  the 
Gospel  is  on  purpose  for  sinners;  it  is  just- 
ly called  "  the  religion  of  a  sinner  ;"  nor 
is  one  word  of  it  rightly  understood,  till  a 
man  sees  that  "  sinner"  is  his  name. 

When  Jesus  was  upon  earth,  such  was 
the  encouraging  tendency'of  his  preaching, 
that  multitudes  of  poor  abandoned  sinners 
flocked  to  hear  him ;  and  many  of  them 
received  pardon  and  grace ;  but  this  was 
turned  to  his  reproach.  Self-righteous 
people,  who  were  proud  of  their  morality, 
were  grievously  offended,  and  gave  him 
this  character,  "  a  friend  of  publicans  and 
sinners;"  and  so  indeed  he  was,  though 
by  no  means  a  friend  of  sin,  as  they  in- 
sinuated. 

When  the  apostles,  acting  under  the 
commission  in  the  te.xt,  first  preached  the 
Gospel  at  Jerusalem,  many  of  the  murder- 
ers of  Christ  were  among  the  first  con- 
verts. St.  Paul  himself  had  been,  before 
conversion,  a  bloody  persecutor ;  but  hav- 
ing obtained  mercy,  he  holds  himself  up  as 
a  pattern  to  the  chief  of  sinners,  tliat  no 
man  who  hears  the  good  news  of  the  Gos- 
pel should  give  way  to  despair.  No,  "  Je- 
sus came  to  seek  and  to  save  the  lost ;" 
"  he  came,  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but 
sinners  to  repentance." 

TJie  Gospel  is  addressed  to  sinners,  as 
sinners  ;  and  offers  pardon  to  all  who  hear 
it.  It  is  a  great  mistake,  but  very  com- 
mon, that  sinners  must  first  find  some  wor- 
thiness in  themselves,  by  way  of  a  condi- 


tion of  obtaining  mercy :  they  must  be 
first  deeply  humbled,  and  reform  their 
lives,  and  then  they  may  believe  in  Clirist. 
But  it  is  plain  that  this  is  looking  for  par- 
don as  saiyits,  and  not  as  sinners.  Where- 
as the  truth  is,  that  God,  in  the  Gospel, 
justifieth  the  ungodly,  Rom.  iv.  5.  (not 
that  those  whom  he  justifieth  remain  un- 
godly after  they  are  justified ;  God  forbid !) 
but  they  are  justified  freely,  by  his  grace, 
without  any  respect  to  godliness ;  and  not- 
withstanding their  ungodliness  ;  and  that 
they  may  become  godly  :  and  thus  it  is, 
that  "  where  sin  abounded,  grace  doth 
much  more  abound." 

APPLICATION. 

And  has  the  Lord  of  all  issued  this  gra- 
cious order,  that  his  good  news, — his  gra- 
cious message,  should  be  published  to  every 
creature  1  then,  it  follows  of  course,  that 
it  is  the  duty  of  every  creature,  where  it 
is  published,  to  hear  it.  It  is  Christ  him- 
self that  speaketli  from  heaven,  wherever 
the  Gospel  is  spoken ;  and  the  command 
of  Jehovah  is — "  This  is  my  beloved  Son, 
hear  him !  hear  him  !  liear  him  !"  yes,  fel- 
low-sinners, "  to-day,  if  ye  will  -hear  his 
voice :"  "  while  it  is  called  to-day :"  "  hear, 
and  your  souls  shall  live."  Open  your 
ears  to  the  good  news.  Shall  this  be  the 
only  good  news  that  you  refuse  to  hear  ! 
When  profit  or  pleasure  calls,  you  are  all 
attention ;  but  in  all  your  lives  you  never 
heard  tidings  so  good  as  these.  The  bless- 
ings proposed  by  the  Gospel  are  such  as 
you  greatly  need ;  such  as  you  must  perisli 
without ;  and  the  hour  will  come,  when 
you  will  feel  your  need  of  them.  O  that 
it  may  not  come  too  late,  when  the  door  is 
shut !  your  time  may  be  short.  Delays 
are  dangerous.  And  know  this,  that  if 
you  do  not  welcome  this  good  news,  you 
may  expect  bad  news ;  and  the  verse  after 
the  text  tells  you  what  it  is. — "  He  that 
believeth  not  shall  be  damned  f  and  how 
justly  will  they  be  damned,  wlio  refuse  to 
be  saved.  If  we  reject  the  invitation  of 
Christ  to  the  Gospel  feast;  and,  for  the 
sake  of  the  world  and  sin,  desire  to  be  ex- 
cused, we  shall  provoke  him  to  say,  "  none 
of  the  men  that  were  bidden  shall  taste  of 
my  supper."  Yea,  there  is  worse  news 
still.  Hear  it.  "  Because  I  have  called, 
and  ye  have  reflised ;  I  liave  stretched  out 
my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded  :  I  also 
will  laugh  at  your  calamity;  I  will  mock 
when  your  fear  cometh,"  &c.  Prov.  i.  24. 
As  yet,  however,  tlie  Gospel  trumpet 
sounds.     O  that  you  may  hear  and  live  ! 

Christians !  is  the  Gospel  good  news "? 
Rejoice  in  it  then  ;  let  the  frame  of  your 


248 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


spirit  correspond  with  the  nature  of  tlie 
message.  Why  art  tliou  cast  down,  O  be- 
liever! and  why  is  thy  heart  disquieted 
within  thee  1  Is  there  a  dejecting  word  in 
the  Gospel  /  No,  it  is  all  good  news.  You 
cannot  have  a  want  but  it  supplies ;  you 
cannot  have  an  enemy  but  it  disarms  ;  you 
cannot  have  a  fear  but  it  repels.  Reflect 
not  on  the  Gospel  by  a  gloomy  walk  ;  let 
your  neighbors  read  the  good  news  of  the 
Gospel  in  your  cheerful  countenance  and 
holy  life.  Angels  rejoiced  when  tliey  first 
published  it,  and  still  rejoice  when  a  sin- 
ner receives  it :  ministers  rejoice  that  they 
have  such  precious  tidings  to  communi- 
cate ;  yea,  Christ  himself  rejoiced  when  it 
was  preached  by  his  disciples  with  success. 
What  cause  then  have  you  to  rejoice  ! 

When  good  news  is  received,  we  are 
eager  to  tell  it  to  our  friends.  Now  are 
there  not  some  of  your  neighbors,  your 
friends,  your  relations,  who  never  lieard 
it ;  never  regarded  it  1  O  pity  tliem ;  pray 
for  them ;  and  tell  them  the  news :  tell 
them  that  "  Jesus  Christ  is  come  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners ;"  put  a  religious 
tract  into  their  hands ;  invite  them  to  go 
with  you  and  hear  the  Gospel  preached ; 
and  who  can  tell  but  God  may  be  gracious 
to  them  ■? 


PRAYER.— Thanks,  everlasting  thanks,  be 
to  thee,  O  God  of  mercy  and  love,  for  the  good 
news  of  the  Gospel!  Blessed,  for  ever  blessed, 
be  thy  name,  for  the  message  of  grace  sent  from 
Heaven  to  ungodly  sinners.  We  account  it  a 
faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  our  most  cordial 
acceptation,  that  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners,  not  excepting  even  the 
chief  of  them.  O  that  none  among  us  may  re- 
fuse to  hear  him  who  speaketh  from  Heaven  ! — 
for  how  can  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  a 
salvation  ?  But,  may  we  so  hear  that  our  souis 
may  live!  May  we  mix  faith  with  the  word,  then 
shall  it  truly  profit  us;  for  thou,  O  Lord,  hast 
said.  He  that  heareth  my  word,  and  believeth  on 
him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall 
not  come  into  condemnation  ;  but  is  passed  from 
death  unto  life.  O  that  we  may  enjoy  the  com- 
forts of  the  Gospel,  and  walk  according  to  its 
holy  precepts  ;  and,  as  it  was  mercifully  design- 
ed for  all  nations,  and  commanded  to  be  preach- 
ed to  every  creature,  speak  the  word,  O  Lord, 
and  great  shall  be  the  company  of  them  that 
publish  it ;  and  so  let  thy  w  ay  be  know  n  upon 
earth,  thy  saving  health  among  all  nations.  Ac- 
cept, O  Lord,  our  praises,  and  hear  our  prayers, 
for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Savior.  Amen. 


SERMON  LIV. 

THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  SOWER. 

Malt.  xiii.  18.    Hear  ye  therefore  the  parable  of  the 
Sower. 

The  preaching  of  the  Gospel  is  an  ordi- 
nance of  God  ;  it  is  a  sacred  appointment 
of  lieaven,  for  the   most  important  pur- 


poses ;  it  is  the  mean  generally  employed 
lor  this  salvation  of  men :  for  "  it  pleaseth 
God  by  tlie  foolishness  of  preaching  to  save 
them  that  believe." 

But  all  are  not  saved  who  hear  the  Gos- 
pel ;  it  lias  very  dilierent  effects  on  differ- 
ent persons :  and  it  is  the  design  of  this 
parable  to  point  out  those  different  effects. 
Our  Lord  here  compares  the  minister  of 
the  Gospel  to  a  husbandman,  the  world  to 
a  field,  and  the  word  of  God  to  seed-corn, 
lie  supposes  some  of  the  seed  to  fall  upon 
a  hard-beaten  patli ;  some  of  it  into  a  shal- 
low soil  with  a  rocky  bottom ;  some  of  it 
near  the  hedge  among  weeds  ;  and  a  part, 
of  it  into  good  ground,  where  it  remains, 
springs  up,  and  comes  to  maturity.  By 
these  different  circumstances,  he  describes, 
with  wonderful  beauty  and  propriety,  tlie 
various  hearers  of  the  Gospel.  Some  of 
them  are  careless  and  inattentive  ;  others 
make  a  showy  but  short  profession  ;  others 
lose  all  the  benefit  of  the  w'ord  by  their 
worldly-mindedness ;  but  others,  by  the 
special  grace  of  God,  receive  and  retain 
his  trutii,  and  bring  forth  abundance  of 
fruit  to  his  glory,  and  their  own  salvation. 
Let  us  then  address  ourselves  to  the 
serious  consideration  of  this  excellent 
parable,  which  we  may  do  with  the  greater 
pleasure,  as  we  are  sure  not  to  mistake  its 
meaning;  for  our  Lord  was  pleased  to 
give  an  interpretation  of  it  to  his  disciples ; 
and  this  shall  be  our  guide. 

1.  Let  us  first  consider  the  careless 
hearer. 

In  a  field,  especially  in  a  common  field, 
it  often  liappens  that  there  is  a  road  or 
foot-path  lying  across  it ;  and  in  scattering 
the  seed,  it  is  likely  that  some  of  it  may 
fall  on  this  path,  which,  being  hard  and 
beaten,  is  not  fit  for  the  reception  of  tlie 
seed ;  it  lies  uncovered,  and  is  soon  trod- 
den down  by  the  foot  of  the  passenger,  or 
picked  up  by  the  numerous  birds  which 
generally  liover  about  a  field  when  it  is 
sown. 

This  is  a  natural  and  perfect  picture  of 
a  very  numerous  class,  probably  of  far  the 
greater  part  of  hearers.  Their  hearts  are 
totally  unprepared  for  the  word  ;  not  at 
all  plowed  up  by  godly  sorrow  for  sin ;  but 
hard  and  impenitent,  so  that  the  Gospel 
makes  no  impression  upon  them.  Tliey 
come  to  the  house  of  God  without  having 
prayed  at  home  for  his  blessing ;  without 
any  spiritual  desire  to  be  profited ;  without 
an  humble,  teachable  disposition  ;  without 
a  wish  to  know  and  to  do  the  will  of  God. 
Such  persons  are  usually  imtUentive , 
tli6y  sit  like  others  who  diligently  listen 
to  the  word  ;  but  Iheij  do  not  listen ;  their 
thoughts  are  otherwise  employed.     Their 


SERMON  LIV. 


249 


eyes  are  surveying  the  congregation ;  ob- 
serving wlio  tiiey  are,  and  how  they  are 
dressed ;  for  many  go  to  cluirch  either  to 
see  or  be  seen ;  and  take  so  nuicli  notice 
of  the  apparel  of  their  neiglibors,  espe- 
cially if  it  be  new  or  peculiar,  that  it  be- 
comes a  fruitful  topic  of  discourse  at  home 
or  ui  company. 

The  preacher  is  sometimes  the  object 
of  attention,  but  not  his  message.  They 
notice  his  person,  his  voice,  his.  attitude ; 
and  perhaps  make  some  critical  remarks 
on  his  sermon ;  or  notice  a  sentence  or  two 
which  happened  to  catch  their  attention 
during  the  train  of  vain  thoughts  which 
occupied  their  minds. 

It  is  astonishmg  to  think  how  commonly 
the  imagination  is  suffered  to  carry  away 
the  hearer  from  his  proper  business.  In- 
stead of  a  serious  regard  to  the  divme  and 
interesting  truths  which  the  minister  de- 
livers, the  careless  hearer  indulges  his 
mind  in  the  contemplation  of  schemes  of 
worldly  business ;  or  he  is  pursuing  some 
plan  of  future  pleasure  and  amusements; 
or,  what  is  still  worse,  allowing  some 
speculative  abomination  to  defile  his  heart, 
even  in  the  presence  of  God.  On  these 
accounts  it  may  be  feared  that,  in  the 
piercing  view  of  the  omniscient  Searcher 
of  hearts,  a  place  of  worship  is  sometimes 
a  scene  of  greater  wickedness  than  any 
other  upon  earth,  and  more  provoking  to 
his  ])iire  and  lioly  eyes ;  for  "  he  is  not 
deceived,  and  will  not  be  mocked."  O 
how  many  may  adopt  the  confession  of  the 
wanton  person  in  the  Proverbs  (v.  12.) 
"How  have  1  hated  instruction,  and  my 
heart  despised  reproof;  and  have  not 
obeyed  the  voice  of  my  teachers,  nor  in- 
clined mine  ear  to  them  that  instructed 
me.  I  was  almost  in  all  evil  in  the  midst 
of  the  congregation  !" 

On  these  accounts  it  is  that  many  per- 
sons present  at  a  sermon  can  hardly  be 
said  to  hear.  Wliat  our  Lord  says  of  the 
Jews  (ver.  15.)  is  awfully  true  of  many  of 
us,  "  this  people's  heart  is  waxed  gross — 
and  their  ears  arc  dull  of  hearing,  and 
llieir  eyes  they  have  closed  ;  lest  at  any 
time  they  should  see  with  their  eyes,  and 
hear  with  their  ears,  and  should  under- 
stand with  their  heart,  and  should  be  con- 
verted, and  I  should  heal  them."  Some 
are  willingly  and  wilfully  ignorant;  they 
shut  their  ears  against  the  call  of  God  ; 
and  tliough  they  attend  upon  sermons,  yet 
never  hear  them.  A  person  who  attended 
preaching  all  her  life,  confessed  to  her 
mini.steron  her  dying  bed,  "that.s//e  iicvcr 
iii;auu  but  one  sermon,''^  and  that  was 
tlie  last  before  her  illness;  it  was  chari- 
2G 


tably  hoped  that  she  had  heard  it  to  pur- 
pose, and  died  in  the  faith  and  hope  of  the 
Gospel.  But  throughout  all  her  former 
days,  such  was  the  vanity  of  her  mind, 
that  though  she  was  present  under  many 
hundred  sermons,  she  never  so  attended 
as  properly  to  hear  one  of  them  ;  and 
doubtless  this  is  exactly  the  case  with  a 
great  number  among  us. 

It  is  said  of  this  sort  of  people  (ver.  19.) 
that  they  do  not  understand  the  word,  and 
that  this  is  one  cause  of  its  unfruitfulness. 
It  cannot  be  expected  that  persons  who 
are  so  inattentive  should  understand  it. 
The  truths  of  the  Gospel,  though  suffi- 
ciently plain  and  easy  to  the  serious  Chris- 
tian, yet  require  the  exercise  of  our  ra- 
tional powers  ;  and  if  persons  are  too  idle 
to  bestow  this,  they  must  remain  in  dark- 
ness and  the  shadow  of  death. 

Another  cause  assigned  by  our  Lord  for 
the  failure  of  the  seed  in  the  way-side 
hearer  is,  that  Satan  cometh  immediately, 
and  calcheth  away  that  which  was  sown ; 
just  as  the  birds  pick  up  the  grains  of 
corn  which  lie  uncovered  on  the  beaten 
path;  and  this  he  does,  lest  they  should 
believe  and  be  saved.  (Luke  viii.  12.) 

Satan,  who  is  justly  called  "  the  wick- 
ed one,"  as  being  himself  wicked,  and  the 
promoter  of  wickedness  in  others,  is  well 
aware  of  tiie  great  importance  of  hearing 
the  word  aright :  he  knows,  that  if  it  be 
seriously  regarded,  understood,  remember- 
ed, and  mixed  with  faith,  it  becomes  "  the 
power  of  God  to  salvation  :"  it  is  therefore 
a  great  point  with  him  to  prevent  its 
efficacy ;  and  the  surest  way  of  doing  this 
is  to  divert  the  mind  from  it  immediately. 
This  great  enemy  of  our  souls  has  cer- 
tainly access  to  our  minds ;  and  though  he 
cannot  force  us  to  sin,  can  present  tempta- 
tions to  it.  We  are  so  ignorant  of  the 
nature  and  operation  of  spirit,  that  we  can- 
not say  in  what  manner  he  does  this ;  but 
we  are  sure,  from  the  word  of  Christ  him- 
self, that  so  it  is.  He  certainly  exerts 
his  powers  to  keep  people  from  hearing 
it;  or,  to  excite  their  prejudices  against 
it ;  or,  to  prevent  a  due  recollection  of  it 
afterwards :  and  in  either  of  these  ways 
he  succeeds. 

It  is  truly  affecting  to  think  how  entirely 
the  most  precious  trutlis  of  God  are  lost 
upon  many  persons  ;  there  is  not  a  single 
trace  of  them  left  on  their  memory  :  they 
take  no  pains  to  remember  what  they  have 
heard ;  or  if  the  text,  for  form  sake,  be  re- 
collected, this  is  all;  a  story  or  a  tale, 
however  idle,  is  not  so  soon  forgotten ;  but 
tiiat  word,  "which  is  able  to  save  our 
souls,"  is  lost  in  total  oblivion. 


250 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


One  cause  of  this  is,  that  such  hearers 
are  strangers  to  retirement  on  the  Lord's 
day ;  instead  of  entering  into  their  closets 
and  praying  for  a  blessing  on  the  sermon, 
they  take  a  walk  for  amusement,  where 
every  new  object  diverts  the  mind  from 
what  they  have  heard.  Visiting  on  Sun- 
days has  the  same  pernicious  tendency, 
for  the  conversation  is  generally  on  trifling 
subjects ;  and  if  it  be  merely  compliment  or 
censure  on  the  preacher,  it  answers  no 
good  purpose.  It  is  thus  that  Satan  steals 
the  word  from  our  hearts ;  it  is  thus  tliat 
thousands  of  good  sermons  are  lost ;  yea, 
it  is  thus  that  thousands  of  immortal  souls 
are  lost — for  ever  lost. 

2.  But  we  must  proceed  in  the  second 
place  to  consider  the  character  of  the 
temporary  hearer ;  or,  as  some  have  term- 
ed it,  the  enthusiastic  hearer  ;  that  is,  the 
person  who  hears  the  good  news  of  par- 
don, life,  and  glory  with  a  transport  of  joy ; 
feels  his  natural  passions  elevated  ;  but, 
having  no  root  of  humble  conviction  and 
genuine  love  to  holiness,  endures  but  for 
a  time ;  "  for  when  affliction  or  persecution 
ariseth  for  the  world's  sake,  he  is  im- 
mediately offended  and  falleth  away." 
This  sort  of  hearer  is  figuratively  described 
by  that  pprtion  of  the  seed  which  fell  on 
strong  soil,  or  on  a  rock  covered  with  a 
very  shallow  bed  of  earth ;  here,  though 
it  might  spring  up,  and  quickly  too,  yet, 
having  little  or  no  root,  and  no  depth  of 
soil  to  supply  it  with  sufficient  moisture,  it 
was  scorched  with  the  burning  sun,  and 
withered  entirely  away. 

This  sort  of  hearer  differs  much  from 
the  first.  He  is  not  inattentive  ;  he  is  not 
indifferent ;  he  hears  what  is  said,  and 
hears  it  with  pleasure ;  he  is  forward  to 
hear;  he  has  warm  and  lively  passions, 
which  are  suddenly  affected  with  the 
novelty  and  grandeur  of  Gospel  truths, 
especially  if  delivered  with  zeal  and 
pathos ;  he  is  mightily  struck  and  charmed 
with  his  new  religion,  and  becomes  a 
warm,  perhaps  violent  advocate  for  it. 

The  facts  and  truths  reported  by  the 
Gospel  are  indeed  great  and  glorious  be- 
yond expression.  The  divine  perfections 
— the  immortality  of  the  soul — the  miser- 
able condition  of  a  sinner — the  love  of 
God — the  sufferings  of  Christ — the  pardon 
of  iniquity — the  felicity  of  the  heavenly 
world,  are  all  subjects  of  a  very  striking 
and  affecting  nature.  If  these  are  preach- 
ed in  an  animating  and  powerful  manner, 
and  perhaps  in  the  midst  of  attentive 
thousands,  the  hea:rer  who  is  divested  of 
prejudice,  and  wlio  possesses  a  warm  and 
lively  imagination,  is  izumediately  struck 


and  moved ;  the  preacher  is  unto  him  "  as 
the  lovely  song  of  one  who  hath  a  pleasant 
voice,  and  can  play  well  on  a  musical  in- 
strument :"  he  is  charmed  and  delighted, 
just  in  the  same  manner  as  he  would  be 
at  a  well-performed  play,  and  with  just  as 
much  religion.  His  conscience  accords 
with  the  great  truths  he  hears;  and,  prompt- 
ed by  self-love,  he  flatters  himself  that  he 
is  become,  all  at  once,  a  very  good  Chris- 
tian, and  has  an  interest  in  all  the  bless- 
ings which  he  hears  described. 

But  this  shallow  professor  has  no  root ; 
in  other  words,  he  has  no  true  understand- 
ing of  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  espe- 
cially as  they  relate  to  his  fallen  condition 
as  a  sinner :  he  has  no  humbling  views  of 
himself,  as  a  guilty,  helpless  creature,  ex- 
posed to  divine  wrath,  and  utterly  imable 
to  help  himself  He  receives  some  crude 
notions  of  the  Gospel  hastily,  and  without 
examination,  taking  all  he  hears  for  grant- 
ed; but  his  judgment  is  not  informed;  his 
conscience  not  convinced ;  his  heart  not 
humbled :  his  will  is  not  subdued ;  his  af- 
fections are  not  sanctified.  He  has  no 
genuine  faith ;  his  new  opinions  of  religion 
are  not  derived  from  the  testimony  of  God, 
but  from  that  of  man.  He  has  a  prodigious 
esteem  for  this  or  that  favorite  preacher, 
wliile,  probably,  he  despises  all  others ; 
and  the  whole  of  his  religion  is  usually 
public,  consisting  chiefly  in  hearing  many 
sermons ;  while  he  is  a  stranger  to  medi- 
tation, self-examination,  and  private  prayer ; 
neglects  family  religion,  and  appears  to  be 
under  no  influence  of  godliness  in  his  life 
and  conversation. 

Can  we  now  wonder  if  such  a  profes- 
sion be  short-lived "?  If  this  be  all  his  reli- 
gion, it  cannot  last  long.  There  is  "no 
depth  of  earth ;"  and  as  a  feeble  plant  with 
a  long  stalk,  and  little  root,  in  a  shallow 
bed  of  mould,  must  soon  wither,  if  exposed 
to  a  hot  sun  ;  so  a  profession  of  this  kind, 
if  assaulted  by  persecution,  will  quickly 
come  to  naught :  like  Jonah's  gourd,  which 
sprung  up  in  a  night,  and  perished  as  has- 
tily beneath  a  scorching  sun. 

In  the  early  days  of  Christianity,  the 
disciple  of  Christ  was  almost  sure  to  meet 
with  violent  opposition;  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles  exerted  all  their  powers  to  sup- 
press the  religion  of  Jesus.  Thus  the  pro- 
fession of  his  disciples  was  soon  brought 
to  a  fiery  test ;  and  where  there  was  no 
root,  no  principle  of  grace,  apostasy  would 
quickly  ensue.  The  same  trial  of  faith 
has  been  the  lot  of  many  Christians  in  dif- 
ferent ages  of  the  world ;  nor  are  w»  to 
expect  a  total  freedom  from  it  now.  We 
live,  it  is  true,  in  a  Christian  country, 


SERMON  LIV. 


251 


where  Christianity  is  the  religion  of  the 
nation ;  but  faith  must  nevertheless  have 
its  trial ;  and  "  all  who  will  live  godly  in 
Christ  Jesus,"  must  have  a  portion  of  "  per- 
secution." If  we  are  serious,  sincere,  and 
consistent  in  our  attachments  to  the  truths, 
ordinances,  and  people  of  God  ;  if  we  are 
determined  not  to  comply  with  the  fash- 
ions and  vanities  of  the  world,  we  sJiall 
meet  with  opposers;  and  if  these  should 
arise  amon^  our  near  relations,  and  per- 
sons of  influence,  on  whom  we  depend, 
our  profession  will  be  tried  to  purpose  :  if 
there  be  no  depth  of  earth,  no  root,  this 
hot  sun  will  wither  our  sapless  stalk,  and 
we  shall  become  barren  and  unfruitful. 

Indeed,  where  no  such  heavy  trial  as 
this  befalls  us,  circumstances  the  most 
trivial  may  be  sufficient.  An  offence  ta- 
ken with  the  minister  for  his  supposed  per- 
sonality in  preaching,  or  at  his  want  of 
sufficient  respect  and  attention  to  his 
hearer;  a  wholesome  reproof  given  in  pub- 
lic or  private ;  tlie  exercise  of  godly  dis- 
cipline in  a  Christian  society ;  or  even  a 
dispute  with  a  fellow-member,  a  disgust 
taken  upon  a  seat  in  a  church  or  chapel, 
or  something  else  full  as  trifling,  shall 
prove  a  cause  of  offence,  and  the  tempo- 
rary professor  lay  aside  all  his  religion. 

There  is  a  third  sort  of  unprofitable 
hearers  next  to  be  considered ;  this  is  the 
worldly-minded. 

Our  Lord  compares  these  to  the  seed 
which  fell  among  thorns  ;  these  thorns 
sprang  up  with  it,  arid  choked  it,  so  that 
it  yielded  no  fruit ;  that  is,  this  sort  of 
hearers  so  far  embrace  the  word  as  to  make 
a  promising  profession  of  the  Gospel,  and 
aftbrd  some  good  appearance  of  reforma- 
tion by  it ;  but,  "  through  the  cares  of  this 
world,  the  deceitfulness  of  riches,  the  plea- 
sures of  life,  and  the  lusts  of  other  things, 
it  becometh  unfruitful." 

As  the  second  sort  of  hearers  went  fur- 
ther than  the  first,  so  the  third  sort  goes 
further  than  the  second,  and  yet  not  far 
enough  to  be  profitable  hearers,  or  real 
Cliristians.  In  the  first  case,  negligence 
was  the  bane ;  in  the  second,  want  of  prin- 
ciple ;  in  this,  the  love  of  the  world.  Care- 
lessness ruins  many  ;  persecution  oversets 
others ;  prosperity  destroys  the  rest. 

Anxious  cares  are  here  compared  to 
thorns,  and  indeed  very  justly,  for  both  are 
the  fruits  of  sin ;  the  pricking  thorns  in 
the  hedge  are  fit  emblems  of  corroding 
cares  in  the  heart,  and  nothing  more  et^ 
fectually  hinders  tlie  success  of  the  word. 
Some  degree  of  care  is  necessary  for  the 
proper  management  of  our  lawful  affairs ; 
and   "he  that  provideth  not  for  his  own 


household  is  worse  than  an  infidel,"  but 
the  cares  of  this  life  are  apt  to  becom« 
immoderate  and  hurtful:  they  wholly  en- 
gross the  time,  even  that  part  of  it  which 
should  be  devoted  to  the  more  important 
concerns  of  eternity;  they  occupy  the 
thoughts,  which  should  be  directed  towards 
spiritual  objects ;  they  unfit  the  mind  for 
religious  duties,  distract  the  heart  in  them, 
and  prevent  suitable  reflections  after  them; 
they  quench  useful  impressions  v/hen  ac- 
tually made,  and  glue  the  affections  to  the 
sordid  things  of  this  world. 

"  Deceitful  riches'''  also  choke  the  grow- 
ing word,  and  hinder  its  fruits.  Riches  are 
called  deceitful,  because  they  delude  the 
possessor,  as  well  as  the  spectator,  with  a 
false  appearance  of  happiness ;  for  the  real 
happiness  of  a  man's  life  consisteth  not  ui 
the  abundance,  of  his  possessions :  but  they 
deceive  in  a  worse  sense,  they  lead  the 
possessor,  or  tlie  pursuer  of  riches  to  put 
off"  from  day  to  day  tlie  vast  concerns  of 
his  soul,  under  the  pretence  of  pressing 
affairs  of  tliis  world,  and  so  cheat  him  out 
of  his  salvation.  O  how  many  such  per- 
sons "  fall  into  temptation,  and  a  snare, 
and  into  many  foolish  and  hurtful  lusts, 
which  drown  men  in  perdition !" 

"  The  pleasures  of  life''^  ruin  many 
other  professors.  Some  pleasures  are  law- 
ful, others  unlawful ;  but  even  lawful  plea- 
sures, immoderately  pursued,  are  destruc- 
tive to  the  soul :  and  those  who  are  not 
distracted  by  cares,  nor  deceived  by  riches, 
may  be  seduced  by  pleasure.  When  it  be- 
comes the  chief  business  of  life  to  gratify 
tlie  senses,  to  indulge  the  eye  with  every 
curiosity,  the  ear  with  the  most  enchant- 
ing sounds,  the  taste  with  the  choicest 
delicacies, — then  men  become  "  lovers  of 
pleasure  more  than  lovers  of  God."  A  life 
of  sensuality  and  voluptuousness  is  incon- 
sistent with  the  life  of  faith,  which  re- 
quires humility,  self-denial,  and  mortifica- 
tion. It  steals  away  the  heart  from  God, 
deprives  men  of  all  vigor  and  zeal  in  reli- 
gion, and  utterly  prevents  their  producing 
fruit  unto  perfection. 

Thus  have  we  taken  a  view  of  three 
sorts  of  persons,  in  each  of  which  the 
proper  effect  of  the  good  word  of  God  is 
hindered — the  careless — the  temporary — 
and  the  worldly  hearer.  These,  alas !  are 
too  numerous ;  and  where  is  the  congrega- 
tion in  which  all  these  kinds  of  hearers 
may  not  be  found  ?  Yet  blessed  be  (rod  !  it 
is  not  thus  with  all  who  hear  the  Gospel. 
There  is  one  more  description  of  persons, 
who  may  be  called  sincere  hearers ;  who 
Iiappily  escape  the  preceding  mischiefs, 
and  who  brinfj  forth  the  good  fruit  of  sub- 


252 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


stantial  holiness  in  various  degrees.  These 
are  described  in  the  parable  by  the  seed 
which  fell  on  good  ground,  and  did  yield 
fruit:  that  sprang  up,  and  increased,  and 
brought  forth,  some  thirty,  and  some  sixty, 
and  some  an  hundred  fold ;  and  these,  as 
our  Lord  explains  it,  are  they  who  hear  the 
word,  and  understand,  and  receive  it,  and 
keep  it  in  an  honest  and  good  heart,  and 
bring  forth  fruit  with  patience. 

The  good  ground  represents  " good  and 
honest  hearts ;"  that  is,  hearts  renewed  by 
the  Spirit  of  God,  and  which  receive  the 
doctrine  of  the  Gospel  with  a  sincere  faith, 
and  an  upright  desire  of  improving  it  to 
all  the  practical  purposes  for  which  it  is 
designed. 

These  persons  are  said  to  understand 
it ;  to  receive  it ;  and  to  keep  it ;  all  these 
are  necessary  to  fruitfulness.  1.  They 
understand  it ;  none  of  the  rest  are  said 
to  do  so ;  and  indeed  none  can,  till  the 
Lord  the  Spirit  open  their  understandings 
to  understand  the  Scriptures.  God  has 
prouiised  that  all  his  children  shall  be 
taught  of  him ;  and  that  they  shall  know 
tlie  truth,  and  the  truth  sliall  make  them 
free. 

2.  They  are  said  to  receive  it ;  they  see 
the  beauty,  propriety,  and  divine  excel- 
lency of  Gospel  trutli,  and  embrace  it  with 
the  most  cordial  approbation :  t!iey  "  re- 
ceive it,  not  as  the  word  of  man,  but  as  the 
word  of  God." 

3.  They  retain  it;  it  is  not  stolen  by 
the  birds  of  the  air,  but  lodged  in  the  mem- 
ory, and  kept  in  the  affections,  as  a  sacred 
deposit.  Thus  David  says, — "Thy  word 
have  I  hid  in  my  heart,  that  I  might  not 
sin  against  thee ;"  and  in  another  place  he 
says,  "  I  will  never  forgot  thy  precepts." 

4.  They  prodise  it,  for  "  they  bring 
forth  fruit  to  perfection ;"  that  is,  the  grain 
arrives  at  a  state  of  maturity,  which  it  did 
not  in  either  of  the  former  cases.  The 
way-side  hearer  brought  fortli  not  a  single 
blade  ;  tlic  stony-ground  only  a  stalk, 
which  was  soon  burnt  up;  and  the  thorny- 
ground  only  a  lean  withered  ear,  empty  of 
grain;  but  here,  the  full  design  of  the 
farmer  is  answered ;  and  the  single  grain 
sown  in  the  earth,  produce.-;  a  number  of 
grains  of  the  same  nature  with  the  seed, 
and  thus  crowns  all  his  labors  and  his 
hopes. 

The  proper  fruits  of  tlie  word  as  sown 
in  the  heart,  are,  piety  toward  God,  benev- 
olence toward  men,  and  temperance  in  the 
government  of  ourselves.  The  whole  is 
expressed  briefly  by  St.  I'aul,  when  he  de- 
Bcribes  the  effects  of  the  Gospel :    "  it 


teaches  us,  that,  denying  ungodliness  and 
worldly  lust,  we  should  live  righteously, 
and  soberly,  and  godly  in  tliis  present 
world." 

But  it  must  be  observed,  that  this  genu- 
ine fruit  is  not  produced  in  every  real  , 
Christian  in  the  same  degree — "  some 
thirty,  some  sixty,  some  an  hundred  fold." 
Some  begin  to  serve  the  Lord  betimes; 
and  tlierefore,  in  the  course  of  many  years, 
have  greater  opportunities  than  those  who 
begin  late.  Some  possess  larger  mental 
powers ;  a  superior  station  in  life  ;  greater 
opportunities  of  usefulness;  a  sweeter  or 
more  active  temper  than  others ;  and,  by 
the  divine  blessing  on  these  and  other  ad- 
vantages, bring  fortli  a  larger  proportion 
of  fruit  than  others.  But  it  should  be  the 
prayer  and  endeavor  of  all  to  be  as  fruitful 
as  possible,  for  "  herein  is  my  Father  glo- 
rified," said  our  adorable  Master,  "  if  ye 
bring  forth  much  fruit." 

And  now,  my  dear  friends,  what  shall 
we  learn  from  this  excellent  parable] 
Take  the  sum  of  its  instruction  in  a  single 
sentence — a  sentence  pronounced  by  our 
Lord  liimself  immediately  after  it. 

Take  heed,  therefore,  how  ye  hear .' 

Lideed,  sirs,  it  is  no  trifling  matter.  We 
may  forget  sermons,  but  God  will  not.  If 
he  will  call  us  to  account  for  idle  words 
spoken  by  ourselves,  can  we  suppose  lie 
will  require  no  account  of  his  own  holy 
word  spoken  to  us!  O  it  is  a  dangerous 
thing  to  trifle  with  the  Gospel !  It  will  be 
found  at  last — "  the  savor  of  life  unto  life, 
or  the  savor  of  death  unto  death." 

Beware  then  of  resembling  the  way-side 
hearer.  Go  not  to  the  house  of  God  in  a 
gay,  inconsiderate  spirit ;  nor  behave  there 
with  irreverence  and  inattention ;  it  is  an 
insult  to  heaven,  and  an  injury  to  your  own 
soul.  Beware  also  of  the  birds  of  the  air 
when  you  leave  the  church.  Disappoint 
the  watcliful  enemy  of  souls  wlio  waits  for 
your  destruction ;  retire ;  recollect,  and 
pray  over  the  sermon. 

Dread  the  thought  of  being  a  temporary 
liearer.  Be  not  satisfied  with  the  emotion 
of  your  passions  under  the  word.  Be  con- 
cerned to  have  '*  the  root  of  the  matter" 
within  you ;  so  that,  in  the  Iiour  of  tempta- 
tion, you  may  be  able' to  stand  your  ground, 
and  not  "  draw  back  to  perdition." 

Beware  of  a  ivorldly  mind.  Anxious 
cares,  deceitful  riches,  and  carnal  plea- 
sures, choice  the  word,  and  render  it.  fruit- 
less. But  will  you  place  those  in  tlie  bal- 
ance with  tiie  glory  of  God  and  your  eter- 
nal welfare  ?  O  be  wiser,  and  remember 
tliat  weighty  saying,    "  What  is  a  man 


SERMON  LV. 


253 


profited,  if  he  gain  the  whole  world,  and 
lose  his  own  soul  !  or,  what  shall  a  man 
give  in  exchange  for  his  soul !" 

Finally,  let  it  be  your  constant  study 
and  prayer  to  be  sincere  and  fruitful  hear- 
ers. Endeavor,  by  a*  serious,  diligent  at- 
tention, to  understand  the  word  ;  by  the 
exercise  of  precious  faitli  cordially  to  re- 
ceive it ;  by  private  meditation  and  prayer 
to  retain  it;  and  by  daily  observation  to 
bring  it  into  practice.  I  close  with  the 
words  with  which  our  Lord  himself  closed 
the  parable — "And  when  he  had  said  these 
things,  he  cried,^''  probably  wiUi  a  louder 
voice  than  before :  and  O  that  the  cry  may 
reach  our  inmost  souls ! — "  He  that  hath 
ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear  ! 


PRAYER. — Almighty  God,  we  esteem  thy 
word  as  one  of  thy  choicest  gifts,  and  one  for 
vvhich  we  must  give  an  account  to  thee  in  the 
(lay  of  judgment.  Blessed  Lord,  who  hast  caused 
all  holy  Scriptures  to  be  written  for  our  learning, 
grant  that  we  may  in  such  wise  hear  them,  read, 
mark,  learn,  and  inwardly  digest  them,  that  by 
patience,  and  comfort  of  thy  holy  word,  we  may 
emhrace  and  ever  hold  fast  the  blessed  hope  of 
everlasting  life,  which  thou  hast  given  us  in  our 
Savior  Jesus  Christ. 

We  desire  to  take  heed  limo  we  hear.  We 
would  dread  the  thoughts  of  being  way-side  hear- 
ers,— careless  and  inattentive.  Nor  let  us  be 
mercXy  temporary  professors, — satisfied  with  tran- 
sient emotions  of  our  passions,  but  without  root, 
or  depth  of  earth.  Preserve  us  also  from  being 
worldly-minded  hearers  of  the  word,  in  whom  the 
good  seed  is  choked  by  anxious  cares,  or  deceit- 
ful riches ;  but  may  the  blessed  word  find  a  place 
in  our  hearts,  as  in  good  ground.  May  we  un- 
derstand it! — may  we  receive  it! — may  we  re- 
tain it ! — and  not  being  forgetful  hearers,  but 
doers  of  the  word,  may  we  practise  it,  and  bring 
forth  abundantly  the  fruits  of  temperance,  piety, 
and  benevolence,  to  the  glory  of  thy  holy  name, 
through  Jesus  Christ,  our  only  Mediator  and  Ad- 
vocate !   Amen. 


SERMON  LV. 

THE  CONVERSION  OF  LYDIA. 

Acts  .xvi.  14.  And  a  certain  woman  named  I.yilia,  a 
seller  of  purple,  of  the  city  of  'J'hyatira,  wliicli 
worshipixMl  Ood,  licard  us;  whose  heart  Ihe  I.ord 
opened,  tliat  she  attended  unto  the  things  which 
were  simken  of  Paul. 

The  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  is  a  bless- 
ing, tlie  value  of  whicii  can  never  be  fully 
expressed.  Blessed,  truly  blessed,  is  the 
people  who  know  tlie  joyful  sound  !  Those 
who  know  it  best  will  praise  it  most; — 
prize  it  above  gold  and  silver ;  yea,  above 
their  necessary  food.  Those  also,  who  are 
appointed  to  preach  it,  will  rejoice  in  every 
opportunity  of  publisiiing  the  glad  tidings 


to  their  fellow-men.  Thus  did  the  first 
preachers  of  it;  thus  did  Paul  and  Silas, 
in  the  case  before  us. 

In  the  course  of  their  travels,  they  were 
peculiarly  directed  to  Macedonia ;  they 
were  fully  assured  that  tlie  Lord  had  called 
them  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  that  country. 
They  obeyed  the  heavenly  calling,  and 
came  to  Philippi,  the  chief  city  of  tliat  dis- 
trict. The  text  relates  the  first  fruits  of 
their  labors  there.  For  some  time,  indeed, 
no  opportunity  seemed  to  ofi'er  itself  for 
the  commencement  of  their  work.  They 
were  "in  that  city  abiding  certam  days," 
praying,  no  doubt,  and  patiently  wafting 
for  the  leadings  of  Divine  Providence. 

At  length,  on  •  the  Sabbath-day,  they 
walked  to  a  place  near  the  city,  on  tlie 
banks  of  the  river  Strymon,  where  the 
few  Jews,  or  other  devout  persons,  who 
lived  at  Philippi,  were  used  to  meet  for 
social  prayer.  They  lived  among  heathens, 
who  knew  not  Jehovah,  and  who  paid  no 
regard  to  the  Sabbath  ;*  but  these  persons, 
who  knew  and  worshipped  the  true  God, 
used  to  resort  to  this  retired  place,  that 
they  might  offer  up  their  joint  prayers,  and 
encourage  each  other  to  persevere  in  the 
religion  of  their  pious  ancestors.  Probably 
they  were  too  few,  or  too  poor,  to  be  able 
to  support  a  synagogue,  as  in  many  other 
places ;  but  what  they  could,  they  did :  and 
it  is  highly  commendable  for  all  persons, 
when  at  a  distance  from  their  regular 
places  of  worship,  to  maintain,  as  well  as 
they  can,  the  worship  of  their  God,  and 
the  profession  of  their  religion,  even  among 
heathens. 

In  this  place,  the  ministers  of  Christ 
found  a  few  pious  women.  We  read  of  no 
men  there.  Perhaps  these  were  on  jour- 
neys of  business  in  the  country :  or,  their 
hearts  were  grown  cold  about  the  service 
of  Jehovah,  preferring  the  love  of  gain  to 
the  love  of  God.  However,  to  these  women 
St.  Paul  addressed  himself,  declaring  the 
great  truths  of  the  Gospel,  respecting  the 
.salvation  of  smners  by  Jesus  Christ.  Let  us, 
like  him,  seize  every  proper  opportunity  of 
diffusing  the  knowledge  of  a  Savior.  The 
truth  of  the  Gospel  is  of  infinite  import- 
ance to  all  mankind.  Ministers  are  to 
preach  it  w^herever  they  can.  Pious  peo- 
ple should  converse  about  it  on  all  con- 
venient occasions,  invite  their  neighbors  to 
hear  it,  and  put  religious  tracts  into  their 
hands.  Who  can  tell  how  happy  the  ef- 
fects of  such  exertions  may  prove ! 

*  Philippi  was  a  colony  of  Romans,  probably 
formed  of  veteran  soldiers,  to  whom  land  in  its 
vicinity  had  been  granted  in  reward  for  their 
military  services. 

22 


254 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


We  are  not  informed  what  things  they 
were  which  Paul  spake  to  these  women ; 
l)ut  as  it  was  his  determination  elsewhere, 
so  no  doubt  here  also,  to  know  nothing 
among  the  people  but  Christ,  and  him  cru- 
cified. Indeed,  we  are  told  in  this  chapter, 
(ver.  10.)  that  it  was  "  the  Gospel"  which 
he  was  "  caUed  to  preach"  in  this  country ; 
and  no  doubt  it  was  the  Gospel  he  did 
preach  to  the  women — the  good  news  of 
salvation  by  Jesus  Christ.  And  afterwards, 
(ver.  17.)  when  St.  Paul  and  his  compan- 
ion were  better  known  in  Philippi,  this 
was  the  report  of  their  character — "  These 
men  are  the  servants  of  the  most  high 
<jtod,  which  show  unto  us  the  way  of  sal- 
vation." This  is  indeed  the  first  and  chief 
duty  of  a  minister  of  Christ ;  and  may  the 
ministers  of  Christ  never  forget  it  is  so ! 
We  are  also  informed  (xxxi.  32)  that  they 
spake  to  the  jailor  and  his  family  "  the  word 
of  the  Lord,"  directing  them  to  believe  in 
Jesus  Christ,  that  they  might  be  saved. 
These  are  "  the  things  of  Christ,"  "  the 
things  of  the  Spirit,"  "  the  things  which 
belong  to  our  peace,"  the  things  which  the 
faithful  servants  of  Christ  ar6  bound  to 
publish,  and  which  they  who  are  ordained 
to  eternal  life,  are  enabled  to  hear  and  to 
believe. 

We  may  observe,  that  it  is  very  pleasant 
to  speak  of  spiritual  things  to  devout  per- 
sons, such  as  Lydia  was.  There  are  peo- 
ple of  "  the  baser  sort,  who  speak  evil  of 
the  things  they  know  not :"  and  who  are 
so  brutish  as  to  refuse  a  patient  hearing  to 
the  most  interesting  trutJhs ;  but  Lydia  and 
her  friends  were  worshippers  of  God ;  and 
being  met  together  for  prayer,  they  were 
ready  to  listen  to  what  the  apostle  had  to 
offer  to  their  notice.  We  do  not  say,  with 
the  papists,  that  such  a  disposition  "de- 
serves grace :"  that  is  a  contradiction  in 
terms,  for  grace  is  kindness  undeserved. 
To  grace,  we  must  ascribe  this  very  dis- 
position ;  for,  in  general,  persons  turn  their 
backs  on  all  religious  instruction ;  and 
sometimes  manifest  the  malignity  of  their 
hearts  by  abusing  the  messengers  of  God, 
and  the  friends  of  their  souls.  To  the 
special  grace  of  God  it  is  also  ascribed, 
that  Lydia  did  regard  and  receive  the  Gos- 
pel; so  that  it  is  not  to  be  referred  to  her 
good  disposition,  naturally ;  but  to  the 
mercy  and  special  influence  of  heaven; 
"  the  Lord  opened  her  lieart."  It  is  an  ex- 
cellent thing  to  have  a  teachable  mind. 
Whoever  possesses  it  may  be  thankful, 
and  expect  a  blessing  from  all  the  means 
of  grace.  Our  Savior  himself  says,  (John 
vii.  17.)  "If  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he 
shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be 


of  God,"  or  not :  as  if  he  had  said — "  Who- 
ever will  lay  aside  his  prejudices,  and  make 
serious  and  impartial  inquiries  into  the 
will  of  God,  by  hearing,  reading,  and  medi- 
tation, with  a  sincere  desire  to  learn  and 
practise  it,  he  will  be  sure  to  find  enough 
in  the  Gospel  to  recommend  it ;  and  will 
feel  such  good  eifects  of  it  in  his  own 
heart,  by  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
as  shall  oblige  him  to  conclude,  with  com- 
plete satisfaction,  that  it  is  of  God  and  not 
of  men."  It  is  a  happy  thing  when  peo- 
ple so  read  and  hear  the  doctrines  of  the 
Gospel.  They  shall  have  the  blessing  that 
Lydia  obtained. 

In  the  further  consideration  of  these 
words  we  shall  observe,  that, 

1.  There  is,  in  general,  an  awful,  a 
criminal  indisposition  towards  the  things 
of  God. 

The  afl^irs  of  this  world,'its  profits  and 
its  pleasures,  engage  the  ear  and  possess 
the  heart.  They  are  pursued  with  avidity ; 
they  are  constant  subjects  of  inquiry,  of 
conversation,  and  of  delight.  But  how  are 
the  great  doctrines,  privileges,  and  duties 
of-  the  Gospel  regarded  1  How  are  the  in- 
teresting concerns  of  the  immortal  soul 
and  the  eternal  world  attended  to?  The 
Gospel  presents  to  our  view  things  the 
most  wonderful,  the  most  interesting,  the 
most  awful,  and  the  most  delightful.  But 
how  are  they  received  ?  Just  as  they  were 
in  our  Savior's  days.  Of  this  generation 
we  may  say,  as  he  did  of  that  "  It  is  like 
unto  children  sitting  in  the  markets,  and 
calling  to  their  fellows,  and  saying.  We 
have  piped  unto  you,  and  ye  have  not 
danced ;  we  have  mourned  unto  you,  and 
you  have  not  lamented."  The  most  charm- 
ing and  affecting  subjects  of  the  Gospel 
excite  no  joy ;  the  most  dreadful  represen- 
tations of  the  word  occasion  no  alarm ; 
mankind  are  moved  by  neither;  they 
equally  disregard  both.  Let  us  inquire  a 
little  further  into  the  unhappy  causes  of  this 
fatal  inattention  to  divine  things. 

Alas !  for  some  persons,  they  are  alto- 
gether become  brutish  in  sin ;  for  vice, 
where  it  has  long  reigned,  brutalizes  the 
soul,  and  leaves  the  man  scarcely  rational. 
Some  are  so  deplorably  immer&ed  in  sen- 
suality, that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  gain 
their  attention  for  a  single  moment  to  any 
thing  serious  and  religious.  The  mention 
of  any  sacred  truth  excites  only  a  smile 
of  derision,  and  they  treat  with  contempt 
the  most  heavenly  and  holy  matters.  It  is 
especially  the  case  with  those,  who  have 
accustomed  themselves  to  foolish  talking 
and  jesting,  and  whose  imagination  is  so 
defiled  and  debauched,  that  the  most  sol- 


SERMON  LV. 


255 


emn  and  sacred  things  arc  turned  into  folly 
and  laughter.  This  is  a  most  unhappy 
state  of  mind,  and  which  young  people 
should  take  pains,  before  it  be  too  late,  to 
avoid.  Such  persons  are  indeed  "  sensual, 
not  having  the  Spirit,"  and  to  them  the 
wisdom  of  God  itself  is  no  better  than 
foolishness. 

Prejudice  against  the  truths,  the  minis- 
ters, and  the  professors  of  the  Gospel,  is 
another  powerful  cause  of  inattention  to  it. 
Prejudice  of  this  kind  jaundices  the  mind, 
and  every  doctrine  of  the  word  is  seen 
through  a  false  medium.  Much  of  tliis 
prejudice  may  be  traced  to  education, 
many  children  being  taught  to  despise  and 
revile  every  form  of  religion  but  that  of 
their  parents.  Hence  arises  that  danger- 
ous bigotry,  wliich  will  scarcely  deign  to 
allow  the  hearing  of  Gospel  truth,  unless 
it  be  presented  precisely  in  a  certain  mode. 
Hence  thousands  are  kept  from  ever  em- 
ploying the  right  of  private  judgment,  or 
using  the  Scriptures  as  a  touchstone,  con- 
tent to  pin  their  faith  on  the  sleeves  of 
others.  Some  odious  name  is  frequently 
attached  to  the  faithful  and  laborious  ser- 
vants of  Christ.  The  apostles  themselves 
were  said  to  "  turn  the  world  upside  down," 
and  their  adherents  were  deemed  "  a  sect 
everywhere  spoken  against."  The  im- 
maculate Jesus  himself  was  "  called  a  de- 
ceiver, a  Samaritan,  a  wine-bibber,  a  friend 
of  publicans  and  sinners."  Thug,  among 
ourselves,  one  opprobrious  name  is  sufficient 
to  counterbalance,  in  a  prejudiced  mind, 
all  the  wisdom  and  piety  that  can  be  col- 
lected in  a  sermon,  in  a  book,  or  in  a  min- 
ister. 

Other  persons  are  kept  from  duly  attend- 
ing to  the  truth,  by  the  love  of  the  world, 
wliich  prevails  in  their  hearts.  Like  Pi- 
late, they  have  no  fault  to  find  in  the  Gos- 
pel preacher ;  nay,  they  will  bestow  occa- 
sional commendation  on  him,  and  allow 
that  he  is  good,  and  zealous,  and  useful 
among  the  common  people  ;  but  the  world 
so  fills  tlieir  hearts,  that  there  is  not  a  cor- 
ner in  them  left  for  Christ  and  his  word. 
Business  occupies  the  greater  part  of  such 
a  person's  time;  and  how  are  his  leisure 
hours  employed?  He  wants  amusement, 
and  must  seek  it  in  the  tavern,  the  theatre, 
or  some  other  haunt  of  dissipation.  He 
cannot  relish  retirement ;  he  knows  not 
what  it  is  to  sit  down  and  read  his  Bible, 
or  spend  half  an  hour  in  thoughtfulness 
and  self-examination.  He  can  sometimes 
devote  a  whole  day  to  a  party  of  pleasure, 
but  cannot  spare  an  hour  to  hear  a  sermon. 
This  indisposition  towards  the  word  of 
grace  is  peculiarly  displayed  on  tlic  Lord's 


day.  He  makes  his  weariness  on  Satur- 
day night  an  apology  for  his  sloth  on  tlie 
Sunday  morning ;  and  wlien  he  rises,  it  is 
only  to  dress  for  a  ride,  a  walk,  or  a  visit : 
he  indulges  his  appetite  at  dinner,  and 
renders  his  mind  incapable  of  serious  at- 
tention for  some  hours  ;  and  tlien  the  even- 
ing is  spent  in  sauntermg,  or  in  vanity. 
Thus,  those  precious  hours  are  wasted, 
which  should  have  been  diligently  devoted 
to  prayer,  reading  and  hearing  the  word 
of  life.  Thus  he  makes  light  of  that  hea- 
venly truth,  which,  through  faith,  is  able 
to  save  the  soul ;  and  thus,  if  sovereign 
grace  mterpose  not,  he  lives  and  dies  in 
sm,  and  unbelief. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  state  what  that 
attention  is,  which  the  great  things  of  God 
demand  from  every  rational  creature,  and 
such  as,  we  have  reason  to  believe,  was 
paid  to  the  word  by  Lydia. 

(1.)  A  candid  attention.  The  preacher  "^ 
of  the  Gospel  should  not  be  pre-judged,  or 
condernned  unheard.  If  he  be  a  man.  of 
good  reputation  and  character,  let  him  be 
fairly  heard,  and  let  his  doctrine  be  impar- 
tially weighed  in  tlie  balance  of  the  sanc- 
tuary. The  people  of  Berea  are  commend- 
ed on  this  account,  Acts  xvi.  11.  "  They 
were  more  noble  than  those  in  Thessalo- 
nica,  in  that  they  received  the  word  with 
all  readiness  of  mind,  and  searched  the 
Scriptures  daily,  whether  these  ^h^igs 
were  so."  The  Bereans  were  of  a  more 
noble,  candid,  and  generous  disposition ; 
tliey  heard  the  apostle  candidly,  and  they 
searched  the  Scriptures  from  day  to  day, 
that  they  might  judge  for  themselves  of 
the  truth  of  what  he  delivered  ;  and,  act- 
ing thus,  they  found  sucli  a  correspondence 
between  the  Christian  preacher  and  the 
Jewish  prophet,  that  many  of  tliem  be- 
lieved. 

(2.)  A  serious  attention  is  due  to  the 
word,  for  it  presents  to  our  minds  the  most 
serious  subjects  in  the  world.  Death  and 
judgment,  heaven  and  hell,  are  serious 
things,  and  should  be  seriously  regarded. 
We  sliould  not  bring  a  ligiit  and  trifling 
mind  to  the  word  of  God.  Are  we  not 
mortals  ?  The  word  addresses  us  as  such. 
Are  we  not  sinners!  The  word  is  directed 
to  us  as  such,  and  seriously  sets  before  us 
the  pardon  that  guilty  criminals  need. 
Are  we  not  spiritually  diseased  1  The  Gos- 
pel proposes  a  certain  remedy.  Are  we 
not  at  variance  with  God  1  Reconciliation 
with  hiin,  tlirough  .Tesus,  is  set  before  us. 
We  are  the  wretched  slaves  of  sin  and 
Satan ;  tiie  Gospel  is  a  proclamation  of  re- 
demjrtion  and  liberty.  We  are  miserably 
poor  and  needy;   but  the   word  of  God 


256 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


holds  forth  to  us  the  true  riches.  Wc 
know  we  must  shortly  die,  and  leave  this 
world ;  the  word  of  life  teaches  us  how  to 
conquer  death,  and  to  insure  an  inheritance 
in  the  skies.  Surely  these  things  are  so 
important  and  interesting,  as  to  demand 
from  us  a  very  serious  attention. 

(3).  A  devout  attention  is  requisite. 
Does  God,  the  great  God  of  heaven,  speak 
to  us  ?  Yes,  indeed  he  does.  He  speaketh 
from  heaven  hy  his  word  :  and  this  is  the 
only  way  in  which  he  will  speak  to  us. 
We  are  not  to  desire  a  messenger  from 
the  heavenly  world,  as  the  rich  man  in 
the  parable  did.  The  revelation  of  the 
divine  will  in  the  Scripture  is  complete : 
nothing  must  be  added  to  it,  nothing  di- 
minished from  it.  "  These  things  are 
written,  that  we  might  believe  that  Jesus 
is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God ;  and  that 
believing,  we  rriight  have  life  through  his 
name."  What  reverence  then  is  due  to 
the  word  of  God  !  In  this  manner  the 
Thessalonians  heard  the  Gospel  from  the 
mouth  of  the  apostle,  and  he  commends 
them  for  it,  (1  Thess.  ii.  13.).  "  For  this 
cause  also  we  thank  God  without  ceasing, 
because  when  ye  received  the  word  of 
God,  which  ye  heard  of  us,  ye  received 
it  not  as  the  word  of  men,  but,  as  it  is  in 
truth,  the  word  of  God,  which  effectually 
worketh  also  in  you  that  believe."  Ob- 
serve— these  people  not  only  gave  it  a 
hearing,  but  their  hearts  were  opened,  like 
Lydia's,  to  attend  to  it,  and  embrace  it  with 
reverence ;  not  as  a  human  scheme,  but 
as  a  revelation  from  God,  and  on  the 
ground  of  his  authority.  Too  many  per- 
sons, in  hearing,  look  no  further  than  to 
men,  and  to  the  words  of  men ;  and  if  they 
are  pleased,  it  is  with  the  voice  or  manner 
of  the  preacher :  but  we  should  hear  the 
word  of  God  as  the  word  of  God,  and  if 
we  do  so,  it  will  be  with  reverence  of  soul. 

(4.)  A  diligenl  attention  is  demanded 
of  us.  It  is  not  a  trifling  matter  which  it 
represents  to  us;  it  is  for  our  life,  and 
therefore  should  be  regarded  with  the  ut- 
most vigor  and  energy  of  our  souls.  O,  it 
is  affecting  to  think  what  little  pains  are 
bestowed  on  the  great  concern,  compared 
with  what  are  employed  on  the  ordinary 
business  or  the  trifling  amusements  of 
time !  How  many  are  there,  who  never 
took  a  hundredth  part  of  the  pains  to  se- 
cure eternal  life,  that  they  have  taken  to 
learn  the  business,  by  which  they  get  their 
bread ;  and  how  many  must  have  been 
starved  to  death,  had  they  not  been  more 
diligent  for  their  bodies  tlian  they  have 
been  for  their  souls !  What  labor  and 
pains    have  been    employed  in  learning 


Latin  or  French,  compared  with  what  have 
been  used  in  reading  the  word  of  God  ! 
How  many  more  hours  have  some  young 
persons  spent  at  a  musical  instrument,  than 
they  ever  devoted  to  the  means  of  grace  ! 
yea,  in  some  cases,  how  much  more  atten- 
tion to  the  card-table,  than  to  the  word  of 
life  !  But  the  Gospel  of  God  demands  our 
most  diligent  regard.  The  word  of  Christ 
must  "dwell  in  us  richly  ;"  we  must  "me- 
ditate upon  it  day  and  night;"  and  "  hide 
it  in  our  hearts,  that  we  may  not  sm 
against  God."  Let  it  be  remembered,  that 
we  hear  and  read  for  eternity;  let  those 
words  sound  in  our  ears — for  ever  !  for 
ever!  for  ever!  and  it  will  oblige  us  to 
give  diligent  heed  to  the  word  of  life. 

(5.)  A  believing  attention  is  also  neces- 
sary. The  Gospel  is  called  "  tJie  faith," 
and  "  the  word  of  faith,"  because  it  is  pro- 
posed to  our  faith,  and  received  by  it.  It 
is  the  testimony  of  Jehovah,  and  demands 
the  fullest  credit.  The  word  cannot  profit 
our  souls,  unless  it  be  "  mixed  witli  feith," 
and  then  it  becooies  "  the  ingrafted  word, 
which  is  able  to  save  our  souls."  It  is 
proposed  "  for  the  obedience  of  faith ;"  and 
when  it  is  obeyed,  it  becomes  the  power 
of  God  to  our  salvation.  When  we  un- 
derstand the  Gospel  aright,  and  perceive 
that  Jesus  is  the  only,  all-suflBcient,  Re- 
deemer of  lost  sinners,  we  are  encouraged 
to  trust  in  him  alone ;  we  are  constrained 
to  esteem  and  love  him  above  all ;  and  en- 
abled to  comply  with  his  directions,  desi- 
ring to  obey  him  "  in  all  things,  whatso- 
ever he  hath  commanded." 

(6.)  A  joyful  attention  well  becomes 
those  who  are  favored  with  "the  joyful 
sound."  If  the  Gospel  be  understood,  it 
will  appear  to  be  nothing  but  glad  tidings 
of  great  joy.  It  proclaims  pardon ;  free, 
full,  and  everlasting  pardon  for  the  chief 
of  sinners.  And  if  this  be  really  believed, 
it  must  excite  joy.  It  did  so  in  all  the 
first  converts  to  Christianity.  When  Philip 
went  down  to  Samaria,  "  and  preached 
Christ  unto  them,  there  was  great  joy  in  that 
city."  When  the  jailer  at  Philippi  heard 
the  word  of  tlie  Lord,  "  he  rejoiced,  with 
all  his  house."  And  tlie  Thessalonians 
"  received  the  word,"  though  in  the  midst 
of  severe  outward  troubles,  "  with  joy  in 
the  Holy  Ghost ;"  with  such  inward  conso- 
lation, as  made  ricli  amends  for  all  their 
afliictions.     Finally, 

(7.)  A  practical  attention  is  due  to  this 
holy  word.  And  where  it  is  truly  received 
it  cannot  fail  of  "  working  by  love."  That 
pretended  faith,  which  is  inactive  and 
alone,  is  dead ;  it  is  not  the  faith  of  God's 
elect.     A  true  believer  is  a  "  doer  of  the 


SERMON  LV. 


257 


word."  Therefore  St.  James  says,  (chap, 
i.  22,)  "  Be  ye  doers  of  the  word,  and  not 
hearers  only,  deceiving  your  own  souls." 
He  compares  a  mere  hearer  to  a  man  ob- 
serving his  face  in  a  glass,  and  slightly 
perceives  some  spots  of  dirt  upon  it ;  but  it 
makes  no  impression,  he  soon  forgets  it, 
and  the  spots  remain  unwashed ;  on  the 
other  hand,  the  true  believer  intently  looks 
into  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel,  which  is  a 
doctrine  of  spiritual  liberty ;  he  continues 
therein — does  not  forget  it — is  not  careless 
and  unmindful  of  what  he  heard,  or  of 
wliat  he  saw  of  himself  in  tliat  faithful 
glass,  but  takes  care  to  live  in  the  exer- 
cise of  every  grace,  and  in  the  practice  of 
every  duty — "  this  man  shall  be  blessed  in 
liis  deed;"  "his  fruit  is  unto  holiness,  and 
his  end  shall  be  everlasting  life."  (Rom. 
vi.  22.) 

It  now  only  remains  to  observe,  that 
wherever  the  word  of  God  is  attended  to 
in  this  manner,  it  mast  be  ascribed  to  the 
grace  of  God — "  the  Lord  opened  the 
heart  of  Lydia,  that  she  attended  unto  the 
things  s]X)ken  of  Paul." 

Many  women,  perhaps,  besides  Lydia, 
heard  St.  Paul's  discourse ;  but  we  do  not 
road  that  any  besides  her  was  converted  at 
that  time.  It  was  grace  alone  that  made 
her  to  differ;  "the  Lord  opened  her  heart." 
Iler  piety  beforehand  in  worshipping  the 
true  Gotl  was  commended ;  but  her  hear- 
ing the  word  to  profit  is  ascribed  to  the 
power  of  God.  The  eyes  of  her  under- 
standing were  enliglitened  by  the  Spirit ; 
for  he  alone  is  "  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and 
revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ ;" 
he  only  can  "take  of  the- things  of  Christ, 
and  show  them  unto  us."  Without  the 
lieavenly  influence,  v/orking  in  and  by  the 
word,  such  is  the  blindness  of  our  minds, 
and  the  carnal  enmity  of  our  hearts,  that 
we  should  never  receive  the  Gospel  aright; 
for  St.  Paul  testifies  that  "  the  natural  man 
(including  the  most  rational  man)  "  re- 
ceiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of 
Gwl ;  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him : 
neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they 
are  spiritually  discerned."  (1  Cor.  ii.  14.) 
Our  Lord  also  plainly  told  the  Jews,  that 
no  man  could  come  to  him  unless  drawn 
by  the  Father ;  but  wlien  he  is  pleased  to 
exert  his  gracious  influence,  it  is  at  once 
effectual,  as  it  was  in  the  case  of  I,ydia. 
"  When  the  Lord  himself  (says  the  amia- 
ble archbishop  lieighton)  speaks  by  his 
Spirit  to  a  man,  selecting  and  calling  him 
out  of  the  lost  world,  he  can  no  more  diso- 
bey than  Abraham  did,  when  the  Lord 
sjwke  to  liim,  atler  an  extraordinary  man- 
ner, to  depart  from  his  country  and  kin- 
2H 


dred.  There  is  a  secret,  but  very  power- 
ful, virtue  in  a  word,  or  look,  or  touch  of 
liiis  Spirit  upon  the  soul,  by  which  it  is 
forced,  not  witli  a  harsh,  but  pleasing  vio- 
lence, and  cannot  choose  but  follow  it; 
not  unlike  that  of  Elijah's  mantle  upon 
Elisha,  1  Kings  xix.  19.  How  easily  did 
the  disciples  forsake  their  callings  and 
dwellings  to  follow  Christ !"  It  was  with 
this  sweet  but  powerful  influence  the  Lord 
touched  the  heart  of  Lydia.  Her  heart 
was  opened,  never  more  to  be  closed 
against  the  voice  of  God's  Spirit.  It  was 
not  a  mere  temporary  "affection  to  the 
world,  a  mere  religious  fit,  as  the  appa- 
rent zeal  of  some  may  be  called,  but  a  ren- 
ovation of  heart  and  nature,  whereby  she 
became  a  new  creature,  devoted  sincerely 
to  Christ.  Her  sincerity  was  soon  con- 
spicuous, for  she  was  not  ashamed  nor 
afraid  openly  to  confess  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
both  among  Jews  and  pagans  ;  but  was 
speedily  baptized  in  liis  name.  Her  zeal 
was  manifested  by  consecrating  her  whole 
family,  (probably  children  and  servants)  to 
the  Lord,  for  they  also  were  baptized.  She 
also  displayed  her  love  to  Christ  by  a  gen- 
erous regard  to  his  ministers ;  for  she  con- 
strained them  to  lodge  at  her  house,  say- 
ing, "  If  you  have  judged  me  to  be  faithful 
to  the  Lord,  come  into  my  house  and  abide 
there."  Thus  did  the  Lord  open  the  heart 
of  Lydia,  and  thus  he  opens  the  hearts  of 
all  his  people.  "  The  understanding  is 
opened  to  receive  the  divine  light,  the 
will  opened  to  receive  the  divine  law,  and 
the  atiections  opened  to  receive  tlie  divine 
love :  and  when  the  heart  is  tims  opened  to 
Christ,  the  ear  is  opened  to  his  word,  the 
lips  are  opened  m  prayer,  the  hands  open- 
ed in  charity,  and  the  steps  enlarged  m  all 
manner  of  Gospel  obedience. 

To  conclude.  Let  us  be  smcerely  thank- 
ful for  tlie  word.  To  us,  even  to  us,  is  the 
word  of  this  salvation  sent.  He  hath 
showed  his  word  to  Britain,  his  judgments 
to  England.  He  hath  not  dealt  so  with 
every  nation. — Praise  ye  the  Lord ! — 
When  a  scarcity  of  bread  is  felt,  how  se- 
vere do  we  deem  the  affliction !  When 
plenty  is  restored,  how  great  do  we  esteem 
the  benefit !  how  much  greater  is  the  gift 
of  the  Gospel !  Philippi  was  highly  favor- 
ed when  Paul  and  Silas  paid  it  a  visit. 
But  we  are  more  highly  favored.  We 
have  Peter  and  Paul,  and  the  Evangelists. 
We  have  Christ  himself  in  his  written 
word,  together  with  the  assistance  of  his 
ministers,  to  explain  it  to  us.  Bless  ye  the 
Lord ! 

But  how  much  is  it  to  be  lamented,  that 
the    liumaa    heart   is  so  generally  shut 
22* 


258 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


agjiinst  tlie  word  of  life !  Ah  !  what  ene- 
mies to  their  own  souls  are  such  persons ! 
"  Father,  forgive  thern,  for  they  know 
not  what  they  do."  Well  may  we  adopt 
the  lamentation  of  Jeremiah,  "Hear  ye, 
and  give  ear  ;  be  not  proud,  for  the  Lord 
hath  spoken.  Give  glory  to  the  Lord 
your  God,  before  he  cause  darkness,  and 
before  your  feet  stumble  upon  the  dark 
mountains,  and  while  ye  look  for  light,  he 
turn  it  into  the  shadow  of  death,  and  make 
it  gross  darkness.  But  if  ye  will  not  hear 
it,  my  soul  shp,ll  weep  in  secret  places  for 
your  pride,  and  mine  eyes  shall  weep  sore, 
and  run  down  with  tears."  The  obstinacy  of 
sinners  in  refusing  to  hear  the  voice  of  Christ 
is  extremely  affecting  to  a  pious  Christian, 
to  a  serious  minister.  It  was  so  to  the 
compassionate  heart  of  our  blessed  Re- 
deemer, for  when  he  drew  near  to  the 
rebellious  city  of  Jerusalem,  and  foresaw 
its  approaching  desolation,  "  he  wept  over 
it,  saying,  If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou, 
at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which 
belong  unto  thy  peace  !  but  now  they  are 
hid  fr»m  thine  eyes."  The  season  of  ob- 
taining eternal  life  is  but  a  day ;  if  this  be 
lost,  the  day  of  vengeance  will  succeed. 
Let  us  dread  the  thought  of  rejecting  the 
counsel  of  God  against  ourselves,  and 
so  perishing  in  unbelief;  and  let  us,  who 
are  now  favored  with  opportunities  of 
reading  and  hearing  the  word,  make  a 
good  use  of  tliem,  lest  they  be  finished, 
before  the  benefit  designed  by  them  is  re- 
ceived. 

We  have  been  hearing  of  the  grace  of 
God  in  opening  Lydia's  heart.  But  let  us 
not  consider  this  merely  as  a  history.  Let 
each  of  us  say — Has  my  heart  been  open- 
ed in  the  same  manner  ?  Have  I  regarded 
the  word  of  life  with  a  candid,  serious, 
devout,  diligent,  believing,  joyful,  and 
practical  attention  1  If  not,  surely  my 
neglecting  my  best  interest,  and  my  con- 
tempt of  the  great  God  who  speaketh 
from  heaven,  is  higlily  criminal  and  dan- 
gerous. O  thou  who  hast  the  key  of 
David,  who  opepeth,  and  no  man  shutteth, 
exert  in  me  the  same  efficacious  power, 
and  from  tliis  moment  let  my  heart  be 
opened  to  thee  ! 

If,  indeed,  your  heart  has  thus  received 
the  word,  it  will  work  in  you  effectually, 
as  he  does  ui  all  who  believe  ;  it  will  pro- 
duce a  happy  and  holy  change  in  your 
sentiments,  principles,  and  views,  hearts 
and  lives ;  it  will  be,  as  our  Lord  .speaks, 
like  the  lump  of  leaven  hid  in  the  meal ; 
it  will  gradually  leaven  the  whole  mass  ; 
it  will  in  some  measure  sanctify  all  the 
faculties  of  the  soul,  and  all  the  members 


of  the  body.  O  that  this  holy  word  may 
dwell  in  us  richly  more  and  more,  that 
"  we  may  obey  from  the  heart  that  form 
(or  mould)  of  doctrine  into  which  we  have 
been  delivered !" 


PRAYER. — God  of  all  grace,  who,  in  ancient 
times,  didst,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
open  the  heart  of  Lydia  to  receive  the  word 
preached  by  thy  faithiiil  apostle  Paul,  grant  that, 
by  the  same  gentle  and  divine  influence,  our 
hearts,  which,  by  reason  of  our  depraved  nature, 
are  shut  against  thy  Gospel,  may  be  prepared, 
disposed,  and  enabled  to  receive  the  truth  as  it 
is  in  Jesus.  We  thank  thee,  O  God,  that  unto 
us  is  the  word  of  this  salvation  sent.  Thou  hast 
showed  thy  word  unto  Britain, — thy  judgments 
unto  England.  Thou  hast  not  dealt  so  with 
every  nation.  We  praise  thee,  O  Lord  I — and  being 
thus  highly  favored,  may  we  regard  the  gospel 
message  with  tlje  most  candid,  serious,  devout, 
diligent,  beheving,  joyful,  and  practical  atten- 
tion ;  lay  it  up  in  our  hearts,  and  practise  it  in 
our  lives,  that  so,  like  Lydia,  we  may  prove  our- 
selves faithful  to  the  Lord,  openly  esiMuse  his 
cause,  and  encourage  his  ministers,  and  with  our 
whole  household  serve  the  Lord.  Bestow  upon 
us  this  grace,  we  humbly  beseech  thee,  for  the 
Redeemer's  sake !    Amen. 


SERMON  LVI. 

THE  ENMITY  OF  THE  CARNAL  MIND 
AGAINST  GOD. 

Romans  viii.  7.    The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against 
God. 

That  the  whole  human  race  is  deplora- 
bly depraved,  is  a  general  doctrine  of  the 
Bible;  and  that  the  mind  of  man  being 
thus  depraved  is  in  a  state  of  opposition  to 
God,  is  the  particular  doctrine  of  the  text. 
A  doctrine,  indeed,  not  very  palatable  to 
men  in  general,  but  absolutely  necessary 
to  be  known,  if  we  would  avoid  the  dread- 
ful consequences  of  that  opposition  :  for, 
as  the  apostle  asserts,  in  the  verse  before 
the  text — "  to  be  carnally-minded  is  death" 
— everlasting  death  and  destruction  :  who- 
ever lives  and  dies  under  the  power  of  a 
carnal  mind,  must  eternally  perish.  Now, 
our  text  accounts  for  this;  it  shows  the 
justice  of  this  awful  sentence,  "  because 
the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God," — 
it  stands  in  direct  opposition  to  him,  to  his 
perfections,  his  government,  and  his  whole 
will ;  it  is  not  only  an  enemy  to  him,  but 
absolutely  enmity  itself;  and  sucli  is  its  des- 
perate malignity,  its  irreconcilable  hatred, 
that  it  cannot  be  brought  into  subjection ;  the 
heart  itself  must  be  renewed  by  Almighty 
grace,  before  it  can  be  reconciled,  or 
brought  over  to  God. 


SERMON  LVI. 


259 


This  is  a  true  but  awful  picture  of  man. 
How  different  is  it  from  that  picture  which 
man  draws  of  liimself !  For  fallen  man  is 
proud,  and  vain,  and  very  desirous  of  justi- 
fying himself:  he  cannot,  indeed,  say  that 
all  is  right ;  he  is  obliged  to  own  that  he 
sometimes  does  wrong ;  but  he  seems  to 
think  it  rather  accidental  than  natural. 
He  will  allow  that  he  has  his  frailties  and 
failings,  yet  maintains  that  he  has  a  good 
heart,  and  sincerely  endeavors  to  do  his 
best.  Now  it  is  necessary  that  these  mis- 
takes should  be  corrected  ;  and  that  we 
should  trace  the  streams  of  vice  to  their 
fountain-head ;  which  fountain-head  you 
have  in  the  te.xt,  "  the  carnal  mind" — a 
mind  wholly  fleshly  and  worldly,  delight- 
ing only  in  earthly  things,  and  therefore 
averse  to  God,  and  entirely  destitute  of 
love  to  him.  This  is  the  subject  before 
us ;  a  subject  which  may  be  considered  as 
essential  to  the  very  basis  and  ground- 
work of  all  true  and  vital  religion.  May 
the  Holy  Spirit,  who  alone  truly  con- 
vinceth  of  sin,  and  leadeth  to  repentance, 
enlighten  and  impress  cur  hearts,  while 
we  show, 

1.  That  the  mind  of  man  is  indeed  car- 
nal ;  and 

2.  That,  being  carnal,  it  is  in  a  state  of 
enmity  against  God. 

1.  The  mind  of  man  is  carnal — The 
mind  of  every  man  in  a  state  of  nature. 

By  the  word  mind — we  are  to  under- 
stand all  the  powers  of  the  soul ;  such  as 
the  understanding,  the  will,  and  the  affec- 
tions ;  or  as  it  is  expressed  by  our  reform- 
ers in  the  9th  article,  "this  infection  of 
nature  (called  in  Greek  phronema  sarlxos) 
which  some  do  expound  the  wisdom,  some 
the  sensuality,  some  the  affection,  some 
the  desire  of  the  flesh,  is  not  subject  to  the 
law  of  (jo:1." 

Tlie  mind  of  man  is  here  called  carnal, 
that  is  Jl(  silly,  because  its  desires  and  de- 
lights are  fleshly.  The  apostle,  in  this 
chapter,  divides  all  mankind  into  two  clas- 
ses, ver.  5.  "They  that  are  after  the 
flesh,  do  mind  the  things  of  the  flesh :  but 
they  that  are  after  the  Spirit,  the  tilings  of 
the  Spirit."  Our  Savior  himself  makes 
the  very  same  distinction,  John  iii.  "  that 
which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that 
which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit."  The 
natural  man  is  so  entirely  a  stranger  to 
every  thing  spiritual,  and  so  completely 
devoted  to  the  pursuit  of  worldly  and  sen- 
sual objects,  that  he  is  called  in  Scripture 
Jleslt.  Man  is  indeed  composed  of  two 
parts,  flesh  and  spirit :  but  because  his 
spirit  is  dead  to  God,  and  he  lives  only  an 
animal  life,  he  is  very  justly  called  flesh. 


So  God  said  of  the  whole  human  race  be- 
fore the  flood.  "My  Spirit  shall  not  al- 
ways strive  with  man,"  namely,  by  the 
preaching  of  Noah,  "  for  that  he  also  is 
Jlesk,"  that  is,  entirely  corrupt  and  sen- 
sual ;  and  this  is  the  state  of  every  man  in 
the  world,  unless  he  be  born  again  of  the 
Spirit  of  God. 

The  itnderslanding  of  man,  however  ra- 
tional, is  carnal ;  for  this  description  belongs 
not  only  to  the  swinish  sensualist,  who  wal- 
lows inthe  filth  of  grbsser  vices;  but  it  is  ap- 
plicable to  the  most  learned  and  intelligent 
person  in  the  world,  who  .is  destitute  of 
divine  teaching.  Hence  we  read,  Coloss. 
ii.  18,  of  the  zealous  Jewish  teacher,  or 
acute  Gentile  philosopher,  who  is  "vainly 
puffed  up  by  his  Jhslily  wind ;"  and,  in- 
deed, the  human  mind  is  never  more  car- 
nal, than  when  swelled  with  self-conceit 
and  proud  reasonings  opposed  to  the  word 
of  God. 

The  mind  of  man  is  remarkably  carnal 
in  its  conceptions  of  the  Divme  Being,  of 
his  worship,  and  of  the  way  of  acceptance 
with  him.  Millions  of  men  are,  to  this 
day,  so  grossly  carnal,  "  that  they  change 
the  glory  of  the  incorruptible  God  into  an  ^ 
image  made  like  to  corruptible  man,  and 
to  birds,  and  four-footed  beasts,  and  creep- 
ing things."  Yea,  there  are  millions  of 
men,  called  Christians,  who  bow  down  to 
a  crucifix,  and  to  images  of  the  Virgin 
Mary,  and  dead  saints,  and  pray  to  them 
for  deliverance.  Even  among  ourselves, 
how  many  act  as  if  God  wore  a  being  like 
to  themselves,  and  hypocritically  worship 
him  with  the  body  only,  when  their  hearts 
are  far  from  him  !    All  this  is  carnal. 

How  carnal  are  the  ideas  of  many  per- 
sons respecting  the  holy  law  of  God  con- 
tained in  the  ten  commandments !  This 
law  is  ".s/jtVf /(/«/,"  and  requires  the  love 
and  obedience  of  the  heart :  it  forbids  and 
condemns  the  first  motions  of  sin  in  the 
thoughts  ;  but  many  fancy  themselves  very 
good,  and  fnlfillers  of  the  law,  because  they 
have  npt  Committed  the  acts  of  murder, 
adultery,  theft,  &c.  thougli  they  have  bro- 
ken the  law  in  the  thoughts  and  wishes  of 
their  hearts,  thousands  and  thousands  of 
times. 

The  carnal  mind  mistakes  the  Gospel 
also,  as  well  as  t!ie  law.  The  Gospel  sig- 
nifies good  news;  good  news  of  the  love 
of  God  to  helpless  sinners ;  good  news  of 
the  atonement  made  by  the  blood  of  Christ; 
good  news  of  free  pardon,  holines.s,  and 
eternal  life,  to  be  had,  gratis,  by  all  who 
seek  them  through  faith  in  Clirist!  But 
how  carnal  are  the  views  of  many  con- 
cerning it !  Some  understand,  by  the  Cos- 


260 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


pel,  nothing  but  the  history  of  Jesus  Christ, 
his  birth,  miracles,  death,  &c.  Others 
think  the  Gospel  only  a  set  of  good  pre- 
cepts, given  by  Jesus  Christ,  sliowing  us 
how  we  may  make  ourselves  good,  and 
save  ourselves  by  so  doing.  Others,  even 
some  very  learned  men,  tell  us  it  is  a  kind 
of  new  law,  offering  us  salvation  on  easier 
terms  than  the  old  law,  namely,  on  the 
condition  of  faith,  repentance,  and  sincere 
obedience.  But  all  this  is  a  false  and  car- 
nal way  of  thinking  about  the  Gospel ;  and 
fully  proves  the  truth  of  what  St.  Paul 
says,  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  "  The  natural  man 
(that  is  the  carnal  man)  receiveth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  :  for  they  are 
foolishness  to  him :  neither  can  he  know 
them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discern- 
ed." This  is  precisely  true.  Many  hear 
the  truths  of  the  Gospel  plainly  preached 
for  several  years  together,  and  never  under- 
stand one  of  them.  To  many  others,  the 
great  doctrines  of  grace,  faith,  righteous- 
ness, holiness,  and  the  influence  of  the 
Spirit,  seem  nothing  but  nonsense,  and 
they  revile  them  accordingly.  And  the 
apostles  say,  it  cannot  be  otherwise,  "  for 
they  are  spiritually  discerned'''' — they  are 
perceived,  in  their  divine  truth  and  glory, 
only  by  an  understanding  enlightened  by 
the  Spirit  of  God. 

The  will  of  the  natural  man  is  also  car- 
nal. The  will  is  that  power  of  the  mind 
by  which  a  person  chooses  any  thing.  Now 
the  will  of  fallen  man  is  perverse,  obsti- 
nate, and  rebellious,  "  it  is  not  subject  to 
the  law  of  God."  It  does  not  choose  those 
things  which  are  truly  good  and  excellent, 
but  rejects  them  with  disdain ;  wliile  it 
chooses  those  things  which  are  carnal  and 
hurtful ;  things  ibrbidden  by  the  word  of 
God,  and  evidently  destructive  to  the  souls 
of  men.  "  Yo  will  not  come  unto  me, 
that  "ye  may  have  life,"  said  Christ  to  the 
Jews :  "  we  will  not  have  him  to  reign 
over  us,"  say  many  still. 

The  affections  of  the  soul,  such  as  hope, 
desire,  and  love,  are  also  carnal ;  and  this 
is  the  principal  design  of  the  word  mind 
in  our  text — "  they  that  are  after  the  flesh 
do  mind  the  things  of  the  flesh" — they 
prefer  and  pursue  carnal  and  animal 
gratifications.  •'  Wiiat  shall  we  eat,  wJiat 
shall  we  drink,  wherewithal  shall  we  be 
clothed!"  These  are  the  inquiries, of  car- 
nal persons:  not,  what  shall  I  do  to  be 
saved  ?  not,  how  shall  I  ploa?e  and  glorify 
God?  no,  tJie  world  and  the  flesh  are  the 
idols  set  up  in  the  heart,  and  to  tlicse  they 
bow  down.  The  service  of  God  has  no 
attractions  for  them.  "  What  is  tlie  Al- 
mighty, say  they,  that  we  should   serve 


him,  and  what  profit  shall  we  have,  if  we 
pray  unto  him  1"  but  how  eagerly  do  tliey 
pursue  worldly  pleasures  and  profits !  How 
violently  are  many  set  upon  the  gratifica- 
tion of  their  appetites,  in  drunkenness  and 
lewdness  !  Such  is  the  strength  of  their 
carnal  propensities,  that  they  break  down 
all  fences,  human  and  divine.  Lust  must 
and  will  be  gratified,  in  opposition  to  rea- 
son and  religion,  and  at  the  risk  of  reputa- 
tion, health,  fortune,  and  life  itself  What 
will  not  poor  carnal  sinners  sacrifice  for  a 
little  brutish  short-lived  indulgence  !  How 
strong  is  the  love  of  pleasure,  amusement, 
and  vain  company !  How  attached  are 
many  to  show  and  appearance !  while 
others  are  more  soberly  bent  upon  ruin,  by 
the  excessive  love  of  money  ;  determined, 
at  any  rate,  to  be  rich :  gold  is  their  god  ; 
and  to  this  they  sacrifice  tlieir  time,  their 
talents,  their  strength,  yea,  their  very 
souls.  Thus,  the  world,  in  some  form  or 
other,  is  the  supreme  object  of  a  carnal 
man  ;  he  "  loves  the  world,  and  the  things 
of  the  world,"  and,  consequently,  "the 
love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him." — Now 
this  disposition  is  so  exactly  the  reverse  of 
what  it  ought  to  be ;  it  so  entirely  opposes 
the  holy  will  of  God  concerning  his  crea- 
tures, that  he  accounts  it  hatred  and  en- 
mity against  himself;  and  this  leads  us  to 
a  second  part  of  our  subject,  which  was  to 
show, 

2.  That  man,  being  carnal,  is  in  a  stale 
of  enmity  against  God.  So  God  accounts 
it,  and  "  we  are  sure  that  his  judgment  is 
according  to  truth."  Indeed,  this  is  the 
very  essence  of  sin,  the  sinfulness  of  sin  ; 
the  transferring  that  love,  which  on  all  ac- 
counts is  due  to  the  blessed  God,  as  the 
most  amiable  of  all  beings,  to  his  crea- 
tures ;  to  objects,  infinitely  vile  and  base 
in  comparison  of  him.  It  is  turning  our 
back  upon  him  in  contempt  and  scorn,  as 
if  he,  whom  angels  adore,  was  not  worthy 
of  our  notice.  This  conduct  must  surely 
be  sinful  in  the  highest  degree,  for,  "  guilt 
necessarily  arises  in  proportion  to  the  ba.«e- 
ness  of  the  offender,  and  the  dignity  of  the 
person  ofi^nded.  An  insulting  behavior  to 
a  servant  is  a  fault,  to  a  magistrate  it  is  a 
crime,  to  a  k'ng  it  is  treason."  What 
then  is  it  to  God, — the  benefactor,  the  ruler, 
the  Father  of  men  1  To  forsake  him,  to 
take  part  against  holiness  and  godliness, 
in  which  he  delights,  is  to  become  a  rebel 
and  "a  hater  of  God;"  this  is  enmity 
against  God ;  and  this  is  the  temper  of  all 
unconverted  sinners. 

Let  us  give  some  instances  of  this,  in 
the  dislike  which  carnal  men  discover  to 
the  perfections  of  God — to  the  worship  of 


SERMON  LVI. 


261 


God — to  the  laws  of  God,  and  to  the  people 
of  God. 

The  carnal  man  takes  no  pleasure  in  the 
perfections  of  God;  he  thinks  that  God 
is  altogether  like  himself,  or  rather  wishes 
that  he  were  so.  That  glorious  attribute, 
holiness,  is  peculiarly  obnoxious  to  him ; 
he  cannot  bear  to  think  that  God  is  so 
strict  and  severe  as  to  liate  and  punish 
every  sin,  but  would  reduce  him  to  his 
own  standard. — The  justice  of  God  lie  op- 
poses and  denies,  and  will  by  no  means 
believe  that  he  will  eternally  punish  sm, 
although  lie  has  solemnly  declared  that  he 
will :  consequently,  tlie  sinner  denies  the 
truth  of  God.  If  Jehovah  say,  "  in  the  : 
day  thou  eatest,  thou  shalt  surely  die,"  the 
carnal  mind,  tutored  by  Satan,  says,  "  I 
shall  not  surely  die,"  but  shall  be  wiser 
and  happier  by  my  sins.  True  holiness 
consists  in  the  restoration  of  the  divine 
image  in  the  soul;  but  the  carnal  mind 
turns  with  disgust  from  God,  and  desires 
not  to  imitate  his  perfections. 

The  carnal  mind  greatly  dislikes  the 
spiritual  worship  of  God.  That  which 
constitutes  the  joy  of  holy  angels  and  re- 
deemed sinners,  is  an  intolerable  burden, 
and  therefore  wholly  omitted,  or  very  care- 
lessly performed.  Some  scruple  not  to 
ridicule  the  joys  of  glorified  saints,  as  if  it 
were  only  "  sitting  on  the  bare  clouds,  and 
continually,  singing  psalms;"  and  they 
will  own  they  can  conceive  of  no  heaven 
superior  to  the  pleasures  of  the  tavern  and 
the  brotlicl.  if  such  persons  drag  them- 
selves to  the  church,  their  wandering  eyes, 
their  trifling  and  irreverent  conduct,  prove 
that  their  hearts  are  not  there  :  and  the 
man  that  can  easily  support  the  fatigue  of 
a  hot  and  crowded  play-house  for  four  or 
five  hours,  is  extremely  tired  with  an  hour 
and  a  half  in  the  house  of  God.  See  him 
engaged  in  the  amusements  of  the  chase, 
the  card-table,  the  race-ground,  or  the 
play-house,  and  his  eyes  sparkle  with  de- 
light; he  anticipates  the  pleasure  before  it 
arrives,  and  lie  talks  of  it  witli  raptures 
when  it  is  past.  But,  at  church,  he  is  list- 
less, and  supine  ;  he  gapes  or  sleeps  ;  and 
no  part  of  the  service  affords  a  moment's 
pleasure  but  the  words  of  dismission.  Thus 
he  serves  iiis  God,  in  a  way  that  he  would 
be  ashamed  to  serve  a  fellow-worm ;  and 
he  springs  from  tlie  church,  like  a  bird 
from  the  cage,  glad  that  his  confinement 
is  over,  and  that  worldly  conversation,  his 
repast,  or  some  other  amusement,  may  bet- 
ter occupy  his  carnal  mind. 

As  to  private  devotion,  he  knows  little 
or  nothing  of  it.  It  is,  perliaps,  wholly 
omitted  for  years  together ;  or  when  con- 


science and  fear  make  him  drop  on  his 

knees,  the  irksome  task  is  soon  dispatched. 
He  has  no  communion  with  God,  nor  does 
he  conceive  that  it  would  aflbrd  him  any 
delight. 

Our  te.xt  instances  the  enmity  of  the 
carnal  mind  in  its  opposition  to  the  law  of 
God — "  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of 
God."  The  law  of  God  is  lioly,  and  just, 
and  good ;  it  requires  only  that  we  sliould 
love  him  supremely,  and  our  neighbor  dis- 
interestedly. God  certainly  has  a  right 
to  require  this  ;  and  it  is  our  most  reason- 
able service ;  but  the  carnal  mind  refuses 
submission.  "  Who  is  the  Lord,  that  -I 
should  obey  him !"  is  the  language  of 
every  sinner,  as  well  as  of  Pharaoh.  "  His 
yoke  is  easy,  and  his  burden  is  light ;"  but, 
as  the  prophet  says,  "  they  pull  away  the 
shoulder,  they  stop  their  ears  that  they 
should  not  hear."  They  consider  the  law 
of  God,  as  a  hard  restraint  upon  their  vi- 
cious and  corrupt  inclinations,  their  world- 
ly interests  and  sensual  pleasures. 

Nor  is  the  enmity  of  the  carnal  mind 
against  the  Gospel  less  than  that  against 
the  law.  The  Gospel  is  a  glorious  dispen- 
sation of  grace  and  mercy  towards  ruined 
sinners,  in  which  infinite  wisdom,  justice, 
holiness  and  mercy  are  sweetly  united : 
a  system  every  way  honorable  to  God  and 
suitable  to  man,  and  therefore  worthy  of 
all  acceptation.  But  the  carnal  mind  op- 
poses even  this.  The  proud  pharisee  dis- 
dains to  submit  to  the  righteousness  of 
Christ ;  the  carnal  worldling,  intent  upon 
his  land,  his  o.xen,  and  his  farm,  begs  to  be 
excused :  the  vain  philosopher,  puffed  up 
with  his  mental  acquirements,  cavils  at  all 
its  humbling  doctrines  ;  and  thus,  all  agree 
to  reject  the  council  of  God  against  them- 
selves. 

The  carnal  mind  betrays  its  inward  en- 
mity against  God  by  a  settled  contempt 
and  hatred  against  his  people.  God  has  a 
people  in  the  world,  "  called,  chosen,  and 
faithful :"  they  are  a  separate  people  ;  and 
distinguished  by  their  attachment  to  his 
word  and  ways.  This  very  circumstance 
renders  them  obnoxious  to  carnal  men ;  for 
"  they  tliat  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus 
shall  sufier  persecution."  Now  the  carnal 
mind  is  the  very  principle  of  persecution. 
This  has  been  the  source  of  opposition  to 
tiie  church  of  God  in  all  ages,  from  the 
time  of  righteous  Abel  to  the  present  mo- 
ment; but  we  are  not  to  be  offended  at 
this.  Our  Lord  has  said,  "  Marvel  not 
that  tlie  world  hate  you :  it  hated  me  be- 
fore it  hated  you."  Let  this  reconcile  the 
people  of  God  to  the  cross. 

Tiius  have  we  briefly  described  the  car- 


2C)2 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


nal  mind,  and  shown  its  enmity  against 
God.  But  what  words  can  paint  its  crimi- 
nality and  vilencss  t  What  can  be  said  of 
it,  eijiial  in  force  to  wliat  the  apostle  says 
in  the  text — "  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law 
of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be  ;"  it  cannot 
he  subject ;  it  is  not  the  nature  of  the  car- 
nal mind  to  submit  to  God ;  it  is  as  con- 
trary to  it,  as  light  is  to  darkness.  An 
enemy  may  be  reconciled,  but  enmity  can- 
not. Nothing  can  remove  it  but  the  divine 
power  of  renewing  grace,  bestowing  a 
spiritual  mind  upon  us. 

ADDRESS. 

My  friends  !  If  the  mind  of  man  be  thus 
carnal,  and  the  carnal  mind  be  thus  inimi- 
cal to  God,  it  is  a  matter  of  the  most  seri- 
ous consideration,  whether  we  are  now 
under  the  power  of  it,  or  happily  delivered 
by  grace.  Such  as  the  mind  is,  such  will 
the  walk  and  conversation  be.  Review 
the  particulars  before-mentioned,  and 
strictly  inquire  how  it  is  with  you.  The 
decision  is  of  the  utmost  consequence,  for 
"  they  who  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please 
God,"  ver.  8 ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  are 
under  his  dreadful  displeasure,  and  liable 
to  his  eternal  wrath  ;  for  "  If  we  live  after 
the  flesh,  we  shall  die." 

What  need  then  of  humiliation  !  How 
ill  does  it  become  a  fallen  creature,  with  a 
heart  so  carnal,  to  boast  of  its  excellence  ; 
and  call  that  a  good  heart,  which  the 
Scripture  pronounces  to  be  carnal,  and  en- 
mity against  God.  Surely,  instead  of 
boasting,  the  deepest  sorrow  and  shame 
become  us.  We  should  abhor  ourselves, 
and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes;  for  what 
can  be  so  vile  and  abominable  as  this  car- 
nal disposition?  This  is  the  true  source 
of  all  our  sinful  actions:  for  the  carnal 
v.'alk  is  produced  by  the  carnal  mind ;  and 
€ven  they,  who  may  not  be  chargeable 
with  gross  immoralities,  may  have  reason 
to  charge  themselves  with  this  horrid 
temper ;  and  if  any  are  disposed  to  deny 
that  they  are  carnally-minded,  the  denial 
itself  proves  beyond  a  doubt  that  they  are 
altogether  carnal.  For  even  the  best  of 
men,  the  most  wise,  holy  and  pious,  are 
conscious  of  the  remains  of  this  wretched 
temper.  "  This  infection  of  nature  (say 
our  reformers)  doth  remain  even  in  them 
that  are  regenerate ;"  and  St.  Paul  affirms, 
that  the  flesh  lustcth  against  the  spirit. 
Yea,  he  says  of  himself,  in  a  comparative 
view,  "  the  law  is  spiritual,  but  I  am  car- 
nal." Rom.  vii.  14.  "  Go,"  said  a  modern 
writer,  "  go  vvitli  the  serious  Christian  into 
his  closet,  ask  him  his  opinion  of  the  cor- 
ruption of  tlie  heart,  and  he  will  tell  you 


that  he  is  deeply  sensible  of  its  power ;  for 
he  has  learned  it  from  much  selt-observa- 
tion,  and  long  acquaintance  with  the  work- 
ings of  his  own  mind.  He  will  tell  you 
that  every  day  strengthens  this  conviction; 
yea,  that  hourly  he  sees  fresh  reason  to 
deplore  his  want  of  simplicity  in  intention, 
his  infirmity  of  purpose,  his  low  views,  his 
selfish  unworthy  desires,  his  backwardness 
to  set  about  liis  duty,  his  languor  and  cold- 
ness in  performing  it ,  that  he  finds  him- 
self obliged  continually  to  confess,  that  he 
feels  within  him  two  opposite  principles, 
and  that  "  he  cannot  do  the  things  that  he 
would." 

This  true  humiliation  of  spirit  will  ren- 
der the  blessings  of  the  Gospel  very  pre- 
cious. The  con.sciousness  of  so  much 
evil,  not  only  in  the  life  but  in  the  heart, 
will  oblige  us  to  seek  for  pardoning  mercy, 
througli  faith  in  the  Redeemer :  and  that 
blood  will  appear  to  us  invaluably  precious, 
which  can,  and  does,  cleanse  us  from  so 
much  sin.  The  Love  of  God  will  appear, 
as  it  is,  ine.xpressibly  wonderful,  when 
fixed  upon  creatures  so  destitute  of  every 
thing  meritorious;  and  the  grateful  lan- 
guage of  the  saved  sinner  will  be,  "  What 
shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord  for  all  his 
benefits  ?"  Are  we  conscious  that  "  where- 
as we  were  once  blind,  now  we  see ;"  that 
we  can  sincerely  delight  in  the  perfections 
of  God,  in  the  worship  of  God,  in  the  law 
of  God,  and  in  the  people  of  God  ?  O  let 
the  pleasing  change  be  reviewed  with 
thankfulness,  and  the  glory  ascribed,  where 
alone  it  is  due,  to  the  God  of  all  grace ; 
and  be  it  our  daily  concern  to  "  walk  in 
the  Spirit,"  and  to  bring  forth  "  the  fruits 
of  the  Spirit,  in  all  righteousness  and  good- 
ness." 

There  is  one  other  truth  fairly  deducible 
from  what  has  been  said  of  the  carnal  mind, 
and  that  is — the  necessity  of  regeneration, 
or  the  new  birth.  For  this  we  have  the 
highest  authority.  Our  Savior  saith,  "Veri- 
ly, verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  except  a  man 
be  born  agam,  he  cannot  see  the  kmgdom 
of  God :"  and  when  this  doctrine  was  ob- 
jected to  by  the  carnal  mind  of  Nicode- 
mus,  (and  carnal  minds  always  object  to 
it)  our  Lord  confirmed  the  truth  of  it,  by 
assigning  this  reason  for  its  necessity — 
"  That  wjiich  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh ; 
and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is 
spirit;"  which  shows  (as  Mr.  Burkit  ob- 
serves) "  that  as  original  corruption  is  con- 
veyed by  natural  generation,  so  a  saving 
generation  is  tlie  eflfect  and  product  of  the 
Holy  Spirit's  operation."  "  Can  the  Ethio- 
pian change  his  skin,"  saitli  the  prophet, 
"or  tlie  leopard  his  spots?  then  may  ye 


SERMON  LVII. 


>G3 


also  do  good,  that  are  accustomed  to  do 
evil."  Ilcre  the  difficulty  mentioned  is 
only  that  of  breaking  oiFa  habit  or  custom 
which  is  reckoned  a  second  naltire ;  but 
how  much  greater  must  be  tlie  difficulty 
of  altering'  a  nature  itself,  a  carnal  nature, 
a  carnal  mind,  the  nature  of  which  is  en- 
mity against  God !  Surely  the  power  of 
almighty  God  is  necessary  here,  even  that 
same  power  which  said,  "  Let  there-  be 
light,  and  there  was  light."  O  that  this 
new  creating  power  may  be  graciously 
displayed  in  changing  the  carnal  into 
the  spiritual  mind:  for  "to  be  carnally 
minded  is  death,  but  to  be  spiritually 
minded  is  life  and  peace." 


PRAYER.— Holy,  holy,  holy  Lord  God  Al- 
mighty, against  whom  we  have  greatly  sinned, 
and  who  lor  our  sins  art  most  justly  displeased  ! 
Thou  hast  revealed  thy  wrath  I'rom  Heaven 
against  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness  of 
men ;  and  thou  hast  declared  that  except  we  re- 
pent, we  shall  all  perish.  Grant  unto  us,  O  Lord, 
we  beseech  thee,  repentance  unto  salvation.  We 
confess  before  thee,  not  only  our  actual  trans- 
gressions, but  the  sinfulness  of  our  hearts,  from 
which  they  flowed.  Our  minds  are,  indeed,  by 
nature,  miserably  carnal,  minding  only  the  things 
of  the  flesh ;"— our  understanding  is  carnal,  igno- 
rant of  iho  things  of  the  Spirit ; — our  will  is  car- 
nal, op|)osed  to  thy  will,  and  not  subject  to  thy 
law ;  and  our  affections  are  carnal, — being  set 
only  upon  worldly  objects  and  enjoyments;  and 
we  confess  with  shame  and  grief  that  this  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  thee, — against  thy  glori- 
ous perfections,  thy  spiritual  worship,  thy  holy 
laws,  and  thy  redeemed  people;  but  suffer  none 
of  us,  O  God,  to  remain  under  the  power  and 
curse  of  such  a  carnal  mind.  May  we  all  be 
born  again, — bom  of  the  Spirit,  that  we  may  pos- 
sess a  spiritual  mind,  and  regard  the  tilings  of  the 
Spirit ;  and  may  we  now  so  sow  unto  the  Spirit, 
that  we  may  finally  of  the  Spirit  reap  life  ever- 
lasting, through  the  merits  and  intercession  of 
Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord  and  Savior !  Amen. 


SERMON  LVII. 

MARTHA  AND  MARY;  OR,  THE  ONE 
THING  NEEDFUL. 

Luke  .y.  41,  42.  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
her,  Martha,  Martha,  thou  art  careful,  and  trou- 
bled about  many  things:  but  one  thing  is  ni>edful ; 
and  Mary  hath  chiisen  that  good  part,  which  shall 
not  be  tiiken  away  from  her. 

Our  adorable  Savior,  whose  gracious 
employment  it  was  to  go  about  doing  good, 
was  pleased,  in  one  of  his  journeys,  to  call 
at  a  friend's  house  in  Betliany,  a  little  vil- 
lage about  two  miles  from  Jerusalem. 
There  dwelt,  in  one  happy  house,  Lazarus 
and  his  sisters,  Martha  and  Mary;  all 
pious  persons,  and  humble  disciples  of  the 


blessed  Jesus.  Martha  was  probably  the 
housekeeper,  for  it  is  said,  vor.  38,  that 
"  she  received  him  into  her  house."  He, 
who  was  the  Maker  of  all,  and  the  Lord 
of  all,  was  for  our  sake  so  poor,  that  he  had 
not  a  place  where  to  lay  his  liead,  no  house 
of  his  own ;  but,  here  and  there,  a  pious 
person  was  fbtuid,  who  thought  it  the  high- 
est honor  to  entertain  luin.  In  a  spiritual 
sense,  Jesus  still  stands  at  the  door  of  our 
house,  of  our  hearts,  and  knocks  for  ad- 
mittance. O  that  we  may  open  our  hearts, 
and  most  cordially  receive  the  heavenly 
guest! 

No  sooner  was  he  seated,  than  he  began 
to  instruct  the  tamily  hi  divine  things: 
thus  should  we  thankfully  embrace  every 
fit  opportunity  of  discoursing  on  subjects 
which  belong  to  our  peace.  Let  religion 
have  a  place  in  tlie  parlor,  as  well  as  in 
the  church. 

When  this  heavenly  Teacher  opened 
his  mouth,  the  domestic  circle  was  all  at- 
tention; so  much  is  signified  by  the  ex- 
pression, "  Mary  sat  id  Jcsus^  ftet,  and 
heard  his  v/ord."  An  humble  heart  and  an 
humble  posture  well  become  the  disciples 
of  Christ,  when  they  hear  his  word.  When 
Christ  began  his  discourse,  Martha,  as  well 
as  Mary,  was  diligently  attentive ;  for  it  is 
said — "  she  had  a  sister,  who  also  sat  at 
his  feet."  But,  as  some  attention  from 
the  mistress  of  the  house  was  necessaiy  to 
procure  refreshment  for  the  numerous 
guests,  (for  there  must  have  been  thirteen 
in  number  if  all  the  apostles  were  there,) 
Martha,  who  appears  to  have  been  of  an 
active  turn,  left  the  room  to  superintend 
the  business  of  the  kitchen.  She  denied 
herself  the  pleasure  of  continuing  to  re- 
gard his  charming  discourse,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  making  an  abundant  preparation 
for  our  Lord  and  his  friends ;  a  preparation, 
it  should  seem,  far  greater  than  was  neces- 
sary. Finding  this  care  and  labor  too  much 
for  her  strength  and  spirits,  she  returns  to 
the  room  to  complain  of  her  sister;  she 
came  to  Jesus,  and  said,  "  Lord,  dost  thou 
not  care  that  my  sister  hath  left  me  to 
serve  alone  ?  bid  her  tlierefore  that  she 
help  me." 

While  we  must  commend  the  hospitality 
and  generosity  of  Martha,  in  wi-sliiiig  to 
entertain  her  guests  in  a  liberal  manner, 
we  cannot  but  observe  something  blama- 
ble  in  this  application.  She  had  certainly 
lost  her  temper,  and  was  improperly  angry 
with  her  sister.  She  should  have  made 
some  allowance  for  the  pious  zeal  of  Mary, 
who  was  too  deeply  engaged  in  listening 
to  Jesus,  to  recollect  tlie  affairs  of  the 
house.   If  her  help  was  necessary,  Martlia 


264 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


might  have  beckoned  her  out,  or  whisper- 
ed the  request  in  her  ear.  But  it  was  stil] 
more  blamable  to  insinuate  a  degree  of 
censure  on  our  Lord  himself,  as  if  he  were 
to  blame  for  detaining  her.  "Dost  thou 
not  care  that  my  sister  hath  left  me  to 
serve  alone  i"  This  was  very  indecent, 
and  disrespectful.  If  she  thought  it  wrong 
that  her  younger  sister  should  indulge  her 
ease,  while  she  was  *  so  hard  at  work,  yet 
why  was  the  Lord  to  be  censured,  as  if  he 
were  the  cause  of  it  1  But,  while  we  de- 
tect this  infirmity  of  IMartha,  let  us  cor- 
rect the  same  fault  in  ourselves.  We  are 
too  apt  to  lose  our  composure  in  a  hurry 
of  worldly  business ;  too  apt  to  find  fault 
with  our  fellow-Christians,  when  they  do 
not  come  up  to  our  standard ;  and,  what  is 
much  worse,  to  murmur  at  cross  provi- 
dences, and  quarrel  with  heaven  itself 
For  this  is  sometimes  the  language  of  our 
dissatisfaction — "  Lord,  dost  thou  not  care 
that  I  am  so  ill,  so  perplexed,  so  perse- 
cuted, so  deserted,  so  helpless  !"  O  let  us 
beware  of  this  temper,  and  we  shall  be 
angry  with  ourselves,  rather  than  with 
Martha. 

As  this  question  was  proposed  to  our 
Lord  himself,  he  is  pleased  to  answer  it. 
Mary,  who  was  blamed,  remains  silent: 
she  leaves  her  defence  to  an  abler  advo- 
cate. Jesus  kindly  passes  over  the  cen- 
sure which  was  aimed  at  himself,  but  fully 
vindicates  Mary's  conduct ;  while  be  ten- 
derly reproves  Martha  for  her  •  extreme 
anxiety. 

Our  Lord  well  knew  the  state  of  her 
mind — "  she  was  cumbered  about  7nuch 
serving''^ — anxious  to  make  a  great  enter- 
tainment, and  to  have  every  thing  in  exact 
order ;  she  was  cumbered  about  this ;  al- 
most distracted  with  the  hurry  and  bustle 
it  occasioned  in  the  family.  This  was  no 
doubt  out  of  respect  to  her  much-esteemed 
visitor ;  yet  probably  there  was  a  little 
mixture  of  pride  in  the  business;  a  wish 
to  set  off  the  whole  to  the  best  advantage, 
as  is  too  common,  even  with  good  people, 
on  such  occasions,  whereby  the  spiritual 
comfort,  both  of  the  hostess  and  the  guests, 
is  often  diminished.  Jesus  therefore  gave 
her  a  gentle  rebuke.  "  Martha,  Martha, 
thou  art  careful  and  troubled  about  many 
things."  He  was  no  doubt  pleased  with 
her  good  intention  to  entertain  him ;  but 
he  was  not  pleased  at  her  making  a  great 
feast,  as  if  he  took  delight  in  a  sumptuous 
table.  He  did  not  covet  delicacies;  nor 
is  he  pleased  with  the  luxury  of  his  pro- 
fessing people  ;  nor  with  the  great  ex- 
pense and  great  trouble  which  a  splendid 
entertainment  requires.     He  would  have 


been  more  satisfied  with  seeing  Martha 
sitting  with  Mary  to  hear  his  mstructions; 
"he  was  better  pleased  to  see  Mary  in  the 
chapel,  than  Martha  in  the  kitchen." 

That  which  most  displeased  him  was, 
that  her  attention  to  vuniy  things  obliged 
her,  for  the  present,  to  neglect  tlie  one 
thing,  that  which  was  the  great  thing  he 
came  to  her  house  for,  namely,  to  teach 
and  instruct  the  family ;  and  this  was 
"the  one  thing"  to  which  Mary  wisely 
confined  her  attention.  When,  therefore, 
he  blames  Martha  for  too  much  regarding 
many  icorldhj  things,  he  conmiends  Mary 
for  regarding  that  one  spiritual  thing,  the 
care  of  her  soul,  by  improving  the  present 
opportunity  of  enjoying  his  instruction. 
"One  thing,"  said  he,  "is  needfuV — is 
absolutely  necessary,  indispensably  neces- 
sary ;  and  consequently  all  other  things 
must  give  place  to  it.  He  therefore  adds — 
"and  Mary  hath  chosen  that  good  part, 
which  shall  not  be  taken  away  from  her ;" 
as  if  he  had  said,  Your  dear  sister  has  such 
a  just  and  affecting  sense  of  the  infinite 
value  of  her  immortal  soul,  and  so  earnest 
a  desire  of  improving  the  present  opportu- 
nity of  becoming  wise  to  salvation,  that 
she  has  judiciously  given  the  preference 
to  my  company ;  and  in  doing  this  she  has 
chosen  the  good  portion,  and  secured  a 
blessing  tliat  she  shall  never  lose. 

Thus  Martha  was  reproved,  and  Mary 
connnended.  It  must  have  been  a  great 
disappointment  to  the  former ;  she  expect- 
ed a  difi'erent  kind  of  answer :  but  Christ 
is  faithful ;  and  "  whom  he  loveth  he  chas- 
teneth."  It  was  because  he  loved  her, 
that  he  rebuked  her ;  and,  as  she  was  truly 
a  pious  woman,  no  doubt  she  profited  by 
the  reproof,  and  loved  him  for  it  more  tlian 
ever. 

There  is  much  solid  instruction  to  be 
derived  from  this  little  history.  The 
blamable  anxiety  of  Martlia,  and  the 
pious  devotion  of  Mary,  gave  occasion  for 
our  Lord's  delivering  one  of  the  most 
weighty  sayings  tliat  words  can  possibly 
express ;  a  saying  worthy  to  be  written  in 
letters  of  gold ;  a  saying  worthy  to  be  af- 
fixed in  every  church,  in  every  house,  in 
every  heart.  May  the  finger  of  God  in- 
scribe it  on  our  inmost  souls ! 

ONE  THING  IS  NEEDFUL ! 

For  our  further  instruction  from  this 
pleasing  and  most  interesting  passage,  it 
may  be  proper  to  observe  the.  three  follow- 
ing truths : 

1.  The  care  of  the  soul  is  the  one  thing 
needful : 


SERMON  LVII. 


265 


2.  The  cares  of  the  world  greatly  ob- 
struct this  religious  care. 

3.  Truly  religious  persons  possess  a  por- 
tion which  they  shall  never  lose. 

We  are  first  to  observe  that  the  care  of 
the  soul  is  the  one  thing  needful :  it  is  the 
reliirious  care  of  the  soul  that  our  Lord 
here  intends,  as  appears  trom  his  opposing 
Mary's  care  to  Martha's  cares  :  she  cared 
for  manij  tilings ;  Mary  for  one ;  and  she 
manifested  this  care  by  a  studious  atten- 
tion to  every  word  that  dropped  from  his 
lips.  But  this  short  sentence  comprehends 
a  great  deal. 

The  care  of  the  soul  implies  a  consid- 
eration of  its  infinite  value  and  import- 
ance, as  immortal.  According  to  our  Sa- 
vior's words  in  another  place,  "  what  is  a 
man  profited,  if  he  gain  the  whole  world, 
and  lose  his  own  soul ;  or  what  shall  a  man 
give  in  excliange  for  his  soul  ]" 

The  care  of  the  soul  includes  the  dili- 
gent use  of  all  those  means  which  God  has 
appointed  for  its  salvation ;  the  first  of 
wiiich  is,  a  due  regard  to  the  word  of  God. 
Thus  Mary  proved  her  care ;  and  thus 
must  we.  It  is  true,  we  have  not  now  the 
bodily  presence  of  this  great  teacher,  yet 
we  have  his  word ;  we  have  that  Gospel, 
which  he  ordered  to  be  preached  to  all 
nations,  and  which  he  promised  to  sanction 
with  his  spiritual  presence  to  the  end  of 
the  world.  This  Gospel  is  able  to  make 
us  "  wise  to  salvation ;"  and  it  is  his 
"  power  to  salvation."  Those,  therefore, 
are  most  like  Mary,  who  pay  the  most 
diligent  regard  to  his  word  both  in  public 
and  private. 

Prayer  also  is  a  necessary  branch  of  this 
religious  care.  That  person  cannot  have 
much  concern  for  his  soul,  who  neglects 
this  duty  :  but  he  who  knows  and  feels 
that  he  is  a  miserable  sinner,  will  most 
gladly  apply  to  the  throne  of  grace  for 
mercy.  This  will  be  the  daily  business 
of  every  one  wlio  has  a  due  concern  for 
his  soul.     "  Behold,  he  prayeth  !" 

Faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  also 
the  proper  effect  of  this  care.  The  word 
of  God  everywhere  directs  the  sinner  to 
Jesus,  as  the  only  deliverer  from  the  wrath 
to  come ;  so  when  the  jailer  evinced  a  con- 
cern for  his  soul,  by  crying,  "  what  shall  I 
do  to  be  saved?"  the  apostle  immediately 
replied — "Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  This  is  indeed 
the  one  thing  needful.  All  our  religious 
cares  meet  in  this  point ;  for  there  is  no 
name  under  heaven,  wiiereby  we  must  be 
saved,  but  the  precious  name  of  Jesus; 
the  soul,  therefore,  that  is  taugiit  of  God, 
-ests  in  nothing  short  of  this;  as  it  is  writ- 
21 


ten,  "  every  one  that  hath  heard  and  learned 
of  the  Father  cometh  unto  me ;"  and, 
blessed  be  his  dear  name,  it  is  added,  "Him 
that  Cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise 
cast  out."  The  person  that  is  duly  con- 
cerned for  his  soul  wants  those  blessings, 
which  are  only  to  be  found  in  Jesus ;  and 
here  they  are  all  ready  for  him.  Jesus  is 
our  wisdom,  our  righteousness,  our  sancti- 
fication,  and  redemption ;  every  thing  need- 
ful to  make  a  poor  sinner  rich,  and  a  mise- 
rable sinner  happy.  Yes :  Jesus  Christ  is 
all,  and  in  all. 

The  care  of  the  soul  will  influence  the 
whole  conduct  of  a  believer;  he  cannot 
live  at  large  as  other  men  do.  The  fear 
of  the  Lord  is  in  his  soul.  The  love  of 
God  is  shed  abroad  in  his  heart.  The 
commandments  of  God  are  written  upon 
his  mind.  Shi  therefore  becomes  his  aver- 
sion, holiness  liis  delight,  religion  his  ele- 
ment, the  people  of  God  liis  companions, 
and  heaven  the  prize  at  which  he  aims. 

Take  these  thoughts  and  put  them  to- 
gether :  you  will  then  surely  admit  that 
this  religious  concern  is  the  one  thing 
needful.  It  must  be  so,  if  the  soul  itself 
be  of  any  value ;  if  it  be  immortal ;  if  it 
must  exist  for  ever,  either  in  bliss  or  woe. 
Is  there  a  state  of  everlasting  misery  for 
impenitent  sinners  ?  The  God  of  truth  de- 
clares there  is.  He  who  spake  the  words 
of  our  text  to  Martha,  speaks  also  of  the 
day  of  judgment,  when  he  will  say  to  the 
wicked,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into 
everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and 
his  angels."  Now,  if  we  believe  this,  we 
shall  fly  from  the  wrath  to  come ;  it  will 
be  the  first  concern  of  our  souls  to  avoid 
eternal  torments.  What  can  be  so  dread- 
ful as  hell  ]  What  can  be  so  necessary  as 
to  escape  it? 

Is  there,  on  the  other  hand,  a  state  of 
c(3mplete  and  everlasting  happiness  in 
heaven?  Will  Christ  say  to  his  people, 
"  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit 
tlie  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world  .'"  And  is  it  cer- 
tain that  the  true  Christian  shall  enjoy  the 
presence  and  glory  of  the  Redeemer  to  all 
eternity  ]  Surely,  then,  that  religious  care 
which  he  has  made  necessary  to  tlie  at- 
tainment of  this  happiness,  must  be  the 
one  thing  needful.  What  if  Martha's  cares 
would  procure  mines  of  silver,  crowns  of 
gold,  sceptres,  jewels,  and  kingdoms,  in 
all  their  rich  abundance ;  wliat  are  these 
compared  to  the  glorious  blessedness  of 
saved  sinners,  connected  with  Mary's  so- 
licitude for  tlie  one  thing  needful  .' 

But,  besides  these   important  concerns 
of  futurity,  religion  is  the  one  thing  need- 
23 


266 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


ful,  even  now.  Godliness  hath  the  prom- 
ise of  the  present  life,  as  well  as  of  that 
to  come.  How  many  snares  are  avoided  ! 
how  many  mischiefs  are  prevented  !  how 
much  solid  peace  of  mind  procured,  by  the 
truly  religious  person  !  What  happy  indi- 
viduals, what  happy  families,  happy  towns, 
and  happy  kingdoms,  would  there  be,  if  the 
blessed  religion  of  the  Gospel  prevailed  in 
all  its  beauty  and  power !  This  then  is  the 
great  concern,  this  the  first  business,  the 
chief  end  of  man.  Compared  with  this, 
the  most  important  affairs  of  the  greatest 
empires  are  trifles  light  as  air.  "  Vanity 
of  vanities,  said  the  royal  preacher,  all  is 
vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit ;"  but  he  adds, 
as  the  conclusion  of  all  his  pursuits  and 
discoveries — "  Fear  God,  and  keep  his 
commandments,  for  this  is  the  whole  duty 
of  man ;  or,  as  it  is  expressed  in  a  similar 
passage,  and  with  the  like  solemnity — 
"  Behold !  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  that  is 
wisdom;  and  to  depart  from  evil,  is  un- 
derstanding." 

If  then  we  give  credit  to  the  testimony 
of  wise  and  good  men,  to  the  testimony  of 
God  throughout  the  Scriptures,  or  to  the 
testimony  of  our  divine  Savior  in  the  text, 
we  are  obliged  to  assent  to  the  important 
maxim — The  care  of  the  soul  is  the  one 
thing  needful.  And  if  it  be  so,  we  must 
stop  and  inquire,  how  it  comes  to  pass,  that 
so  few  persons  make  it  any  part  of  their 
care,  very  few  indeed  their  first  and  prin- 
cipal care  l  How  can  we  account  for  this  ? 
Probably  it  is  not  because  they  are  not  con- 
vinced of  the  truth,  for  there  are  serious 
moments  in  which  the  most  careless  sin- 
ners admit  it ;  but  it  is  to  be  accounted  for 
in  the  prevalence  of  worldly  cares,  which, 
for  want  of  faith  in  the  reality  of  eternal 
things,  press  upon  them  so  closely,  that, 
like  Martha,  they  are  careful,  and  cum- 
bered, and  troubled,  to  the  great  noglfect 
of  the  chief  concern.  And  this  leads  us, 
in  the  second  place,  to  observe,  that, 

2.  The  cares  of  the  world  greatly  ob- 
struct this  religious  care.  The  case  of 
Martha  is  a  proof  of  this.  She  was  blama- 
ble ;  yet  not  half  so  blamable  as  many  are ; 
for  her  cares  were  all  directed  to  the  ac- 
commodation of  the  Lord  Jesus  and  his 
friends ;  but  our  cares  have  commonly  our 
own  interest  and  comfort  only  in  view. 

It  may  be  said  here.  Are  not  worldly 
cares  necessary]  Must  Ave  shut  up  our- 
selves in  a  cell,  and  do  nothing  but  say 
our  prayers  ?  We  readily  admit  that 
worldly  cares,  in  their  proper  place  and 
proportion,  are  unavoidable,  are  absolutely 
necessary.     We  have  bodies  as  well  as 


souls :  these  must  be  provided  for ;  and,  to 
make  this  provision,  care  and  labor  are  ne- 
cessary. Religion  was  never  designed  to 
■make  us  idle — and  St.  Paul  directs,  that 
if  any  man  will  not  work,  he  shall  not  eat. 
Every  person,  therefore,  in  his  own  sta- 
tion, has  his  own  proper  care ;  the  ser- 
vant; the  master;  the  tradesman;  the 
housekeeper ;  the  magistrate.  And  the 
same  apostle  says — "  If  any  provide  not 
for  his  own,  (his  own  relations)  and  espe- 
cially for  those  of  his  own  house,  (his 
family)  he  hath  denied  the  faith,  and  is 
worse  than  an  infidel."  (1  Tim.  v.  8.)  It 
is  not  therefore  against  the  necessary  cares 
attached  to  our  several  stations  in  life  that 
we  speak,  but  against  the  excessive  degree 
of  them,  against  that  degree  of  them, 
which  hinders  and  obstructs  the  superior 
care  of  the  soul.  And  here  lies  the  dan- 
ger of  the  more  moral  and  virtuous  part 
of  mankind  ;  for  we  do  not  now  speak  of 
persons  who  live  in  known  and  wilful  sins, 
such  as  drunkenness,  whoredom,  profane- 
ness,  or  any  other  gross  vice ;  these  abomi- 
nations most  evidently  war  against  the 
soul,  and  must  end  in  its  everlasting  ruin. 
Our  business  now  is  with  the  sober  and 
decent  members  of  society,  who  may  be 
just,  and  honest,  and  useful  in  their  places ; 
and  whose  diligence  and  industry  recom- 
mend them  to  their  fellow-creatures.  We 
are  willing  to  give  due  honor  to  such  char- 
acters; but  must  be  permitted  to  urge  upon 
them,  in  the  most  serious  and  solemn  man- 
ner, the  great  danger  of  everlasting  ruin 
and  perdition  by  the  love  of  the  world  ; — 
a  thing  not  less  ruinous  and  destructive  to 
the  souls  of  men,  than  the  most  flagrant 
and  disgraceful  vices. 

For  this  alarming  assertion  we  have  no 
less  authority  than  that  of  St.  John — 
"  Love  not  the  world,  neither  the  things 
that  are  in  the  world :  if  any  man  love  the 
world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in 
him."  1  John  ii.  1-5.  Let  it  also  be  re- 
membered, what  it  was  that  excluded  the 
numerous  persons  invited  to  the  Gospel- 
feast,  Luke  xiv.  16 ;  it  was  the  love  of  the 
world ;  it  was  the  undue  love  of  lawful 
things — "  they  all  began  to  make  excuse," 
and  all  their  excuses  were  their  care  and 
trouble  about  many  things,  to  the  neglect 
of  the  one  thing  needful.  But  the  master 
of  the  feast  protested — "  None  of  those 
men  which  were  bidden  shall  taste  of  my 
supper."  In  like  manner,  a  very  promising 
young  gentleman,  who  addressed  our  Lord 
with  great  respect,  and  proposed  to  be- 
come one  of  his  disciples,  was  for  ever 
separated  from    him    by  the  love  of  the 


SERMON  LVII. 


2G7 


world  ;  he  left  him  very  eorrowfbl,  for  he 
was  very  rich.  But  we  must  proceed  in 
the  last  place,  to  show,  that, 

3.  Truly  religious  persons  possess  a  por- 
tion wiiich  they  shall  never  lose.  ^'Mary" 
said  our  Lord,  '■'■hath  chosen  that  good  part 
which  shall  nut  be  taken  from  her."  The 
part  which  she  chose  was  to  sit  at  the  feet 
of  Jesus,  and  receive  in  faith  his  divine  in- 
structions. This  was  a  good  part,  the  ad- 
vantage of  which  she  never  lost.  The 
reputation  which  Martha  acquired  as  a 
generous  hostess  was  soon  gone ;  but  Ma- 
ry's honor  continues  to  this  moment. 

In  like  maimer  a  truly  religious  person, 
one  who  is  renewed  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
is  an  humble  learner  at  the  feet  of  Christ, 
who  still  teaches  his  church  by  his  word 
and  Spirit ;  one  who  accepts  the-  Lord's 
gracious  invitation  "  Learn  of  me" — be  my 
scholar,  be  my  disciple ;  become  wise  to 
salvation  by  my  sacred  Gospel,  for  "ye 
shall  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall 
make  you  free." 

The  Gospel  presents  to  the  enlightened 
mind  a  part,  or  portion,  which  the  soul  de- 
liberately chooses  in  preference  to  the  whole 
world.  An  interest  in  Christ  and  union 
to  him  enriches  the  soul  with  all  the  in- 
finite blessings  of  grace  and  glory.  The 
complete  pardon  of  sin — the  perfect  jus- 
tification and  acceptance  of  his  person — 
the  unspeakable  felicity  of  peace  with  God 
— the  most  cordial  reception  into  his  dear 
family — the  most  friendly  intercourse  and 
communion  with  him — the  consolations  of 
his  Holy  Spirit — and  certain  protection 
from  final  apostasy — are  among  the  inval- 
uable privileges  of  a  believer  in  the  pres- 
ent world,  and  surely  they  deserve  the 
title  of  the  good  part ;  but  even  these, 
good  and  great  as  they  are,  are  compara- 
tively small,  when  we  take  a  glance  by 
faith  into  the  unseen  and  eternal  world. 
Who  can  tell  what  is  reserved  in  heaven, 
as  yet  unrevealed,  for  the  heirs  of  glory  1 
"  It  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be, 
but  we  know,  that  when  he  shall  appear, 
we  siiall  be  like  him,  f(5r  we  shall  see  him 
as  he  is."  Those  who  iiave  now  a  part 
with  Christ  in  his  grace,  shall  have  a  part 
with  Christ  in  his  glory ;  those  who  are 
partakers  with  Christ  in  his  suiferings, 
shall  be  partakers  with  him  in  his  joys 
and  honors  to  all  eternity. 

This  then  is  the  good  part,  intrinsically 
good,  eminently  good ;  and  what  renders 
it  incomparably  good  is,  its  duration  ;  it 
shall  not  be  taken  away.  This  is  more 
than  we  can  say  of  any  earthly  possession. 
Whatever  good  it  may  be,  it  partakes  of 
that  vanity  and  uncertamty  which  is  in- 


separable from  the  present  state  of  things. 
Pleasures  perish  in  the  using.  Honor  is  a 
momentary  bubble.  Riches  make  them- 
selves wings  and  fly  away.  Life  itself  is 
a  transient  vapor.  What  then  is  durable  1 
Nothing,  nothing  but  this  good  part.  This 
shall  abide,  when  the  earth  itself  is  dis- 
solved, and  the  elements  melt  with  fervent 
heat.  It  shall  not  be  taken  away.  God, 
who  bestowed  it,  will  not  take  it  away,  for 
his  gifts  and  callings  are  without  repent- 
ance :  wicked  men,  though  they  should  be 
permitted  to  persecute,  cannot  take  it 
away.  Satan,  with  all  his  wiles  and  de- 
vices, sliall  not  take  it  away.  No ;  we  are 
persuaded  that  neither  death  n^r  life,  nor 
angels  nor  devils,  nor  things  present  nor 
things  to  come,  nor  height  nor  depth,  nor 
any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  sepa- 
rate us  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. 

In  this  discourse,  religion  is  brought  to 
a  point.  Here  is  nothing  to  distract  your 
attention.  Here  is  a  weighty  sentence, 
uttered  by  the  lips  of  eternal  wisdom — 
One  thing  is  needful — one  thing,  observe; 
and  that  one  thing  is  religion,  or  the  care 
of  the  soul. 

So  Jesus  Christ  says.  What  do  you 
say  1  Are  you  of  his  mind  '.  do  you  coin- 
cide with  him,  or  totally  diff'er  ]  Say  now, 
honestly, — Is  religion  the  one  thing  need- 
ful with  you  ?  Is  it  so  in  your  settled 
judgment !  Is  it  so  in  your  daily  practice  ] 
Or  is  it  quite  the  reverse  ■?  Not  the  one 
thing.  Not  any  thing.  Not  at  all  the 
object  of  serious  attention,  of  desire,  of 
delight.  How  many  things  engage  your 
thoughts,  and  divide  your  affections  ]  But 
you  cannot  say  tliey  shall  not  be  taken " 
away  from  you.  Even  now,  they  cannot 
satisfy  you.  What  will  they  do  for  you  in 
the  hour  of  death  1  You  know  they  must 
fail  you  then,  if  not  before.  O  be  wise ! 
Be  wise  now.  Defer  not  a  concern  so 
great,  so  vast,  so  important.  Your  eternal 
happiness  perhaps  depends  on  the  decision 
wliich  your  mind  shall  form  this  moment. 
God  help  you  to  choose  aright !  You  may 
never  have  a  clearer  or  stronger  convic- 
tion than  you  have  at  this  moment,  that 
religion  is  tlie  all-important  concern.  May 
divine  grace  enable  you  to  say — By  the 
help  of  God,  this  is  the  good  part  wiiich  I 
solemnly  choose.  Too  long  I  liave  basely 
neglected  it,  but  henceforth  it  shall  be  my 
business,  my  delight,  my  portion.  Heaven 
and  carfii  say — Amen  ! 

Who  can  look  abroad  into  the  vain  and 
wicked  world  without  an  aching  heart  1 
How  few  are  tliere  who  account  religion 
the  one  thing  needful !     How  many  are 


268 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


tliere  with  whom  it  is  the  one  thing  need- 
less;  the  only  thing  neglected  and  des- 
pised !  But  let  us  take  pains  to  rouse  the 
attention  of  thoughtless  mortals  to  tliis 
great  concern.  I'hey  must  regard  it,  or 
perish.  Have  we  a  relation  or  a  friend 
living  without  God  in  tiie  world  I  O  let 
us  tell  him,  hy  some  means  or  other,  that 
one  thing  is  needful ;  that  Jesus  Christ  says 
so;  that  all  good  men  say  so;  that  even 
bad  men,  wlien  they  come  to  die,  say  so 
too.  O  tliat  we  might  be  the  happy  instru- 
ments of  turning  him  to  righteousness ! 

Wliat  a  shield  does  this  text  afford  us, 
against  all  the  arrows  of  censure  and  ridi- 
cule that  a»vain  and  thoughtless  world  may 
hurl  against -us  !  Let  them  call  our  serious 
regard  to  religion  fanaticism ;  let  them 
treat  us  as  enthusiasts  or  madmen.  It  is 
of  no  consequence  at  all.  We  know  that 
we  are  right,  and  they  are  wrong.  We 
will  never  blush  at  the  charge  of  being  re- 
ligious, while  the  glorious  Teacher  and 
Judge  of  the  world  is  on  our  side,  and  says 
— One  thijig  is  needflil. 

Have  we  cliosen  the  good  part  ?  Who 
hath  made  us  to  differ  from  those  who  re- 
ject it  1  This  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is 
marvellous  in  our  eyes.  To  sovereign, 
distinguishing,  almighty  grace,  be  all  the 
glory  and  all  the  praise  !  We  give  him 
the  glory ;  lie  permits  us  to  take  the  joy. 
And  have  I  indeed  chosen  the  good  part? 
and  shall  it  never  be  taken  away  ?  Is  all 
safe  for  eternity  ]  Is  Jesus  mine,  and 
Heaven  mine  1  O  Cliristian,  happy  art 
thou.  Envy  not  the  gayest  and  the  rich- 
est of  the  world ;  be  content  with  thy  bet- 
ter portion  ;  rejoice ;  be  thankful  and  live 
to  God. 


PRAYER. — Blessei)  God,  ihoii,  who  didst 
make  man,  best  knowest  what  is  good  for  man  ; 
and  thou  hast,  in  great  meiT y,  made  it  known  to 
us.  Thou  hasl  shown  us,  in  thy  word,  what  is 
the  one  thing  needful,  even  the  care  of  the  soul, 
wiih  a  view  to  its  eternal  salvation.  O  help  us 
practically  to  regard  this  !  Let  not  the  cares  of 
this  world,  however  necessary,  nor  ils  pleasures, 
however  lawful,  prevent  our  first  and  chief  re- 
gard to  religion  ;  but  may  we,  like  Mary,  who 
sat  at  our  Savior's  feet,  pay  the  most  diligent  at- 
tention to  the  word  of  salvation  in  the  Gospel ! 
May  we  hear  it  with  reverence, — read  it  with 
seriousness, — be  instant  in  prayer ;  and,  above 
all,  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  alone 
is  able  to  save  us  from  our  sins.  We  rejoice  to 
think  that  the  good  part  shall  never  be  taken 
away  from  those  who  have,  by  thy  grace,  been 
enabled  to  choo-se  it.  Worldly  pleasures  perish 
in  the  using, — health,  wealth,  honor,  and  life  it- 
self, are  transitory;  but  nothing  shall  separate  be- 
lievers from  the  love  of  God,  in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord.  Having  this  portion,  we  will  not  envy 
sinners, — we  will  not  blush  at  being  thought  re- 
ligious ;  but  glory  in  our  choice,  while  we  ascribe 
all  honor  to  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
the  God  of  our  salvation.    Amen. 


SERMON  LVIII. 

l^!  RELIGION,  OR  RUIN. 

Ezek.  xviii.  30.    So  Iniquity  shall  not  be  your  Ruin. 

If  we  believe  the  Scriptures  to  be  the 
word  of  God,  we  are  bound  to  make  our 
estimate  of  every  religious  subject  from 
them  ;  and  in  doing  so  we  shall  find  a 
wonderful  diflerence  between  the  doctrines 
of  God  and  the  opinions  of  men.  This 
difference  will  appear  in  a  most  striking 
manner  on  the  subject  of  "sin  :  the  repre- 
sentations which  are  made  of  it  in  the 
Bible  are  totally  different  from  those  which 
are  made  of  it  by  sinners  themselves.  It 
is  common  for  the  latter  to  think  and  speak 
of  sin  as  a  light  and  trifling  affair ;  it  gives 
them  no  concern ;  it  excites  no  alarm ; 
they  seek  no  remedy;  but  can  make 
plausible  excuses  for  it,  turn  it  into  a  jest, 
and  even  glory  in  their  shame.  But  if  we 
consult  the  word  of  God,  we  shall  find 
that  sin  is  the  worst  of  all  evils :  that  it  is 
extremely  hateful  to  our  Maker ;  extreme- 
ly prejudicial  to  ourselves ;  that  it  is  the 
dreadful  source  of  all  the  miseries  we  feel, 
and  the  procuring  cause  of  sufferings  un- 
speakable and  eternal  in  the  world  to 
come.  Look  at  sin  in  the  flattering  mirror 
that  Satan  and  the  world  present  to  us, 
and  it  assumes  the  appearance  of  bewitch- 
ing pleasure,  freedoiu,  and  advantage  ;  but 
survey  it  in  the  faithful  glass  of  the  divine 
truth,  and  you  behold  an  object  deformed 
and  lothesome ;  vile  and  base  in  itself,  and 
full  of  unspeakable  danger  and  mischief 
to  the  sinner.  The  text  describes  its  ten- 
dency in  one  comprehensive  word — RUIN 
— a  word  of  tremendous  import,  even 
when  applied  to  worldly  concerns ;  it  is 
to  subvert,  demolish,  impoverish,  and  ut- 
terly destroy ;  applied  to  the  soul,  it  is  to 
demolish  the  image  of  God  ;  it  is  to  be- 
come miserably  poor ;  it  is  to  destroy  all 
true  happiness ;  and  to  insure  a  long 
eternity  of  inconceivable  sorrows  and  swf- 
ferings. 

But  tlie  text  also  opens  to  us  a  door  of 
hope ;  while  it  points  out  the  ruinous  effect 
of  sin ;  it  offers  the  most  gracious  advice 
in  order  to  our  avoiding  it ;  and  this  is  the 
principal  design  of  the  Gospel ;  it  is  good 
news ;  information  how  we  may  be  de- 
livered from  eternal  misery,  and  made 
partakers  of  everlasting  life.  There  are 
two  things  therefore  which  now  call  for 
our  serious  attention. 

1.  Sin  is  certainly  ruinous  to  the  souls 
of  men ;  and, 

2.  The  Gofpcl  directs  us  how  to  avoid 
the  impending  ruin. 

We  are  first  to  prove,  that  "Sin  is  cer- 


SERMON  LVIII. 


269 


tainly  ruinous  to  the  sends  of  men.'''' 
"  The  wages  of  sin  is  death. — When  lust 
hatli  conceived,  it  brinyoth  tbrth  sin  :  and 
sin,  when  it  is  finished,  bringeth  fbrtli 
death."  By  sin,  we  mean,  any  want  of 
contbrmity  to  tiie  law  of  God,  or  any  trans- 
gression of  it ;  not  coinhig  up  to  what  it 
requires,  or  douig  any  thing  that  it  tbrbids. 
God  has  an  undoubted  right  to  our  obedi- 
ence ;  he  made  us ;  he  gave  us  all  the 
powers  we  possess ;  he  preserves  us  and 
provides  for  us,  and  bestows  innumerable 
comforts  upon  us.  How  reasonable  tlien  is 
it,  that  we  should  obey  his  will,  abstain 
from  what  would  hurt  us,  and  do  the  things 
which  are  pleasing  and  acceptable  in  his 
sight!  But  such  is  the  perverseness  of 
our  hearts,  that  we  refuse  to  do  this.  We 
set  up  our  own  carnal  will  as  our  law; 
and  practically  say,  "  Let  us  break  his 
bands  asunder,  and  cast  away  his  cords 
from  us." — "As  for  tlie  word  that  thou 
hast  spoken  unto  us  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  we  will  not  hearken  unto  thee  :  but 
we  will  certainly  do  whatsoever  thing 
goeth  forth  out  of  our  own  mouth." 
"Who  is  the  Lord,  that  I  should  obey 
hhn !" 

This  is  the  daring  language,  this  is  the 
provoking  practice  of  men  in  general. 
But  is  it  not  awfully  criminal  ]  Can  we  rea- 
sonably suppose  that  a  God  of  unspotted  holi- 
ness and  purity  will  endure  such  conduct  f 
Would  the  rulers  of  this  world  permit 
their  subjects  to  disobey  their  laws  with 
impunity  !  No :  every  human  law  has  its 
proper  sanction,  or  it  would  be  merely 
a  piece  of  advice,  and  not  a  law ;  and  if 
the  law  be  broken,  punishment  follows  of 
course. 

Even  in  private  life,  those  very  persons, 
who  flatter  themselves  that  God  will  not 
punish  their  sins,  are  frequently  disposed 
severely  to  resent  the  little  injuries  done  to 
themselves.  The  parent  thinks  it  right  to 
keep  his  child  in  subjection,  and  sometimes 
punish  liim  for  a  fault.  He  is  extremely 
angry  with  a  negligent  and  undutiful  ser- 
vant, and  periiaps  dismisses  hhn  for  a  single 
failure  in  duty.  If  he  be  deceived  and 
defrauded  by  a  neighbor,  he  will  withdraw 
his  favors  from  him ;  and  perhaps  prose- 
cute a  thief  even  unto  deatli,  for  the  loss 
of  a  few  shillings.  A  gentleman  who 
piques  himself  upon  his  nice  sense  of 
honor,  will  probably  kill  his  friend  in  a 
duel  to  obtain  satisfaction :  and  yet,  O 
strange  inconsistence  !  these  very  persons 
will  deny  that  the  God  of  infinite  justice 
means  to  take  any  notice  of  the  number- 
less offences  they  have  committed  against 
bim  for  many  years  together. 


In  human  governments,  when  tliere  is 
a  conspiracy  against  the  king  or  the  state, 
the  culprits  are  diligently  sought  for,  and, 
when  convicted,  are  punished  with  exem- 
[ilary  severity  ;  and  it  is  necessary  that  Jt 
should  be  so :  but  is  rebellion  against 
heaven  the  only  innocent  rebellion  ;  is  it 
a  crime  of  the  greatest  magnitude  to  aim 
at  dethroning  an  earthly  monarch,  and  is  it 
no  harm  to  live  a  life  of  open  rebellion 
against  God  ;  violating  his  laws,  opposing 
his  authority,  submitting  to  another  prince, 
and,  as  far  as  the  smner  can,  aiming  to  de- 
throne the  eternal  majesty  1 

The  rebellion  of  a  child  against  a  parent 
is  still  more  vile,  as  in  the  case  of  Absa- 
lom, who  would  have  dethroned  and  mur- 
dered his  indulgent  father  David.  But 
this  is  a  crime  justly  chargeable  upon 
every  sinner.  Hearken  to  the  indictment, 
in  the  words  of  God  himself.  "Hear,  O 
heavens,  and  give  ear,  O  earth !  for  the 
Lord  hath  spoken  :  I  have  nourished  and 
brought  up  children,  and  they  have  re- 
belled against  me  !"  This  crime,  I  say,  is 
justly  chargeable  on  each  of  us  ;  we  have 
united  in  the  mgratitude  of  an  undutiful 
child  with  the  rebellion  of  a  wicked  sub- 
ject ;  we  have  despised  the  laws  of  God  ; 
(some  have  taken  pains  to  prove  they  are 
not  his  laws',  but  all  fables  and  forgeries  ;) 
we  have  denied  that  God  requires  any 
submission  :  we  have  obeyed  another 
prince,  an  usurper,  even  "the  prince  of 
the  power  of  the  air,  which  now  worketh 
in  the  hearts  of  the  children  of  disobedi- 
ence." 

And  shall  we  yet  say,  what  harm  liave 
I  done"!  We  have  insulted  the  God  of 
heaven :  we  have  abused  his  justice,  as  if 
he  would  not  punish  sin ;  we  have  abused 
his  power,  as  if  he  could  not  punish  it; 
we  have  abused  his  omniscience,  as  if  he 
did  not  see  our  sin ;  we  have  abused  his 
truth,  as  if  he  would  belie  himself;  and  we 
have  abused  his  patience,  which  has  borne 
so  long  with  us ;  and  shall  we  abuse  him 
still  further,  by  saying  that  all  the  follow- 
ing threatenings  mean  nothing  at  all  ] 

Observe  what  he  says,  "  The  soul  that 
sinncth,  it  shall  die.''''  (Ezek.  xviii.  4.) 
"  The  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell.'" 
(Psalm  ix.  17.)  "'S//?,  when  it  is  finished, 
brings  forth  death."  (James  i.  15.) 
"  Fear  him,  who  is  able  to  cast  both  body 
and  soul  into  hell; — where  their  worm 
dirth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched." 
(Matt.  X.  28.)  "  Every  transgression  and 
disobedience  receiveth  a  just  recompense 
of  reward.''''  (Heb.  ii.  2.)  "  He  will  ren- 
der indignation,  and  wrath,  tribulation, 
and  anguish,  upon  every  soul  of  man 
23* 


270 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


that  doeth  evil."  (Rom.  ii.  8,  9.)  Now 
are  all  these  dreadful  threatenintrs  nothinor? 
Do  they  not  prove  that  sin  is  certainly 
ruinous  to  the  souls  of  men  ! 

But  as  general  threatenings  do  not  affect 
so^nuch  as  those  parlicular  ones  which 
are  denounced  against  particular  sins, 
observe  the  following.  What  saith  the 
holy  God  against  the  unclean  sinner'! — 
"  Whore7nongers  and  adulterers,  God  will 
judge ;  (Heb.  xiii.  4.)  and  again  "  Whoso 
committeth  adultery  deslroyeth  his  own 
soul"  (Prov.  vi.  32.)  What  saith  God 
to  the  drunkard  ]  "  Who  hath  woe  ?  who 
hath  sorrow !  They  that  tarry  long  at 
the  wine,  &lc. — at  the  last  it  biteth  like  a 
serpent,  and  stingeth  like  an  adder." 
(Prov.  xxiii.  32.)  What  saith  he  to  the 
swearer  ?  "  God  will  not  hold  him  guilt- 
less that  taketh  his  name  in  vain."  (Exod. 
XX.  7.)  The  like  may  be  said  of  every 
one  who  lives  in  any  other  known  sin ; 
they  are  ruining  themselves — they  are 
heaping  up  wrath  against  the  day  of 
wrath ;  like  a  man  building  a  pile  on 
which  to  burn  himself  to  death;  every 
time  a  man  commits  a  new  sin,  he  is 
bringing  another  fagot  to  enlarge  the 
heap  and  increase  the  flame. 

Sin  has  already  ruined  its  thousands, 
and  its  millions.  When  sin  got  into 
heaven,  it  ruined  multitudes  of  angels, 
and  pulled  them  down  from  their  thrones 
into  endless  perdition.  Sin  ruined  our  first 
parents,  and  dragged  them  out  of  paradise 
into  a  wilderness  of  woe.  Sin  ruined  the 
world  of -the  ungodly,  and  brought  a  de- 
structive deluge  of  wrath  upon  them  all. 
Sin  ruined  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and 
brought  down  showers  of  fire  and  brim- 
stone upon  them.  Sin  ruined  the  nation 
of  Israel,  by  bringing  Philistines  and  As- 
syrians upon  them  ;  and  when  they  filled 
up  the  measure  of  their  iniquity  by  the 
murder  of  the  Son  of  God,  it  completely 
ruined  them,  both  in  church  and  state,  and 
dispersed  them  among  all  nations,  a  stand- 
ing monument  of  the  ruinous  nature  of  sin. 

And,  O  !  could  we  draw  aside  the  veil, 
which  conceals  from  our  view  the  dire 
abode  of  damned  spirits,  where  God's 
mercies  are  clean  gone,  and  he  will  be 
favorable  no  more,  what  a  terrific  proof 
should  we  hj^ve  of  the  truth  of  our  text ! 
one  and  all  would  say,  "  We  are  filled  with 
the  fruit  of  our  own  ways ;  we  are  reap- 
ing the  wages  of  our  own  sins;  O  mortals, 
sin  is  indeed  a  ruuious  thing !" 

Yes !  while  we  are  sitting  here  at  our 
ease,  and  calmly  contemplating  the  evil 
of  sin,  they  are  shrieking  aloud  with  insuf- 
ferable   torture":  living,   ever-living  wit- 


nesses of  its  awful  evil.  Methinks  I  hear 
one  of  them  say,  "  Ah,  indeed  !  sin  has 
proved  my  ruin.  Sabbath-breaking  ruined 
me.  I  indulged  my  sloth — I  kept  open  my 
shop  for  tlie  paltry  gain  of  a  few  shillings 
— I  would  have  my  pleasant  walks  and 
rides,  and  company — I  deserted  the  house 
of  God — neglected  the  salvation  of  my 
soul ;  and  now  I  am  ruined  for  ever. 

Another  cries, "  Sensuality  has  destroyed 
me.  My  heart  was  full  of  uncleanness.  I 
doted  on  the  embraces  of  an  harlot.  I  sac- 
rificed, for  the  delights  of  a  moment,  the 
pleasures  of  an  eternal  world ;  and  find 
by  woful  experience,  that  "  her  house  is 
the  way  to  death,  her  steps  take  hold  on 
hell !" 

Methinks  the  doleful  lamentation  of  a 
third  is  to  this  effect.  "  I  was  a  lover  of 
that  wretched  world.  Gold  was  my  god.  I 
would  be  rich  at  ail  events.  I  would  have 
customers,  and  friends,  and  business,  at  any 
rate ;  I  succeeded.  I  got  a  good  trade,  but 
I  lost  a  good  God.  I  got  friends,  but  made 
Christ  my  enemy.  I  obtained  money,  but 
ruined  my  soul !"  O  sirs !  there  is  not  a 
miserable  man  or  woman  in  hell  who  does 
not  say — "  Sin  has  been  my  ruin  !" 

Well  then :  will  you  take  warning  by 
their  ruin,  so  as  to  avoid  the  same  !  Has 
not  sin  ruined  souls  enough  already  !  Must 
you,  who  know  all  this,  be  added  to  the 
dreadful  number  1  God  forbid  !  O  that  there 
were  a  heart  in  you  to  say — "  I  see,  I  plain- 
ly see,  that  sin  is  a  ruinous  thing.  It  is  of 
God's  infinite  mercy  that  it  has  not  destroy- 
ed me  long  ago ;  and  now  I  desire  to  for- 
sake it,  I  desire  to  fly  from  the  wrath  to 
come ;  but  whither  must  I  fly  I  What 
must  I  do  to  escape  this  threatening  ruin  f 

To  answer  this  important  inquiry  shall 
be  our  next  business ;  for  we  proposed  to 
show,  in  the  second  place,  that, 

2.  The  Gospel  directs  us  how  to  avoid 
the  impending  ruin. 

I  say — The  Gospel  directs  us  how  to 
avoid  it ;  and  nothing  but  the  Gospel  can 
do  this.  The  light  of  nature  could  never 
have  informed  us  upon  what  terms  an  of- 
fended God  would  be  merciful,  or  whether 
he  would  be  merciful  at  all.  The  law  of 
God  can  do  us  good  only  by  convincing  and 
alarming  our  consciences,  and  exciting  in 
us  an  earnest  desire  to  flee  from  approach- 
ing wrath.  But  in  the  most  interesting  con- 
cern, the  Gospel  of  Christ  offers  us  tlie  full- 
est satisfaction ;  and  tells  us,  in  three  words, 
what  must  be  done,  that  iniquity  may  not 
prove  our  ruin.  We  must  "  believe" — We 
must  "  repent" — We  must  "  lead  a  new 
life." 

1.  We  shall  begin  with  "faith;"  faith 


SERMON  LVin. 


271 


in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God 
and  the  Savior  of  the  world.  It  was  thus 
that  St.  Paul  began  with  the  trembling 
jailer  at  PhUippi ;  when,  apprehensive  of 
immediate  ruin,  he  cried  aloud,  in  the  con- 
sternation of  his  soul — "  What  must  I  do 
to  be  saved  !"  The  servant  of  God  directed 
his  views  to  the  only  refuge  for  a  sinner, 
even  to  Jesus,  that  benevolent  friend  of 
sinners,  who  came  to  "  seek  and  to  save 
that  which  was  lost" 

It  was  to  prevent  our  everlasting  ruin 
that  God  sent  his  Son  into  tlie  world ;  it 
was,  "  that  they  who  believe  in  him,  should 
not  perish,^''  as  they  must  have  done  with- 
out him,  "  but  have  everlasting  life." 

Turn  your  eyes  then  to  Jesus  !  see  him 
descendmg  from  the  bright  abode  of  glory ; 
making  himself  of  no  reputation ;  taking 
upon  himself  the  form  of  a  servant ;  being 
made  in  the  likeness  of  men :  see  him 
humbling  himself,  and  becoming  obedient 
unto  death,  even  tlie  death  of  the  cross ! 
Think  of  the  poverty,  the  pain,  the  sorrow, 
the  contempt,  he  bore  on  earth.  Behold 
him  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  lying 
on  the  cold  ground  ;  pouring  out  strong 
cries  and  tears ;  and,  in  the  inconceivable 
agony  of  his  oppressed  soul,  sweating  great 
drops  of  blood  !  Follow  the  patient  sufferer 
to  the  unjust  tribunals  ofCaiaphas,  Herod, 
and  Pilate ;  falsely  accused  by  his  malicious 
enemies,  abandoned  by  his  dearest  friends, 
and  sentenced  to  an  ignominious  punish- 
ment !  "  Behold  the  man  !"  crowned  with 
piercing  thorns,  and  torn  with  cruel 
scourges.  See  him  bearing  the  heavy  cross 
along  the  dolorous  way,  to  the  place  of 
common  execution.  See  him  stript  in  the 
sight  of  the  barbarous  multitude ;  stretched 
as  on  a  rack ;  afh.xed  to  the  cross  with  spikes ; 
and  lifted  up,  a  piteous  spectacle,  the  ob- 
ject of  public  scorn  and  derision  !  Observe 
the  ghastly  paleness  of  death  overspreading 
his  sacred  face.  He  dies !  the  friend  of  shi- 
ners dies !  but  not  till  he  cried  aloud — "  It 
is  finished  !"  Yes,  "he"  finished  transgres- 
sion, made  an  end  of  sins,  and  brought  in 
everlasting  righteousness." 

You  then,  who  desire  that  sin  may  not  be 
your  ruin,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  that 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  Believe 
that  "  he  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost ;" 
able  to  save  you;  "His  blood  cleanseth 
from  all  sin  ;"  and  saves  from  ruin  every 
helpless  creature  that  comes  to  him  for  life. 
Come  to  him  then  as  your  Savior.  Cast 
your  soul  upon  him ;  "  so  iniquity  shall  not 
be  your  ruin." 

2.  Repentance  is,  throughc  ut  the  Scrip- 
tures, always  represented  as  necessary  to 
salvation;  not,  indeed,  as  the  meritorious 


cause  or  condition  of  pardon ;  but  as  that 
disposition  of  mind  which  becomes  a  guilty 
sinner ;  which  gives  glory  to  God,  and  ren- 
ders the  deliverance  from  ruin  unspeakably 
suitable  and  precious.  Indeed,  "  repent- 
ance is  a  tear  dropped  from  the  eye  of 
faith ;"  and  who  can  behold  the  Savior 
bleeding  and  dying  for  him,  without  con- 
fessing, lamenting,  and  forsaking  the  sins 
which  occasioned  his  death  .' 

Repentance  is  that  reasonable  service, 
to  which  the  Lord  is,  in  our  te.xt,  exhorting 
the  children  of  Israel :  "  Re/pent,  and  turn 
yourselves  from  all  your  transgressions ; 
so  iniquity  shall  not  be  your  ruin."  Our 
Savior  himself  insisted  upon  repentance, 
saying,  "Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  like- 
wise perish  ;"  and  all  the  apostles  went 
out  and  preached  that  men  should  repent. 

There  is  so  much  pride  and  ignorance  in 
the  hearts  of  sinners,  that,  without  the  spe- 
cial grace  of  God,  they  are  strongly  in- 
clined to  conceal  or  excuse  their  sins. 
Some  entirely  deny  them,  and  say,  "  they 
have  done  no  harm ;"  others  justify  them- 
selves by  putting  their  good  deeds  in  the 
opposite  scale;  others  invent  excuses  for 
their  sins ;  and  instead  of  blaming  them- 
selves as  they  ouglit  to  do,  lay  the  fault  on 
their  situations,  connexions,  and  tempta- 
tions :  the  greater  part  add  to  their  sins  by 
attempting  to  lessen  them ;  and  gloss  over 
the  vilest  iniquities  by  soft  and  favorable 
names ;  as  being  "  a  little  free,"  "  a  little 
gay,"  "  a  little  wild,"  «Sz,c. ;  and  boasting, 
notwithstanding  all  their  vices,  that  they 
mean  well,  and  have  a  good  heart. 

But  the  penitent  soul,  who  dreads  the 
deserved  ruin  due  to  his  sins,  will  "  not  dis- 
semble nor  cloak  them  before  the  face  o^' 
Almighty  God  ;  but  confess  them  with  an 
humble,  penitent,  and  obedient  heart ;"  he 
will  be  far,  very  far,  from  boasting  of  his 
integrity,  his  good  heart,  or  his  good  works : 
he  will  discover  godly  sorrow,  grief,  and 
shame  ;  and  will  abhor  himself,  as  tlie  vilest 
of  the  vile,  repenting  in  dust  and  ashes. 
To  such  a  person  will  the  God  of  mercy 
look  with  a  compassionate  eye,  for  "he  is 
nigh  to  them  that  are  of  a  broken  heart, 
and  saveth  such  as  be  of  a  contrite  spirit." 
Yes ;  we  are  authorized  to  say  to  the  hum- 
ble penitent — "  Iniquity  shall  not  be  thy 
ruin."  "Go  thy  way  and  sin  no  more." 

3.  It  is  necessary  that  the  believing  and 
penitent  sinner,  who  sincerely  desires  to 
escape  from  the  wrath  to  come,  should  Zea«Z 
a  new  life ;  I  say  it  is  necessary,  God  re- 
quires that  he  should  lead  a  new  life.  The 
verse  after  our  text  gives  this  direction  to 
Israel  of  old — "  Cast  away  from  you  all 
your  transgrassions  whereby  ye  have  trans- 


272 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


pressed,  and  make  you  a  new  heart  and  a 
new  spirit :'  for  why  will  ye  die,  O  house 
of  Israel?"  ver.  31.  These  expressions  do 
not  suppose  a  natural  or  an  inherent  power 
in  the  sinner  to  effect  this :  for  it  is  most 
certain  that  "  without  Christ  we  can  do 
nothing ;"  and  we  find  that  what  is  here 
directed  to  be  done,  as  a  matter  of  duty,  is 
elsewhere  proposed  in  a  way  of  promise  : 
(see  chap.  xi.  19.)  but  by  the  grace  of  God 
accompanying-  the  exhortations  of  his  word, 
they  become  effectual  to  the  sinner's  con- 
version :  and,  as  Austin  well  explains  the 
precept,  "  God  does  not  command  impossi- 
bilities: but  by  commanding,  he  admonishes 
us  to  do  what  is  in  our  power,  and  to  pray 
for  that  which  is  not." 

We  can  have  no  sufficient  evidence  that 
sin  will  not  be  our  ruin,  until  sin  becomes 
our  burden ;  until  it  be  the  object  of  our 
sincere  aversion  and  hatred  ;  until  we  re- 
nounce the  sinful  delights  of  the  world, 
and  choose  the  things  we  once  abhorred. 
The  very  bent  and  disposition  of  the  heart 
must  be  altered  ;  turned  from  sin  to  holi- 
ness, from  vanity  to  godliness,  from  the 
creature  to  the  Creator,  from  earth  to 
heaven.  O  what  a  great  and  glorious 
change  is  this,  and  the  very  seal  of  God  to 
this  animating  message-^"  So  iniquity  shall 
not  be  your  ruin  !" 

Thus,  men  and  brethren,  we  have  en- 
deavored to  prove  the  truth  of  the  title 
which  we  prefixed  to  this  discourse — re- 
ligion, OR  RUIN :  and  have  we  not  made  it 
out?  Is  it  not  sufficiently  plain  from  the 
word  of  truth,  that  there  are  two  things  to 
choose — Serious  evangelical  religfion — or 
everlasting  ruin  "!  There  are  but  two  differ- 
ent roads  to  choose — The  broad  one  that 
leads  to  destruction,  or  the  narrow  one  that 
leads  to  life ;  and  in  the  one  or  the  other  of 
these,  each  of  us  is  now  travelling. 

And  does  the  person  who  reads  or  hears 
this  discourse  believe  it  is  so?  What  then 
is  thy  choice,  my  fellow-sinner  ?  Religion, 
or  ruin  ?  Sin  and  death,  or,  grace  and  life  ? 
Both  are  now  set  before  you.  Which  do 
you  prefer  ?  O  dismiss  not  the  subject,  till 
you  make  a  decision.  Perhaps  it  may 
never  be  put  to  you  in  the  same  manner 
any  more.  It  may  be  the  last  time  of 
offering.  And  O  how  much  depends  on 
the  choice !  May  Almighty  God  help  you 
to  make  it,  and  keep  to  it.  "So  shall 
iniquity  not  be  your  ruin." 

I  would  most  gladly  impress  on  your 
mind  this  solemn  truth — Sin  is  a  ruinons 
thing.  It  ruins  men,  because  they  do  not 
believe  it  is  ruinous.  It  may  be,  you  have 
never  yet  seen  it  in  this  light.  You  say — 
"  Sin  is  so  pleasant ;  how  can  it  be  ruin- 


ous ?"  I  admit  tliat  sin  is  pleasant.  There 
certainly  are  pleasures  in  sin:  but  there 
are  pains  too.  And  a  life  of  sin  is  not  half 
so  pleasant  as  a  life  of  religion.  Ask 
those  who  have  tried  both.  How  oflen, 
even  in  the  present  world,  does  sin  pro- 
cure ruin  !  How  many  a  promising  youth 
has  it  ruined  : — ruined  his  health — ruined 
his  character — ruined  his  family?  How 
many  has  sin  brought  to  a  hospital,  to  a 
work-house,  to  Newgate,  to  the  gallows ! 
to  the  grave  ! 

You  will  not  believe  the  ruin,  because 
you  do  not  s(e  it,  but  when  seen,  it  will  be 
too  late  to  escape.  In  other  cases  of  threat- 
ened danger,  you  give  credit  to  the  testi- 
mony of  a  friend,  perhaps  of  a  stranger. 
If  I  solemnly  and  affectionately  say  to  a 
traveller — "  My  good  Sir  !  venture  not 
through  that  water  which  overflows  the 
road  ;  it  is  deep ;  it  is  dangerous ;  and  two 
men  have  been  drowned  there  this  morn- 
ing :"  you  would  pause  and  ponder ;  and 
not  hastily  rush  into  ruin.  If  I  say  to  an- 
other, "  Proceed  no  farther  on  tlie  road  this 
evening:  a  desperate  gang  of  thieves  lie 
in  wait  at  such  a  spot,  and  several  persons 
have  already  been  robbed,"  regard  to  your 
property  and  your  life  would  make  you 
listen  to  the  warning,  tliough  it  might  op- 
pose your  inclination  and  your  convenience. 
If  credible  merchants  assure  you,  that  a 
city,  which  you  wish  to  visit,  upon  busi- 
ness or  pleasure,  is,  at  this  time,  ravaged 
by  the  plague  or  yellow  fever;  you  will 
carefully  avoid  the  contagious  spot,  and  be 
thankful  for  the  important,  though  unwel- 
come information.  Why,  then,  should  not 
sin,  ruinous  sin,  be  shunned  ?  Sin  !  which 
is  far  more  dangerous  and  destructive  than 
water,  or  thieves,  or  fever ;  and  the  testi- 
mony given  concerning  its  danger  far  more 
weighty  and  powerful  than  that  of  the 
most  credible  mortals ;  for  it  is  the  testi- 
mony of  the  God  of  truth  himself,  who 
cannot  lie,  and  will  not  deceive. 

Believe  then  the  testimony  of  God,  both 
concerning  the  ruin  and  tl)e  remedy.  How 
gracious  is  it  in  him  to  give  you  warning  ! 
This  destruction  may  yet  be  avoided.  Tliis 
is  his  benevolent  language.  "  O  Israel, 
thou  hast  destroyed  thyself,  but  in  me  is 
thy  help."  To  save  sinners  from  ruin, 
Ciirist  hath  died  ;  the  Gospel  is  sent  to 
you,  inviting  you  to  come  to  him  and  find 
safety ;  ministers  are  employed  to  reason 
with  you,  to  prevent  your  ruin;  the  Bible 
is  put  into  your  hands  on  purpose  to  direct 
you  to  a  refuge.  Conscience  whispers  in 
your  ear — "  Jleligion  is,  after  all,  the  safest 
course."  Will  you  then  resist  all  this  evi- 
dence ?  reject  all  these  monitors  ?   Is  God 


SERMON  LIX. 


273 


merciful  to  you,  and  will  you  be  immerci- 
ful  to  yourself  !  Are  you  so  in  love  with 
ruin,  that  you  will  not  be  persuaded  to 
avoid  it !  VVliat  can  be  so  reasonable  as 
an  immediate  application  to  Christ  for  help'? 
What  folly  and  madness  can  be  equal  to  a 
neglect  of  the  means  of  security  !  All 
things  are  ready.  Come  then  to  Jesus,  for 
"  there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  that 
are  in  him,  who  walk  not  at\er  the  flesh, 
but  after  the  Spirit."  His  precious,  saving 
•'  name  is  a  strong  tower ;  the  righteous 
runneth  into  it,  and  is  safe."  "  So  shall 
iniqicity  not  be  your  ruin."  Amen  and 
Amen ! 


PRAYER. — Holy  Father,  suffer  us  not  to  de- 
ceive ourselves,  with  regard  to  the  true  nature 
and  dreadful  eon.sequences  of  sin.  Sin  is  deceit- 
ful, Satan  is  deceitful,  and  our  own  hearts  are 
deceitful ;  but  let  us  not  be  deceived,  by  any 
means ;  but  fully  believe  the  declaration  of  thy 
word, — 'J'hat  sin  is  ruinous  to  the  souls  of  men. 
it  has  ruined  millions,  who  are  now  in  Hell ;  and 
it  is  mining  millions  on  earth,  who  are  in  the 
broad  roail  to  destruction.  M.ay  we  take  warning, 
and  immediately  fly  from  the  wrath  to  come ! — 
and  we  ble.ss  thy  name,  O  God,  that  thou  hast  di- 
rected us  whither  to  fly, — even  to  thy  dear  Son, 
the  only  Refuge,  the  great  Deliverer  from  the 
wrath  to  come.  May  we  repent  of  all  our  past 
follies,  and  with  weeping  and  supplication  come 
to  thee,  through  Jesus  Christ,  for  mercy  and 
grace, — mercy  to  pardon  all  the  past,  and  grace 
10  help  us  in  time  to  come. 

Have  mercy,  we  beseech  thee,  O  God,  on  self- 
deceived  sinners.  Open  their  eves  to  discover 
their  danger.  Show  them  the  folly  and  madness 
of  their  sinful  course, — of  their  vanity,  carnality, 
and  unbelief;  and  may  they  seek  thee,  whilst 
thou  mayest  be  found,  and  call  upon  thee  wiiilo 
thou  art  near,  that  so  iniquity  may  not  be  their 
ruin  ;  and  may  we,  who  have  escaped  the  snare, 
and  have  believed  through  grace,  ever  shun  the 
appearance  of  evil,  and  live  in  holy  love  and 
cheerful  obedience  to  our  glorious  Redeemer, 
who,  with  the  Father  and  Holy  Ghost,  is  one  God 
over  all  blessed  for  ever.    Amen. 


SERMON  LIX. 

LOT'S  DELIVERANCE. 

Genesis  x'lX.  24,  25,  26.  Then  the.  Lord  rained  upon 
Sodom,  and  upon  Gomorrah,  brimstone  and  tin- 
from  llin  Lord  out  of  Heaven:  and  lie  overthrew 
tlinse  lilies,  jind  all  tile  plain,  and  all  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  cities,  and  that  which  crew  upon  the 
grouud :  But  his  wile  looked  back  from  behind 
him,  and  nhe  became  a  pillar  of  salt. 

The  apostle  Jude,  exhorting  Christians 
to  constancy  in  the  faith,  reminds  tiiem  of 
the  terrible  judgments  of  God  upon  fallen 
angels — upon  his  people  Israel — and  upon 
the  inhabitants  of  Sodom.  Of  the  latter, 
he  thus  speaks,  ver.  7.  "  Even  as  Sodotn 
2K 


and  Gomorrah,  and  the  cities  about  them 
in  like  manner,  giving  themselves  over  to 
fornication,  and  going  after  strange  flesh, 
are  set  forth  for  an  example,  sutlering  the 
vengeance  of  eternal  Are."  Examples  of 
this  kind  are  not  for  imitation,  but  for  cau- 
tion, for  warning,  for  admonition;  tJiat  all 
sinners,  in  ail  ages,  may  avoid  the  destruc- 
tion, by  avoiding  the  sin. 

The  history  before  us  is  of  a  very  affect- 
ing, yet  of  a  very  instructive  kind,  to 
which  we  shall  do  well  to  give  the  most  se- 
rious attention.  We  shall  arrange  the 
most  striking  circumstances  of  it  under 
the  three  following  heads. 

1.  The  destruction  of  Sodom ; 

2.  The  deliverance  of  Lot ;  and, 

3.  The  apostasy  of  his  wife. 

The  destruction  of  Sodom  and  some 
neighboring  cities  was  occasioned  by  their 
extreme  wickedness.  "  The  men  of  Sod- 
om were  wicked,  and  sinners  before  the 
Lord  exceedingly ;"  Gen.  xiii.  13.  The 
country  in  whicli  they  lived  was  remarka- 
bly beautiful  and  fertile,  "  it  was  well  wa- 
tered everywhere,  even  as  the  garden  of 
the  Lord,"  described  in  the  second  chapter 
of  this  book;  and  much  resembled  some 
of  the  finest  parts  of  Egypt.  Prosperity, 
however,  without  grace,  is  a  dangerous 
snare  to  tlie  soul.  The  goodness  of  God 
sliould  have  led  them  to  repentance  and 
obedience ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  "  this  was 
the  iniquity  of  Sodom,  pride,  fullness  of 
bread,  and  abundance  of  idleness."  (Ezek. 
xvi.  49.)  Their  plenty  only  pampered 
tiieir  bodies,  and  became  fuel  to  their  lusts ; 
while  abundance  of  idleness  furnished 
them  with  tl;ose  opjwrtunities  of  indul- 
gence, which  honest  industry  would  have 
prevented.  They  were  uncommonly  and 
outrageously  wicked  ;  they  gave  them- 
selves up  to  fornication,  and  to  still  more 
vile  affections ;  instead  of  being  asliamed 
of  their  sins,  they  proclaimed  them  openly, 
and  gloried  in  tlicir  sliame.  Neither  was 
this  the  horrid  depravity  of  a  few  individ- 
uals; it  was  general;  it  was  almost  uni- 
versal ;  there  were  not  ten  persons  in  it, 
including  the  family  of  Lot,  who  were 
free  from  the  dreadful  contagion. 

These  sins  are  said  (ver.  20.)  to  cry — 
"  The  cry  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  is 
great."  Atrocious  sins  cry  to  God  for 
vengeance ;  they  demand  a  period  to  that 
patience  which  has  borne  with  tiicm  so 
long;  they  require  that  the  earth  should 
be  cleared  from  such  monsters  of  iniquity; 
and  that  a  holy  God  should  rise,  and  mani- 
fest his  just  indignation  against  them. 

God,  wlip  is  slow  to  anger,  at  length 
arose  to  judgment.     lie  first  revealed  liis 


274 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


design  to  Abraham,  who  lived  a  few  miles 
off,  *nd  who  interceded  in  the  most  earn- 
est manner  for  them  ;  and  had  there  been 
but  ten  righteous  men  in  Sodom,  it  would 
have  been  spared  for  their  sakes ;  sncl)  is 
the  gracious  regard  whicli  God  bears  to 
those  who  fear  him.  The  angels,  who 
were  appointed  to  be  the  executioners  of 
divine  wrath,  entered  Sodom  in  the  even- 
ing; and,  appearing  as  human  travellers, 
\vere  gladly  welcomed  to  the  hospitable 
abode  of  Lot.  There  they  soon  had  ocu- 
lar proof  of  the  dreadful  depravity,  impu- 
dence, and  violence  of  the  people.  Lot, 
who  reproved  them  for  their  conduct,  was 
insulted,  and  exposed  to  imminent  danger, 
and  was  rescued  from  their  violent  hands 
only  by  the  supernatural  interference  of 
the  angels,  who  smote  the  clamorous  mob 
with  blindness. 

Immediate  ruin  had  then  become  inevita- 
ble :  and  no  respite  would  be  allowed,  but 
that  which  was  necessary  for  the  safety  of 
Lot. 

Early  in  the  morning,  probably  at  day- 
break, this  good  man,  his  wife,  and  daugh- 
ters, were  obliged,  by  a  gracious  violence, 
to  leave  the  city  and  betake  themselves  to 
a  place  of  refuge.  When  this  was  effect- 
ed, and  Lot  was  safe  in  Zoar — "  Then" 
says  our  text,  "  Then  the  Lord  rained  upon 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah  brimstone  and  fire 
from  the  Lord  out  of  heaven." 

How  sudden  and  unexpected  was  this 
calamity  !  "  The  sun  was  risen  upon  the 
earth."  As  yet,  many  who  had  been 
revelling  in  the  night  were  fast  asleep  in 
their  beds.  Others  were  rising  to  pursue 
the  business  or  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  the 
day.  Even  they  who  had  been  warned  of 
the  danger  were  perfectly  secure.  "  Peace 
and  safety"  was  their  cry,  when,  alas !  sud- 
den destruction  was  just  at  hand.  Our 
Savior  refers  to  this  (Luke  xvii.  28.) — 
"  They  did  eat,  they  drank,  they  bought, 
they  sold,  they  planted,  they  builded  ;  but 
the  same  day  it  rained  fire  and  brimstone 
from  heaven,  and  destroyed  them  all." 
They  were  surprised  with  the  ruin  which 
they  would  not  fear ;  and  indeed,  thus  it 
is  with  sinners  in  general,  even  with  those 
who  die  on  their  beds ;  the  most  awful 
warnings  excite  no  alarm,  men  perceive 
no  danger,  and  death  itself  strikes  the  fatal 
blow  in  an  unexpected  moment. 

How  peculiar,  and  how  tremendous  was 
this  destruction'?  A  deluge  of  water  was 
once  the  instrument  of  divine  vengeance, 
overwhelming  a  guilty  world  ;  but  who 
ever  heard  of  a  deluge  of  fire  ]  All  the 
elementi  are  at  the  disposal  of  their  Maker, 
whetir^r  for  the  purposes  of  wrath  or  of 


mercy.  Now,  indeed,  was  "  the  wrath  of 
God  revealed /rom  heaven!"  The  expres- 
sions are  singular — "  The  Lord  rained" — 
"  from  the  Lord" — The  Ix)rd  the  Son, 
from  the  Lord  the  Father,  as  some  inter- 
pret the  words ;  at  least  it  means  that  Je- 
hovah himself  sent  down  this  fiery  show- 
er ;  it  was  his  own  supernatural  act,  and 
not  the  effect  of  ordinary  causes.  Doubt- 
less it  was  a  method  of  destruction  most 
singular  and  most  dreadful ;  alluding  to 
this,  the  psalmist  says,  "  Upon  the  wicked 
he  shall  rain  snares,  fire  and  brimstone, 
and  an  horrible  tempest ;  this  shall  be  the 
portion  of  their  cup."  The  consternation 
of  this  awful  hour  was,  probably,  enhanced 
by  the  most  vivid  and  frequent  flashes  of 
lightning ;  by  tremendous  peals  of  thun- 
der ;  and  by  repeated  shocks  of  earthquake. 
Ah !  who  can  describe,  or  even  conceive, 
what  terror  and  dismay  seized  every  guilty 
heart  when  this  universal  desolation  over- 
whelmed them;  and  when  these  sulphur- 
ous flames  on  earth  were  about  to  convey 
them  to  everlasting  burnings,  to  "the  lake 
that  burnetii  with  fire  and  brimstone  for 
ever." 

Thus  were  the  numerous  inhabitants  of 
five  populous  cities,  and  perhaps  a  great 
number  of  villages,  at  once  consumed,  and 
blotted  out  from  the  land  of  the  living ! 
Thus  were  many  thousands  of  guilty 
rebels  hurried  away  by  the  most  avvftil 
kind  of  death,  to  suffer  "  the  vengeance 
of  eternal  fire." 

The  country  itself,  once  a  terrestrial 
paradise,  became  the  durable  monument 
of  this  awful  event — "  it  is  brimstone,  and 
salt,  and  burning;  it  is  not  sown,  nor 
beareth,  not  any  grass  groweth  thereon  ;" 
(Deut.  xxix.  23.)  The  scene  of  this  desola- 
tion is  now  called  the  Dead  Sea ;  because, 
say  some,  no  animal  lives  in  it.  Accord- 
ing to  Josephus  it  is  about  seventy  miles 
in  length,  and  about  twenty  in  breadth; 
the  ruins  of  Sodom  were  formerly  visible ; 
and  a  peculiar  substance,  called  bitumen, 
or  asphaltus,  is  yet  found  in  it. 

But  let  us  turn,  in  the  second  place,  to 
a  more  pleasing  part  of  the  subject,  the 

DELIVERANCE    OF    LOT — "  righleoUS    LOT," 

as  the  Scripture  calls  him. 

Lot,  having  been  educated  by  Abraham, 
the  father  of  the  faithful,  was  no  doubt 
fully  instructed  in  the  knowledge  of  God ; 
nor  did  he  receive  this  instruction  in  vain. 
It  is  a  great  privilege  for  young  people  to 
dwell  in  a  pious  house,  and  enjoy  the 
prayers  and  the  example  of  a  believing 
relative.  Some,  indeed,  despise  this  ad- 
vantage; but  many,  like  Lot,  will  have 
cause  eternally  to  be  thankful  for  it. 


SERMON  LIX. 


275 


In  consequence,  •  however,  of  the  great  1 
increase  of  liis  worldly  substance,  he  sepa- 
rates from  his  uncle,  and  chooses  for  his 
residence  the  fertile  meadows  of  Sodom. 
In  this  choice  he  seems  to  have  been  in- 
fluenced by  motives  too  worldly  and  car- 
nal. Here,  indeed,  his  wealth  increased 
for  a  time ;  but  ere  long,  a  war  breaking 
out  in  the  country,  Sodom  was  seized  and 
plundered  by  tlie  enemy,  his  flocks  and 
herds  removed,  and  himself  taken  pris- 
oner. By  the  gallant  behavior  of  Abra- 
ham, however,  ■  he  recovered  his  liberty 
and  his  property,  and  settled  again  in  the 
same  pleasant,  but  ungodly  spot. 

In  this  horribly  wicked  place,  he  was 
enabled  to  maintain  his  integrity,  to  keep 
himself  free  from  the  vices  of  his  neigh- 
bors, and  conduct  himself  as  became  a 
worshipper  of  Jehovah.  But  he  was  far 
from  being  happy.  He  could  not  be  an 
unconcerned  spectator  of  the  enormous 
wickedness  of  the  inhabitants.  St.  Peter 
says,  "  He  was  vexed  with  the  filthy  con- 
versation of  the  wicked:  that  righteous 
man  dwellingf  amonjr  them,  in  seeingf  and 
hearing,  vexed  his  righteous  soul,  from 
day  to  day,  with  their  unlawful  deeds." 
It  was  much  to  his  honor,  that  he  felt  this 
abhorrence  of  sin ;  but  he  must  feel  re- 
proved continually,  for  fixing  his  residence 
in  such  an  abandoned  place. 

It  is  tlie  unavoidable  lot  of  some,  to 
dwell  among  tlie  profane ;  and  happy  are 
they  who  can  withstand  the  torrent  of  sin ; 
who  have  "  no  fellowship  with  the  unfruit- 
ful works  of  darkness ;"  but,  like  Lot, 
"  reprove  them."  Yet,  let  every  one  who 
values  the  salvation  of  his  soul  avoid,  if 
possible,  such  a  dangerous  situation ;  for 
no  worldly  gain  can  compensate  for  the 
evil  to  which  it  exposes  him  ;  and  few,  too 
few,  like  Lot,  preserve  themselves  untaint- 
ed from  the  general  pollution.  "  They 
who  will  be  rich,"  even  at  the  hazard  of 
their  souls,  too  frequently  "  fall  into  tempt- 
ation, and  a  snare,  and  into  many  foolish 
and  hurtful  lusts,  which  drown  men  in 
destruction  and  perdition;  tliey  err  from 
the  faith,  and  pierce  themselves  through 
with  many  sorrows."  This  consideration 
siiould  be  duly  weighed  by  parents,  in 
their  choice  of  schools  for  the  education 
of  their  cliildren,  and  in  placing  them 
abroad  in  the  world  for  business :  it  should 
weigh  witii  servants  in  the  choice  of  their 
situations  (as  far  as  choice  is  practicable 
to  them ;)  it  should  render  persons  of  6very 
description  cautious  in  the  selection  of 
their  companions,  especially  in  the  choice 
of  a  companion  for  life ;  and,  indeed,  in 


every  step  of  their  affairs  :  for  many  ven- 
ture, like  Lot,  into  a  Sodom,  but  few,  like 
him,  escape  unhurt.  Every  one  has  not 
Lot's  fortitude ;  every  one  has  not  an  Abra- 
ham to  pray  for  him. 

The  hospitality  of  Lot,  in  entertaining 
the  illustrious  strangers,  is  recommended 
to  our  imitation  ;  tor  he  "  entertained  an- 
gels unawares."  By  them  he  was  inform- 
ed of  the  destruction  which  they  were 
commissioned  to  execute  upon  Sodom  and 
its  inhabitants.  '•  We  will  destroy  this 
place,"  said  they,  "because  the  cry  of 
them  is  waxen  great  before  the  face  of  the 
Lord ;  and  the  Lord  hath  sent  us  to  destroy 
it."  But  he  was  permitted,  and  advised, 
to  ofive  immediate  warning-  to  his  relations. 
In  the  course  of  the  niglit  he  repairs  to 
their  habitations,  though  probably  with 
great  peril  to  his  own  person:  he  calls 
them  up ;  he  warns  them  as  a  prophet ;  he 
entreats  them  as  a  parent.  "  Up,"  said 
he,  "  get  ye  out  of  tliis  place ;  for  the  Lord 
will  destroy  this  city."  But  his  sons-in- 
law  rejected  the  warning  with  disdain. 
"  He  seemed  as  one  that  mocked  unto 
them."  They  had  been  used  to  jesting, 
and  they  treated  this  as  a  jest.  "  Why 
should  to-morrow  differ  from  other  days  1 
Who  ever  saw  it  rain  fire  ?  Or  whence 
should  that  brimstone  comel"  "Thus," 
saith  Bishop  Hall,  "  to  carnal  men,  preach- 
ing is  foolishness ;  devotion  idleness ;  the 
prophets  madmen ;  Paul  a  babbler."  These 
men's  incredulity  is  as  worthy  of  the  fire, 
as  the  otlier's  uncleanness.  He  that  be- 
lieveth  not,  is  condemned  already.''^ 

But  now  the  moment  of  danger  is  at 
hand.  No  time  must  be  lost.  Tlic  angels 
hasten  Lot,  saying,  "  Arise,  take  thy  w^ife, 
and  thy  two  daughters  which  are  here; 
lest  thou  be  consumed  in  the  iniquity  of 
the  city."  But  alas !  even  Lot  himself 
lingered.  Who  can  conceive  the  agitation 
and  distress  of  ills  mind,  on  leaving  all  his 
property  to  be  destroyed,  and  his  married 
daugliters  to  be  burnt  to  death  !  No  won- 
der that  he  lingered  ;  but  "  the  men  laid 
hold  upon  his  hand,  and  upon  the  hand  of 
his  wife,  and  upon  the  hand  of  liis  two  un- 
married daughters, — the  Lord  being  mer- 
ciful unto  him,  and  they  brought  him  forth, 
and  set  him  without  the  city." 

O  liow  often  do  persons  under  conviction 
of  sin  and  danger  linger .'  They  are  satis- 
fied that  they  ought  to  separate  themselves 
from  the  wicked  world,  and  immediately 
fly  from  the  wrath  to  come  ;  but  they  still 
delay;  they  are  unwilling  to  leave  their 
connexions ;  to  forsake  all,  and  follow 
Christ.     Nor  is  tlie  case  decided,  till  the 


276 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


Lord  exert  his  constraining  power  and 
grace,  and  as  it  were,  by  a  holy  violence, 
"  pluck  them  as  brands  out  of  the  fire." 

Being  now  brought  out  of  the  city,  the 
angels  who  were  to  destroy  it  take  their 
leave,  but  with  this  advice,  given  with  a 
most  gracious  vehemence — "  escape  for 
thy  life; — look  not  behind  thee — neither 
stay  thou  in  all  the  plain — escape  to  the 
mountain,  lest  thou  be  consumed,"  ver.  17. 
It  is  in  this  manner  that  sinners  are  warm- 
ly exhorted  by  the  word  of  God  to  come 
fbrtii  from  the  spiritual  Sodom,  from  their 
state  of  sin  and  danger.  "  Knowing  the 
terrors  of  the  Lord,  we  persuade  men." 
We  would  "  save  them  with  fear,  pulling 
them  out  of  the  fire."  It  is  for  your  lives ! 
Escape,  or  perish  !  Repent,  or  perish  !  Be, 
converted,  or  perish ! 

The  Lord  was  pleased  to  direct  Lot 
whither  to  fly  for  refuge.  "  Escape  to  the 
mountains."  As  the  whole  valley  was 
devoted  to  destruction,  the  distant  hills 
were  appointed  as  a  place  of  safety.  But 
Lot,  aged,  wearied,  and  frightened,  prob- 
ably thinking  his  strength  insufficient  to 
reach  one  of  them,  requested  leave  to  re- 
tire to  a  small  town  tliat  was  nearer. 
"  Behold,  now,  this  city  is  near  to* flee  unto, 
and  it  is  a  little  one.  O  let  me  escape 
tliither,  (is  it  not  a  little  one!")  This  was 
his  infirmity  ;  for  God,  who  had  brought 
him  out,  and  directed  him  to  the  mountain, 
was  surely  able  to  strengthen  him  to  reach 
it.  It  is  dangerous  to  choose  for  ourselves, 
and  so  tlie  sequel  of  the  story  proves  ;  for 
though  his  request  was  gran.ted,  and  Zoar 
spared  for  his  sake,  yet  it  appears  tliat  he 
was  afterwards  obliged  to  leave  it,  and 
dwell  in  a  lonely  cave ;  where,  alas  !  he 
was  tempted  to  a  great  sin.  How  much 
better  then  would  it  have  been  at  once  to 
obey  tlie  heavenly  order,  and  take  refuge 
in  tlie  appointed  mountain  !  thither  God 
would  have  graciously  conducted  liim,  and 
there  doubtless  he  would  have  been  safe. 

When  a  sinner  forsakes  his  evil  ways, 
tlie  Gospel  directs  him  to  Christ  as  tlie 
only  refuge,  the  only  "deliverer  from  divine 
wratii."  Rut  how  many  are  disposed  to 
tarry  in  the  plain  !  to  rest  in  reformation 
and  morality  merely  ;  or  to  resort  to  some 
other  slielter  of  their  own  devising.  Never 
siiould  a  sinner  rest,  till,  by  faitli,  he  hath 
fled  to  Jesus,  "the  Lamb  of  God,  that 
taketii  away  the  sin  of  the  world  ;"  till 
Jesus  is  made  to  him,  "  wisdom;  righteous- 
ness, saiictification,  and  redemption."  Then 
he  is  safe. 

Lot,  his  wife,  and  daughters,  being  de- 
livered from  Sodom,  and  on  their  way  to 
"Zoar,  all   seemed   to  be   well.     Lot,  no 


doubt,  remembered  the  divine  injunction — 
"  Look  not  behind  thee.^^  God's  law,  in 
the  least  command,  as  well  as  in  the 
greatest,  is  holy,  and  just,  and  good :  he 
had  wise  reasons  for  this  prohibition.  Lot 
must  not  look  back ;  for  it  would  argue  his 
unwillingness  to  leave  Sodom,  and  his 
possessions  there;  it  might  intimate  his 
doubt  whether  the  threatening  would  be 
accomplished ;  at  any  rate  it  would  oc- 
casion some  delay ;  he  therefore  obeys,  pro- 
ceeds, and  at  length  gains  the  vvished-for 
asylum.  Not  so  his  wife :  she  looks  back, 
and  perishes :  and  this  is  tlie 

Third  particular,  which  remains  to  be 
considered  ;  the  apostasy  op  lot's  wife. 
"  She  looked  back  from  beliind  him,  and 
she  became  a  pillar  of  salt." 

That  this  very  singular  and  very  awful 
circumstance  deserves  particular  consi- 
deration, is  evident  from  the  use  which 
our  Lord  makes  of  it,  Luke  xvii.  32,  where 
he  says  to  his  disciples,  "  Remember  LoCs 
wife." 

In  the  flight  of  the  family,  it  is  probable 
that  Lot,  more  fully  convinced  of  the  ap- 
proaching danger  than  the  rest,  took  the 
lead.  His  wife,  not  sufficiently  attentive 
to  tlie  strict  prohibition,  "  Look  not  he- 
hind,''''  was  inclined,  by  some  motive  or 
other,  to  stop ;  turn  round,  and  gaze  upon 
the  devoted  city.  Perhaps  a  trifler  will 
say,  And  what  great  Jiarm  was  there  in 
tliat  ■?  I  answer.  Much  every  way.  It  was 
an  act  of  disobedience ;  and  disobedience 
is  the  very  essence  of  sin.  It  was  a  con- 
tempt* of  the  divine  authority,  which  is 
equally  to  be  regarded  in  those  things 
wliich  may  seem  to  us  small,  as  well  as 
those  which  are  apparently  great.  Her 
sin  was  aggravated  by  her  ingratitude.  It 
was  losing  sight  of  the  great  goodness  of 
God,  in  delivering  the  family,  and  dis- 
tinguishing them  from  the  tliousands  about 
to  perish.  God  resents  with  peculiar  in- 
dignation this  brutish  disregard  of  his  sin- 
gular mercies. 

Probably  there  was  a  mixture  o^ unbelief 
in  her  offence.  She  turned,  and  stopped  to 
see  whether  the  threatened  danger  was 
likely  to  ensue  or  not.  So  many  persons, 
among  ourselves,  will  believe  nothing  but 
what  tliey  can  see  or  account  for ;  let  them 
remember  Lot's  wife. 

But  love  of  the  inorld  was  doubtless 
her  principal  sin.  She  felt  a  strong  at- 
taclmient  to  the  place,  to  the  people,  and 
to  her  worldly  substance,  now  left  behind ; 
and  perhaps  entertained  a  hope  that  the 
destruction  would  not  take  place,  and  that 
she  might  yet  return  to  the  beloved  spot. 

Indulffincr  these  sinful  tiiousrhts  and  af- 


SERMON  LX. 


277 


fections,  she  stood,  gazing  on  the  city,  as 
yet  in  prospect,  till  the  horrible  storm 
overtook  her.  Struck  dead  probably  by  a 
flash  of  lightning,  she  was  miraculously 
kept  erect  and  soon  incrusted  by  a  sliower 
of  that  nitro-sulphureous  matter,  which 
desolated  the  whole  country.  Slie  became 
a  pillar  of  salt,  and  there  remained,  as  we 
learn  not  only  from  Scripture,  but  from 
several  ancient  and  credible  historians,  a 
standing  monument,  for  many  ages,  of  the 
divine  wrath  against  aposttisy. 

WHiat  must  have  been  tlie  terror  of 
righteous  Lot,  when  he  entered  Zoar,  and 
missed  the  partner  of  his  life !  Anxious 
fears  for  her  safety  would  immediately 
arise  in  his  heart.  When  the  dreadful 
storm  had  subsided,  he  would  doubtless  go 
in  search  of  her ;  but  who  can  conceive 
of  his  astonishment  and  grief,  when  he 
found  her  transformed  into  a  rock  of  salt ! 
What  an  awful  addition  w'as  this  to  tlie 
loss  of"  all  his  property,  and  of  his  two 
children,  who  had  perished  in  the  flames ! 
Such,  though  his  life  was  spared,  were  the 
dreadful  eflccts  of  his  worldly-mindedness 
in  settling  among  the  abominable  crimmals 
of  this  country. 

And  now  what  remains,  but  that  we 
select,  and  fix  deeply  on  our  bearts,  some 
of  the  important  lessons  which  this  awful 
history  is  intended  to  teach  us. 

Surely  we  inust  be  struck,  in  the  first 
l)lace,  with  the  extreme  depravity  of  hu- 
man nature,  and  the  dreadful  lengths  to 
which  it  may  proceed,  unless  restrained  by 
the  jwwer  of  God.  We  look  witli  just 
concern  on  the  guilty  cities  of  the  plain  ; 
but  are  there  not  with  us,  even  with  us, 
sins,  and  crying  sins  too,  against  the  Lord-? 
Even  the  sins  of  Sodom  are  committed  m 
tills  country ;  yea,  it  may  be  said  to  people 
called  Christians,  "  Sodom  liath  not  done 
as  thou  hast  done !"  Far  greater  are  our 
privileges  than  Sodom  ever  possessed,  and 
onr  sins  are  consequently  more  aggravated 
than  theirs.  May  we  not  then  fear  a  just 
punishment  J  God  is  now,  and  always, 
the  hater  of  sin;  and  though  a  punish- 
ment like  Sodom's  may  not  fall  upon  us 
in  tills  world,  yet,  lie,  who  is  our  Judge, 
iiatii  said,  and  lie  says  it  to  us  as  mucli°as 
to  tiie  Jews — "  It  siiall  be  more  tolerable 
for  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  in  the  day  of 
j'udgment,"  tiian  for  tiiose  wiio  hear  tlie 
(.ios|)el,  but  reject  its  evidences,  and  neg- 
lect its  salvation. 

Hear  tiien,  O  sinner,  the  warning  voice 
of  the  (iospel,  before  tiic  storm  of  wratii 
comes  down.  Escape  for  thy  life — Look 
not  liciiind  thee — Tarry  not  in  all  tiie  plain 
— Escape  to  the  mouniain — Flee  to  the 


Friend  of  sinners,  who  will  grant  thee 
refuge,  pardon,  grace,  and  eternal  life. 

VVhat  an  awful  lesson  is  here  agamst 
apostasy !  O  let  the  Savior's  caution  re- 
sound in  our  ears — "  Remember  Lot's 
wife  !"  Yes  !  let  us  remember  her,  so  as 
not  to  imitate  her.  If  you  have  turned 
your  backs  upon  the  world,  then  give  it 
up  altogether.  Will  you  regret  the  loss 
of  that  company,  of  those  amusements,  or 
even  of  that  property  which  would  have 
ruined  your  soul  for  ever!  God  forbid! 
Be  thankful,  and  remember  St.  Paul.  Say 
with  him,  "  Forgetting  the  things  which 
are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto  those 
things  which  are  before,  I  press  towards 
the  mark,  for  the  prize,  of  the  high  calling 
of  God  m  Christ  Jesus."  To  him  be  all 
the  honor  and  glory,  world  without  end, 
Amen. 


PRAYER. — Almigiitv  God,  who,  in  all  ages, 
hast  manifested  to  tlie  world  thy  love  of  righte- 
ousness and  hatred  of  iniquity,  enable  us  to  learn, 
from  what  we  have  now  heard,  what  an  evil  and 
bitter  thing  it  is  to  sin  against  thee.  Let  thy 
terrible  judgments,  which  fell  upon  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah,  prove  a  warning  to  us  and  lo  others  ; 
and  dreadful  as  their  ruin  was,  let  us  fear  lest  a 
worse  thing  should  come  upon  us ;  for  surely, 
ponsidering  our  superior  privileges,  it  will  be 
more  tolerable  for  the  inhabiiants  of  those  cities 
in  the  day  of  judgment  than  for  us,  if  we  con- 
tinue to  provoke  thee  by  our  sins.  Thou  art 
now  saying  to  us  by  thy  word,  Escape  for  your 
lives,  look  not  behind  you,  linger  not  in  the  plain, 
but  Hee  to  the  mountain.  O  that  we  may  obey 
thy  gracious  voice,  and,  without  a  moment's  de- 
lay, llee  to  the  Savior,  and  take  refuge  in  him. 
the  only  hope  set  before  us.  There  shall  we  be 
safe,  for  there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  that 
are  in  Christ  Jesus ;  and,  O  that  we  may  remem- 
ber Lot's  W'ife, — so  remember  her  as  not  to  look 
back, — not  to  long  after  the  world,  its  vanities  and 
its  pleasures,  lest  we,  like  her,  should  be  con- 
sumed !  But  being  delivered  by  thy  grace,  may 
we  be  kept  from  all  sin  ;  be  kept  by  the  power 
of  God,  through  faith,  unto  salvation !  Amen. 


SERMON  LX. 

IRRESOLUTION   REPRO\'ED,   AND   DECI- 
SION RECOiMiMKNDED. 

1  Kings  xviii.  21.  And  Elijali  came  unto  all  the 
])i'(iplc,  anil  siiid,  How  Ion-:  Iialt  ye  Iictwecn  two 
opinions?  If  tlie  Lord  be  Goil,  Ibllow  liini;  but  if 
Uual,  then  follow  liini. 

In  various  periods  of  human  life,  and 
particularly  in  youth,  there  is  a  remarkable 
hesitation  as  to  the  choice  a  person  sliall 
make.  On  the  one  hand  religion  demands 
his  attention  ;  sets  before  him  the  destruc- 
tive consequences  of  sin,  and  the  necessity 
of  forsaking  il ;  retjiilic^  him  to  reliiiqiiiJt 
'Si     ■      ' 


278 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


the  bewitching  vanities  of  the  work!,  and 
offers  him,  in  their  stead,  the  pleasures  of 
a  good  conscience,  and  an  eternal  weight 
of  glory  in  the  future  world.  But  nearer 
at  hand,  the  smiling  world  presents  her 
flattering  joys;  invites  him  immediately 
to  taste  her  delights,  and  leave  both  the 
bitters  and  sweets  of  religion  to  another 
day. 

Are  there  any  here  who  thus  hesitate  1 
— I  have  a  message  from  God  unto  you  : 
the  message  which  Elijah  delivered  to  the 
tribes  of  Israel  on  the  most  solemn  occa- 
sion, when  hesitating  whether  to  worsliip 
Jehovah  or  Baal.  "How  long  halt  ye  be- 
tween two  opinions]  If  Jehovah  be  the 
true  God,  let  liim  alone  be  worshipped  :  but 
if  Baal  can  prove  his  divinity,  let  hun  have 
your  adoration." 

After  the  death  of  Solomon,  the  king- 
dom was  divided  ;  two  tribes  only,  besides 
that  of  Levi,  adhered  to  the  family  of  Da- 
vid, and  these  kept  up  the  worship  of  Je- 
hovah :  the  other  ten  tribes  revolted  under 
Jeroboam,  and  set  up  the  idolatrous  wor- 
ship of  Baal.  The  country  of  the  latter 
was  in  extreme  misery,  having  been  punish- 
ed with  drought  for  more  than  three  years. 
Elijah,  a  bold  and  zealous  prophet  of  Je- 
hovah, requests  Ahab  the  king,  one  of  Je- 
roboam's successors,  to  collect  the  people 
and  the  priests  of  Baal ;  which  he  did. 
He  then  makes  a  proposal.  "  Let  them 
give  us,  said  he,  two  bullocks — let  them 
choose  one  for  themselves,  and  give  us  the 
other.  Let  the  priests  of  Baal  prepare 
their  beast  for  sacrifice,  and  lay  it  on 
wood;  but  put  no  fire  under.  I  will  do 
the  same  with  the  other  bullock.  Let  them 
then  call  on  the  name  of  their  gods,  and  I 
will  call  upon  the  name  of  Jehovah,  and 
the  god  that  answeretli  by  fire  let  him  be 
the  God."  This  proposal  was  so  fair,  that 
no  person  objected.  But  in  vain  did  the 
votaries  of  Baal  pray,  and  cry  for  his  in- 
terposition by  fire  from  heaven ;  "  there 
was  no  voice,  nor  any  that  answered."  At 
length  Elijah,  having  ordered  a  large 
quantity  of  water  to  be  poured  on  his 
oflering,  to  prevent  tlie  least  suspicion  of 
deceit,  called  upon  Jehovah,  saying,  "  Lord 
God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  of  Israel,  let 
it  be  known  this  day,  that  thou  art  God  of 
Israel."  Immediately,  the  fire  of  the  Lord 
fell,  and  consumed  the  whole  sacrifice  ; 
when,  the  people  being  fully  convinced, 
fell  on  their  faces,  and  said,  "  The  Lord 
he  is  God  !  the  Ix)rd  he  is  God !"  O  tliat 
a  decision  ecjually  happy  may  crown  our 
present  discourse !  Some  probably  are 
hesitating — halting  between  two  opin- 
ions; let  mo,  in  my  humble  measure,  imi- 


tate the  holy  prophet^  and  expostulate  with 
you,  "  How  long  halt  ye  1  Why  hesitate 
any  longer  1  If  the  religion  of  Jesus  be 
true  and  holy,  and  good,  why  neglect  to 
be  seriously  religious]  If  the  way  of  sin 
and  folly  be  safe  and  right;  if  God  and 
conscience  approve;  and  you  are  sure 
that  it  will  end  well — then  pursue  it  with- 
out reserve." 

I  flatter  myself  that  you  will  favor  me 
with  your  serious  attention  to  what  I  shall 
ofler  upon  the  two  lullowing  observations  : 

1.  Many  persons,  and  young  persons  es- 
pecially, are  irresolute  and  changeable 
with  respect  to  religion. 

2.  Such  is  the  reality,  pleasure,  and  ad- 
vantage of  true  religion,  that  it  desires  and 
demands  our  whole  hearts ;  and  we  ought 
not  to  hesitate  a  moment  about  giving  them 
fully  to  it. 

Let  us  first  observe,  (and  who  has  not 
observed  it  ])  that  many'  persons  seem  to 
hesitate,  and  show  that  tliey  are  irresolute 
and  undetermined,  whether  they  shall  be 
religious  or  not. 

It  must,  I  think,  be  admitted,  that  there 
is  something  in  religion  so  solemn  and  so 
grand,  that  it  can  scarcely  fail,  if  at  all 
regarded,  to  affect  and  interest  the  human 
mind.  When  the  glorious  perfections  of 
the  Almigh'ty  Being  are  displayed ;  when 
the  deformity,  turpitude,  and  mischief  of 
sin  are  exposed;  when  the  wisdom  and 
grace  of  the  redemption  of  Christ  are  un- 
folded ;  when  the  awful  solemnities  of 
death  and  judgment  are  described;  or  when 
the  astonishing  realities  of  heaven  and  hell 
are  exhibited;  that  heart  must  be  hard," 
beyond  the  common  degree  of  hardness, 
that  does  not  feel  a  religious  impression. 
The  unhappy  mortal,  accustomed  to  gross 
and  brutal  inattention,  or  the  frivolous 
creature,  habituated  to  excessive  levity,  or 
the  haughty  rationalist  who  has  been  clieat- 
ed  into  infidelity,  may,  perhaps,  contrive  to 
resist  the  impression ;  but  it  is  with  diffi- 
culty resisted,  and  if  the  darkness  be  pre- 
ferred to  tlie  light,  it  is  only  because  tlie 
opposer's  deeds  are  evil. 

Those  persons  who  attend  the  house  of 
God,  especially  those  who  hear  a  faithful 
and  able  preacher  of  the  Gospel,  can 
scarcely  fail  to  be  seriously  impressed  at 
times.  To  every  such  minister  it  may  be 
said,  as  of  old  it  was  said  to  Ezekiel, 
"  Thou  art  unto  them  as  a  very  lovely  song 
of  one  that  has  a  very  pleasant  voice,  and 
can  play  well  on  an  instrument:" — they 
are  surprised  with  tlie  grandeur  of  his 
subjects,  affected  with  the  sublimity  of  his 
ideas,  charmed  with  the  elegance  of  his 
language — are  as  well  pleased  almost,  as 


SERxMON  LX. 


2^0 


at  an  oratorio,  or  a  play ;  but  this  is  all ; 
"  fur,"  it  is  added,  "  they  hear  thy  words, 
but  they  do  them  not."  This  temporary 
affection  is  justly  described  by  St.  James — 
the  mere  hearer  resembles  "  a  man  be- 
holding his  natural  face  in  the  glass ;  for 
he  belioldeth  himsdf  and  goctli  his  way, 
and  straiglitway  forgetteth  what  manner 
of  man  he  was." — The  wofd  of  God  is  a 
faitliful  mirror :  the  law  discovers  our  sm- 
ful  spots ;  the  Gospel  displays  the  cleans- 
ing blood  of  Christ.  Many  a  hearer  catches 
a  glance  of  his  spots,  but  does  not  dwell  on 
the  deformity ;  lie  goes  his  way ;  returns 
to  the  vain  and  busy  world,  and  forgets  to 
apply  to  the  purifying  fountain ;  it  is  only 
he  who  altcntively  looks  into  the  Gospel, 
and  continucth  therein;  steadily  regards 
and  retains  the  truth ;  it  is  only  he  that  is 
"  blessed  in  his  deed." 

When  the  word  of  God  is  seconded  by 
some  alarming  and  painful  providence, 
deep  impressions  are  sometimes  felt.  Sick- 
ness and  solitude  bring  men  to  themselves. 
Affliction  obliges  them  to  withdraw  fi'om 
the  busy  and  gaudy  scenes  of  temptation, 
and  if  conscience  obtain  leave  to  speak,  it 
will  plead  in  behalf  of  religion.  It  will 
accuse  for  past  delay.  It  will  urge  to  holy 
resolutions.  If  death  enter  the  house,  and 
seize  one  of  the  family,  O  how  awfully 
important  does  religion  then  appear,  and 
how  frequently  are  some  vices  abandoned, 
and  some  duties  commenced !  But  the 
heart  soon  heals ;  the  world  regains  its  do- 
minion, and  the  sinner  hesitates  as  before. 

It  is  the  privilege  of  some  young  per- 
sons to  have  at  hand  the  most  faithful  and 
the  most  affectionate  of  all  preachers — a 
pious  and  indulgent  parent.  Wisely  catch- 
ing the  favorable  moment,  he  drops  a  seri- 
ous hint  on  the  worth  of  the  soul,  the  un- 
certainty of  life,  the  approach  of  death ; 
he  recommends,  from  the  experience  of 
years,  the  excellence  of  religion,  and  says 
that  "  the  Savior's  yoke  is  easy,  and  his 
burden  light."  The  youth,  not  yet  liardened 
by  tlie  society  of  the  vicious  and  the  infi- 
del, the  tender  female  especially,  heaves  a 
sigli,  or  drops  a  tear  in  unison  with  that  of 
the  parent;  perhaps  almost  wishes  to  be 
religious,  to  gratify  the  desires  of  a  dear 
father  or  motlier,  knowing  that  nothing 
upon  earth  would  be  esteemed  by  their 
jKirents  a  ble.ssing  half  so  great  as  their 
sincere  piety. 

In  this  state  tlic  person  resembles  king 
Agrippa,  who,  under  the  temporary  im- 
pression of  St.  Paul's  preaching,  was  con- 
strained to  say — "  Almost  thou  porsuadost 
mc  to  be  a  Christian" — almost !  alas !  onhj 
almost,  not  altogether  persuaded ;  some  se- 


cret .reserve  is  yet  made;  the  strong  liolJ 
of  the  heart  is  yet  in  the  possession  of  sin, 
which,  without  tlie  interposition  of  al- 
mighty grace,  will  ere  long  regain  all  its 
former  dominion. 

The  bewitching  pleasures  of  sin  once 
more  begin  to  court  the  soul :  some  youth- 
ful lusts  present  their  flattering  baits  to 
the  senses,  and  find  within  a  party  eager 
to  catch  at  them.  We  are  ft  lien  creatures; 
our  minds  are  become  carnal ;  and  we  have 
a  strong  propensity  to  indulge  the  flesh. 
Tlie  seed  of  every  sin  is  de})bsited  in  our 
corrupt  nature ;  and  though  the  seed  may 
long  continue  dormant,  yet,  if,  like  a 
vegetable  seed  that  has  been  buried  deep 
in  the  earth,  it  be  brougiit  towards  the  sur- 
face, and  placed  in  a  favorable  situation,  it 
will  unfold  all  its  hidden  powers,  and  ripen 
into  open  transgression.  Such  is  the  fas- 
cinating power  of  sin,  especially  when  be- 
come habitual,  tliat  it  will  insist  upon  in- 
dulgence at  any  rate ;  even  at  the  expense 
of  fortune,  character,  and  life  itself  And 
now  all  those  promising  appearances  be- 
fore spoken  of  disappear,  and  are  covered, 
like  the  writing  on  the  sea-shore,  with  the 
overwhelming  tide. 

The  strong  attraction  of  evil  company 
is  another  source  of  danger.  Man  is  formed 
for  society ;  and  we  may  add,  he  is  formed 
by  his  society,  wliether  it  be  good  or  evil. 
When  Satan  sinned  and  felj,  he  speedily 
drew  man  into  the  same  condemnation. 
When  Eve  was  prevailed  upon  to  taste  the 
forbidden  fruit,  she  hasted  to  induce  her 
husband  to  commit  the  same  trangression. 
It  is  observable,  wliat  pains  are  usually 
taken  by  the  votaries  of  pleasure  and  of 
vice,  to  lead  their  companions  into  the 
same ;  how  strongly  do  they  solicit  the 
young  and  the  unsuspecting,  to  become 
parties  in  their  ensnaring  an:usements  and 
dangerous  pleasures.  Not  content  with 
their  own  sin  and  ruin,  they  become  the 
missionaries  of  Satan,  and  labor  to  make 
proselytes  for  hell.  But  O  that  the  advice 
of  the  wise  man  were  regarded — "  My 
son,  if  sinners  entice  the«,  consent  thou 
not." 

The  fear  of  shame,  on  account  of  reli- 
gion, keeps  many  in  a  hesitating  state. 
Glorious  and  highly  honorable  as  the  reli- 
gion of  Jesus  certainly  is,  tlie  advocates 
of  sin  will  pretend  tliat  it  is  a  mean  and 
low  thing,  not  fit  for  persons  of  discern- 
ment, of  taste,  of  fashion ;  they  will  say, 
that  to  be  moved  wilii  religious  affections, 
is  to  be  irrational  and  enthusiastic  ;  and 
that  your  religious  people,  witli  all  their 
pretensions,  arc  only  concealed  hypocrites, 
and  all  their  devotion  n.erely  whining  and 


280 


VILLAGE  SER]\IONS. 


cant.  Here,  perhaps,  the  youth  is  brought 
to  a  stand.  "  Shall  I  then,"  says  he,  "  en- 
counter all  this  shame  and  disgrace  !  Must 
I,  if  religious,  be  treated  with  contempt 
by  the  world  in  general  1  Who  can  endure 
this!" 

But  stop,  my  friend,  and  let  us  argue 
this  matter.  What  do  you  blush  at  ?  Are 
you  ashamed  of  acknowledging  your  Crea- 
tor, and  bowing  the  knee  before  your  Re- 
deemer? Is  it  an  unreasonable  thing  to 
credit  the  God  of  truth,  or  to  love  him  who 
is  infinitely  amiable  ?  Is  it  mean  and  base 
to  secure  your  everlasting  happiness  even 
while  at  the  same  time  you  are  promoting 
your  best  interests  upon  earth  ?  If  you  are 
tempted  to  yield  to  the  world,  because  it 
forms  the  great  majority,  you  are  in  a  mis- 
take. "  There  are  more,  far  more  with  us 
than  with  them."  I  know  that  the  visible 
crowd  of  deceived  mortals  take  part  against 
religion,  but  what  are  they,  compared  with 
those  who  espouse  it?  Is  not  the  great  and 
eternal  God  with  us  ?  Does  not  he  approve 
the  humble  and  the  pious  soul  ?  Is  not  Jesus, 
the  glorious  Savior,  with  us  ?  He  was  once 
himself  despised  and  rejected  of  men  on 
account  of  his  piety,  and  now  he  is  exalted 
on  the  throne  of  glory,  he  knows  how  to 
pity  and  defend  his  persecuted  people.  On 
our  side  we  boast  the  innumerable  tribes 
of  angels,  whose  business  and  delight  it  is 
to  minister  to  the  heirs  of  salvation.  Shall 
we  be  ashamed  to  do  the  will  of  God  on 
earth  as  angels  do  in  heaven  ?  This  is  our 
prayer;  sJiall  it  riot  be  our  practice  too? 
With  us,  we  associate  all  thfe  spirits  of  just 
men  made  perfect,  who,  like  an  immense 
cloud  of  spectators,  seem  to  look  down 
upon  us  to  animate  us  in  our  Christian 
course.  Are  they  ashamed  of  their  former 
diligence  in  religion?  Why  then  should 
we  ?  Yea,  we  may  add — (awful  thought !) 
the  myriads  of  the  damned,  whose  dwell- 
ing is  in  darkness  and  despair,  are  now  of 
our  mind.  Once  they  laughed  at  the  reli- 
gious, but  now  their  language  is — "  This 
is  he,  whom  we  had  sometimes  in  derision, 
and  a  proverb  of  reproach:  we  fools  ac- 
counted his  life  madness,  and  his  end  to 
be  without  honor:  now  is  he  mmibered 
among  the  children  of  God,  and  his  lot  is 
among  the  saints !"  Wisdom  of  Solo77ion, 
V.  4. 

There  is  yet  another  cause  of  hesitation  : 
it  is  temporal  advantage.  "  Must  I  incur," 
says  the  halting  professor,  "  must  I  incur 
the  displeasure  of  my  superiors,  who  de- 
spise religion,  and  who  will  despise  me  for 
it?  Must  I  venture  on  the  anger  of  a  be- 
loved parent,  the  displeasure  of  an  indul- 
gent husband,  or  the  resentment  of  a  gen- 


erous patron  ?"  I  answer,  you  are  only  to  de- 
termine, whether  it  be  better  to  obey  God 
or  man.  You  are  to  remember,  that  "  one 
thing  is  needful,"  even  the  care  of  the  soul, 
which  must  be  preferred  to  every  temporal 
good :  and  you  should  recollect,  that  if  you 
"  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his 
righteousness,  every  earthly  blessing,  that 
is  good  for  you;  shall  be  added  thereto." 
Call  to  mind  the  wise  and  holy  conduct  of 
Moses,  who  "  esteemed  the  i-eproach  of 
Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treasures  of 
Egypt ;"  and  this  he  did  "  by  faith  ;"  for,  he 
renounced  the  prospect  of  worldly  wealth, 
in  expectation  of  the  "  recompense  of  the 
eternal  reward."   Go  thou  and  do  likewise. 

Thus  then  we  see  the  tempted  soid  halt- 
ing between  tvv'o  opinions.  At  one  time, 
religijon  appears  not  only  necessary,  but  ex- 
cellent and  beautiful :  the  Sabbath  a  sweet 
day  of  devotional  rest ;  the  house  of  God 
has  a  thousand  charms  to  invite  attendance ; 
the  Bible  a  book  of  sacred  instruction  and 
entertainment ;  and  prayer,  a  rational  and 
delightful  employment.  But,  through  the 
power  of  temptation,  at  another  time,  the 
scene  is  changed.  Insensibly  mixing  with 
men  of  the  world,  the  heart  is  seduced 
again,  and  gaiety,  music,  dress  and  dancing 
assume  new  charms  and  captivate  the  af- 
fections. Then  religion  siijks  in  the  scale. 
Religion  seems  to  wear  a  frowning  aspect : 
the  cavils  of  the  infidel  gather  weight  and 
importance ;  and  infidelity  promises,  not 
future  happiness,  but  present  gratification, 
and  that  without  the  restraints  which  were 
feared  before.  Religion  offers  to  make  the 
man  a  saint ;  but  as  this  appears  too  labori- 
ous, he  relinquishes  the  future  hope,  and 
inclines  to  become  a  happy  brute. 

But  still  the  mind  is  unsettled.  Conscience 
is  on  the  Lord's  side.  Something  within 
yet  withholds  assent,  and  fears  that  all 
will  not  end  well  at  last.  The  very  sight 
of  a  good  man  will  shake  its  confidence.  A 
tolling-bell,  the  view  of  a  funeral,  the  neW'S 
of  a  sudden  death,  or  tlie  apprehension  of 
a  fit  of  sickness,  will  excite  alarm :  and  a 
faithful  sermon  will  make  the  man  like  Fe- 
lix tremble.  How  many  have  we  known, 
who,  when  spectators  of  the  death  of  others, 
or  under  apprehensions  of  tlieir  own,  have 
found  their  gromid  untenable,  and  liave  ad- 
mitted that  there  is  a  reality  in  religion, 
and  that  it  is  necessary  to  their  peace  ! 
Should  the  reader -be  disposed  to  make 
such  a  concession,  he  will  be  prepared  to 
hear, 

2.  That  such  is  the  reality,  pleasure  and 
advantage  of  true  religion,  that  it  deserves 
and  demands  our  whole  hearts. 

In  the  case  before  us,  the  question  was. 


SERMON  LX. 


281 


"  Who  is  God — Jehovah  or  Baal  ?"  It  was 
agreed,  btifore  tlie  decision  was  made,  tliat 
tlie  true  God  sliould  bo  followed,  the  false 
deserted.  Would  to  God  tlie  same  deter- 
mination were  made  in  all  our  minds !  If 
religion  be  real,  pleasant  and  profitable,  we 
will  embrace  it,  let  the  consequence  be 
what  it  may.  The  trial  was  made.  Baal's 
votaries  sought  him  in  vain — "  there  was 
no  voice,  nor  any  to  answer,  nor  any  that 
regarded."  But  when  the  prophet  of  Jeho- 
vah cried — "  Let  it  be  known  this  day  that 
thou  art  God,  and  that  I  am  thy  servant ;" 
then  the  fire  of  the  Lord  descended,  dried 
up  the  water,  and  consumed  the  sacrifice. 
The  people  were  convinced,  worsiiipped 
God,  and  destroyed  his  enemies.  So  let  it 
be  with  us ;  if  it  can  be  made  to  appear 
that  our  religion  is  of  God,  then  let  us 
be  truly  religions,  and  destroy  whatever 
impediment  opposes  its  power  and  perfec- 
tion. 

But  you  will  say.  What  do  yon  mean  by 
religion  .'  The  question  is  good.  I  will  an- 
swer it.  I  mean  by  religion,  not  a  system 
of  opinions,  nor  a  set  of  ceremonies ;  but  a 
humbling  conviction  of  our  ruined  state  by 
sin ;  the  application  of  the  soul  to  Christ, 
as  an  all-sufficient  Savior;  and  a  sincere 
endeavor  to  oppose  sin  and  live  unto  holi- 
ness. This  is  real  religion.  The  religion. 
of  the  Gospel.  The  religion  which  the 
Holy  Spirit  teacheth,  and  the  disciple  of 
Jesus  learneth.  It  is  for  the  mind  to  be  en- 
lightened, so  as  to  discover  the  holy  charac- 
ter of  God  ;  to  see  our  own  deformity  in  the 
glass  of  iiis  holy  law  ;  to  be  humbled  in  the 
dust  as  penitent  sinners  :  and  then  heartily 
to  embrace  the  salvation  proclaimed  by  the 
Gospel ;  to  receive  Jesus  as  our  teacher, 
our  righteousness,  and  our  Lord,  and  to 
give  up  ourselves,  without  reserve,  to  be 
his  for  ever. 

This  religion  is  a  glorious  reality.  It  is 
scriptural ;  it  is  rational ;  it  is  e.xperimental ; 
it  is  practical.  It  answers  the  true  ends 
of  religion  ;  it  makes  us  holy  and  liappy.  It 
renews  the  heart ;  it  reforms  the  manners ; 
and  secures  eternal  bliss. 

This  is  the  religion,  which,  for  substance, 
has  been  the  choice  and  the  practice  of  all 
the  wise  and  good  men  who  ever  lived, 
from  the  days  of  Abel  until  now.  Tiiis  is 
the  religion  we  affirm  to  be  very  pleasant 
and  advantageous  ;  for  it  includes  the  sub- 
lime delight  of  a  good  conscience  delivered 
from  guilt  by  the  atoning  blood  of  Christ ; 
the  inexpressible  pleasure  of  communion 
with  God  in  his  ordinances,  public  and  pri- 
vate; the  privilege  of  society  witli  tlie  ex- 
cellent on  earth;  preservation  from  a  thou- 
sand miscljiefs  and  miseries  to  which  the 
irreligious  are  liable;  it  ufFurds  u  solid 
2  L  .. 


ground  of  consolation  in  the  unavoidable 

evils  of  life ;  and  it  sustains  the  soul  amidst 
the  awful  circumstances  of  death,  with  a 
lively  hope  full  of  immortality. 

These  and  many  more,  are  the  present 
advantages  of  true  godliness  :  but  who  can 
describe  those  which  are  to  come  ■!  Who 
can  tell  what  are  the  joys  at  God's  right 
hand — what  it  is  to  be  with  Christ,  and  be- 
hold his  glory — what  it  is  to  enter  into  the 
joy  of  the  Lord;  to, see  him  as  he  is;  to  be 
partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints 
iji  liglit ;  to  spend  eternal  ages  in  the  be- 
atific presence  of  God  and  the  Lamb  ? 

These  then  are  the  blcssuigs  of  that  holy 
religion  which  demands  our  whole  hearts. 
And  do  we  still  hesitate — still  halt  between 
two  opinions  I  Surely  this  hesitation  is 
quite  unreasonable,  and  unlike  any  thing 
in  (Jur  ordinary  conduct.  Does  the  sick  man 
hesitate  whether  to  accept  of  health,  if  it 
be  in  his  power  ?,  Does  the  poor  man  hesi- 
tate when  relief,  when  wealth  is  offered  to 
him  f  Does  the  dutiful  youth  require  a  mo- 
ment to  determine  whether  or  not  he  should 
love  his  father  or  his  mother  ■?  Do  we  stop 
to  inquire  whether  health  and  life  ought  to 
be  preserved  1  If  not,  why  halt  between 
two  opinions  in  the  greater  coQ.cern  of 
eternal  life  and  salvation  1  If  we  halt,  it  is 
a  proof  that  we  are  not  convinced  of  its 
necessity  or  its  advantage.  But  have  we 
not  sufficiently  proved  that  sucli  is  the  re- 
ality, pleasure  and  advantage  of  the  religion 
of  Christ,  that  it  deserves  and  demands 
our  whole  hearts  ?  Now,  then,  let  the  mat- 
ter be  brought  to  a  final  issue  !  Now  let 
the  awful  decision  be  made. 

Witness,  ye  angels !  ye  benevolent  spirits, 
who  frequent  our  religious  assemblies,  and 
sometime^  carry  the  glad  tidings  of  a  sin- 
ner's conversion  to  heaven,  witness  the  de- 
cision which  shall  now  be  made  ! 

"Choose  then,  this  day,"  this  moment, 
"  whom  you  will  serve.  If  it  seem  evil  unto 
you  to  serve  the  Lord;  choose  this  day 
whom  ye  will  serve."  Only  remember, 
"  ye  cannot  serve  two  masters."  God  will 
not  accept  of  a  divided  heart.  Does  your 
heart  say — "  God  forbid  that  we  should  for- 
sake the  Lord."  Then  be  it  so.  From  this 
happy  moment,  let  it  be  a  settled  point,  re- 
ligion, serious  religion,  vital  religion  sliall 
be  my  first  great  business,  and  every  tiling 
that  opposes  it  shall  give  place.  So  say, 
and  so  do,  my  brethren,  and  you  are  made 
for  ever.  Shall  I  then  add,  as  Joshua  in  a 
similar  case,  "  Ye  are  witnesses  against 
yourselves,  that  ye  have  chosen  you  the 
liord  to  serve  him.  And  they  said.  We  are 
witnesses."  May  God  confirm  your  resolu- 
tion, and  by  his  almighty  grace  ever  enable 
you  to  act  couformablv  to  it! 
21* 


282 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


PRAYER. — O  MOST  merciful  and  blessed  God, 
thy  service  is  perfect  freedom,  and  nil  thy  ways 
are  peace  and  pleasure.  Shall  we  then  hesitate 
a  moment  whether  to  serve  thee  or  not?  Can 
sin,  with  all  its  enchantments, — can  the  world, 
with  all  its  allurements,  offer  any  thing  equal  to 
thy  great  salvation, — to  pardon,  peace,  holiness, 
and  Heaven!  O  God,  to  whom  can  we  repair  but 
unto  thee,  for  thou  only  hast  the  words  of  eter- 
nal life  ;  and  dare  we  yet  delay?  Shall  we  still 
cry  out,  "  A  litde  more  sleep,  a  little  more  slum- 
ber, a  little  more  folding  of  the  hands  to  sleep? 
Awaken  us,  O  our  God,  lest  we  sleep  the  sleep 
of  death.  O  Lord,  save  us  from  ourselves  ! — save 
usTrom  the  deceiti'ulness  of  sin ! — save  us  from 
evil  companions,  save  us  from  the  snares  of  the 
Devil !  Suffer  us  to  trifle  no  longer, — no  longer  to 
halt  between  two  opinions  ;  and  whatever  be  the 
consequence,  whatever  reproach  may  assail  us, 
whatever  afflictions  may  await  us,  whatever  sa- 
crifices we  are  called  to  make,  help  us  now  by 
thy  Holy  Spirit,  to  choose  the  good  part,  which 
shall  never  be  taken  from  us.  Help  us  now  to 
say,  The  Lord,  he  is  the  God, — the  Lord,  he  is  the 
God ;  and,  whatever  others  do,  we  will  serve  the 
Lord.    Be  it  so,  for  Jesus'  sake.  Amen. 


SERMON  LXI. 

SIN  DETHRONED. 

Romans  vi.  14.  For  sin  shall  not  have  dominion 
over  you:  for  ye  are  not  under  the  Jaw,  but  under 
grace. 

The  general  power  and  prevalence  of 
sin  in  the  world  is  a  most  affecting  con- 
sideration to  a  serious  mind.  He  who 
knows  how  displeasing  sin  is  to  a  holy  God, 
and  how  destructive  to  the  souls  of  men, 
cannot  but  lament  the  awful  dominion  it 
retains,  even  in  a  Christian  country,  where 
the  will  of  God  is  revealed,  where  the  cout 
sequences  of  sin  are  exposed,  and  where  a 
sufficient  remedy  against  it  is  presented. 

This  remedy,  however  rejected  by  many, 
is  most  thankfully  received  by  a  true 
Christian,  who  esteems  a  deliverance  from 
the  power  of  sin  no  less  than  a  freedom 
from  the  guilt  of  it.  If  his  first  inquiry 
be,  "What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved?"  his 
next  is,  "  Who  shall  deliver  ine  from  tliis 
body  of  sin]"  Blessed  be  God,  the  Gospel 
furnishes  us  with  a  satisfactory  answer  to 
both  these  inquiries.  The  Redeemer  of 
men  "  came  by  water  and  blood ;  not  by 
water  only,  but  by  water  and  blood" — the 
water  and  the  blood  which  flowed  from  his 
wounded  side  was  an  admirable  emblem 
of  the  double  design  of  his  death,  which 
was  both  to  justify  and  to  sanctify — to  dis- 
charge from  guilt,  and  to  cleanse  from  pol- 
lution— to  purge  our  consciences  from  dead 
works,  and  to  deliver  us  from  the  dominion, 
as  well  as  from  the  danger  of  sin.  Sin 
shall  not  condemn  the  believer,  because 


Christ  hath  died  ;  sin  shall  not  govern  the 
believer,  because  he  is  under  grace. 

This  comfortable  declaration  of  the  apos- 
tle Paul  is  here  introduced,  in  consequence 
of  a  supposed  objection  to  the  glorious 
doctrines  and  privileges  asserted  in  the 
former  chapters  of  this  epistle,  particularly 
in  the  conclusion  of  the  fifth  chapter — 
"  Where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much 
more  abound" — as  the  exceeding  sinfulness 
of  sin  is  manifested  by  the  law,  so  the  su- 
perabounding  grace  of  God  in  the  pardon 
of  sin  is  made  gloriously  conspicuous  by 
the  Gospel.  To  this  illustrious  truth,  some 
Pharisaical  or  some  licentious  persons  may 
object,  and  connect  with  it  this  base  infer- 
ence— "  Let  us  continue  in  the  practice 
of  sin,  that  this  famous  grace  may  abound 
so  much  the  more  in  pardoning  us."  But 
does  the  holy  apostle  allow  this  inference 
to  be  just]  No  :  his  heart  rises  with  indig- 
nation at  the  thought  of  such  an  abuse  of 
divine  gj  ace  ;  and  he  shows  that  believers 
in  Christ  were,  by  their  profession  and 
their  baptism,  dead  to  sin,  and  engaged  to 
imitate  their  Savior  in  a  holy  obedience ;. 
to  which  he  adds  the  encouraging  declara- 
tion in  the  text — "  Sin  shall  not  have  do- 
minion over  j/oz(," — over  you  believers; 
and  for  this  reason — "ye  are  not  under 
the  law,  but  under  grace." 

To' a  sincere  disciple  of  Christ,  freedom 
from  the  power  of  sin  is  a  most  desirable 
blessing ;  his  desires,  his  prayers,  his  en- 
deavors, are  continually  directed  to  this 
point :  whatever,  therefore,  may  assist  him 
in  the  attainment  of  this  great  object  wiU 
be  truly  welcome.  This  text,  then,  which 
shows  the  means  appointed  of  God  for  the 
purpose  of  delivering  us  from  sin,  demands 
our  most  carefiil  attention.  May  the  Holy 
Spirit  assist  and  succeed  our  meditations, 
while  we  consider, 

I.  The  evil  which  we  are  encouraged  to 
resist;  and, 

II.  The  means  afforded  for  our  encour- 
agement in  resisting  it. 

1.  The  evil  which,  as  Christians,  we 
are  encouraged  to  resist  is  the  dominion  of 
sin.  In  this  chapter,  St.  Paul  represents 
sin  as  a  master,  and  men  as  his  servants — 
sin  as  a  lord,  and  men  as  his  vassals — sin 
as  a  king,  and  men  as  his  subjects.  He 
considers  sin  as  a  miglity  usurper,  a  tyrant, 
exercising  absolute  dominion  over  the  sin- 
ner; taking  the  sinner's  heart  for  his 
throne,  and  the  members  of  his  body  for 
his  slaves.  "  Ye  were,"  saith  he,  "  the 
servants  of  sin,  for  his  servants  ye  are  to 
whom  ye  obey;  your  members  were  in- 
struments of  unrighteousness  to  sin ;  sin 
reigned  in  your  mortal  bodies,  so  tliat  he 


SERMON  LXI. 


283 


obeyed  the  lusts  thereof;  sin  abounded ; 
sin  reigned  unto  deatii."  By  these  strong 
expressions  he  justly  represents  the  uncon- 
trolled power  of  sin  over  the  natural  man ; 
who  refuses  submission  to  the  easy  yoke 
of  God's  authority,  and  tamely  submits  to 
the  vile  and  destructive  drudgery  of  the 
tyrant  of  hell. 

By  a  successful  stratagem,  sin  obtained 
the  supremacy  over  our  first  father :  and 
his  posterity,  while  they  remain  in  their 
natural  state,  have  never  been  able  to 
break  tiie  yoke.  Sin  has  reigned,  and 
deatli  has  reigned,  from  that  time  to  the 
present.  No  monarchy  can  pretend  to  an 
antiquity  equal  with  this:  nor  has  any 
monarchy  been  so  extensive  as  this.  What- 
ever have  been  the  variations  of  climate, 
color,  or  customs,  sin  has  been  uniform  in 
maintaining  its  empire.  Go  into  all  na- 
tions ;  and  whether  you  call  them  Pagan, 
or  Mahometan,  or  Jewish ;  whether  bar- 
barous or  civilized;  whether  Catholic  or 
Protestant,  you  must  call  them  all  sinners. 
In  our  own  country,  civilized  as  it  is,  en- 
lightened as  it  is,  full  of  churches  and 
Bibles  as  it  is,  sin  reigns ;  sin  has  the  do- 
minion over  Britons,  the  few  excepted, 
whotn  the  Son  of  God  hath  made  "  free 
indeed."  This  awful  representation  of 
the  matter  is  justified  by  the  apostle  John, 
who  says — "  We  know  that  we  are  of  God, 
and  the  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness," 
or,  "  is  in  subjection  to  the  wicked  one." 
This  dreadful  dominion  of  sin  is  promoted 
by  various  means. 

1.  By  ignorance  of  God's  will.  In  some 
countries,  this  is  almost  total;  in  ours  it  is 
partial,  and  in  a  great  measure  wilful.  If 
we  do  not  know  our  master's  will,  it  is  be- 
cause we  do  not  wish  to  know  it ;  it  is  be- 
cause we  do  not  "  like  to  retain  God  in 
our  knowledge  ;"  it  is  because  w^e  "  love 
darkness  better  than  li"fht,  our  deeds  beinir 
evil."  And  this,  no  doubt,  is  a  principal 
cause  that  so  many  forsake  the  house  of 
God,  and  neglect  to  read  their  Bibles ;  tliey 
are  not  disposed  to  do  the  will  of  God ; 
why  then  should  they  learn  it  1 

2.  Our  corrupt  passions  and  sensual 
propensities  reject  divine  control.  O  how 
strongly  are  we  inclined  to  evil!  how  im- 
petuous our  desires  !  beloved  lusts  will  be 
gratified,  though  health,  reputation,  for- 
tune, life  itself,  are  at  stake.  "  How  abom- 
inable and  filthy  is  man,  who  drinketh  ini- 
quity like  water!"  "  who  drawetli  iniquity 
witli  cords  of  vanity,  and  sin  as  it  were 
with  a  cart-rope ;"  "  who  doeth  evil  with 
both  hands  earnestly  !"  So  doth  God,  by 
his  prophets,  describe  the  vigorous  and  de- 


termined actings  of  sin  in  the  corrupt  na- 
ture of  man. 

8.  The  power  of  sin  is  promoted  by  the 
worldly  interests  of  men,  to  which  they 
readily  give  the  decided  preference,  when 
they  happen  to  clash,  as  they  often  do, 
with  their  duty  to  God.  When  profit  may 
be  obtained,  when  pleasure  may  be  enjoy- 
ed, when  fame  may  be  acquired,  farewell 
duty!  farewell  the  will  of  God-!  farewell 
heaven  !  They  will  sacrifice  conscience 
and  their  everlasting  interests  to  the  grati- 
fication of  the  moment.  Thus,  for  the 
sake  of  the  world,  the  guests  invited  to 
tlie  Gospel  feast,  with  one  consent,  desired 
to  be  excused,  and  the  rich  man  departed 
from  Jesus  full  of  sorrow. 

4.  Tlie  dominion  of  sin  is  promoted  by 
the  powerful  temptations  and  subtile  arti- 
fices of  Satan  ;  he  goeth  about  like  a  roar- 
ing lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour ; 
he  presents  the  pleasures  of  sin  in  the 
most  alluring  colors;  he  hides  from  men 
the  pernicious  consequences;  encourages 
them  to  venture  boldly  on  the  most  daring 
offences ;  tells  them  that  God  is  very  mer- 
ciful, and  repentance  very  easy  :  and  thus 
supports  his  cruel  empire  over  the  world 
of  sinners. 

5.  The  countenance  and  example  of  the 
multitude  contribute  much  to  the  support 
of  sin's  dominion.  Sinners  readily  follow 
the  multitude  to  do  evil.  The  broad  road 
that  leads  to  destruction  is  thronged  with 
travellers ;  and  natural  men  smoothly  fol- 
low the  course  of  this  world.  Tliis  has  a 
wonderful  tendency  to  silence  the  remon- 
strances of  conscience,  and  to  prevent  that 
shame  which  would  be  unavoidable,  were 
sin  less  common.  Sinners  are  kept  in 
countenance  by  the  majority  of  their  fel- 
low-creatures;  if  they  are  the  slaves  of 
iniquity,  so  are  the  greater  part  of  their 
friends,  and  neighbors,  and  countrymen  ; 
and  tliey  are  ready  to  hope,  that  what  is  so 
general  cannot  be  very  dangerous. 

Some  proceed  further,  and  venture  to 
glory  in  their  shame.  "Were  they 
ashamed,"  said  God  by  the  prophet,  "  when 
they  had  committed  abomination'!  nay, 
they  were  not  at  all  ashamed:  neither 
could  they  blush;  therefore  they  shall  fall 
among  them  that  fall :  at  tlie  time  that  I 
visit  them,  they  shall  be  cast  down,  saith 
the  Lord."  Jer.  vi.  15.  It  argues  an  aw- 
ful degree  of  hardness  of  heart,  and  af- 
fords a  fear  that  God  has  given  sinners  en- 
tirely up,  when  they  not  only  "commit 
such  things  as  are  worthy  of  death,  but 
have  pleasure  in  them  that  do  them."  Sin 
is  the  daily  business,  the  chosen  portion  of 


284 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


some ;  they  "  make  provision  for  the  flesh, 
to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof;"  "  Covne  ye,  say 
they,  I  will  fetch  wine,  and  we  will  filJ 
ourselves  with  strong  drink ;  and  to-mor- 
row shall  be  as  this  day  and  much  more 
abundant." 

Such  is  the  dominion  of  sin !  such  its 
absolute  power  over  the  children  of  Adam ! 
such  the  means  whereby  it  is  promoted 
and  maintained. 

By  some,  indeed,  it  is  occasionally  op- 
posed. The  power  of  conscience,  the  in- 
fluence of  education,  the  exhortations  of 
ministers,  the  fear  of  death,  or  the  love  of 
reputation,  induce  some  to  oppose  its  en- 
tire dominion.  There  have  been,  in  a-11 
ages,  persons  smitten  with  the  beauty  of 
virtue,  and  shocked  at  the  deformity  of 
vice,  who  have  made  considerable  attempts 
to  deliver  themselves  and  others  from  the 
government  of  sin :  but,  without  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ,  their  efforts  have  proved 
ineffectual..  Many  of  the  heathen  philoso- 
phers were  themselves  awful  and  pitiable 
proofs  of  the  weakness  of  fallen  nature  to 
contend  with  the  power  of  sin.  Nor  have 
many  nominal  Christians  succeeded  much 
better.  Like  the  formal  Jews,  they  "  fol- 
lowed after  the  law  of  righteousness,"  and 
with  great  apparent  zeal ;  but  they  attain- 
ed it  not.  What  was  the  cause  of  their 
failure  !  St.  Paul  says,  it  was — "  Because 
they  sought  it  not  by  faith,  but  as  it  were 
by  the  works  of  the  law ;  for  they  stum- 
bled at  that  stumbling-stone."  Let  us  be- 
ware of  this  error.  Let  us  profit  by  the 
instruction  of  the  text.  This  is  a  light  to 
our  feet  in  this  very  important  matter — 
"  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  i/om." 
What  shall  prevent  it !  The  apostle  adds, 
"_/()/•  ye  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under 
grace."  And  this  is  the  thing  we  proposed 
to  consider, 

II.  The  means  afforded  for  our  encour- 
aoement  in  resistinir  sin :  these  are  in- 
chided  in  the  words — "for  ye  are  not  un- 
der the  law,  but  under  grace." 

Grace  is  here  opposed  to  the  law,  and 
signifies  the  Gospel ;  which,  in  Scripture, 
is  frequently  opposed  to  it,  as  in  John  i.  17, 
"  TJie  law  came  by  Moses,  but  grace  and 
truth  by  Jesus  Christ."  The  Gospel  may, 
with  the  strictest  propriety,  be  called 
grace,  because  it  is  a  declaration  of  the 
wonderful  grace  of  God  in  tlie  redemption 
of  sinners  by  Jesus  Christ ;  and  it  is  so  to 
be  understood,  2  Cor.  vi.  1.  "  We  beseech 
you,  that  ye  receive  not  tlie  grace  of  God 
in  vain  :"  tliat  is — that  ye  receive  not  the 
doctrine  of  the  Gospel  unprofitably.  So 
St.  Paul  exhorted  the  people  at  Antioch 
"  to  continue  hi  the  grace  of  God  ;"  Acts 


xiii.  43 ;  and,  in  another  place,  it  is  said, 
that  "  God  gave  testimony  to  the  word  of 
his  grace." 

The  apostle  mentions  it  as  a  reason  why 
the  believing  Romans  should  not  contmue 
under  the  power  of  sin,  that  they  were  no 
longer  under  the  law,  but  under  the  Gos- 
pel ;  consequently  it  appears  that  those 
who  are  under  the  Gospel  dispensation 
possess  greater  advantages  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  sin,  than  those  who  were,  or  are, 
under  the  law. 

By  the  law,  we  are  to  understand  not 
the  ceremonial  or  judicial  law  of  Moses, 
which  was  peculiar  to  the  Jews,  and  to 
which  most  of  the  Roman  Christians  had 
never  been  subject ;  but  the  moral  law,  or 
the  law  of  the  ten  commandments ;  for  it 
is  the  law  by  which  the  apostle  himself 
learned  the  true  nature  of  sin,  chap.  vii.  7. 
this  was  the  law  which  he  says  is  "  holy, 
just,  good,  and  spiritual ;"  the  law  in  which 
he  says  he  "delighted,  after  the  inward 
man ;"  and  compared  with  which  he  adds, 
"  I  am  carnal,  sold  under  sin." 

This  holy  law  of  God  was  a  system  of 
just  but  awful  severity;  it  was  given  at 
Mount  Sinai  in  so  tremendous  a  manner, 
that  Moses  himself  was  exceedingly  ter- 
rified. But  God  had  wise  and  holy  designs 
in  the  establishment  of  it.  "  The  law  en- 
tered, that  the  offence  might  abound" — it 
was  introduced  among  the  Jews,  not  that 
they  might  be  justified  by  it,  but,  by  dis- 
covering how  far  they  fell  short  of  the 
obedience  it  required,  and  how  their  native 
corruption  was  ratlier  irritated  than  sup- 
pressed by  its  most  holy  precepts,  they 
might  be  more  deeply  impressed  with  a 
sense  of  their  abounding  sins ;  and  thus  it 
became  (together  with  the  ceremonial  law) 
"  a  schoolmaster,  to  lead  them  to  Christ ;" 
and  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  Gospel,  in 
which  the  grace  of  God  is  as  eminently 
conspicuous,  as  his  holiness  was  under  the 
law  ;  and  that  so,  where  sin  had  abounded, 
grace  might  much  more  abound." 

Now,  believers  in  Christ  are  "  not  un- 
der the  law;"  they  are  "dead  to  the  law;" 
they  are  ^'delivered  from  the  law."  By 
these  expressions,  we  are  not  to  suppose 
that  they  are  discharged  from  their  obliga- 
tions to  obedience  to  God  ;  for  the  apostle 
expressly  says  of  himself,  1  Cor.  ix.  21, 
that  he  was  "  not  without  law  to  God,  but 
under  the  law  to  Christ;"  but  believers 
are  no  longer  under  the  law,  considered  as 
a  covenant,  the  terms  of  which  are,  "  the 
man  that  doeth  them"  (all  and  every  man 
perfectly)  "shall  live  in  them."  Jesus 
Christ  has  fulfilled  all  righteousness  for 
his  people,  and  is  the  end  of  the  law  for 


SERMON  LXI. 


285 


righteousness  to  every  one  w  lio  believcth. 
Being  accounted  righteous  through  faith 
in  Christ,  they  are  redeemed  from  the 
curse  of  the  law ;  there  is  no  more  con- 
demnation to  them  ;  and  the  Gospel  (which 
is  the  law  of  the  spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Je- 
sus) hath  made  tliem  free  from  the  law  of 
sin  and  death.  Rom.  viii.  2. 

It  should  be  remembered,  that  while  the 
law  justly  demanded  obedience,  it  aflbrded 
no  aid  for  the  performance  of  it.  Nor  could 
it  encourage  any  one  to  hope  for  pardon, 
in  case  of  disobedience.  It  must  therefore 
be  allowed  that  the  law  excited  fear  and  a 
spirit  of  bondage,  God  dealing  with  his 
people  who  were  under  it  rather  as  ser- 
vants than  as  sons. 

The  case  is  now  altered.  We  are  not 
called  to  "  Mount  Sinai,"  to  hear  the  ter- 
rible threatenings  of  the  law ;  but  we  are 
come  to  "  Mount  Sion,"  wheregrace,  free, 
sovereign  grace  and  mercy  are  published. 
Here  indeed  the  lioliness  and  justice  of 
God  are  also  gloriously  displayed ;  but  not, 
as  under  the  law,  in  demanding  from  us  a 
perfect  unsinning  obedience  as  the  condi- 
tion of  life,  and  in  denouncing  the  just 
wrath  of  God  upon  a  defect  of  it ;  but  in 
showing  that  Jesus  Christ,  our  glorious 
surety,  has  magnified  the  law,  and  made 
it  eternally  honorable,  by  his  o.wn  obedi- 
ence to  death  in  our  behalf,  on  account 
of  which  God  is  now  just,  while  he  is  the 
justifier  of  the  ungodly. 

The  Gospel  aftbrds  another  advantage 
above  the  law.  The  law  included  the  sub- 
stance of  all  the  holy  precepts  now  con- 
tained in  the  New  Testament ;  but  in  the 
Gospel  tliey  are  expanded  and  full-blown, 
and  appear  in  all  the  loveliness  and  beauty 
of  holiness.  Jesus  Christ,  our  only  law- 
giver, has  divinely  explained  the  duties 
briefly  contained  in  the  decalogue,  espe- 
cially in  his  admirable  sermon  on  the 
mount.  And  the  epistles  of  his  inspired 
apostles  to  the  churches  adapt  the  general 
precepts  of  the  law  to  every  relation  and 
condition  of  life ;  showing  exactly  the  dis- 
tinct duties  of  subjects,  of  husbands,  wives, 
parents,  children,  servants,  members  of 
Christian  societies,  so  tiiat  nothing  is  want- 
ing clearly  to  disclose  the  full  meaning  of 
the  two  grand  commandments — the  su- 
preme love  of  God,  and  the  disinterested 
love  of  our  neighbor. 

The  Gospel  disi)ensation  is  superior  to 
that  of  the  law  on  anotlier  account ;  there 
i.s  a  more  abundant  measure  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  poured  out  upon  the  people  of  God, 
by  which  they  not  only  attain  a  clearer 
knowledge  of  his  will,  but  a  larger  degree 
of  his  gracious  assistance  in  overcoming 


sin.  It  is  the  pe.culiar  promise  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  Heb.  viii.  10,  "  I  will  put 
my  laws  into  their  mind,  and  write  them 
in  their  hearts."  Now  this  is  a  great  deal 
more  and  better  than  having  the  laws  of 
God  written  in  a  book,  or  fixed  against  a 
wall  (though  these  are  useful  too)  it  in- 
cludes the  renovation  of  our  souls,  by  the 
effectual  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
whereby  the  mind  is  divinely  enlightened, 
and  the  heart  powerfully  disposed,  and  en- 
abled to  comply  with  the  will  of  God. 

The  Gospel  assures  us  of  sufficient  grace 
for  every  purpose  required.  All  grace  is 
treasured  up  in  Jesus  for  the  use  of  his 
people ;  in  him  "  all  fullness  dwells ;"  and 
"  of  this  fullness  they  may  receive  daily, 
grace  for  grace."  John  i.  16.  There  is  an 
inexhaustible  fullness  of  grace  in  him,  as 
the  head  of  the  church:  and  it  is  intended 
for  the  supply  of  believers ;  so  that  in  all 
their  wants  and  sorrows  they  may,  by 
prayer  and  faith,  receive  abundance  of 
grace.  Whatever  duties  they  have  to  per- 
form, whatever  trials  they  are  called  to 
bear,  whatever  sins  they  have  to  oppose, 
they  may  depend  on  sufficient  strength  and 
grace  for  the  purpose.  On  this  ground, 
St.  Paul  boldly  says,  "  I  can  do  all  things 
through  Christ,  which  strengtheneth  me." 
He  was  weak  in  himself,  but  strong  in  the 
grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  who,  upon  a 
certain  occasion,  said  to  him,  for  his  en- 
couragement, "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for 
thee :  for  my  strength  is  made  perfect  in 
weakness."  2  Cor.  xii.  9. 

The  love  of  Christ  is  another  grand  as- 
sistant in  our  victory  over  sin.  Love  is 
the  most  strong  and  generous  of  all  the 
passions,  and  the  hardest  service  becomes 
easy  when  this  prevails.  This  was  that 
which  supported  tlie  first  Christians  in 
their  almost  incredible  labors  and  suffer- 
ings. Tlie  lively  sense  they  entertained 
of  his  wonderful  affection  to  their  souls,  in 
dying  for  their  sins,  animated  them  to  the 
most  vigorous  exertions  in  his  cause,  led 
them  to  glory  in  his  cross,  and  to  esteem 
themselves  happy  in  laying  down  their 
lives  for  his  sake.  "  The  love  of  Christ," 
said  St.  Paul,  "  constraineth  us" — it  bears 
us  (iway  like  a  strong  and  resistless  tor- 
rent, (2  Cor.  v.  14.)  while  we  thus  judge, 
that,  if  Christ  died  for  our  redemption, 
even  when  we  were  in  a  state  of  condem- 
nation and  death,  it  is  fit  tiiat  our  ransom 
ed  liver^  should  be  tacred  to  him :  this  con- 
sideration will  have  a  powerful  eflfect  upon 
the  believer,  when  tempted  to  sin.  Shall 
that  sin  which  Christ  hated — that  sin  for 
which  Christ  suffered — that  sin  which  he 
died  to  deliver  me  from,  have  dominion 


286 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


over  me  1  God  forbid !  Am  I  not  dead  to 
sin  by  baptismal  engagements  and  obliga- 
tions ]  Am  I  not  baptized  into  his  death  1 
engaging  thereby  to  be  conformed  to  it? 
that,  as  he  died  for  it,  L should  die  to  it; 
and  that,  as  he  was  raised  from  the  dead, 
so  I  should  arise  from  the  grave  of  sin,  to 
walk  in  newness  of  life  1  Is  not  my  old 
man  of  sin  crucified  with  Christ,  that  the 
body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed,  that  hence- 
forth I  should  not  serve  sin  ?  Such  is  the 
reasoning  of  the  holy  apostle  in  this  chap- 
ter, and  such  is  the  holy  reasoning  of  every 
child  of  God,  in  his  right  mind. 

The  grace  >-£  the  Gospel  affords  yet  far- 
ther aid  m  tliis  great  conflict, -by  tlie  cheer- 
ing views  it  presents  of  everlasting  glory. 
We  are  engaged  in  a  severe  warfare,  but 
*  under  the  Captain  of  our  salvation,  we  are 
assured  of  victory.  Though  we  have  been 
the  slaves  of  sin.  we  may  boldly  reject  its 
usurped  authority,  and  transfer  our  facul- 
ties to  the  service  of  Christ,  with  the  cer- 
tainty of  acceptance  and  protection.  Let 
our  members  henceforth  be  employed  as 
weapons  in  the  Lord's  warfare.  Unequal 
as  we  are  to  .  encounter  native  depravity, 
inveterate  habits  of  evil,  an  alluring  or 
threatening  world,  a  raging  and  subtle 
devil ;  when  enlisted  in  Christ's  service,  we 
may  truly  say,  "  there  are  more  on  our  side 
than  against  us :"  yea,  "  If  God  be  for  us," 
(and  he  certainly  is,  if  warring  against  sin) 
"  who  can  be  against  us  ?"  Nothing,  how- 
ever hostile  and  formidable,  shall  be  able 
to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus.  Our  perseverance  to  the 
end  is  secured  by  the  promise  and  power 
of  God ;  and  we  shall  be  more  than  con- 
querors through  him.  We  shall  be  ena- 
bled to  say,  at  the  solemn  close  of  life,  "O 
death,  where  is  thy  sting  1  O  grave,  where 
is  thy  victory  7"  Covered  with  unworthi- 
ness  and  shame,  in  ourselves  considered, 
we  shall  be  presented  faultless  before  the 
presence  of  his  glory  with  exceeding  joy. 
Our  weak  and  defiled  bodies  shall  become 
heavenly  and  incorruptible ;  living  under 
grace,  we  shall  die  into  glory,  and  rise  to 
eternal  life. 

Such  are  the  solid  and  sublime  hopes 
of  the  Christian.  And  will  these  have  no 
holy  influence  upon  his  conduct?  Hear 
St.  John.  "  Every  man  that  hath  this 
hope  in  him,  purifieth  himself,  even  as  he 
is  pure."  The  heirs  of  glory  will  disdain 
the  low  gratification  and  filthy  drudgery 
of  sin.  They  know  that  their  Savior  is 
holy,  the  society  they  expect  to  join  is 
holy,  their  employments  and  delights  will 
be  holy ;  their  hope  therefore,  as  well  as 
their  faith,  will  purify  their  souls,  influ- 


ence their  walk,  and  prevent  the  dominion 
of  sin. 

CONCLUSION. 

Who  can  behold  the  general  dominion 
of  sin  over  the  world  without  the  deepest 
concern  !  O  that  ever  this  cursed  foe  to 
God  and  man  should  acquire  universal  au 
thority !  "  O  that  my  head  were  waters, 
and  mine  eyes  a  fountain  of  tears,  that  1 
might  weep  day  and  night  for  the  slain  of 
the  daughter  of  my  people  !"  If  sin  con- 
tinue to  reign,  it  will  reign  unto  death  ; 
the  wages  of  sin  is  death.  Sin  unpardon- 
ed, sin  unsubdued,  must  issue  in  the  sin- 
ner's everlasting  destruction.  What  then 
is  my  state  ?  Does  sin  reign  over  me  ;  or 
have  I  obtained  dominion  over  sin  ?  Let 
conscience  make  a  sincere  inquiry,  and  re- 
port a  faithful  answer. 

Having  learned  by  this  discourse,  that 
no  means  are  effectual  to  stop  the  progress 
of  sin,  but  those  afforded  by  the  Gospel  of 
grace,  let  this  serve  to  render  the  Gospel 
more  dear  and  precious.  It  is  not  by  the 
knowledge  of  the  law,  nor  by  endeavors 
in  our  own  strength  to  fulfil  its  precepts, 
that  the  power  of  sin  can  be  destroyed. 
No  ;  it  is  only  the  Gospel  that  is  the  pow- 
er of  God  unto  salvation — salvation  from 
the  guilt,  or  salvation  from  the  dominion 
of  sin.  It  is  the  knowledge  of  Christ  cru- 
cified ;  it  is  faith  in  him ;  it  is  union  to 
him  ;  it  is  love  to  him  ;  it  is  liope  in  him ; 
that  must  invigorate  my  soul  in  this  holy 
war.  Let  me  then  highly  prize  the  Gos- 
pel of  grace,  and  earnestly  pray  for  the 
grace  of  the  Gospel  ;  that  so,  having 
obeyed  from  the  heart  that  form  (or  mould) 
of  doctrine,  into  which  I  have  been  deliv- 
ered, my  whole  temper  and  life  may  be 
transformed  into  a  glorious  resemblance  of 
it ;  being  "  made  free  from  sin,  and  be- 
come a  servant  of  God,  my  fi'uit  may  be 
unto  holiness,  and  my  end  everlasting  life." 
This  subject  effectually  refutes  that  vile 
slander  which  is  so  unjustly  cast  on  the 
doctrines  of  grace,  as  if  they  were  condu- 
cive to  sin,  and  unfriendly  to  holiness. 
The  very  reverse  is  the  truth ;  for  while 
the  professed  advocates  of  righteousness 
by  the  law  can  make  no  eflfectual  stand 
against  the  power  of  sin,  but  are  common- 
ly its  wretched  vassals ;  humbled  believers 
in  Jesus,  justified  by  his  blood,  and  saved 
alone  by  grace,  are  enabled  to  fight  the 
good  fight  of  faith,  and  subdue  their  most 
powerful  iniquities ;  and  thus,  "  grace 
reigns,  through  righteousness,  unto  eternal 
life,  by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  To  whom, 
the  Conqueror  over  sin,  and  death  and  hell, 
be  glory  in  all  the  Churches,  world  with 
out  end.     Amen. 


SERMON  LXII. 


287 


PRAYER,— Most  holy  Got!,  how  awful  is  the 
state  of  man  by  nature  !  We  confess,  with 
shame,  that  sin  has  usurped  the  dominion  over 
the  whole  human  race.  Sin,  like  a  mighty  mon- 
arch, hath  reigned  over  all  the  children  of  Adam ; 
sin  hath  reigned  in  our  mortal  bodies,  so  that  we 
have  obeyed  the  lusts  thereof;  sin  hath  awfully 
abounded,  and  threatened  to  reign  unto  death  ! 
but  grant,  O  Lord,  we  beseecli  thee,  that  sin  may 
no  longer  have  dominion  over  us.  We  rejoice 
that  Jesus  Christ  hath  come  into  the  world,  not 
only  to  deliver  us  from  the  guilt  of  sin,  but  also 
from  its  power ;  that  what  the  law  could  never 
do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh,  the  Son 
of  God  hath  effected,  by  shedding  his  precious 
blood,  that  so,  all  who  believe,  might  be  made 
free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death.  We  rejoice 
that  we  are  now  not  under  the  law,  but  under 
grace ;  and  that  the  Gospel  affords  every  advan- 
tage we  can  desire  to  deliver  us  from  the  bond- 
age of  sin.  O  give  us  thy  Holy  Spirit,  that, 
through  his  grace,  we  may  mortify  the  deeds  of 
the  body ;  and  being  constrained  by  the  love  of 
Christ,  we  may  depart  from  all  iniquity.  May 
our  hearts  be  purified  by  faith,  that  now,  being 
made  free  from  sin,  and  become  servants  to  God, 
we  may  have  our  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end 
everlasting  life,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 


SERMON  LXII. 

UNIVERSAL  HOLINESS. 

Zecliariah  xiv.  20.  In  that  day  there  shall  be  upon 
tlic  bells  of  the  horses— HOLINESS  UNTO  THE 
LORD. 

The  predictions  of  the  prophet  in  this 
chapter  appear  to  refer  to  the  times  of  the 
Gospel,  when  the  word  of  Christ  first 
preached  at  Jerusalem,  should  be  propa- 
gaied  far  and  wide ;  and  when  the  kmg- 
dom  of  Messiah  should  be  generally  estab- 
lished. Perhaps  the  text  itself  may  be  a 
prediction  of  the  latter-day  glory,  when 
the  knowledge  of  Christ  shall  cover  the 
whole  earth ;  and  when  the  holiness  of 
God's  people  shall  be  remarkably  great 
and  glorious,  so  that  in  all  their  conversa- 
tion, and  in  all  their  actions,  civil  as  well 
as  religious,  one  uniform  tenor  of  holiness 
will  appear.  Should  this  not  be  the  spe- 
cial design  of  the  words,  it  will  neverthe- 
less be  allowed,  that  at  all  times,  and  in  all 
places,  "Holiness  becometh  the  house  of 
the  Lord  ;"  and  that  it  is  his  royal  will  and 
pleasure,  that  all  who  name  the  name  of 
Christ  should  depart  from  all  iniquity,  and 
be  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation  and 
godliness. 

This  holiness,  which  we  call  universal 
holiness,  because  it  extends  to  the  whole 
man,  and  to  liis  whole  conduct,  is  descri- 
bed in  the  text  in  a  remarkable  manner. 
The  prophet  foretells  tliat  holiness  to  the 


Lord  shall  be  written  on  the  bells  or  bri- 
dles, that  is,  upon  the  ornaments  of  the 
horses.  Now  this  inscription,  Hnimess 
unto  the  Lord,  was  originally  engraved  on 
a  plate  of  gold,  and  fixed  on  the  front  of 
the  mitre,  or  turban,  of  the  high-priest; 
and  it  ^as  ordered  to  be  upon  his  foreliead, 
when  he  went  into  the  holy  of  holies,  that 
he  might  bear  the  iiiiquity  of  Israel,  and 
that  they  might  be  accepted  before  Jeho- 
vah, Exod.  xxxviii.  38.  In  wearing  this, 
he  was  a  type  of  Christ,  our  great  high- 
priest,  "  the  holy  one  of  God,"  who  bore 
our  iniquities  inliis  own  body  on  the  cross, 
and  who  now  appears  in  the  presence  of 
God  for  us,  and  for  our  acceptance :  it 
might  also  denote  the  personal  holiness  of 
true  believers,  who  should  be  openly  devo- 
ted to  God,  as  if  this  inscription  appeared 
on  their  foreheads. 

But  it  is  here  said,  that  this  inscription 
shall  be  found  on  the  ornaments  of  the 
horses.  Were  we  to  take  it  literally,  it 
might  signify  that  great  and  rich  men,  or 
travellers,  shall  be  so  far  from  being  asha- 
med of  religion,  tliat  they  shall  write  this 
motto  on  tlie  trappings  of  their  horses,  as 
gentlemen  now  use  their  crests ;  that  they 
shall  glory  in  their  profession  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  make  this  sentence  a  memento  to 
themselves,  that  they  may  do  every  thing 
to  the  glory  of  God.  But  we  may  more 
properly  consider  the  meaning  to  be,  that 
religion  shall  not  be  confined  to  sacred  per- 
sons, times,  and  places,  as  this  inscription 
originally  was  to  the  high-priest ;  but  that 
all  real  Christians,  being  "  a  holy  priest- 
hood," "  a  nation  of  priests,"  shall  be  re- 
ligious at  all  times  and  in  all  things  ;  that 
true  holiness  shall  extend  itself  to  all  the- 
ordinary  concerns  of  life :  in  a  word,  tliat 
Christians  shall  be  universally  holy.  The 
proposition,  therefore,  which  we  derive 
from  the  text,  and  shall  endeavor  to  en- 
force, is  this, 

Universal  holiness  becomes  th§  profes- 
sion of  the  Gospel.    . 

To  be  holy,  signifies,  in  Scripture,  to  be 
set  apart,  from  a  common  or  profane  use,  to 
God  and  his  service.  Holiness  is  the  reno- 
vation of  our  nature  by  the  Spirit  of  God ; 
it  is  the  restoration  of  the  image  of  God  in 
our  souls ;  whereby  we  are  enabled  to  die 
unto  sin,  and  to  live  unto  righteousness ; 
and  this,  by  virtue  of  our  union  with  Chriet, 
and  by  means  of  his  Gospel. 

It  should  be  understood,  that  the  holi- 
ness required  by  the  Gospel  is  something 
far  superior  to  what  is  called  morality,  or 
a  practice  of  the  duties  of  life.  This  is 
good  in  its  place,  and  useful  to  society  : 
and  all  tlie  duties  of  morality  are  included 


288 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


in  Jioliness.  But  holiness  supposes  the  re- 
newal of  the  lieart  in  its  powers  and  dis- 
positions. The  understanding-,  which  by 
nature  is  in  gross  darkness  as  to  divine 
things,  is  enlightened  by  tlie  Spirit  of  God, 
and  enabled  to  receive  "  the  truth  as  it  is 
in  Jesus."  The  will,  which  is  naturally 
averse  from  good,  and  strongly  inclined  to 
sin,  is  so  renewed  by  grace,  that  it  chooses 
the  good  and  rejects  the  evil ;  hates  what 
is  hateful  to  God,  and  loves  what  is  agree- 
able to  him.  The  aftections  of  the  soul, 
which  were  before  wild  and  carnal,  are 
now  brought  into  order  and  subjection,  fix- 
ing with  delight  upon  those  spiritual  and 
heavenly  objects,  which  they  once  neg- 
lected and  despised.  The  leading  powers 
of  the  soul  being  thus  sanctified,  the  mem- 
bers of  the  body,  which  were-  "  instrur 
ments  of  unrighteousness  to  sin,"  become 
"  instruments  of  righteousness  unto  God." 
The  eyes,  the  tongue,  the  ears,  the  hands, 
the  feet,  are  not  only  restrained  from  sin, 
as  St.  Paul  said  of  himself,  that  he  "  kept 
his  body  under,  and  brought  it  into  sub- 
jection ;"  but  they  become  ready  to  obey 
God,  to  whom  they  yield  themselves  in 
order  to  the  practice  of  righteousness:  the 
tongue  lays  itself  out  ui  the  praises  of 
God,  and  the  commendation  of  holiness ;  the 
hands  and  feet  in  assisting  our  neighbor, 
and  the  other  parts  of  the  body,  according 
to  their  several  capacities,  in  the  practice 
of  religion. 

Hence  it  appears  that  there  is  a  univer- 
sal change  made  in  a  real  Christian ; 
which  is  very  far  superior  to  the  mere 
practice  of  morality.  True  holiness  has 
always  a  relation  to  Christ  and  the  Gos- 
pel ;  it  is  by  virtue  of  union  with  him, 
the  exercise  of  faith  in  him,  and  diligent 
imitation  of  him,  that  the  Christian  be- 
comes holy :  and  the  whole  of  this  is  ef- 
fected by  the  gracious  and  supernatural 
operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Thus  St. 
Paul  expresses  his  generous  wishes  for  his 
Thessalonian  friends,  1  Eph.  v.  23.  "  And 
the  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you 
wholly  :  and  I  pray  God  your  whole  spirit, 
and  soul,  and  body  be  preserved  blameless 
unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
Here  we  perceive  that  God  himself  is  the 
author  of  holiness ;  it  must  come  from 
him  ;  for  there  is  nothhig  in  our  fallen 
nature  to  produce  it :  and  it  proceeds  from 
him,  as  he  is  "  the  God  of  peace ;  as  re- 
conciled to  us  through  the  blood  of  his 
Son :  and  he  is  said  to  "  sanctify  us 
wholly"— our  whole  nature  partakes  of 
his  sanctifying  grace  :  and  he  instances  it  in 
the  various  powers  of  our  natui-e.  By  the 
Spirit,  we  may  understand  the  mind,  that 


leading  faculty  of  man,  whereby  he  is  dis- 
tinguished above  other  creatures;  by  the 
soul,  may  be  intended  the  mferior  faculties, 
the  passions,  and  atiections;  and  by  the 
body,  the  outward  man,  with  its. various 
senses,  is  designed.  Each  of  these  powers 
is  already  sanctified  in  its  measure,  and  shall 
be  completely  ^  at  last ;  so  that  the  whole 
shall  be  found  blameless  at  the  second 
coming  of  Christ. 

The  principal  instrument  employed  by 
the  Spirit  of  grace  in  effecting  this  holy 
change,  is  the  word  of  the  Gospel ;  accord- 
ing to  our  Lord's  petition  for  his  disciples; 
"  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth ;  thy 
word  is  truth ;"  and  according  to  his 
declaration  in  another  case,  "  Ye  shall 
know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make 
you  free."  When  the  doctrines,  promises 
and  precepts  of  the  Gospel  are  understood, 
and  applied  to  the  heart,  they  cannot  fail 
to  regulate  the  whole  of  the  conduct. 
Hence  the  great  change,  observable  in 
some  of  the  first  converts  from  Pagan 
idolatry  and  vice  to  Christianity,  is  As- 
cribed to  faith ;  "  their  hearts  were  puri- 
fied by  faith."  Acts  xv.  9.  And,  so  far  is 
the  faith  of  the  Gospel  from  being  injuri- 
ous to  the  cause  of  holiness,  that  it  is 
essentially  necessary  to  its  existence :  in- 
deed the  sum  of  our  holy  religion  is,  the 
"  faith  that  worketh  by  love." 

The  holiness  of  the  Gospel,  of  which 
we  are  speaking,  has  for  its  grand  objects, 
God  and  our  neighbor.  To  love  God 
supremely  is  the  first  concern  of  the  be- 
liever. His  glorious  perfections  entitle 
him  to  the  highest  place  in  the  heart. 
Heathen  moralists,  and  some  wlio  assume 
the  Christian  name,  profess  to  practise 
virtue  for  its  own  sake ;  but  the  believer 
goes  further,  he  makes  it  his  ambition  to 
please  God,  to  deliglit  himself  in  the  Al- 
mighty, to  be  accepted  of  him,  and  to 
promote  his  glory  in  all  the  actions  of  his 
life. 

Hence  the  law  of  God,  which  to  others 
seems  severe,  becomes  pleasant  to  him, 
and  he  delights  in  it  atYer  the  inward  man. 
That  yoke,  which  others  account  heavy, 
he  deems  liglit,  and  thinks  none  of  his 
commandments  grievous.  Hence,  the 
worsliip  of  God,  instead  of  being  burden- 
some to  liim,  is  his  pleasure.  Prayer  and 
praise,  reading  and  hearing  the  word  of 
the  Lofd,  are  his  delightful  exercises.  He 
accounts  a  day  in  God's  courts  better  than 
a  thousand ;  and  would  prefer  the  humble 
office  of  a  doorkeeper  there,  to  the  most 
splendid  or  profitable  employments  of  the 
sinner. 

That  "  Holiness  to  the  Lord"  should  be 


SERMON  LXll. 


289 


written  on  tlic  door  of  tlae  cliurch,  or  of 
the  closet,  few  will  deny.  We  shall  there- 
fore not  enlarge  on  the  necessity  of  a  holy 
temper  in  religious  engageinents.  It  is 
our  design  rather  to  show  how  religion  is 
to  influence  the  common  concerns  of  life  ; 
how  lioliness,  instead  of  being  confined  to 
sacred  things,  is  to  be  mingled  with  our 
ordinary  afJkirs,  or  accordhig  to  our  text, 
be  "  written  on  the  bells  of  tlie  horses." 

The  propriety  of  dwelling  upon  this  will 
be  sufficiently  obvious  to  every  considerate 
and  consistent  Clu'i.stian,  who  has  observed 
the  state  of  things  among  the  hearers  of 
the  Gospel  at  large.  We  see  little  prac- 
tical religion  among  many  nominal  Chris- 
tians and  unstable  professors.  Even  the 
most  exemplary  have  cause  to  lament  their 
deficiencies.  Hence  it  is  that  God  is  but 
little  glorified,  compared  with  what  might 
be  expected.  The  domestic  peace  of  pro- 
fessing families  is  too  oflen  broken.  Fellow- 
Christians  are  too  frequently  grieved  and 
stumbled.  There  is  a  notorious  want  of 
mutual  affection  in  many  religious  socie- 
ties, manifested  by  their  contentions,  and 
proneness  to  separate  on  trifling  occasions. 
On  these  accounts  the  people  of  tlie  world 
are  confirmed  in  their  prejudices  against 
the  doctrines  of  grace  :  they  pretend  that 
religion  is  a  useless  tiling,  or  a  mere  cloak 
to  cover  bad  intentions;  and  they  even 
tax  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  with  a 
licentious  tendency.  But  whence  do  these 
evils  arise  .'  Nominal  Cliristians  are  really 
ignorant  of  the  nature  of  true  religion  ; 
and  too  frequently,  instead  of  using  its 
doctrines  and  precepts  for  their  sanctifica- 
tion,  pervert  its  forms  to  an  atonement  for 
their  vices ;  thus  making  the  holy  religion 
of  Jesus  an  apology  for  immorality,  and 
<;^hrist  himself  "  the  minister  of  sin."  Un- 
stable professors  liave  probably  taken  but 
a  very  partial  and  ineffectual  view  of  the 
Gospel ;  Arminian  prejudices  cut  off  their 
strength,  or  Antinomian  notions  weaken 
tlieir  sense  of  obligation ;  or,  enthusiastic- 
ally, they  make  their  feelings  the  rule  of 
action,  instead  of  tlie  word  of  God.  Some 
more  serious  and  enlightened  Christians 
fail  through  want  of  exercising  faith  on 
what  they  do  know;  for  tlic  Gospel  does 
not  operate  like  a  charm  on  those  who 
profess  it :  it  has  no  further  influence  than 
as  it  is  understood,  remembered,  trusted 
in,  and  ap|)lied  to  our  feelings,  tempers, 
conversation,  and  actions ;  and  this  particu- 
lar and  universal  application  of  tlie  princi- 
ples of  the  Gospel,  is  what  I  consider  as 
^  alluded  to  in  the  text. 

Let  us  then  consider,  1.  What  should 
2M 


be  the  Christian's  temper  and  views  with 
regard  to  himselfj  and 

2.  What  should  be  his  dispo.'.ution  and 
conduct  towards  his  fellow-men. 

1.  Let  the  Christian  remember  that  he 
is  "the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost;"  and 
that  the  temple  of  the  Lord  must  be  holy. 
Benig  redeemed  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  he 
is  no  longer  his  own ;  his  time,  his 
talents,  are  not  at  his  own  disposal ;  they 
are  dedicated  things ;  they  are  "  holiness 
to  the  Lord."  Compelled  by  the  mercies 
of  God,  he  is  to  present  his  body  a  living 
sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  to  the  Lord, 
which  is  truly  his  reasonable  service : 
whether  he  lives,  he  lives  to  the  Lord  ;  or 
whether  he  dies,  he  dies  to  the  Lord ;  his 
aim  and  constant  endeavor  should  be, 
that  Christ  may  be  glorified  both  by  his  life 
and  death. 

In  subservience  to  this  great  design,  he 
is  to  "  put  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  and 
imitate  "  the  mind  that  was  in  him."  Love 
is  the  leading  grace,  and  will  be  followed 
by  all  the  amiable  train  of  Christian  vir- 
tues. Humility  is  of  essential  importance, 
and  will  guard  him  against  a  thousand 
snares  and  dangers.  Temperance  in  food, 
and  in  all  other  gratifications  of  the  senses, 
is  constantly  necessary  ;  for  if  the  appe- 
tites be  too  much  indulged,  the  interests 
of  the  soul  cannot  but  suffer.  Patience 
under  trying  circumstances,  contentment 
with  an  humble  lot,  submission  to  the  rod 
of  a  heavenly  Father,  are  indispensably 
necessary,  and  are  very  eminent  branches 
of  Gospel-holiness.  Crucifixion  to  this 
vain  and  sinful  world  is  equally  the  believ- 
er's duty.  He  who  lives  in  the  exercise 
of  that  faith,  which  is  the  evidence  of 
things  not  seen,  will  not  cleave  to  the 
dust  as  his  portion  :  he  who  believes  the 
scriptural  representation  of  eternal  and 
heavenly  things,  and  enjoys  a  good  hope 
through  grace  of  interest  in  them,  will 
have  his  affections  raised  from  the  low  ob- 
jects of  sense,  and  fixed,  in  some  measure, 
on  things  above,  where  Christ  is.  He  will 
therefore  discover  a  holy  indifference  to 
the  world ;  its  wealth,  honors,  splendor, 
decorations,  and  amusements,  will  a])pear 
to  him  like  the  toys  of  children  ;  and  his 
near  views  of  the  eternal  state,  from 
which  he  is  separated  only  by  the  thin 
partition  of  life,  will  convince  him  that 
neither  the  joys  nor  sorrows  of  the  present 
state  should  much  engage  his  heart;  and 
thus  will  he  conduct  himself  as  "a  stran- 
ger and  a  pilgrim  ;"  thankful  mdecd  for 
every  comfortable  accommodation,  but  still 
pressing  on  towards  his  heavenly  home. 
25 


290 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


2.  Holiness  to  the  Lord  is  to  be  exem- 
plified in  the  relative  duties  of  social  life. 
In  general,  the  Cliristian  has  two  things 
to  regard — to  do  no  harm,  and  to  do  much 
good.  It  is  necessary  that  he  should  be 
"  blameless  and  harndess,  as  a  child  of 
God,  without  rebuke."  Many  eyes  are 
fixed  on  the  professor  of  the  Gospel ;  many 
wish  and  watch  for  his  halting,  and  long 
for  an  occasion  of  glorying  over  him  as  a 
hypocrite.  Great  then  is  the  need  of 
watchfulness,  and  of  peculiar  exactness  in 
his  whole  walk,  that  the  enemy  may  be 
disappointed,  and  be  obliged  to  say  of  the 
Christian  as  of  Daniel,  "  We  shall  not  find 
any  occasion  against  this  man,  except  we 
find  it  against  him  concerning  the  law  of 
his  God."  And  even  in  the  matter  of  re- 
ligion, his  care  must  be,  that  "  his  good  be 
not  evil  spoken  of:"  his  zeal  should  not 
have  a  tendency  to  offend,  but  to  con- 
ciliate ;  not  to  provoke,  but  to  invite.  The 
holy  love  of  the  Gospel  "  suffereth  long 
and  is  kind ;  vaunteth  not  itself;  is  not 
puffed  up ;  behaveth  not  unseemly ;  seek- 
eth  not  her  own ;  beareth  all  things,  be- 
lieveth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things,  en- 
dureth  all  things."  Are  we  better  inform- 
ed than  our  neighbor  ?  are  we  endued  with 
knowledge  1  let  us  "  show  out  of  a  good 
conversation  our  works  with  meekness  of 
wisdom;"  for  the  wisdom  which  is  from 
above  is  pure  and  peaceable,  gentle,  easy 
to  be  entreated,  full  of  mercy  and  good 
fruits.  The  holiness  of  the  Gospel  includes 
a  pacific  temper.  "  Following  peace  with 
all  men"  is  connected  with  that  "  holiness, 
without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord:" 
we  must  rather  bear  injuries  than  resent 
them ;  rather  recede  from  our  rights,  than 
contentiously  to  maintain  them ;  we  are 
even  to  forgive  our  greatest  enemies ;  if 
they  hunger,  to  feed  them  ;  if  they  thirst, 
to  give  them  drink,  and  thus  heap  coals  of 
fire  on  their  head,  and  melt  them  down  by 
kindness. 

Active  benevolence  is  a  necessary  fruit 
of  holiness.  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyself"  is  the  grand  comprehensive 
rule,  the  sum  of  social  duty,  both  in  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments ;  but  most 
strongly  enforced  by  tJie  example  of  Christ 
himself,  who  has  made  it  the  chief  test  of 
true  religion :  "  By  this  shall  all  men  know 
that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye  have  love 
one  to  another." 

But  there  are  certain  situations  in  life, 
wherein  persons,  being  mutually  related 
to  each  other,  ai'e  expected  more  particu- 
larly to  manifest  the  holiness  of  tlic  Gos- 
pel, The  first  of  these  is  the  conjugal 
state.     The  Creator  himself  a'piwinted  tliis 


union  before  the  fall ;  but  we  being  now 
all  fallen  creatures,  much  grace  is  needful 
to  preserve  such  a  temper  and  conduct  as 
becomes  Christian  husbands  and.  wives.  So 
many  trials,  troubles,  and  crosses,  necessa- 
rily occur  in  the  married  state,  that  much 
mutual  forbearance  and  forgiveness,  much 
self-denial,  prudence,  and  kindness,  are  re- 
quisite. The  Scriptures  therefore  largely 
inculcate  the  duties  of  the  husband  and 
the  wife,  and  require  their  performance 
from  evangelical  motives,  such  as  "  Hus- 
bands, love  your  wives,  even  as  Christ  also 
loved  the  church.  So  ought  men  to  love 
their  wives  as  their  own  bodies — rcven  as 
the  Lord  the  church,  for  we  are  members 
of  his  body."  Eph.  v.  25,  &c.  In  like 
manner  it  is  commanded,  ver.  22,  "Wives, 
submit  yourselves  unto  your  own  husbands, 
as  unto  the  Lord :  for  the  husband  is  the 
head  of  the  wife,  even  as  Christ  is  the  head 
of  the  church :  and  he  is  the  Savior  of  the 
body :"  therefore,  as  the  church  is  subject 
unto  Christ,  so  let  the  wives  be  to  their 
own  husbands."  "  Christians,  thus  married 
in  grace  as  well  as  in  nature,  will  be 
helpers  of  each  other's  faith  and  joy  in  this 
world,  and  everlasting  fi'iends  in  a  more 
exalted  wayof  life  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Grace  in  the  heart  will  double  every  tem- 
poral mercy,  soften  every  temporal  misery, 
and  lead  them  on,  with  united  hands,  to- 
wards the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

The  duties  of  parents  and  children 
should  be  performed  in  the  spirit  of  holi- 
ness. Parents  who  fear  the  Lord  them- 
selves, will  consider  it  their  first  and  great 
concern  to  "  bring  up  their  children  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord."  In 
early  life,  they  must  be  restrained  from 
the  indulgence  of  self-will,  and  taught  to 
submit  to  authority;  for  this  is  the  very 
foundation  of  good  education.  They  should 
be  kept  as  much  as  possible  from  such  com- 
panions and  books  as  pollute  the  imagina- 
tion, and  inflame  the  passions.  The  Chris- 
tian parent  will  be  solicitous  and  assiduous 
in  his  endeavors  to  inculcate  upon  the 
youthful  mind  the  great  things  of  the  Gos- 
pel ;  not  only  leading  his  charge  to  a  place 
of  worship  where  the  truth  is  plainly  and 
warmly  preached ;  but  endeavoring  to  en- 
force what  is  heard  in  public,  by  private 
instruction  and  application.  The  gentlest 
means  of  checking  the  corruptions  of  na- 
ture are  to  be  preferred,  for  fethcrs  are 
"  not  to  provoke  their  children  to  wrath, 
lest  they  be  discouraged ;"  but  severer 
methods  must  sometimes  be  used ;  yet  al- 
ways with  moderation,  and  without  sinful 
anger.  The  example  of  a  pious  parent  is 
the  most  effectual  lesson,  and  wlien  this  is 


SERMON  LXII. 


291 


uniied  with  fervent  prayer  and  diligent  in- 
struction, it  may  be  hoped  that  the  Lord 
will  crown  with  success. 

Children  are  comman^led  "  to  obey  their 
parents  in  tlie  Lord,  for  this  is  right." 
The  law  of  nature  requires  it,  and  especi- 
ally the  law  of  God;  which  also  adds  a 
shi^nilar  promise  of  prosperity  to  the 
obedient  Parents  are  to  be  honored  by 
submission  to  all  their  lawful  commands  ; 
by  attention  to  their  exhortations ;  by  a 
respectful  and  obliging  deportment ;  and  a 
steady  concern  for  their  interests  and  com- 
fort, especially  under  the  infirmities  of 
age.  In  many  cases,  it  will  be  necessary 
to  comply  with  inconveniences,  to  submit 
to  restraints,  to  conceal  their  mistakes, 
and,  if  needful,  to  support  them  in  distress 
and  poverty.  And  this  is  to  be  done  "  in 
the  Lord,"  for  the  Lord's  sake,  and  as  part 
of  that  "  holiness  to  the  Lord"  which  forms 
the  Christian  character. 

Masters  and  servants  are  to  perform 
their  several  duties  under  the  influence 
of  the  same  holy  principle.  Servants 
need  the  humility  which  the  Gospel  in- 
spires, to  submit  to  the  duties  of  their 
humble  places,  which  are  undoubtedly 
mortifying  to  the  pride  of  corrupt  nature. 
But  as  God  has  appointed  a  variety  of  sta- 
tions in  which  some  must  serve,  and  others 
rule,  it  becomes  a  Christian  servant  to 
acquiesce  in  the  divine  will.  Accordingly, 
the  apostle  exhorts  servants  "  to  be  obedi- 
ent to  them  that  are  their  masters  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh,  with  fear  and  trembling, 
in  singleness  of  heart,  as  unto  Christ;  not 
with  the  eye  service,  as  men-pleasers,  but 
as  Ike  servants  of  Christ,  doing  the  will 
of  God  from  the  heart ;  with  good-will 
doing  service,  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  to 
men."  Eph.  vi.  5,  &c.  Here  the  servant's 
duty  is  very  fully  expressed;  and  it  is 
observable  how  often  the  apostle  repeats 
the  necessity  of  doing  all  as  to  the  Lord — 
with  a  regard  to  his  will  and  glory :  and  this 
is  especially  incumbent  on  pious  and  pro- 
fessing servants  who  know  the  Ix)rd.  A 
regard  to  this  would  effectually  remove  an 
objection  frequently  made,  but  very  dis- 
honorable to  the  Christian  character,  "  tliat 
masters  would  rather  have  any  servants 
than  those  who  are  professors." — Let 
"  holiness  to  the  Lord"  be  inscribed  on  the 
servant,  and  it  exalts  his  humble  lot ;  for 
in  the  eye  of  God,  it  is  not  the  station  that 
ennobles,  but  discliarging  the  duties  of  it 
well ;  therefore  St.  Paul  adds,  "  Knowing 
that  whatsoever  good  thing  any  man  dotli, 
the  same  shall  lie  receive  of  the  Lord, 
whctlier  bond  or  free." 


Masters  too  are  required,  by  the  same 
autiiority,  to  "  do  the  same  thing  to  their 
servants,  forbearing  threatening,  knowing 
that  their  master  also  is  in  heaven ;  neither 
is  there  respect  of  persons  with  him." 
ver.  9.  Those  who  govern,  while  they 
justly  require  and  expect  that  their  busi- 
ness should  be  done  diligently  and  faith- 
fully, must  not  be  proud,  imperious  or 
cruel ;  they  should  remember  that  the 
Lord  only  has  made  them  superior ;  the 
case  might  have  been  reversed ;  and  they 
sliould  consider  what  treatment  they  would 
desire,  were  the  stations  to  be  exchanged. 
They  should  consult  their  interest  and 
comfort,  should  allow  them  leisure  for  re- 
tirement, opportunity  to  hear  the  word, 
and  contribute  to  their  spiritual  good,  by 
the  careful,  pious,  and  constant  observation 
of  family  worship. 

The  Christian  tradesman  is  to  remem- 
ber his  holy  profession  in  the  conduct  of 
his  affairs ;  to  be  diligent  in  business, 
fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord.  His 
religion  is  not  to  be  confined  to  the  church 
or  the  closet.  Let  holiness  to  the  Lord  be 
his  motto  in  the  shop,  in  the  market,  in  the 
field.  Strict  honesty  in  all  his  dealings  is 
essentially  necessary  ;  for  to  defraud,  de- 
ceive, or  overreach  a  neighbor ;  to  take 
the  advantage  of  his  ignorance ;  to  seek 
immoderate  profits ;  rashly  to  contract 
debts  without  the  prospect  of  payment; 
with  a  thousand  other  abominations  occur- 
ring among  the  men  of  the  world ;  are 
doubly  shocking  and  abominable  in  the 
professor  of  the  Gospel.  The  religious 
tradesman  is  an  honorable  character,  but 
the  dishonest  professor  is  of  all  creatures 
the  most  detestable  and  injurious. 

Let  the  wealthtj  Christian  write  the 
motto  of  our  text  upon  his  bags  of  gold — 
"  Holiness  to  the  Lord  ;"  let  him  think  it 
as  much  his  privilege  as  his  duty,  to  con- 
secrate the  use  of  his  riches  to  him,  who 
alone  gave  him  power  to  get  wealth; 
whose  protection  is  needful  for  its  preser- 
vation ;  without  whose  blessing  it  cannot 
be  enjoyed  ;  who  gave  it  him  for  the  pur- 
pose of  enabling  him  to  do  good ;  and  wlio 
will  require  an  account  of  the  manner  in 
which  Iris  talents  have  been  employed.     • 

Let  the  subject  remember  his  Christian 
character ;  to  "  fear  God."  and  to  "  honor 
the  king,"  are  duties  coupled  together  by 
the  apostle.  To  pray  for  kings  and  rulers, 
and  to  seek  the  peace  of  o\ir  country,  are 
so  evidently  commanded  in  Scripture,  that 
none  but  an  infidel  can  dispute  the  obliga- 
tion. Civil  magistracy  is  of  God,  and  an 
unspeakable  blessuig  to  any  country ;  the 


292 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


consistent  Christian  tliercfore  will  obey  the* 
laws,  and  be  subject  to  the  higher  powers, 
not  only  for  wrath  (or  fear  of  punishment) 
but  also  for  conscience'  sake ;  he  will  ren- 
der to  God  the  things  that  are  God's,  and 
to  Cffisar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's — to 
all  their  dues ;  tribute,  custom,  fear,  and 
honor ;  and  thus  prove  himself  "  a  Chris- 
tian patriot." 

Thus  have  we  briefly  exhibited  "the 
beauty  of  holiness,"  and  attempted  to  show 
that  universal  holiness  becomes  the  pro- 
fession of  the  Gospel.  This  will  probably 
be  denied  by  few ;  but  a  cold  assent  to  the 
necessity  and  propriety  of  holiness,  is  by 
no  means  enough.  Are  we  holy  ^  It  is  the 
solemn  determination  of  heaven,  that 
"without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the 
Lord."  Let  us  therefore  not  be  deceived ; 
what  a  man  soweth  he  shall  surely  reap. 
A  soul  unsanctified  can  never  gain  admit- 
tance into  heaven,  the  residence  of  a  holy 
God,  holy  angels,  and  holy  saints.  Let 
such  immediately  flee  to  the  Savior  for 
pardon,  and  implore  the  aid  ofiiis  Spirit 
to  make  them  holy. 

Let  believers  lament  the  remains  of  un- 
holy tempers:  let  them  hunger  and  thirst 
after  more  holiness ;  let  them  live  a  life  of 
faith  in  Christ;  and  be  daily  looking  to 
Jesus — so  beholding  his  glory,  as  to  expe- 
rience an  increasing  conformity  to  his  holy 
image,  till  they  come  at  last  to  those  pure 
regions,  where  "  Holiness  to  the  Lord"  is 
indeed  universal,  complete,  and  everlast- 
ing. 


PRAYER. — O  Gop,  who  art  glorious  in  holi- 
ness, thou  hast  said  unto  us.  Be  ye  holy,  for  I  am 
holy.  Holiness,  O  Lord,  hecometh  thy  house; 
nnd  it  is  thy  n)ynl  will  and  pleasure  that  all  who 
name  the  name  of  Christ  should  depart  from  ini- 
quity. O  (iod  of  ]ieace,  be  pleased,  by  thy  Spirit, 
to  sanctify  us  wholly  !  and  may  our  whole  spirit, 
fioul,  anil  body,  be  preserved  blameless  unto  the 
rominc;  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ!  Teach  us  to 
love  thee  sujjreniely,  and  to  love  our  neighbors 
as  ourselves.  May  we  love  thy  law,  thy  house, 
lliy  worship,  thy  people !  and  may  we  manifest 
the  influence  oi'  Ciirislian  principles  in  our  own 
houses,  in  oiir  liiinilies,  nnd  in  all  Ihc  concerns 
of  social  life!  As  parents  and  children,  husbands 
ami  wives,  mastiTs  and  servants,  may  we  adorn 
nnd  recommend  the  doctrine  of  Christ!  Let  holi- 
ness to  the  Lord  be  our  maxim  in  the  church,  in 
the  family,  and  in  the  world  ; — may  all  we  have 
and  are  be  devoted  to  the  Lord !  and  knowing 
that  we  are  not  our  own,  but  bought  with  a  price, 
may  wo  not  live  to  ouriielves,  but  to  the  Lord, 
and  glorify  God  with  fnir  bodies  and  spirits, 
which  are  the  Lord's!  Thus  may  we  proceed, 
looking  to  Jesus,  and  so  beholding  his  glory,  as 
to  be  gradually  transformed  into  his  image,  until 
we  arrive  in  Heaven,  to  be  with  him  where  he 
is,  to  see  him  as  he  is,  and  to  bo  pcrfcclly  like 
him  for  ever  and  ever !   Amen. 


SERMON  LXIII. 

A  GOOD  HOPE,  THROUGH  GRACE 

2  Thess.  ii.  16.  And  good  hope  through  Grace. 

These  words  are  part  of  an  affectionate 
prayer,  offered  up  by  the  apostle  of  the 
Gentiles,  in  behalf  of  the  Thessalonian 
Christians ;  and  we  may  obtain  great  as- 
sistance in  praying  for  ourselves,  from  such 
passages  as  this;  being  assured  that  we 
cannot  ask  amiss,  if  we  ask  in  the  words 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  hiinself  It  is  addressed 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  equally  with  God 
the  Father;  and  so  affords  proof,  among 
many  others,  of  the  divinity  of  our  Savior, 
who  could  not  otherwise  hear  or  answer 
our  prayers.  Now  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
himself,  and  God,  even  our  Father,  who 
hath  loved  us,  and  hath  given  lis  everlast- 
ing consolation,  and  good  hope  through 
GRACE,  comfort  your  hearts,  and  establish 
you  in  every  good  word  and  work.  Com- 
fort and  steadiness  in  religion  are  the 
blessings  he  prays  for ;  and  he  takes  en- 
couragement in  asking  for  them,  from  the 
love  of  God  already  manifested  in  the  con- 
solation and  hope  they  had  enjoyed — a 
good  hope  through  grace. 

Among  the  various  and  precious  bless- 
ings of  the  Gospel-salvation,  this  is  one  of 
the  chief  The  value  and  use  of  hope,  in 
the  conduct  of  human  affairs  in  general,  is 
well  known ;  it  is  this  that  stimulates  man 
to  action,  reconciles  him  to  suffering,  and 
proves  the  very  cordial  of  life :  but  the 
good  hope  we  are  now  treating  of  is  as 
much  superior  to  this  as  heaven  is  superior 
to  earth,  or  eternity  to  time ;  it  is  a  hope 
full  of  glory  and  immortality.  May  the 
God  of  hope  fill  us  with  joy  and  peace  in 
believing,  and  render  our  present  service 
the  means  either  of  exciting  or  confirming 
this  good  hope  in  all  our  souls !  My  design 
in  this  discourse  is  simply  to  show,  that 

A  good  hope,  throjigh  grace,  is  an  in- 
valuable blessing  to  a  Christian,  both  in 
life  and  death. 

Now  this  good  hope  includes  several  im- 
portant ideas,  which  are  not  always  duly 
considered. 

1.  A  serious,  believing,  habitual  regard 
to  a  future  state,  according  to  tlie  repre- 
sentations made  of  it  in  the  sacred  Scrip- 
tures. No  atheist,  denying  the  being  of 
God,  no  deist,  rejecting  the  Bible,  can  pos- 
sess this  liope.  Wo  owe  it  all  to  tlie  gra- 
cious revelation  of  God  in  the  Gospel, 
wherein  life  and  inunortality  are  brought 
to  light.     Without  tliese,  all  is  vague,  and 


SERMON  LXIII. 


293 


dark,  and  doubtful ;  but  with  God's  word 
in  our  hands,  we  learn  the  nature  of  our 
own  immortal  spirits;  thecertainty  of  their 
existing  separately  from  our  bodies  after 
death;  the  resurrection  of  these  mortal 
bodies  from  the  grave;  and  the  complete 
blessedness  of  the  saints  in  the  kingdom 
of  God  for  ever. 

Giving  credit  to  the  testimony  of  God 
on  these  important  points,  the  believer  en- 
tertains a  habitual  regard  to  tiie  eternal 
world,  and  can  in  some  measure  say  with 
the  apostle,  /  look  not  at  the  things  which 
are  seen,  but  at  the  things  lohich  are  not 
seen,:  for  the  things  which  are  seen  are 
temporal,  but  the  things  which  are  not 
seen  are  eternal.  And  this  habitual  respect 
to  future  things  will  be  discovered  by  a  se- 
rious regard  to  the  Lord's  day,  to  the  ordi- 
nances of  his  house,  to  the  Scriptures  of 
truth,  to  secret  prayer,  and  all  those  means 
of  spiritual  information  and  improvement, 
which  are  connected  with  this  hope. 

2.  Preparatory  to  tiiis  hope,  there  must 
be  an  humbling  conviction  of  our  being 
sinners,  and  of  our  danger  and  helpless- 
ness as  such.  The  law  must  do  its  office, 
in  convincing  us  of  our  guilt  and  misery, 
and  exciting  in  us  a  sincere  desire  to  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come  ;  for  without  this, 
it  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  the  hope  of 
salvation  can  be  entertained,  as  it  implies 
a  deliverance  from  the  dreadful  and  de- 
served consequences  of  our  rebellion 
against  God.  We  can  therefore  scarcely 
suppose  a  person  to  know  any  thing  of 
hope,  who  never  knew  what  it  was  to  fear ; 
for  tlie  hope  of  the  Gospel  is  properly  op- 
posed to  the  fear  of  the  law.  And  this 
leads  us  to  observe,  that, 

5J.  This  hope  implies  some  acquaintance 
with  tlie  glorious  Gospel  of  salvation  by 
Jesus  Clirist.  It  is  called.  Col.  i.  23,  "  The 
hope  of  the  Gospel,^''  a  hope  derived  solely 
from  its  discoveries  and  promises;  it  is  a 
liope  inseparably  connected  witli  "  the  faith 
of  the  Gospel ;"  and  in  this  it  differs  es- 
sentially from  a  hope  arising  from  mistake, 
from  superstition,  or  from  the  partiality  of 
self-love. 

The  tenn  a  good  hope,  seems  designed 
to  distinguish  it  from  every  kind  of  hope, 
which  is  not  goo{l.  We  read  in  the  book 
of  Job,  chap.  viii.  13.  of  the  hypocrite's 
hope ;  and  it  is  said  of  it,  that  //  shall  per- 
ish, and  be  cut  off;  and  that  "his  trust," — 
his  confidence  and  security,  shall  be  as  a 
spider's  web,  it  shall  be  swept  away  witli 
tlie  besom  of  destruction.  In  another  place 
(Job  xxvii.  8.)  it  is  said — "  What  is  the 
hope  of  the  hypocrite,  though  he  hath 
gained,  when  God  takcth away  his  soul?" 


A  hypocrite  may  have  a  hope,  euch  as  it 
is ;  and  he  may  be  a  gainer  by  it ;  he  may 
gain  the  applause  of  men ;  but  when  death 
comes,  when  God  taketh  away  his  soul, 
what  becomes  of  his  hope  1  it  fails  him 
when  he  wants  it  most ;  for  the  righteous 
imth  hope  in  his  death ;.  but  "  the  wicked  is 
driven  away  in  his  wickedness."  Of  how 
great  consequence  then  is  it  to  have  a 
good  hope  ! 

Let  us  therefore  consider  on  what  ac- 
counts the  hope  of  the  Gospel  is  called  a 
good  hope.  And  there  are  three  things 
which  entitle  it  to  that  name ;  for  the  ob- 
ject of  it  is  good — the  foundation  of  it  is 
good — and  the  effect  of  it  is  good. 

1.  The  object  of  this  hope  is  good — su- 
premely good.  All  hope  has  something 
good  for  its  object,  something  at  least  ac- 
counted good.  But  the  object  of  the  be- 
liever's hope  is  eminently,  infinitely  good. 
It  is  none  of  the  gay  and  dazzling  objects 
of  sense ; .  not  worldly  honor,  nor  filthy 
lucre,  nor  sensual  delight;  but  the  pure, 
spiritual,  exalted  felicities  of  the  heavenly 
world ;  those  pleasures  which  are  at  God's 
right  hand  for  evermore;  those  objects 
which  the  word  of  God  reveals,  and  which 
faith  discerns ;  for  "  faith  is  the  substance 
(or  basis)  of  things  hoped  for ;"  faith  gives 
credit  to  the  testimony  of  God,  concerning 
what  he  has  prepared  for  them  that  love 
him ;  and  hope  expects  to  enjoy  them  in 
God's  good  time. 

It  does  not  indeed  fully  appear  as  yet 
what  we  shall  be ;  the  particulars  of  our 
celestial  enjoyments  are  not  disclosed ;  but 
they  are  "  ready  to  be  revealed  in  the  last 
time."  This  we  know,  that  death,  dreadful 
as  it  is  to  nature,  will  be  friendly  to  the 
believer,  in  releasing  him  from  that  body 
of  sin  and  death,  in  which  he  now  groans, 
being  burdened.  To  be  "  absent  from  the 
body,"  is  to  be  "  present  with  the  Lord." 
And  O !  who  can  tell  the  blessedness  of 
that  condition !  It  is  a  {jreat  thinjr  to  be 
freed  from  all  pain  and  disease — to  have 
"  all  tears  wiped  away  from  our  eyes" — 
to  be  where  there  is  "no  more  death, 
neither  sorrow  nor  crying."  But  it  is  a 
thing  unspeakably  greater  and  more  glo- 
rious, to  be  "before  the  tlirone  of  God 
and  tlio  Lamb ;"  it  must  be  infinitely  de- 
lightful to  be  "  with  Christ"— to  be  "  for 
ever  witli  tlie  Lord."  This  was  St.  Paul's 
highest  idea  of  heaven,  "  to  be  for  ever  with 
Christ ;"  and  our  Lord  himself,  in  his  prayer 
for  his  disciples,  expresses  no  liigher  notion 
of  happiness  than  this — "that  tliey  may  bo 
with  me  where  I  am,  to  bciiold  my  glory," 
Jolin  xvii.  21.  Here  in  the  glass  of  faith 
we  behold  that  glory  obscurely  and  imper- 
25* 


294 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


fectly ;  but  there  we  shall  him  "  as  he  is" 
— "  see  him  face  to  face" — in  "  our  flesh 
we  shall  see  God,"  or,  see  God  in  our  flesh, 
Immanuel  God  with  us. 

How  good,  then,  how  glorious  is  the 
liope !  How  pleasant  will  it  be  to  receive 
perpetual  additions  to  our  stock  of  diving 
knowledge;  how  delightful  to  feel  our- 
selves perfectly  conformed  to  the  image  of 
God ;  how  satisfying  to  be  always  engaged 
in  the  divine  service  of  our  Redeemer ; 
how  charming  to  enjoy  the  honorable  socie- 
ty of  glorious  angels,  of  the  pure  spirits 
of  ransomed  sinners ;  how  cheering  the 
thougiit  of  rejoining  those  dear  and  pious 
relations  and  friends,  who  are  gone  before 
us  to  glory,  or  who  shall  quickly  follow  us 
thither  after  a  short  separation!  O  how 
good  a  hope  is  this,  which  includes  objects 
so  great,  so  glorious  as  these  ! 

2.  Tliere  is  another  reason  why  this 
hope  may  be  called  good,  and  a  most  im- 
portant reason  it  is. — The  foundation  of  it 
is  good  :  for  without  a  good  foundation  for 
our  hope,  whatever  objects  it  may  embrace, 
it  is  so  fer  from  good,  that  it  will  make  us 
ashamed,  and  issue  in  confusion  and  disap- 
pointment. 

Nothing  is  more  common  than  to  profess 
a  hope  of  going  to  heaven ;  it  is  so  com- 
mon, that, . "  as  I  hope  to  be  saved,"  is  a 
proverbial  saying,  even  in  the  mouths  of 
the  most  profane: — a  sad  sign,  however, 
that  those  who  use  the  phrase  in  a  light  and 
trifling  manner  have  no  part  nor  lot  in  this 
matter.-  A  good  hope  through  grace. 
Mark  well,  the  word — "  through  grace," 
— a  hope  built  on  the  free  sovereign  favor 
of  God,  through  the  satisfaction  of  Christ 
— a  hope  that  rests  upon  Jesus,  the  only 
sure  foundation  for  sinners — a  hope  that  re- 
lies on  the  precious  promises  of  a  cove- 
nant God.  Only  such  a  hope  as  this  can  be 
called  "  good  ;"  and  we  may  consider  this 
hope  through  grace  as  opposed  both  to  our 
own  77ierit  and  demerit. 

A  hope  through  grace  is  opposed  to  hu- 
jnan  merit — that  fatal  "stumbling-stone" 
both  to  ancient  Jews  and  modern  Chris- 
tians. How  often  do  we  find  poor  ignorant 
people,  when  sick  and  dying,  express  their 
hope  of  going  to  heaven,  because  "  they 
never  did  any  harm" — "  paid  every  one  his 
own," — or  "were  decent  and  regular  in 
going  to  church,"  &c.  But  thus  to  build 
our  hope  on  ourselves,  is  to  betray  an  en- 
tire ignorance  of  the  Gospel,  which  affords 
no  hope  for  a  sinner,  except  in  and  tln-ough 
Jesus.  Thus  to  hope  in  ourselves  is  utterly 
to  subvert  and  destroy  the  whole  plan  of 
Salvation,  as  St.  Paul  speaks,  Gal.  ii.  2L  "  I 
do  not  frustrate  the  grace  of  God :  for  if 


righteousness  come  by  the  law,  then  Christ 
is  dead  in  vain."  There  is  a  general  dis- 
position among  all  mankind  to  put  their 
trust  in  themselves  and  their  own  works  ; 
and  though  there  is  a  multitude  of  different 
religions  in  the  world,  which  are  contrary 
to  each  other  in  many  things,  yet  they 
generally  agree  in  this — to  bring  something 
of  their  owrj  as  the  ground  of  acceptance 
with  God.  The  religion  of  the  Gospel  is 
totally  the  reverse.-  It  allows  of  no  boast- 
ing ;  it  teaches  the  best  saint  to  call  him- 
self "  an  unprofitable  servant,"  and  to  say, 
"  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory  in  any 
thing,  save  in  the  cross  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  Those,  therefore,  whose  hope  is 
derived  from  self,  are  antichristian  in  their 
plan,  and  overthrow,  as  much  as. in  them 
lies,  the  plan  of  the  Gospel — they  "  frus- 
trate the  gracq  of  God"-r-make  it  void — 
set  it  aside,  leave  no  place  for  it :  they 
make  Christ  "  to  have  died  in  vain  ;"  they 
do  not  say  so  with  their  lips,  but  by  their 
false  faith  and  false  hopes ;  for  if  there  be 
any  thing  in  ourselves  to  hope  in,  the  death 
of  Christ,  who  is  our  hope,  and  who  be- 
came such  by  dying  for  us,  is,  of  course,  a 
needless  thing.  And  this  is  a  dreadful  blas- 
phemy. But  it  is  a  blasphemy  that  those 
who  are  taught  of  God  cannot  be  guilty  of; 
for  they  clearly  see  that  Jesus  is  the  only 
hope  of  a  sinner;  and,  with  St.  Paul,  ac- 
count their  former  gain,  loss  ;  and  reckon 
all  things  to  be  dung  and  dross,  that  they 
may  know  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him. 
Phil.  iii. 

As  this  hope  through  grace  is  opposed  to 
the  merit  of  works,  so  it  is  also  exalted 
above  the  demerit  of  sin.  We  are  sinners  ; 
guilty,  helpless  sinners.  And  shall  sinners 
hope  for  heaven  ]  Shall  vile  rebels,  who 
deserve  hell,  hope  for  glory]  It  is  writ- 
ten, that  "  the  unrighteous  shall  not  inherit 
the  kingdom  of  heaven" — that  "there  shall 
in  nowise  enter  into  it  any  thing  that  de- 
fileth,  or  worketh  abomination,"  &c.  How 
then  can  wretches  so  impure,  so  vile,  so 
abominable  in  the  eyes  of  God,  and  in 
Uieir  own  eyes,  entertain  a  hope  of  happi- 
ness ! 

To  all  this  we  oppose  the  word  grace ; 
this  hope,  remember,  is  through  grace. 
We  are  "  saved  by  grace."  "  Grace  reigns, 
through  righteousness,  unto  eternal  life." 
We  are  ungodly  by  nature :  but  "  in  due 
time  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly."  We 
were  "  enemies :"  but  when  we  were  ene- 
mies, we  were  reconciled  to  God  by  the 
death  of  his  Son."  Surely  it  may  well  be 
said — "  Where  sin  abounded,  grace  did 
much  more  abound ;"  and,  "  they  that  re- 
ceive abundance  of  grace,  and.  the  gift  of 


SERMON  LXIII. 


295 


righteousness,  shall  reign  in  life,  hy  Jesus 
Christ,"  Rom.  v.  16, 17.  Thus  St.  Paul  op- 
poses the  hope  by  grace,  to  the  awful  de- 
merit of  sin,  Titus  iii.  3 — 7.  "  We  our- 
selves were  sometimes  foolish,  disobedient, 
deceived,  serving  divers  lusts  and  pleasures, 
&c.  but  after  that  the  kindness  and  love  of 
God  our  Savior  towards  man  appeared,  not 
by  the  works  of  righteousness  which  we 
have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy,'  he 
saved  us — that,  being  justified  by  grace, 
we  should  be  made  heirs,  according  to  the 
hope  of  eternal  life."  Jesus  Christ  is  so 
entirely  the  ground  for  our  hope,  that  he 
takes  one  of  his  gracious  names  fi-om  being 
so;  he  is  called,  1  Tim.  i.  1,  "  Our  hope  ;" 
and  in  Col.  i.  27,  "  Christ  in  you — the  liope 
of  glory." 

The  good  hope  we  are  speaking  of,  de- 
rives much  of  its  stability  from  the  promi- 
ses of  God  in  his  word.  Faith  accepts  God's 
bond,  and  hope  waits  for  its  payment. 
"  Remember,"  said  the  holy  psalmist,  "  the 
word  unto  thy  servant,  upon  which  thou 
hast  caused  me  to  hope,"  Ps.  cxix.  49.  All 
the  good  things  which  believers  expect  are 
promised.  We  have  exceeding  great  and 
precious  promises,  which  are  all  yea  and 
amen,  in  Christ  Jesus.  On  these  the  Lord 
causes  liis  people  to  hope :  it  is  the  work 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  enable  us  to  do  this, 
according  to  Rom.  xv.  13.  "  Now  the  God 
of  hope  fill  you  with  all  joy  and  peace  in 
believing,  that  ye  may  abound  in  hope, 
through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
There  is  such  a  privilege  as  abounding  in 
hope, — having  an  abundant  hope,  a  "  lively 
hope,  tlie  full  assurance  of  hope :"  so  that 
not  one  doubt  or  fear  remains  as  to  the  final 
attainment  of  its  objects;  and  wherever 
this  is,  it  is  through  the  powerful  operation 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  was  the  language 
of  an  ancient  believer,  1  Chron.  xvii.  23. 
"  Therefore  now-.  Lord,  let  the  thing  that 
thou  hast  spoken  concerning  thy  servant 
be  establisiicd  for  ever,  and  do  as  thou  hast 
said:"  or,  as  he  expresses  it  in  another 
place,  Ps.  cxix.  116,  "  Upiiold  me  accord- 
ing to  thy  word  ;  and  let  me  not  be  asliamed 
of  tliy  hope."  This  is  indeed  a  good  hope 
— a  hope  that  will  never  make  us  ashamed. 

3.  The  hope  we  are  describing  is  good 
on  a  third  account. —  The  effect  of  it  is 
good.  The  man  who  possesses  it  is  the 
better  as  well  as  the  liappier  for  it.  St. 
John  says,  "  every  man  that  hath  this  hope 
in  liim  purifieth  himself,  even  as  he  is 
pure" — he  endeavors,  by  divine  grace,  to 
attain  all  possible  purity  in  heart  and  life, 
in  conformity  to  tlie  ])ure  and  holy  Jesus, 
who  will  aduiit  none  but  holy  ones  into  his 
blissful  presence. 


Gratitude  to  the  kind  author  of  his  hope, 
to  whom  he  owes  unspeakable  obligations, 
constrains  hinrto  avoid  the  sins  which  he 
hates,  and  to  pertorm  the  obedience  which 
he  loves.  "  Lord,  I  have  hoped  for  tJiy  salva- 
tion," saith  the  psalmist,  and  he  adds,  "  I 
have  done  thy  commandments,"  Ps.  cxix. 
166.  This  hope  renders  the  Christian  ac- 
tive in  the  service  of  Christ,  and  for  the 
good  of  his  fellow-men  ;  for  he  is  assured 
that,  though  there  is  no  merit  in  his  best 
performances,  yet  the  same  grace,  to  which 
he  owes  his  good  hope,  will  crown  his  la- 
bors of  love  with  a  gratuitous  reward  ;  in- 
somuch as  "  a  cup  of  cold  water  given  to 
a  disciple,  because  he  belongs  to  Christ, 
shall  not  be  forgotten."  Thus  our  adorable 
Redeemer  himself,  "for  the  joy  that  was 
set  before  him,"  was  full  of  zeal  in  the 
work  of  his  heavenly  Father. 

This  good  hope  must  be  conducive  to  ho- 
liness, because  it  diminishes  the  tempta- 
tions arising  from  worldly  objects.  These 
appear  wonderfully  great  and  glorious  to 
the  little  mind  of  the  natural  man :  he 
knows  no  greater  :  but  what  are  the  most 
splendid  vanities  of  earth  and  time  to  the 
eye  of  faith,  which  penetrates  into  the  un- 
seen world,  and  beholds  objects  too  big  for 
utterance ;  compared  with  which  the  daz- 
zling glories  of  the  world  die  like  a  dim 
taper  in  the  blaze  of  noon.  Thus  Moses 
reasoned,  and  the  court  of  Pharaoh  lost  all 
its  attractions ;  hence,  even  afflictions  and 
reproaches,  connected  witli  the  "  recom- 
pense of  the  reward,"  became  his  delibe- 
rate choice. 

But  how  good  is  the  effect  of  this  hope 
under  the  pressure  of  calamity !  Is  the 
Christian  a  soldier? — Hope  is  his  helmet; 
defending  his  head  in  the  day  of  battle,  till 
he  leaves  the  field,  more  than  a  conqueror, 
through  the  love  of  Jesus.  Is  the  Christian 
a  mariner "!  Hope  is  "  the  anchor  of  his 
soul,  both  sure  and  stcdfast,  entering  into 
that  which  is  within  the  vail ;"  this  anchor 
fi.xes  on  the  exalted  and  glorified  Jesus,  the 
advocate  of  believing  sinners  ;  and  who  is, 
therefore,  able  to  save  them  to  the  utter- 
most. The  hope  of  glory  reconciles  the 
suffering  Christian  to  his  painful  lot ;  we 
therefore  read,  1  Thcss.  i.  3,  of  "  the  pa- 
tience of  hope  ;"  because  hope  makes  the 
possessor  of  it  patient  and  resigned  to  all 
the  will  of  God,  believing  that  "  all  things 
work  together  for  good."  Hence  the  primi- 
tive disciples,  who  "  endured  a  great  fight 
of  afflictions,  took  joyfully  the  spoiling  of 
tlieir  goods."  Why  1  because  "  they  knew 
that  they  had  in  heaven  a  better  and  an 
enduring  substance" — a  substantial  trea- 
sure prepared  for  them  by  divine  grace,  of 


296 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


which  they  had  already  the  earnest,  and 
which  could  never  be  lost,  or  taken  away 
from  them.  This  good  hope  taught  St.  Paul 
to  reckon  all  his  apostolic  suflermgs  "  light 
and  momentary,"  when  poised  in  the  scale 
with  "  the  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory,"  reserved  in  heaven  for 
him.  With  this  hope,  the  Christian,  to  use 
the  words  of  an  elegant  writer — "  greatly 
disdains  to  wallow  in  the  puddle  of  sin. 
The  darts  of  temptation  fall  ineffectual  to 
the  ground.  In  danger  he  is  courageous  ; 
in  sorrow  he  is  moderate ;  in  duty  he  is 
diligent ;  in  tribulation  he  is  patient ;  and 
even  in  death  he  smiles." 

CONCLUSION. 

We  proposed,  in  'the  beginning  of  this 
discourse,  to  show  that  a  good  hope, 
through  grace,  is  an  invaluable  blessing 
to  a  Christian,  both  in  life  and  death. 
And  who  but  the  infidel  doubts  this  !  the 
living  infidel  I  mean;  for  the  dying  in- 
fidel, with  every  other  dying  man,  must 
own  its  unspeakable  value.  To  obtain 
this,  then,  should  be  the  first  and  chief 
pursuit  of  life.  And  have  we  obtained  it  ? 
Hast  thou,  whose  eyes  survey,  or  whose 
ears  listen  to  this  discourse — hast  thou  ob- 
tained this  good  hope  1 

Permit  me  to  say,  that  as  "  salvation  is 
far  from  the  wicked,"  so  likewise  is  "  the 
hope  of  salvation."  What  the  wicked  and 
the  worldly  man  calls  hope  is  nothing  but 
presumption.  The  sensual  sinner,  who  is 
living  in  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  can  have  no 
scriptural  hope  of  heaven ;  for  only  "  the 
pure  in  heart  shall  see  God."  The  earth- 
ly-minded sinner,  whose  soul  cleaves  to 
the  dust,  and  who  embraces  the  dunghill 
as  his  portion,  cannot  hope  for  heaven ;  he 
must  be  born  again,  or  he  can  never  see 
the  kingdom  of  God.  In  vain  the  self- 
righteous  pharisee  boasts  of  his  hope ;  his 
hope  is  no  better  than  the  spider's  web :  it 
will  not  abide  the  day  of  trial.  He  who 
hopes  in  himself,  and  not  in  Christ,  will  be 
found  like  the  foolish  builder,  whose  house 
was  erected  on  the  yielding  sand :  when 
the  rain  descends,  and  the  winds  blow,  and 
the  floods  come,  the  house  must  fall;  and 
great  will  be  the  fall  of  it.  Nor  a  whit 
better  will  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite  prove, 
whose  religion  was  only  a  mask,  intended 
to  conceal  his  beloved  sins ;  the  all-search- 
ing eye  of  Christ  will  penetrate  through 
the  thickest  disguise,  and  the  holy  judye 
will  say,  "  Depart  from  me,  I  never  knew 
thee,  thou  worker  of  iniquity."  Almighty 
God !  undeceive  these  mistaken  and  pre- 
sumptuous men  !  deliver  them  from  their 
fond  delusions  !  destroy  their  false  hopes ; 


and  bring  them,  as  humble  penitents,  to 
thy  feet,  that  they  may  obtain  forgiving 
mercy,  receive  thy  sanctifying  Spirit,  and 
thus  acquire  "a  good  hope  througli  grace !" 

Christian  !  examine  thy  hope.  Is  it  a 
good  hope  ]  Is  the  object  of  it  good  1  Yes ; 
it  is  being  with  Christ ;  and  what  can  be 
conceived  of  so  good  as  that?  Is  the 
foundation  of  thy  hope  good  !  Look  well 
to'  that.  Is  it  Jesus  alone  ?  He  is  our 
hope.  This  is  a  sure  foundation,  a  tried 
stone.  He  that  believeth  on  him  shall  not 
be  ashamed.  Inquire  farther.  Is  the  effect 
of  thy  hope  good  1  What  influence  hatli 
it  on  thy  heart  and  life  ■?  Does  it  purify 
thee  ■?  Does  it  make  thee  thankful  ?  Does 
it  make  thee  active  in  duty — firm  in 
temptation — patient  in  atflictions  ]  These 
are  its  proper  effects,  and  where  these  are 
found,  they  are  solid  evidences  of  the  gen- 
uine nature  of  religious  hope. 

This  hope,  so  useful  and  comfortable  in 
life,  displays  its  full  value  in  the  article  of 
death.  "  The  righteous  hath  hope  in  his 
death."  Then  this  good  hope  is  worth  a 
thousand  thousand  worlds.  How  many 
believers,  in  all  ages,  have  experienced  its 
cordial  support,  wJien  flesh  and  heart  were 
failing !  They  could,  with  perfect  compo- 
sure and  satisfaction,  commit  their  depart- 
ing spirit  into  the  faithful  liands  of  Jesus, 
saying,  "  I  know  whom  I  have  believed  ;" 
and  when  the  poor  diseased  body  was 
about  to  become  a  lifeless  lump  of  clay,  a 
wretched  mass  of  corruption,  they  could 
say,  each  one  for  himself,  "  I  believe  in  the 
resuf'rection  of  the  body."  Christ  has  said, 
"  I  will,  raise  it  up  at  the  last  day."  He 
has  promised  it,  and  he  will  perform  it.  I 
quit  this  "  vile  body,"  in  hope  of  "  the 
manifestation  of  the  Son  of  God,"  when  it 
shall  be  freed  from  the  bondage  of  corrup- 
tion ;  when  Jesus,  in  the  great  day  of  his 
triumph,  shall  change  this  vile  body,  and 
shall  make  it  like  unto  his  own  most  glo- 
rious body;  for  them  that  sleep  in  Jesus 
shall  God  bring  with  him.  In  sure  and 
certain  hope  of  this  complete  and  everlast- 
ing salvation,  I  resign  both  soul  and  body 
into  thy  faithful  hands.     Amen. 

Sucli  is  "  tlie  good  hope  through  grace, 
which  a  real  Christian  is  warranted  to  en- 
tertain ;  which  he  glorifies  God  by  enter- 
taining ;  and  which  it  should  be  his  daily 
prayer  and  endeavor  to  entertain."  To 
this  purpose  the  apostle  exhorts  the  He- 
brews (chap.  vi.  11.)  "  We  desire  tliat 
every  one  of  you  do  show  the  same  dili- 
gence, to  the  full  assurance  of  hope  to  the 
end," — intimating,  that  a  full  and  complete 
liope  of  eternal  life  is  attainable ;  and  that, 
ordinarily,  it  is  to  be  expected  only  by  the 


SERMON  LXIV. 


297 


diligent  Christian,  who  abounds  (ver.  10.) 
in  the  labors  of  love,-  showed  to  tJie  name 
of  Jesus  by  ministering  to  his  saints.  Re- 
lying only  on  Jesus ;  living  daily  on  his 
fullness;  aiming  continually  at  his  glory; 
may  we  abound  in  this  good  hope  more 
and  more,  even  to  the  end  of  life ;  till  we 
"  inherit  the  promises" — till  hope  be  ex- 
changed for  the  full  fruition  of  all  those 
unspeakable  glories,  which  God  hath  pre- 
pared for  them  that  love  him. 

"  How  oft  have  sin  and  Satan  strove 
To  rend  niy  soul  from  thee,  my  God  ! 
But  everlasting  is  thy  love, 
And  Jesus  seals  it  with  liis  blood. 

Amidst  temptations,  sharp  and  long, 
My  soul  to  this  dear  refuge  (lies  ; 
Hope  is  liiy  anchor,  firm  and  strong. 
While  tempests  blow  and  billows  rise. 

The  Gospel  bears  ray  spirits  up ; 
A  faith  I'ul  and  unchanging  God 
Ijays  the  foundation  for  my  hope. 
In  oaths,  and  promises,  and  blood." 

Watts. 


PRAYI'^R.— O  THOU  God  of  Hope,  fill  us  with 
all  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  that  so  we  may 
abound  in  hope,  through  the  power  of  the  Holy 
(iho.-it.  May  we  possess  the  hope  of  eternal  life 
through  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  our  hope,  our  only 
hope  I  In  ourselves,  ^  sinners,  we  are  hopeless 
ami  helpless;  but  hressed  be  God,  for  Jesus 
Christ,  the  true  Foundation, — on  him  alone  would 

_'  •  we  buihl,  gladly  renouncing  all  confidence  in  the 
1  flesh  ?  May  our  hope  be  a  good  hope, — a  hope 
derived  from  grace  alone  !  O  let- us  not  deceive 
ourselves  with  a  vain  presumptuous  hope, — the 
hope  of  the  hypjocrite  and  jhe  formalist,  whifh 
will  fiiil  tiiein  at  the  la.st :  but  may  Christ  be  our 
ho()o,  Christ  in  and  with  us,  the  hope  of  glorj' ! 
and  may  this  hope  make  us  patient  in  the  day  of 
adversity,  so  that  we  may  account  all  our  suffer- 
ings light  and  momentary,  when  compared  with 

t  the  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory,  reserved  in  Heaven  for  us.  Having  this 
hope,  may  vvc  be  purified  froui  all  defilements  of 
flesh  and  spirit,  be  active  in  duty,  firm  in  lempta- 
lioii,  and  patient  in  affliction !  and  O  that  we  may 
experience  its  cordial  support,  when  heart  and 
flesh  are  failing,  looking  f()r  the  mercy  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eterfial  life !    Amen. 


/      SERMON  LXIV. 

LOOKING  UNTO  JESUS. 
Hebrews  xii.  2.    looking  unto  Jesus. 

This  short  sentence  com])rises  the  prin- 
cipal business  of  tlie  Christian  life  ;  for  if 
we  are  Christians  indeed,  "  the  life  which 
we  now  live  in  the  flesh,  we  live  by  the 
liiitli  of  the  Son  of  Gud."  and  the  proper 
exercise  of  faith  is  "  looking  to  Jesus." 
2N 


St.  Paul  introduces  these  words  for  the 
purpose  of  encouraging  the  Hebrew  be. 
lievers  in  their  Christian  course.  Having 
in  the  former  chapter,  illustrated  the  ef- 
fects of  faith  by  many  historical  examples, 
he  proceeds  to  make  a  practical  application 
of  the  whole.  He  would  have  them  con- 
sider the  ancient  worthies,  who  lived  and 
died  in  faith,  as  a  numerous  cloud  of  wit- 
nesses, spectators  of  their  exertions  in  the 
same  race ;  and  while  tlms  engaged  in 
pressing  forwards  towards  the  goal,  to  keep 
their  eye  upon  Christ — looking  to  Jesus — 
looking  off  from  ski,  and  self,  and  the  world  ; 
from  every  thing  that  would  retard  or  dis- 
hearten: he  would  have  them  keep  their 
eye  intent  upon  the  suffering  Savior,  who 
is  both  "  the  author  and  the  finisher  of 
faith." 

.  My  design  in  the  present  discourse  is,  to 
show  that  believers  in  Christ  are  to  have  a 
constant  and  uniform  regard  to  him,  in  the 
whole  of  their  Christian  walk  ;  and  that 
this  is  productive  of  the  most  solid  advan- 
tages.    In  order  to  this,  I  sliall  show,  that, 

I.  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified,  is  the 
principal  object  presented  to  us  in  the  word 
of  God. 

II.  A  constant  regard  to  him,  as  there 
revealed,  is  the  first  and  chief  business  of 
the  Christian. 

III.  I  shall  point  out  some  of  the  rich 
advantages  which  the  believer  obtains  by 
so  doing. 

I.  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified,  is  the 
principal  object  presented  to  us  in  the  word 
of  God. 

The  whole  Scripture,  the  Old  as  well  as 
the  New  Testament,  may  be  called  "  the 
word  of  Christ,"  which  is  to  "dwell  in  us 
richly."  Jesus  Christ  is  the  substance  of 
the  predictions,  promises,  and  ordinances 
of  tlie  most  ancient  times.  We  are  ex- 
pressly told,  that  "Moses  wrote  of  him;" 
tliat  the  law  had  "  a  shadow  of  good  things 
to  come  ;"  and  that  "  the  testimony  of  Je- 
sus is  the  spirit  of  prophecy."  The  pro- 
phets, priests,  and  kings  of  old,  were  types 
or  emblems  of  Christ,  in  his  mediatorial 
offices.  Their  numerous  sacrifices  and  of- 
ferings prefigured  that  one  great  sacrifice 
which  he  made  of  himself  on  the  cross,  by 
which  he  "  put  away  sin,"  and  "  brought 
in  everlasting  righteousness."  And  the 
more  enlightened  of  the  Old  Testament 
saints  looked  forward  to  the  advent  of 
Christ  with  faith  and  delight.  Abraham 
eagerly  desired  to  see  "  his  day ;  and  he 
saw  it,  and  was  glad."  Moses  prayed,  "  I 
beseech  thee  show  me  thy  glory,"  and  was 
gratified  with  a  view  of  it.  He  had  such 
knowledge  of  the  expected  Savior,  that 


298 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


"he  esteemed  the  reproacli  of  Christ 
greater  riches  than  the  treasures  of  Egypt." 
Isaiah  had  "a  vision  of  tlie  Lord  of  Hosts," 
in  the  temple ;  and  the  New  Testament 
assures  us,  that  it  was  "  the  glory  of 
Christ"  which  he  saw.  The  Spirit  of 
Christ,  inspiring  the  prophets,  "testified 
beforehand  the  sUftcrings  of  Christ,  and 
the  glory  that  should  follow;"  and  our 
Lord,  wlien  reasoning  with  two  of  his  dis- 
ciples afler  his  resurrection,  referred  to 
their  writings,  "  and  beginning  at  Moses 
and  all  the  prophets  (and  the  psalms)  he 
expounded  unto  them,  in^all  the  Scriptures, 
the  things  concerning  himself" 

It  is  still  more  evident  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  substance  of  the  Gospel ;  for  it  is 
"  the  Gospel  of  Christ."  Preaching  the 
Gospel  was  originally  the  same  as  "  preach- 
ing Christ,"  or  "preaching  the  cross." 
Jesus  Christ  was  not  the  occasional  sub- 
ject of  the  primitive  ministry  (as  of  some 
modern  divines,  two  or  three  times  a-year, 
at  particular  festivals)  but  "  daily,  in  the 
temple,  and  in  every  house,  they  ceased 
not  to  teach  and  preach  Jesus  Christ." 
And  one  of  these  preachers  declares. his 
resolution  to  preach  nothing  else.  "  I  am 
determined,"  said  he  to  the  Corinthians, 
"  not  to  know  any  thing  among  you,  save 
Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified ;"  as  if  he 
had  said,  "  When  I  came  to  your  great 
and  polite  city,  where  many  are  fond  of 
refined  speculations,  I  was  resolved  not  to 
change  my  usual  method  of  preaching ;  I 
would  appear  to  know,  and  employ  myself 
in  making  known,  nothing  among  you  but 
Jesus,  as  the  Messiah ;  even  that  crucified 
person,  against  whom  so  many  scandals 
are  propagated ;  for  I  know  that  though 
the  preaching  of  the  cross  be  foolishness 
to  them  that  perish,  it  is  the  power  of  God 
to  them  which  are  saved :  I  therefore 
preach  and  glory  in  nothing  but  the  cross 
of  Christ." 

As  the  apostles  made  Christ  the  subject 
of  their  discourses,  so  was  he  the  sub- 
stance of  that  knowledge  by  which  the 
primitive  Christians  were  distinguished. 
This  is  intimated  in  Epli.  iv.  20 ;  where 
the  apostle  urges  them  to  distinguish 
themselves  from  the  unconverted  Gentiles, 
by  the  holiness  of  their  beliavior,  as  they 
were  so  much  distinguished  from  them  by 
their  evangelical  knowledge.  The  heathen 
were  sunk  in  sensuality  and  profligacy — 
but,  saith  he,  "  ye  have  not  so  learned 
Christ — seeing  ye  have  heard  liim,  and 
have  been  instructed  in  him,  as  the  truth 
is  in  Jesus."  This  passage  shows  that 
Jesus  Christ  was  both  the  aulhor  and  tlie 
subject  of  their  religious  laiowledge  ;  the 


sum  of  their  learning  was  "  the  truth  as 
it  is  in  Jesus :"  their  teacher  was  "  Christ" 
himself,  by  his  word  and  Spirit ;  and  the 
genuine  effect  of  such  learning  was,  that 
holiness  of  character  which  distinguished 
them  from  all  persons  who  were  ignorant 
of  the  Gospel. 

Jesus  Christ  is  so  eminently  the  grand 
object  presented  to  us  in  the  word,  that 
the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  in 
him,  is  called,  in  Gal.  iii.  1,  the  truth.  St. 
Paul,  reproving  the  Galatians  for  their  in- 
stability, says,  "  O  foolish  Galatians,  who 
hath  bewitched  you,  that  ye  should  not 
obey  the  truth,  before  wliose  eyes  Jesus 
Christ  hath  been  evidently  set  forth,  cru- 
cified among  you  V  False  teachers,  it  ap- 
pears, had  perverted  their  minds  as  to  the 
great  point,  the  justification  of  a  sinner  by 
Christ  alone,  and  not  by  the  works  of  the 
law;  and  this  he  calls  "the  truth,"  be- 
cause it  is  the  leading,  tlie  fundamental 
truth  of  the  Gospel ;  and  he  blames  them 
for  departing  from  it,  because  they  had 
been  properly  instructed  by  the  apostles ; 
the  Gospel  had  been  faithfully  preached  to 
them ;  and  what  was  it ! — "  Jesus  Christ 
had  been  evidently  set  forth"  by  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel ;  and  that  in  so 
distinct  and  lively  a  manner,  that  it  was 
like  the  exhibition  of  Tesus  Christ  "  before 
their  eyes."  The  Scripture  proves  our 
point ;  it  proves  that  Christ  crucified  is  the 
prominent  object  which  the  Gospel  pre- 
sents to  our  view.  And  if  it  be  so,  then 
it  will  naturally  follow,  in  the  next  place, 

II.  That  a  constant  regard  to  him  is  the 
first  and  chief  business  of  the  Christian. 

The  doctrine  of  "the  Gospel  is  now 
made  known  to  all  nations,  for  the  obedi- 
ence of  faith."  This  regard  to  Christ  was 
described,  even  in  the  predictions  of  the 
Old  Testament,  by  the  same  figurative  ex- 
pression as  that  in  our  text — a  looking  to 
Jesus.  "  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved, 
all  the  ends  of  the  earth,"  said  Jehovah  by 
the  prophet  Isaiah,  (Isa.  xlv.  22.)  where 
Christ  is  plainly  spoken  of  as  "  the  Lord 
our  righteousness."  And  in  chapter  Ixv.  1, 
where  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles  is .  pre- 
dicted, it  is  written,  "  I  said.  Behold  me  ! 
Behold  me  !  to  a  nation  that  was  not  call^ 
by  my  name."  What  is  this  but  the  genu- 
ine language  of  the  Gospel,  and  which 
John,  the  harbinger  of  Christ,  actually 
used,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world !"  No 
doubt  the  faithful,  among  the  Jews,  looked 
further  than  to  the  altar,  and  the  victim 
burning  upon  it;  they,  who  "looked  for 
redemption  in  Israel,"  extended  their  be- 
lieving views  to  the  great  propitiation  of 


SERMON  LXIV. 


299 


the  Son  of  God.     For  this  reason  they 
were  commanded,  whenever  they  prayed, 
in  whatever  country  their  lot  was  cast,  to 
direct  their  eyes  towards  tiie  temple  at  Je- 
rusalem ;  because  that  glorious  edifice  was 
the  type  of  the  infinitely  more  glorious 
Redeemer,  the  temple  of  the  indwelling 
Deity,  who  is  the  advocate  and  intercessor 
of  all   his  believing  followers.     In   like 
manner,  the  refractory  prophet  Jonah,  who, 
liaving  deserted  from  the  appointed  duty 
of  going'  to  Nineveh,  was  cast  into  the 
sea,  and  swallowed  by  a  great  fish,  in  the 
e.xtremity   of   his    distresses,    uses   these 
words — "  Then  I  said,  I  am  cast  out  of  thy 
siglit ;  yet  I  will  look  again  toward  thy 
holy  temple."    It  was  tlie  Savior,  signified 
by  the  temple,  to  whom  he  directed  the 
eyes  of  his  faith :  he  looked,  and  he  was 
delivered.     Thus  should  all  distressed  sin- 
ners act.   This  is  the  only  safe  and  certain 
way  of  obtaining  relief     "I  will  look," 
*'  I  will  look  again,  and  again,  toward  thy 
holy  temple."     With  the  encouragement 
afforded  by  the  Gospel,  we  may  look  into 
heaven  itself;  yea,  we  may  "have  bold- 
ness to  enter  into  the  holiest  of  all,  by  the 
blood  of  Jesus."     Our  Savior  himself  in- 
terprets the  ordinance  of  the  brazen  ser- 
pent in  the  wilderness,  to  which  the  wound- 
ed Israelites  look  for  healing,  as  a  type  of 
himself;  for,  said  he,  "  as  Moses  lifted  up 
the   serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even   so 
must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up."    Thus 
he  declares  himself  to  be  the  object  pre- 
sented by  the  Gospel,  and  faith  in  him  as 
a  looking  upon  that  object;  for  he  adds, 
"  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him  should 
not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life,"  John  iii. 
14,  15.   Looking  to  Jesus,  is  the  only  cure 
for  a  wounded  spirit.     This  is  one  of  the 
plainest  and  most  encouraging  illustrations 
of  the  nature  and  effect  of  faith.     Faith, 
strictly  speaking,  is  believing  the  divine 
testimony,  believing  the  truth,  believing 
the  Gospel.     The  Gospel  presents  to  our 
minds  Jesus  as  an   all-sufficient   Savior. 
Faith  credits  tiie  report  of  the  Gospel  con- 
cerning him  :  and  in  consequence  thereof, 
turns  oflT  from  e-ery  other  object  of  trust 
and  confidence,  and  looks  to  Jesus,  hoping 
.for  mercy,  pardon,  grace,  and  everlasting 
life,  from  him. 

That  looking  to  Jesus  is  the  first,  the 
chief  business  of  a  Christian,  is  evident 
from  the  scriptural  representations  of  the 
Christian  life.  When  the  Jews  asked 
Christ,  "  What  must  we  do,  that  we  may' 
work  the  works  of  God,"  or  perform  the 
most  acceptable  service  to  him  1  he  replied, 
"This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe 
in  him  whom  he  hath  sent."    St.  John, 


speaking  of  that  obedience  which  is  pleas- 
ing in  his  sight,  1  John  iii.  22,  23,  says, 
"  This  is  his  commandment,  that  we  should 
believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  and  love  one  another."  Here  he 
makes  faith  and  love  the  sum  of  the  Chris- 
tian's duty.  The  same  idea  is  strongly  sup- 
ported by  that  expression  of  St.  Paul,  in 
his  earnest  prayers  for  the  Ephesians,  (ch. 
iii.  17.)  "  That  Christ  may  dwell  in  your 
hearts  by  fiiith."  This  denotes  the  most 
close  and  intimate  friendship,  union,  and 
influence ;  and  this  is  to  be  enjoyed  in  the 
exercise  of  faith. 

Several  of  the  descriptive  names  and 
characters  which  Christ,  for  our  instruc- 
tion and  comfort,  has  assumed,  confirm  this 
proposition.  For  instance,  he  is  the  "  sun 
of  righteousness" — the  "  lighf  of  the  world" 
— the  "  light  of  life ;"  all  persons,  then, 
but  those  spiritually  blind,  prize  and  re- 
joice m  his  light.  He  is  the  ^'■founda- 
tion''^ which  God  hath  laid  in  Zion;  no 
man,  taught  of  God,  will  presume  to  lay 
another;  this  is  the  tried  stone,  the  sure 
corner-stone ;  and  to  them  that  believe  it 
is  precious ;  on  this  the  believer  rests,  with 
confidence,  all  the  weight  of  his  eternal 
concerns.  The  same  constant  regard  to 
him  is  implied  in  those  places  where  he  is 
represented  as  owx  food.  He  is  the  "  bread 
of  life ;"  the  bread  that  came  down  from 
heaven ;  the  bread  tliat  secures  the  ever- 
lasting life  of  him  that  partakes  of  it.  On 
this  sacred  food  the  believer  daily  feeds ; 
it  is  pleasant  as  the  sweetest  bread ;  and 
he  is  nourished  by  it  unto  eternal  life. 
This  plain,  instructive  emblem  the  Savior 
has  wisely  chosen,  and  adopted  it  in  the 
sacrament  of  his  supper ;  tlie  observance 
of  this  ordinance  is  one  of  the  distinguish- 
ing badges  of  our  belonging  to  him  ;  and, 
while  the  world  continues,  will  remain  a 
demonstration  of  that  truth  for  which  we 
plead — that  a  constant  regard  to  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  principal  duty  of  the  Chris- 
tian life.  "  Do  this  in  remembrance  of 
me." 

This  might  be  farther  proved  by  observ- 
ing, that  such  was  the  regard  which  the 
primitive  believers  had  to  a  crucified  Re- 
deemer, that  one  of  them  says,  2  Cor.  iv. 
10,  "  We  always  bear  about  in  the  body 
the  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  They  car- 
ried it  about  in  their  memories,  in  their 
meditations,  in  their  conversations,  and  in 
their  conformity  to  it  under  their  persecu- 
tions. We  also  should  constantly  recol- 
lect the  death  of  Jesus ;  his  wonderful  love 
in  dying  for  us;  the  wonderful  blessings 
we  derive  from  his  death  ;  and,  among 
others,  a  death  unto  sin  and  the  world  by 


300 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


virtue  of  it.   •  And  this  may  lead  us,  in  the 
last  place, 

III.  To  point  out  some  of  the  rich  ad- 
vantages which  the  believers  obtain  by 
looking  unto  Jesus. 

The  first  of  these  is  peace — peace  with 
God,  and  peace  in  the  conscience.     True 
peace  comes  from  God  the  Father,  tlirougli 
the  blood  of  Jesus ;  and  can  only  be  enjoy- 
ed  by  looking  to  him.     "  Being  justified 
by  faith,  we  liave  peace  with  God,  tlirough 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."     Tliose  mistaken 
persons,  who,  being  alarmed  on  account  of 
their  sins,  have  recourse  to  their  own  re- 
ligious duties,  their  prayers,  their  fastings, 
their  charity,  and  amendment  of  life ;  and 
hope  by  these  to  avert  the  wrath  of  God 
and  procure  his  favor,  must  be  told,  that 
this  is  not  "  the  way  of  peace."   It  is  true, 
that  duties  and  reformation  are  necessary, 
but  not  as  the  means  or  cause  of  peace 
with  God;  peace  with  him  is  first  to  be 
sought  as  procured  by  Christ,  as  proclaim- 
ed by  the  Gospel,  and  as  the  free  gift  of 
heaven  to  all  who  truly  believe  it ;  the  du- 
ties of  religion  \n\\  follow  after,  as  the  ef- 
fect follows  the  cause.     Nothing  but  the 
blood  of  Christ  can  "  purge  the  conscience" 
from  guilt,  and  this  caii  effectually  do  it ; 
for   such   is   its  divine   efficacy,    that    it 
"  cleanseth  from  all  sin ;"  and  the  person 
who  is  enabled  to  put  his  trust  in  it  may 
say,  with  the  holy  boldness  of  St.  Paul, 
"  Who  is  he  that  condemneth  1  It  is  Christ 
that  died." 

Humiliation  is  another  advantage  de- 
rived from  looking  to  Jesus.  The  heart  of 
man  is  naturally  proud  ;  and  will  never  be 
effectually  humbled,  but  by  a  believing 
contemplation  of  the  greatest  example  of 
humility  that  ever  appeared  in  the  world. 
A  representation  of  the  stupendous  majes- 
ty of  the  Almighty  God  humbled  the- heart 
of  Job,  and  obliged  Jiim  to  say,  "  Behold  I 
am  vile."  A  view  of  the  starry  heavens 
induced  tlie  Psalmist  to  cry,  "  Lord,  what 
is  man  !"  But  a  sight,  by  faith,  of  the  Son 
of  God,  laying  aside  his  glory,  stooping  to 
earth,  wearing  a  human  body,  submitting 
to  poverty,  to  disgrace,  and  to  death,  for  us, 
will  be  the  most  sovereign  remedy  against 
sinful  pride.  That  hum'liatiou,  especially, 
which  becomes  us  as  rebellious  creatures, 
will  be  best  pro'iioted  by  looking  at  a  suf- 
fering Savior,  bending  under  the  load  of 
our  guilt  in  the  garden  and  on  the  cross. 
Who  can  make  a  mock  at  sin,  that  beholds 
the  awful  severity  of  God  in  punis'iing  it 
in  the  person  of  his  innocent  Son  our 
surety  J  Who  can  be  pi'oud  when  he  sees 
the  Lord  of  all  destitute  of  a  place  where 
to  lay  his   head;   enduring  poverty  and 


shame,  and  pouring  contempt  on  all  the 
enjoyments  of  the  world,  voluntarily  re- 
signed for  our  sakes'? 

This  also  affords  the  best  les^n  of  pa- 
tience ;  and  for  this  purpose,  particularly, 
we  are  exliorted  in  the  text  to  look  to  Je- 
sus ;  for,  it  is  added,  "  he  endured  the 
cross,  despising  the  shame."  Never  did 
the  world  behold  such  an  example  of  pa- 
tience as  the  Lamb  of  God,  "  who  did  no 
sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in  his  mouth ; 
who,  when  he  was  reviled,  reviled  not 
again ;  when  he  suffered,  he  threatened 
not,"  but  on  the  contrary,  prayed  for  his 
murderers.  If  we  would  be  Christians  in- 
deed, we  must  "arm  ourselves  with  the 
same  mind ;"  and,  according  to  his  direc- 
tion, deny  ourselves,  take  up  our  cross,  and 
follow  him. 

Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  Law,  and 
the  most  powerful  principle  of  Gospel  ho- 
liness. But  how  shall  this  be  obtained? 
We  answer.  By  looking  unto  Jesus.  "  We 
love  him  because  he  first  loved  us."  "  lie 
loved  us,  and  gave  liimself  for  us."  "'He 
loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in 
his  blood."  "Greater  love  hath  no  man 
than  this,  that  he  lay  down  his  life  for  his 
friend ;"  but  the  love  of  Christ  was  far 
greater,  for,  "  when  we  were  yet  enemies, 
Christ  died  for  us."  Now  when  this  love 
of  God  our  Savior  is  "  shed  abroad  in  the 
heart,"  when  we  have  reason  to  conclude 
that  "  Christ  loved  us,  and  gave  himself 
for  us,"  it  cannot  but  kindle  a  flame  of 
grateful  affection  towards  him.  Of  so 
great  importance  in  true  religion  is  the  ex- 
ercise of  love  to  Christ,  that  St.  Paul  pro- 
nounces the  man  to  be  "  accursed,"  who  is 
destitute  of  it.  (1  Cor  xvi.  22.)  For  the 
same  reason,  our  Lord  thrice  repeated  to 
his  servant  Peter  the  pathetic  question — 
"  Lovest  thou  me  !"  Happy  the  man  who 
can  answer  as  he  did  :  "  Thou,  that  know- 
est  all  things,  knowest  that  I  love  thee." 
This  was  the  generous  principle  that  actu- 
ated the  first  disciples  in  their  extensive 
labors,  and  supported  tliem  under  their 
heavy  trials — "  the  love  of  Christ  constram- 
ed  them."  As  far  as  our  Christianity  is 
genuine,  it  will  resemble  theirs ;  and  in- 
duce us  to  yield  ourselves  to  the  Lord ;" 
and  to  act  as  no  longer  our  own,  but  his  ; 
bought  with  a  price,  and  under  the  strong- 
est oblio-ations  "  to  perfect  holiness,  in  his 
fear." 

The  love  of  our  brother  is  closely  con- 
nected with  the  love  of  God  ;  the  former 
can  never  exist  without  the  latter,  and  al- 
ways accompanies  it.  Our  gracious  Lord 
gave  tliis  injunction  to  his  disciples,  "  This 
is  my  commandment,  that  ye  love  one  an- 


SERMON  LXIV. 


301 


other,  as  I  have  loved  you."  "  Ilis  love, 
when  experienced  by  his  followers,  would 
be  imitated  in  'their  affection  for  eacli 
other  ;  and  for  this  purpose  he  condescend- 
ed to  wash  their  feet  on  the  evening  be- 
fore his  passion.  -In  like  manner,  we  are 
e.xhorted  to  be  "  kind  to  one  another,  ten- 
der-hearted, forgiving  one  another,  even  as 
God,  for  Christ's  sake,  hath  forgiven  us." 
Looking  to  Jesus,  the  friend  of  sinners, 
who  came  to  seek  and  to  save  the  lost,  who 
went  about  doing  good,  and  who  laid  down 
his  life  for  his  enemies,  is  the  most  ef- 
fectual means  in  the  world  of  curing  the 
selfishness  of  our  hearts,  of  softening  tlie 
asperity  of  our  tempers,  and  of  exciting 
compassion  and  benevolence  in  our  souls, 
towards  all  our  fellow-men. 

Looking  to  Jesus  is  the  best  expedient 
to  destroy  our  inordinate  regard  to  this 
present  world.  Christ  was  dead  to  it,  and 
separate  from  it;  and  lie  says  to  his  fol- 
lowers, "  Ye  are  not  of  the  world,  even  as 
•/am  not  of  the  world."  .The  gaudy  vani- 
ties of  earth  never  attracted  the  heart  of 
Jesus,  nor  will  they  make  much  impression 
on  us,  while  we  are  enabled  to  keep  our 
eyes  on  him.  St.  Paul  declares,  that  "  by 
the  cross  of  Christ,  he  was  crucified  to  the 
world,  and  the  world  crucified  to  him." 
The  more  glory  we  discern  in  our  Lord, 
the  less  shall  we  fancy  in  the  world.  It  is 
by  looking  to  him,  that  it  becomes,  in  our 
esteem,  a  dead  and  worthless  thing,  unfit 
for  our  portion,  and  insufficient  for  our  hap- 
piness. A  glance  of  his  glory,  and  a  sense 
of  interest  in  his  favor,  will  make  us  indif- 
ferent alike  to  its  smiles  and  its  frowns; 
and  all  the  glittering  objects  that  men  pur- 
sue with  such  extreme  avidity  will  appear 
as  unworthy  of  our  affections  as  the  paint- 
ed toys  of  little  children. 

There  is  one  more  advantage  to  be  ex- 
pected from  looking  to  Jesus;  an  advan- 
tage of  such  magnitude,  that  we  may  chal- 
lenire  the  universe  to  equal  it,  and  that  is, 
ability  to  meet  death  with  calmness  and 
joy.  Here  is  a  triumph  peculiar  to  the 
Gospel ;  a  triumph  far  superior  to  those 
of  kings  and  conquerors ;  a  triumph  over 
the  king  of  terrors;  for  "the  last  enemy 
that  shall  bo  destroyed  is  death."  Dread- 
ful and  burdensome  beyond  description  is 
the  terror  felt  by  many,  in  the  anticipation 
of  the  fatal  hour:  and  where  shall  we  find 
a  sufficient  antidote  to  the  fear  of  death, 
but  in  looking  to  Jesus  1  It  formed  a  part 
of  his  gracious  design  in  taking  flesh  and 
blood,  that  "through  death,  lie  might  de- 
stroy him  that  had  tlie  .power  of  death ; 
and  deliver  them,  who,  through  fear  of 
death,  were  all  their  life-time  subject  to 


bondage."  Looking  to  Jesus,  wlio  has 
borne  the  whole  of  the  punishment  due  to 
our  sins,  we  are  no  longer  to  consider  it  as 
penal ;  this  is  the  slijig  of  death,  which 
he  has  extracted;  he  has  rendered  this 
fearful  serpent  harmless ;  he  has  "  abolish- 
ed death ;"  it  is  become  no  longer  loss,  but 
gain ;  no  longer  an  eneniy,  but  a  friend ; 
hence,  thousands  of  believers,  in  every  age 
of  the  Church,  have  met  death  with  a  pla- 
cid smile,  and  looking  to  Jesus,  have 
longed  to  depart,  to  be  with  him. 

And  thus  have  we  taken  a  view  of  what 
we  conceive  to  be  the  principal  business 
of  the  Christian  life, — a  constant  regard 
to  Jesus,  as  the  chief  object  presented  to 
us  in  the  holy  word.  ,  ISuch  we  are  per- 
suaded is  the  religion  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, the  religion  of  Christ.  '  It  cannot 
be  improper  for  each  one  to  ask  himself — 
"  Is  this  my  religion  .^"    In  my  religion  is 
Jesus  "  the  alpha  and  omega,  the  first  and 
the  last  V  Is  he  my  teacher,  my  sacrifice, 
my  Lord  ?    Do  I  esteem  him  very  highly 
for  his  own  sake,  for  his  love's  sake,  for  his 
work's  sake  1   Is  he  the  rock  on  which  I 
build  ;  the  refuge  to  which  I  fly  ;  the  food 
on  which  I  live  ;  the  fountain  in  which  I 
wash  ?     And  do  I,  by  looking  to  him,  ob- 
tain peace  within  ]     Does  a  view  of  him 
humble  my  soul ;  make  me  patient ;  ex- 
cite my  love ;  open  my  heart ;  crucify  the 
world ;  conquer  the  fear  of  death "] — Im- 
portant inquiries !  deeply  interesting  to  my 
eternal   safety  and  welfare  1     Happy  the 
man  who  can  say,   "  Thus  do  I  look  unto 
Jesus — and  these  are  the  blessed  effects." 
But  a  little  knowledge  of  that  loose  and 
vague  profession  of  religion  which  obtains 
among  very  many,  obliges  us  to  fear,  that 
"  looking  to  Jesus"  forms  little  or  no  part 
of  their  Christianity ;  and  what  is  Chris- 
tianity without  Christ  ?     A  false  candor, 
or,   rather,  an  infidel   indifierence,  leads 
many  persons   to   say,   that   neither   any 
particular  sentiments  nor  observances  in 
religion    are   of   any   consequence   as   to 
future  salvation ;  and  that  every  man  is 
equally  right  and  acceptable  to  God,  who 
is  sincere,  who  leads  a  good  life,  and  is 
useful  in  society. 

In  answer  to  this  I  must  say,  that  the 
Scripture  teaches  a  very  different  system  ; 
and  the  Scripture  nuist  be  our  rule,  unless 
we  are  disposed  to  renounce  Christianity. 
We  would  not  depreciate  morality  and 
virtue  (would  to  God  we  had  more  of 
them  !)  but,  to  make  true  religion  consist 
in  these,  is  to  subvert  altogether  the 
f()undation  which  God  has  laid.  To  be  a 
Christian  indeed,  we  must  learn  and  feel 
our  need  of  Christ  as  a  Savior,  for  "  the 
26 


302 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


whole  need  not  a  physicijin,  but  they  that 
are  sick ;"  we  must  be  acquainted  with 
the  entire  depravity  of  our  fallen  nature, 
and  be  humbled  for  it ;  we  must  see  the 
necessity  of  a  perfect  righteousness,  equal 
to  the  demands  of  God's  rigliteous  law, 
and  be  glad  to  say,  "  In  the  Lord  (Jesus) 
have  I  righteousness  and  strength."  Sen- 
sible of  our  total  inability  to  save  ourselves 
in  whole,  or  in  part,  we  must  renounce 
every  pretension  to  merit ;  looking  to  Je- 
sus for  wisdom,  for  righteousness,  for  holi- 
ness, for  happiness,  and  for  eternal  life  ;  in 
a  word,  in  the  religion  of  the  Gospel 
"  Christ  is  all  in  all !" 

Alas  !  alas  !  how  many  live,  as  St.  Paul 
expresses  it,  "  without  Christ" — he  is  not 
in  all  their  thoughts.  Can  they  be  Chris- 
tians, who  never  think  of  him!  or  they 
who  blaspheme  his  name '!  or  they  who  re- 
fuse to  hear  his  voice,  to  read  his  word,  to 
call  upon  his  name  1  Can  they  be  Chris- 
tians, who  cherish  and  practise  those  very 
sins,  from  which  he  came  to  deliver  his 
people ']  Can  they  be  Christians,  who  know 
nothing  of  that  chief  business  of  Chris- 
tianity— looking  to  Jesus  ?  It  is  most  evi- 
dent, it  is  most  certain  they  are  not,  they 
cannot  be,  Christians.  May  divine  grace 
convince  them  how  dangerously  they  are 
mistaken,  and  enable  them  instantly  to 
turn  their  eyes  towards  him,  who,  as  yet, 
waits  to  be  gracious,  and  rejects  none  who 
apply  to  him  for  succor.  Should  this 
be  neglected,  how  will  they  bear  to  behold 
him,  when  he  shall  appear  in  the  glorious 
dignity  of  the  universal  Judge,  amidst  the 
awful  grandeur  of  a  blazing  world.  Then 
"every  eye  shall  see  him."  Then  they 
who  pierced  him,  and  they  who  despised 
and  rejected  him,  will  vainly  wish  that 
rocks  and  mountains  might  crush  them  to 
atoms,  and  prevent  the  dreadful  interview. 
O  sinner !  would  you  then  behold  the 
glorious  Judge  with  serenity,  now  behold 
the  gracious  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world.  O  look  to  him 
and  be  saved,  all  ye  ends  of  the  earth. 
Look  and  live. 

Eellow-Christians !  you  have  need  to 
pray,  "  Turn  away  our  eyes  from  behold- 
ing vanity."  Looking  to  Jesus  will  pre- 
serve your  inward  peace,  and  regulate 
your  outward  walk.  And  thus  persevering 
to  the  end,  death  shall  not  separate  you 
from  his  love  ;  but  "you  shall  see  him  for 
yourselves,"  and  dwell  in  his  presence  for 
evermore.    Amen. 


*  PRAYER.— Blessed  God,  thou  hast  set  be- 
fore us  in  thy  word  Jesus  Christ,  thy  beloved 
Son,  and  our  gracious  Savior.  Open  our  eyes 
and  incline  our  hearts  to  behold  the  Lamb  of  I 


God.  Turn  away  our  eyes  from  beholding  the 
perishable  vanities  of  this  evil  world  ;  and  may 
they  be  fixed  on  this  greatest  and  best  object  of 
confidence  and  affection ! 

Are  there  any  of  us  who  are  living  without 
Christ?  who  see  no  beauty  nor  comeliness  in 
him  ? — who  refuse  to  hear  his  voice,  to  read  his 
word,  and  to  come  to  him  thai  they  may  have  life  ? 
O  convince  them  of  their  sin  and  of  their  danger ! 
May  they  now,  by  faith,  behold  the  Lamb,  lest, 
having  neglected  the  great  salvation,  they  shall 
dread  his  appearance,  the  second  time,  to  judg- 
ment ! 

Ever  keep  us,  while  in  this  world,  looking  to 
Jesus,  that  we  may  maintain  peace  in  our  con- 
sciences ;  that  we  may  walk  humbly  with  our 
God  ;  that  we  may  be  patient  in  tribulalion  ;  that 
we  may  sincerely  love  God  and  our  neighbor; 
that  we  may  be  crucified  to  the  world;  and,  at 
last,  have  hope  in  our  death,  expecting,  in  a 
better  state,  to  see  him  as  he  is,  and  to  be  for 
ever  with  the  Lord !    Amen. 


SERMON  LXV. 

THE    HAPPINESS   OF    BEING   WITH    . 
CHRIST. 

John  xvii.  24.  Father,  I  will  that  they  whom  thou 
hast  given  me,  be  with  nie  where  I  am,  that  they 
may  behold  my  glory. 

The  discourse  of  our  blessed  Savior  to 
his  disciples,  and  his  prayer  for  them  just 
before  his  passion,  have  ever  been  highly 
esteemed  by  the  Church  of  Christ.  Me- 
lancthon,  the  reformer,  truly  said,  "  There 
never  was  heard  in  heaven  or  earth  a 
voice  more  excellent,  more  holy,  more 
fruitful,  more  pathetic,  than  what  we  have 
in  this  prayer."  Indeed  it  is  a  specimen 
of  that  gracious  intercession,  which  the 
Redeemer  ever  lives  to  make  for  us  above. 

There  was  a  superstitious  custom  among 
some  Christians  in  ancient  times,  which 
Chrysostom  severely  reproved,  of  wearing 
this  or  some  other  part  of  the  Gospel  of 
St.  John  about  their  necks,  as  an  amulet 
or  preservative  from  evil;  we,  however, 
may  make  a  more  rational  and  effectual 
use  of  it,  by  storing  it  in  our  memories, 
especially  if  the  Holy  Spirit  condescends 
to  write  it  upon  our  hearts.  Much  notice 
is  usually  taken  of  tlie  dying  words  of  a 
great  and  a  good  man,  especially  of  a  dear 
friend:  these  are  the  words  of  a  dying 
Savior,  the  friend  of  sinners ;  whose  ex- 
pressions of  affection  towards  the  apostles 
seemed  to  become  stronger  and  stronger, 
as  he  drew  nearer  to  the  close  of  life. 
This  portion  of  Scripture  therefore  de- 
serves our  most  cordial  regard.  Let  us 
attend  to  it  with  the  greatest  diligence, 
that  we  receive  present  edification  and 
comfort ;  and,  by  treasuring  it  up  in  our 


SERMON  LXV. 


303 


hearts,  find  it  hereafter  a  powerful  cordial 
(as  thousands  before  us  have  found  it)  on  a 
death-bed;  then  may  we  be  filled  with 
supreme  delight,  in  the  expectation  of 
knowing,  by  experience,  what  it  is  to  be 
with  Jesus,  and  to  behold  his  glory ! 

In  the  former  part  of  this  chapter,  our 
Lord  prayed  for  the  j)reservation — the 
sancUjication — and  the  union  of  his  peo- 
ple ;  and  here  follows  his  prayer  for  their 
glorifirntion.  Observe  this  order.  The 
disciples  had  obtained  that  knowledge  of 
tlie  Father  and  of  the  Son,  wliicli  is  con- 
nected with  eternal  life ;  ver.  3.  6.  8.  He 
then  petitions  for  their  security  against 
the  dangers  of  this  evil  world ;  he  pro- 
ceeds to  entreat  their  sanctification  through 
his  truth,  their  separation  from  wicked 
men;  and  here,  to  crown  the  whole,  he 
expresses  his  desire,  tliat  when  they  leave 
the  world,  they  may  be  '■'■with  him" — with 
hun,  "  where  he  is" — and  with  him  there, 
for  the  purpose  of  "  beholding''^  and  shar- 
ing his  glory  in  the  heavenly  state. 

Our  discourse  on  these  words  will  con- 
sist of  a  few  practical  OBSERVATIONS. 

1.  It  is  useful,  in  all  our  prayers,  to 
remember  that  we  are  addressing  a 
Father. 

Our  great  Intercessor  gives  us  this  rule 
both  by  his  precept  and  hig  example. 
"  After  tliis  manner,"  said  he,  "  pray  ye 
— Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven;"  and 
in  this  chapter  he  himself  uses  the  endear- 
ing appellation  no  less  than  six  times ;  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  also  promised  to  believers, 
for  the  purpose  of  enabling  them  thus  to 
pray. — "  Because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath 
sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your 
hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father."  Through 
the  blood  of  Jesus,  a  new  and  a  living 
way  is  opened  to  the  throne  of  grace  ;  so 
that  we  are  warranted  in  coming  witli 
boldness  into  the  presence  of  God  cyr 
heavenly  Father,  who  knoweth  our  various 
necessities,  and  whose  parental  affection 
disposes  him  to  supply  them.  This  is  to 
pray  "  in  faith :"  and,  as  one  observes, 
"How  different  are  the  cries  of  a  malefac- 
tor to  a  judge  from  the  request  of  a  cliild 
to  a  parent!  This  kind  of  prayer  will 
prevail;  wliile  unbelief  makes  our  prayers 
like  a  messenger  deprived  of  his  hands 
and  feet" 

n.  The  singular  manner  in  which  this 
petition  of  our  Lord  is  expressed. 
"Father,  I  will."  This  way  of  praying  is 
peculiar  to  Christ,  when  pleading  as  the 
advocate  of  his  people  ;  and  we  never  find 
him  using  this  phrase  at  any  other  time. 
Even  his  most  earnest  prayers  for  himself, 
in  the  hour  of  extremity,  were  in  a  dif- 


ferent style. — "  Nevertheless,  not  my  wilU 
but  thine  be  done."  Here,  wlien  Christ  is 
pleading  for  the  eternal  happiness  of  his 
people ;  pleading  on  the  ground  of  that 
perfect  satisfaction  he  was  about  to  make 
by  his  death,  he  claims,  as  it  were,  the 
happiness  which  he  had  even  now  virtual- 
ly purchased  for  them.  In  this  manner 
are  we  to  conceive  of  his  constant  inter-  * 
cession  jn  heaven,  as  founded  in  the  cov- 
enant engagements  of  his  Father,  and  hia 
own  meritorious  obedience  and  atonement: 
for  "  if  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advo- 
cate with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the 
righteous — he  who  is  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins."  1  John  ii.  1.  This  manner 
of  Christ's  praying  ("  I  will")  should  con- 
firm our  faith  and  increase  our  confidence 
in  his  intercession.  The  prayer  that  he 
makes  cannot  but  be  answered,  for  "  the 
Father  always  heareth  him."  The  legacy 
that  Christ  bequeathed  cannot  fail  of  being 
paid.  God  is  faithful  to  fulfil  all  his  en- 
gagements made  with  his  Son.  And 
though  every  branch  of  salvation  is  a  free 
gift  to  us,  yet  it  is  a  matter  of  justice  and 
equity  to  Jesus  Christ  our  great  surety. 

III.  Believers  belong  to  Christ ;  they 
are  his  by  the  gift  of  the  Fatlier.  Our 
Lord  speaks  of  them  several  times  in  this 
chapter  as  given  to  him  ;  "  thine  they  were, 
and  thou  gavest  them  me,"  ver.  6,  and  this 
is  not  to  be  confined  to  the  apostles,  for  he 
says,  ver.  20,  "  Neither  pray  I  for  these 
alone,  but  for  them  also  which  shall  be- 
lieve on  me  through  thy  word."  These  are 
his  peculiar  people  ;  "  chosen  in  him  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  they 
should  be  holy,"  Eph.  i.  4 ;  they  were  given 
to  him  in  the  eternal  purpose  of  God ;.  in 
the  covenant  of  redemption  made  with 
Christ;  and  they  are  given  to  him  also, 
when,  by  tlie  effectual  calling  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  by  "the  word,  they  are  drawn  to  him, 
as  it  is  expressed,  John  vi.  44.  They  are 
given  to  him  "  out  of  the  world,"  ver.  6. 
they  are  committed  into  his  hands  as  the 
great  shepherd  of  the  sheep ;  are  brought 
into  his  fold,  fed  in  his  pasture,  and  pre- 
served by  him  tliat  they  may  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life. 

IV.  Jesus  Christ  resides  in  heaven,  and 
that  in  behalf  of  his  people. — "  That  they 
may  be  with  me,"  saith  lie  "  where  I  am ;" 
and  where  that  is,  none  can  doubt.  It  is 
remarkable  that  he  speaks  of  himself  as 
tliere  already — "  where  /  am ;"  indeed,  in 
his  divine  nature,  he  was  tliere  and  every- 
where, while  speaking  these  words  (John 
iii.  13.)  but  he  speaks  thus  because  lie  was 
just  about  to  le^ve  this  wretched  earth — 
"  and  now  I  am  no  more  in  the  world ;" 


304 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


■"  and  now  I  come  to  thee,"  ver.  11.  13. 
'"  I  came  forth  .from  the  Father — again  I 
leave  the  world,  and  go  to  the  Father." 
All  this  was  shortly  fiiltilled  ;  and  the  disr 
ciples  saw  him  ascend  to  heaven.  Acts  i.  9. 
There  "  he  appears  in  the  presence  of  God 
Jor  us ;  he  appears  in  the  heavenly  temple, 
the  true  sanctuary,  as  our  high-priest,  as 
our  great  representative,  to  transact  our 
affairs,  to  prepare  places  for  us,  and  at  the 
time  appointed,  "  to  receive  us  to  himself; 
and  to  present  us  faultless  before  the  throne 
of  his  glory,  with  exceeding  joy." 

V.  It  is  the  will  of  Christ  that  all  his 
people  shall  be  with  him  in  heaven.  He 
has  a  perfect  knowledge  of  every  individ- 
ual— His  heart  is  set  upon  their  happiness 
— He  knows  tliey  cannot  be  completely 
happy  on  earth, — and  he  designs  their  per- 
fect bliss  in  heaven. 

He  perfectly  knowg  each  individual ;  as 
the  good  shepherd,  "  he  calleth  his  own 
sheep  by  name" — "  he  knovi^s  his  sheep" — 
John  X.  3.  14.  Even  before  their  conver- 
sion his  eye  is  upon  them,  as  he  said  of 
many  in  Corinth  before  the  Gospel  was 
preached  to  them  :  "  I  have  much  people 
in  this  city."  As  he  said  of  us  poor  Gen- 
tiles, as  yet  uncalled  :  "  I  have  other  sheep, 
which  are  not  of  the  fold ;  (that  is,  not  of  the 
Jewish  fold)  them  also  I  must  bring,  and 
they  shall  hear  my  voice."  When  Saul  of 
Tarsus  was  called  by  grace,  he  ordered  his 
servant  Ananias  to  visit  him,  directing  him 
to  the  particular  street,  and  to  the  very 
house  by  name,  where  he  lodged.  In  like 
manner  he  pointed  out  to  Peter,  who  was 
his  missionary  to  Cornelius,  his  residence 
with  Simon,  a  tanner,  whose  house  was  by 
the  sea-side.  Acts  ix.  11.  and  X.  5.  Thus, 
every  individual  of  his  people,  however 
mean  or  obscure,  is  exactly  known  to  the 
Savior,  whose  "  foundation  standeth  sure, 
having  this  inscription — The  L«rd  know- 
eth  them  that  are  his." 

The  heart  of  Jesus  is  set  upon  the  hap- 
piness of  his  people:  he  has  a  real,  person- 
al, intense  love  towards  each  of  them  ;  and 
this  is  the  source  of  all  he  has  said,  and 
done,  and  suffered  for  them.  Love  brought 
him  down  from  the  throne  of  glory  to  the 
stable,  to  the  workshop  ;  to  poverty,  to  con- 
tempt ;  to  the  cross,  to  the  grave.  His  peo- 
ple are  "  his  bride,"  yea,  "  ins  body  ;"  and 
he  loves  them  more  than  the  most  affec- 
tionate husband  his  beloved  bride ;  yea, 
more  than  any  one  loveth  his  own  flesh. 
How  sweetly  did  he  manifest  his  affection 
to  his  disciples  when  on  earth  ;  mean,  igno- 
rant, and  sometimes  mistaken  men,  as  tliey 
were ;  nor  is  his  love  abated  since  his  glo- 
rious exaltation ;  he  has'  taken  a  human 


heart  with  him  to  heaven,  he  is  touched 
with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  and  de- 
signs to  wipe  away  all  tears  from  our  eyes. 

Jesus  Christ  well  knows  that  believers 
cannot  be  completely  happy  in  the  present 
evil  world.  Ke  knows  this  world  well ;  for 
he  lived  in  it  himself:  he  bore  the  contra- 
diction of  sinners  in  it ;  and  he  knows  that 
his  followers  must  expect  a  similar  treat- 
ment. The  experience  of  men  in  all  ages 
proves  that  all  here  is  "  vanity  of  vanities, 
and  vexation  of  Spirit."  Complete  felicity 
here  is  the  dream  of  fools  or  madmen. 
The  softest  nest  we  can  find  is  not  without 
a  thorn.  This  is  not  our  rest.  We  have 
no  continuing  city  here.  We  are  exposed 
to  a  thousand  temptations.  We  are  liable 
to  a  thousand  misfortunes;  and  whatever 
our  outward  lot  may  be,  the  inward  cross, 
the  law  of  sin  in  our  members,  will  always 
embitter  our  condition.  We  are  but  in  our 
embryo  state,  as  the  babe  in  the  womb,  the 
bird  in  the  egg,  the  butterfly  in  the  chrysa- 
lis; it  is  by  death  we  burst  into  life;  we 
die  to  live.  O  the  folly  then  of  clinging  to 
life,  or  shrinking  from  death ! 

VI.  Complete  and  unceasing  happi- 
ness will  be  obtained  when  we  are  "  with 
Christ:' 

The  heavenly  state  is  frequently  de- 
scribed by  negatives — "  for  it  doth  not  yet 
appear  what  we  shall  be  ;"  not  fully,  how- 
ever. But  we  are  so  well  acquainted  with 
the  troubles  of  life,  that  deliverance  from 
them  is  highly  desirable^  hence  it  is  writ- 
ten, "  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from 
their  eyes:  and  there  shall  be  no  more 
death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither 
shall  there  be  any  more  pain : — and  there 
shall  be  no  more  curse."  This  is  much  : 
"  Blessed,"  on  these  accounts,  "  are  the 
dead  which  die  in  the  Lord^for  they  rest 
from  their  labors  :"  but  we  are  not  to  con- 
ceive of  heaven  only,  or  chiefly,  as  a  state 
of  exemption  from  misery  ;  we  have  here  a 
positive  idea  of  the  celestial  world,  given 
us  by  him  who  came  from  it ;  by  him  who 
prepares  it ;  by  him  in  whose  presence  and 
glory  it  consists — "  that  they  may  be  with 
me,  where  I  am" 

But  how  shall  we  form  a  worthy  idea  of 
this  happiness]  Let  us  reflect  on  the  hap- 
piness which  the  disciples  of  our  Lord  en- 
joyed in  his  company  on  earth,  of  which 
we  may  judge  by  their  sorrow  on  his  leav- 
ing them.  Grace  was  poured  from  his  lips. 
He  spake  as  man  never  spake.  The-ir 
hearts  burned  within  them  when  he  ex- 
pounded the  Scriptures.  How  happy  was 
Mary  sitting  at  his  feet!  How  blessed  the 
penitents  who  heard  him  say — "  Your  sins 
are  forgiven  you !"   How  transported  the 


SERMON  LXV. 


305 


sick,  and  the  cripples,  who-possegsed  healtli 
suddenly  restored  at  his  word  !  How  grate- 
ful the  relatives  of"  Lazarus  and  others 
hrought  back  from  the  dead !  How  happy 
the  apostles,  in  daily  communion  with  liini 
on  tiioir  journeys  and  at  their  meals,  and  in 
receiving  unnumbered  tokens  of  his  con- 
descending and  captivating  friendship ! 

Even  now,  though  Jesus  is  in  heaven, 
we,  who  believe,  enjoy  his  spiritual  pres- 
ence. "  The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  tiiy  spirit," 
is  an  apostolic  prayer,  constantly  fulfilled 
to  his  people.  It  was  what  he  promised — 
"  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together 
in  my  name,  there  am  1  in  the  midst  of 
tliem."  Have  we  not  known  the  pleasure 
of  communion  with  him  .'  When  we  have 
read  his  word,  when  we  have  heard  his 
gospel,  when  we  liave  attended  his  table, 
wJien  we  have  poured  out  our  hearts  at  his 
feet,  when  we  have  lified  up  our  souls  in 
liis  praise,  have  we  not  been  constrained 
to  say,  "  It  is  good  for  us  to  be  here  !"  and 
why  good  .'  but  because  Jesus  himself  was 
with  us. 

This  is  sweet;  but  to  be  with  Christ 
umst  be  far  better.  So  St.  Paul  judged. 
"  For  me,"  said  he,  "  to  live  is  Christ,  and 
to  die  is  gain."  "  I  am  in  a  strait  betwixt 
two,  having  a  desire  to  depart,  and  to  be 
with  Christ,  which  is  far  better."  The 
apostle  was  a  happy  man,  for  Christ  lived 
in  him  ;  he  was  a  contented  man,  having 
learned  in  every  state  to  be  satisfied  with 
it ;  and  he  was  a  singularly  useful  man,  for 
iiis  labors  were  abundantly  blessed.  And 
yet,  such  were  his  views  of  the  superior 
bliss  of  being  "  present  with  the  Lord," 
that  he  longed  lo  be  •'  absent  from  the 
body."  What  Paul  wished  for  himself, 
Christ  wills  for  all  his  people,  "that  they 
may  be  with  me,"  saith  he.  Where  I  am, 
that  is,  in  heaven ;  a  slate  of  rest,  of  peace, 
of  holiness,  of  pleasure,  of  glory.  We  have 
said,  that  we  may  form  an  idea  of  the  hap- 
piness of  being  with  Christ  in  heaven,  by 
knowing  sometiiing  of  Christ's  being  with 
us  upon  earth ;  and  yet  tiiis  affords  but  a 
very  imperfect  knowledge  of  the  matter, 
'i'he  following  reasons,  however,  warrant 
us  to  conclude  that  the  presence  of  Christ 
will  be  infinitely  satisfying  and  delightful. 
There  we  siiall  perfectly  understand  tiie 
dignity  of  liis  character.  On  earth  his  dis- 
ciples liad  a  very  inadequate  idea  of  this, 
and  sometimes,  perhaps,  their  doubts  and 
fears  concerning  him.  We  too  have  very 
imperfect  conceptions  of  his  glory :  but 
there  we  shall  sec  "  the  king  in  his  beauty," 
and  commune  witli  him  upon  his  tiirone. 
— Our  happiness  will  be  uninterrupted. 
When  below,  even  his  apostles  were  fre- 
20 


quently  deprived  of  his  company.  Many 
days  was  he  absent  from  most  of  tliem,  and 
spent  whole  nights  in  prayer  alone.  And, 
alas  !  how  seldom  do  we  enjoy  his  gracious 
presence,  and  how  short  the  seasons  of 
our  felicity !  but  there  our  enjoyments 
of  his  presence  will  be  perpetual  and  un- 
interrupted. No  persecuting  Pharisee,  no 
hypocritical  Judas,  no  tyrant  lust,  no  en- 
snaring world,  no  tempting  devil,  shall  de- 
prive us  of  his  presence  for  a  moment. 
Another  unportant  branch  of  our  happiness 
will  consist  in  being  like  our  Lord.  No- 
thing so  mucli  cements  friendship  as  a 
similarity  of  disposition.  To  enjoy  com- 
munion with  our  divine  Redeemer,  we  must 
be  like  him,  and  the  more  we  are  so,  the 
more  shall  we  enjoy  of  his  divine  presence. 
In  heaven  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is,  and 
be  conformed  perfectly  to  his  image. — The 
company  of  our  earthly  friends,  whom  we 
esteem  as  great,  and  wise,  and  good,  is 
highly  gratifying ;  but  the  pleasure  of  being 
with  Christ  must  be  wonderfully  enhanced 
by  the  consideration  of  our  infinite  obliga- 
tions to  him,  for  his  eternal,  immense, 
and  unparalleled  love  and  goodness  to  us. 
If  an  unseen  Christ  is  precious  to  us, 
we  have  reason  to  think  that  a  sight  of  his 
lovely  and  glorious  person  will  fill  us  with 
joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. — Lastly, 
This  felicity  will  be  eternal.  When  our 
liOrd  was  upon  earth,  he  often  dropped 
hints  of  leaving  them,  "yet  a  little  while, 
and  I  go  to  my  Father," — which  sometimes 
made  them  e.xceedingly  sorrowful.  But  in 
heaven  will  be  no  more  parting,  nor  even 
the  possibility  of  it. — "  We  shall  be  for 
ever  with  the  Lord." 

VII.  We  observe  the  great  end  which 
Christ  has  in  view,  in  having  his  people 
with  him—  "  that  they  may  behold  hisg  lory."" 

To  "behold"  is  in  Scripture  language 
to  enjoy,  to  participate :  "  except  a  man  be 
born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
God :"  that  is,  he  cannot  participate  or 
enjoy  it.  In  this  we  may  remark,  that  mu- 
tual happiness  is  the  great  object  of  oiu' 
Redeemer.  It  was  promised  as  the  re- 
ward of  his  sufferings,  that  he  should 
"see  his  seed,  that  he  should  prolong  his 
days" — that  he  should  "  see  of  the  travail 
of  his  soul,  and  be  satisfied."  Is.  liii.  10, 
11.  So  that  Christ  himself  has  a  great  in- 
terest in  the  hajjpiness  of  his  people,  and 
indeed  cannot  himself  be  happy  without 
they  are  with  him,  and  enjoy  the  like  hap- 
piness :  "  I  will,"  I  desire,  I  delight,  as  the 
word  is  sometimes  used,  "  that  they  may 
behold  my  glory."  See  Matt,  xxvii.  43. 
Mark  xii.  38.  Luke  xx.  46. 

Jesus  Christ  was  infinitely  glorious  from 
26* 


306 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


all  eternity.  We  read,  ver.  5,  of  "  the 
glory  which  he  had  with  the  Father,  be- 
fore the  world  was ;"  but  for  our  sakes  he 
made  himself  of  no  reputation  (emptied 
himself  of  all  his  glory)  and  assumed  hu- 
man nature  in  a  lowly  form,  submitting  to 
a  life  of  deep  humiliation,  and  to  an  igno- 
minious death.  Yet,  even  before  his  in- 
carnation, he  was  pleased,  occasionally,  to 
afford  some  resplendent  glimpses  of  his 
glory.  Abraham  was  indulged  with  a  view 
of  it,  for  "  he  saw  Christ's  day,  and  was 
filled  with  ecstatic  joy."  Moses,  the  man 
of  God,  earnestly  prayed,  saying,  "  I  be- 
seech thee,  show  me  thy  glory,"  and  he 
was  gratified ;  and  we  are  expressly  told, 
that  "  Isaiah  saw  his  glory,"  when  he  had 
a  vision  in  the  temple  of' "the  Lord  of 
hosts." 

When  our  Savior  dwelt  among  men, 
and  appeared  in  the  form  of  a  servant; 
when  carnal  eyes,  dazzled  with  worldly 
splendor,  saw  no  form  nor  comeliness  in 
him  ;  when,  as  a  man  of  sorrows,  he  was 
despised  and  rejected  of  men ;  even  then, 
the  lustre  of  his  glory  broke  through  all 
the  clouds  of  his  humiliation ;  and  believ- 
ers, whose  eyes  the  Lord  had  opened, 
"  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  of  the  only- 
begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and 
truth."  The  beauty  of  holiness  displayed 
in  his  whole  character,  the  divine  light 
that  shone  in  his  charming  instructions, 
the  heavenly  love  that  glowed  in  all  his 
benevolent  miracles,  "  manifested  forth  his 
glory."  He  appeared  divinely  glorious  at 
Jordan ;  on  the  mount  of  transfiguration  ; 
and  when  rising  from  the  tomb.  Stephen, 
and  Paul,  and  John,  were  favored  with  a 
glance  of  glory  on  extraordinary  occa- 
sions. 

The  state  of  our  Lord,  after  he  had  fin- 
ished his  meritorious  sufferings  on  earth, 
and  ascended  to  heaven,  became  infinitely 
glorious.  It  was  according  to  the  plan  of 
redemption  that,  having  "suffered  these 
things,  he  should  enter  into  his  glory ;" 
and  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  the  ancient  pro- 
phets "  testified  beforehand  these  sufferings 
of  Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should  fol- 
low." 

But  in  what  more  particularly  does  this 
glory  consist?  1.  His  human  nature  is 
most  glorious:  that  sacred  countenance, 
which  once  was  marred  more  than  any 
man's,  that  sacred  body  which  was  bruised, 
broken,  and  crucified  for  us,  is  now  brighter 
and  more  glorious  than  the  sun ;  and  is 
become  the  pattern  of  what  his  redeemed 
shall  one  day  be ;  for  "  he  shall  change 
our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like 


his  glorious  body."  This  now  possesses  a 
lustre  too  brilliant  for  mortal  eyes;  for 
when  Jesus  presented  himself  in  his  glo- 
rified state  to  Saul  at  his  conversion,  he 
was  utterly  overpowered  with  the  vision ; 
and  when  the  beloved  John  beheld  his  glo- 
rious appearance  in  Patmos,  "he  fell  at 
his  feet  as  one  dead." 

2.  Jesus  Christ  will  appear  infinitely 
glorious  in  the  exercise  of  his  ofiice  as 
mediator,  for  he  continues  to  exercise  this 
office  in  heaven,  and  will  continue  to  do 
so  until  all  the  ransomed  are  come  to 
glory. 

As  a  prophet,  he  still  teaches  the  whole 
church,  by  his  holy  word  and  holy  Spirit. 
We  are  by  no  means  to  confine  his  teach- 
ing to  the  few  years  he  travelled  in  Judea: 
millions  of  humble  scholars  have  been  sit- 
ting at  his  feet  in  all  ages ;  and  millions 
more  will  succeed,  till  the  whole  body  of 
the  elect  has  become  wise  to  salvation. 

Inexpressibly  great  is  the  glory  of  Jesus 
as  the  great  High-Priest  of  our  Christian 
profession.  We  are  to  conceive  of  hea- 
ven as  the  true  temple,  of  which  that  at 
Jerusalem  was  merely  the  type,  where  our 
glorious  Lord  is  constantly  officiating.  By 
the  one  sacrifice  he  offered  on  the  cross, 
he  hath  made  a  full  and  complete  atone- 
ment for  sin ;  and  now  he  appears  in  the 
most  holy  place,  in  the  presence  of  God, 
to  present  the  merit  of  his  blood,  and  to 
secure  its  application  to  every  one  of  his 
people.  Here  he  superintends  the  cares 
of  the  whole  church.  He  raises  up,  sends 
forth,  and  gives  success  to  the  ministers  of 
the  Gospel ;  by  their  instrumentality,  he 
still  seeks  and  saves  his  lost  sheep ;  he  ex- 
ercises compassion  and  care  toward  "the 
ignorant,  and  them  that  are  out  of  the 
way."  He  feeds  his  flock  like  a  shepherd, 
and  secures  them  in  his  almighty  hands, 
that  they  may  never  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life. 

In  heaven,  Jesus  reigns,  the  king  of 
Zion ;  he  possesses  universal  authority ; 
angels,  men,  and  devils  being  subject  to 
his  control.  The  affairs  of  the  whole  uni- 
verse are  under  his  direction,  and  overruled 
to  the  purposes  of  his  glory.  He  reigns, 
and  "must  reign,  till  he  shall  have  put 
down  all  rule,  and  all  authority,  and  all 
power — till  he  hath  put  all  enemies  under 
his  feet." 

This,  then,  is  that  glory  of  Christ,  which 
he  prays  that  his  people  may  see.  This  is 
a  mere  glimpse  of  it,  imperfectly  caught 
by  a  weak  eye,  through  that  glass  in  which 
the  keenest  believer  sees  but  obscurely. 
Yet  tliis  very  poor  and  obscure  glance  of 


SERMON  LXV. 


307 


the  glory  of  Christ  may  be  sufficient  to 
convince  us,  that  to  behold  it,  face  to  face, 
must  be  inconceivably  happy ;  and  to  make 
us  adopt  the  Psalmist's  pious  words,  "  As 
for  me,  I  shall  behold  thy  face  in  righteous- 
ness, I  shall  be  satisfied,  when  I  awake, 
with  thy  likeness" — the  likeness  of  God 
in  Ciirist — the  brightness  of  the  Father's 
glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  per- 
son :  this  indeed  will  satisfy  the  unbounded 
desire  of  the  human  heart,  and  nothing  less 
than  this  can  suffice. 

IMPROVEMENT. 

From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  learn 
how  to  form  the  best  idea  of  heaven  of 
which  we  are  capable  in  our  present  state. 
To  be  with  Christ,  and  to  beliold  his  glory, 
is  a  just  idea  of  iieaven ;  it  must  be  so,  for 
it  is  the  idea  which  Christ  himself  gives 
us  of  it.  Let  us  not  then  be  content  to 
think  of  heaven  as  a  state  of  mere  exemp- 
tion from  trouble,  much  less  as  a  place  of 
sensual  delight,  as  Mahomet  taught ;  but 
as  a  condition  of  perfect  holiness  and  su- 
preme felicity  in  the  presence  of  the  Lamb, 
and  in  the  vision  of  his  glory. 

And  this  may  also  serve  to  enable  us  to 
form  some  judgment  of  our  state  towards 
God,  and  whether  we  are  likely  to  go  to 
heaven  when  we  die.  The  serious  Chris- 
tian has  many  an  anxious  thought  on  this 
head ;  while  the  presumptuous  sinner  and 
the  cold  formalist  seldom  entertain  a  doubt. 
This  subject  may  be  serviceable  to  both. 
Does  the  former  love  to  hear,  and  read,  and 
think  of  Christ]  Does  he  love  the  place 
where  his  honor  dwelleth  1  Is  Jesus  high 
in  his  esteem  1  Does  he  delight  in  behold- 
ing the  glory  of  Jesus  in  the  glass  of  his 
word  ]  Does  he  long  to  behold  more  and 
more  of  it!  and  does  the  glance  he  ob- 
tains transform  him  in  some  degree  into 
the  same  glory!  Then  he  has  reason  to 
hope,  that  he  is  interested  in  this  prayer ; 
and  if  so,  shall  certainly  be  with  him 
where  he  is,  and  behold  his  glory  without 
a  veil. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  here  is  nothing 
to  countenance  the  vain  hope  of  a  carnal 
man.  He  who  sees  no  glory  in  Jesus  here, 
is  not  in  the  way  to  behold  it  hereafter ; 
and  it  is  certain,  that  the  person  who  neg- 
lects his  Gospel,  disregards  his  word,  wil- 
fully is  ignorant  of  his  truth,  dislikes  his 
people,  shuns  his  ordinances,  has  never 
once  discerned  the  glory  of  the  Redeemer. 
He  who  loves  the  sin  that  Christ  abhors, 
and  hates  the  lioliness  that  Jesus  loves, 
cannot,  in  this  state,  entertain  any  scrip- 
tural hope  of  heaven.     No,  he  must  be 


washed ;  he  must  be  justified,  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus ;  he  must  be  sanctified 
by  tlie  Spirit  of  our  God ;  or  he  can  never 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  glory.  The 
persons  described  in  this  chapter,  as  tliose 
for  whom  Christ  prays,  and  wishes  to  be 
with  him,  are  such  as  know  him — to  whom 
God's  name  and  nature  are  manifested — 
who  are  not  of  the  world — who  are  sancti- 
fied by  the  truth.  Is  this  then  our  char- 
acter !  If  not,  our  hope  of  glory  is  mere 
presumption. 

We  may  infer  from  this  prayer  of  Christ 
the  safety  of  all  those  who  live  in  him.  It 
appears  tliat  the  heart  of  Christ  is  fully 
set  upon  the  happiness  of  his  people.  "  I 
loill,''  saith  he,  "that  they  may  be  with 
me."  Now,  does  Jesus,  who  hath  almighty 
power,  will  this !  Who  then  shall  prevent 
it.  Who  shall  resist  his  will !  Is  there  any 
power  in  heaven,  or  earth,  or  hell,  superior 
to  his!  If  this  be  his  will,  it  shall  be  ac- 
complished ;  for  what  can  prevent  it!  His 
love  is  unchangeable ;  his  purpose  unalter- 
able; his  engagements  must  be  fulfilled. 
Let  believers  then  be  ashamed  of  their 
doubts  and  fears.  Let  them  rely  upon  his  pro- 
mises ;  let  them  confide  in  his  faithfulness  ; 
let  them  gladly  join  St.  Paul,  and  say,  "  I 
know  whom  I  have  believed,  and  am  per- 
suaded that  he  is  able  (and  we  may  add, 
determined  too)  to  keep  that  which  I  have 
committed  unto  him  against  that  day." 

This  representation  of  the  love  of  Christ 
is  well  calculated  to  excite  our  love  to 
him.  After  having  laid  down  his  life  for 
us,  after  ascending  into  heaven  for  us, 
after  having  called  us  by  his  grace,  he 
pleads  for  our  company,  and  will  not  be 
satisfied  without  having  us  with  him.  O 
what  marvellous  love  is  this !  and  surely 
demands  a  return  of  affection  to  him.  Can 
we  do  any  thing  for  him  on  earth  1  Let 
us  do  it  gladly.  Can  we  suffer  any  thing 
for  him  below  !  Let  us  bear  it  joyfully. 
And  let  us  not  cleave  to  the  earth  too 
much.  If  he  wills  that  we  should  be  with 
him,  is  it  not  fit  that  we  should  be  willing, 
yea,  desirous  of  leaving  all  for  that  pur- 
pose? 

Finally.  This  subject  throws  a  won- 
derful lustre  over  the  glooms  of  death  and 
the  grave.  Dark  as  they  are  in  them- 
selves, and  dreadful  to  nature,  the  sun  of 
righteousness,  rising,  dispels  the  threaten- 
ing clouds,  and  gilds  the  darksome  scene. 
With  that  view  of  the  matter,  to  which 
the  Lord  of  life  directs  us  in  our  text, 
what  is  death  1  Not  a  horrid  monster,  the 
cruel  executioner  of  the  broken  law, 
threatening  to  thrust  our  reluctant  spirits 


308 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


into  the  prison  of  hell ;  but  the  mild  and 
gentle  messenger  of  our  Savior,  who  says, 
"  The  prayer  of  Jesus  is  fulfilled :  my  master 
has  long  wished  for  your  company,  and  the 
time  appointed  is  arrived  :  shut  your  eyes 
upon  the  fading  glories  of  the  world,  and 
open  them  upon  the  glory  of  the  incarnate 
God,  your  beloved  Savior  above,  who  waits 
to  receive  you  to  himself,  that  where  he  is, 
you  may  be  also." 

And  this  should  moderate  our  desire  of 
life,  and  prevent  our  fear  of  death;  so 
should  it  make  us  sober  and  resigned, 
when  we  pray  for  the  recovery  of  the 
pious  sick.  It  is  lawful,  with  submission 
to  the  divine  pleasure,  to  entreat  the  con- 
tinuance of  desirable  and  useful  lives:  but 
we  should  not  be  too  anxious,  lest  our 
petitions  should  clash  with  those  of  our 
Savior,  who  prays  they  may  be  with  him, 
while  we  are  so  earnest  that  they  may  be 
with  lis.  This  too,  should  keep  us  from 
sorrowing,  as  those  without  hope,  on  ac- 
count of  departed  believers.  They  are 
with  the  Lord,  where  he  wished  them  to  be, 
and  where  they  are  infinitely  happy.  They 
are  far  happier  than  ourselves.  We  live 
by  faith  ;  they  by  sight.  We  see  through 
a  glass,  darkly ;  they  see  face  to  face. 
We  catch  a  glance  of  the  glory  of  Christ; 
they  see  it  steadily,  openly,  unceasingly. 
We  are  transformed  in  some  measure  (and 
O  in  what  a  small  measure  !)  they  are 
perfectly  like  him,  for  they  "  see  him  as  he 
is."  May  divine  mercy,  in  the  fittest 
time,  fulfil  this  prayer  of  Christ  for  each 
of  us,  that  "  we  may  be  with  him,  where 
he  is,  and  behold  his  glory."  Amen  and 
Amen ! 


PRAYER. — GLor.ious  Intercessor  !  blessed 
Advocate  of  sinncr.s,  who  hast  entered  into  the 
presence  of  God  lor  us,  we  adore  thee  for  that 
specimen  of  thy  intercession  which  we  have 
now  been  hearing.  Wo  nre  thine,  gracious  Lord, 
given  to  ihce  by  the  Father ;  and  we  learn  that 
it  is  thy  holy  will  that  wc  shall  be  with  thee, 
where  ihou  arl, — for  indeed  ihis  is  not  our  rest; 
and  ihou  knowest  that  we  cannot  be  completely 
happy  in  this  sinful  and  miserable  world  ;  but  we 
are  well  assured  that  to  be  with  thee,  to  see 
thee  as  thou  an,  to  be  coralbrnied  to  thy  image, 
and  to  behold  the  splendor  of  ihy  mediatorial 
glory,  will  render  ns  perfectly  blessed.  O  prepare 
us,  by  thy  Spirit,  for  the  heavenly  world  !  En- 
able each  of  us  to  say.  For  me  to  live  is  Chri.'it, 
and  to  die  is  gain.  Here  may  we  love  and  serve 
thee  with  all  our  hearts;  and  when  we  close 
our  eyes  upon  the  fading  glories  of  Earth,  may 
we  open  them  in  the  celestial  Paradise,  to  be- 
hold, with  unveiled  (iice,  the  glories  of  the  Lamb, 
who  sits  in  the  midst  of  the  throne ;  to  whom, 
with  the  Father  of  mercies,  and  the  Spirit  of 
all  grace,  be  glory,  honor,  and  thanksgiving  for 
evermore.    Amen. 


SERMON  LXVI. 

THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  KNOW- 
LEDGE OF  GOD. 

John  xvii.  3.  And  this  is  life  eternal,  that  they  might 
know  thee  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ 
whom  thou  hast  sent. 

The  belief  of  a  God  is  the  foundation 
of  all  religion.  If  we  "  come  to  God," 
for  the  purpose  of  worship,  we  "  must  be- 
lieve that  he  is ;"  and  we  cannot  come  to 
him  aright,  without  knowing  what  he  is, 
or  what  are  the  perfections  which  he 
possesses.  It  is,  therefore,  of  the  greatest 
importance  to  obtain  a  right  knowledge  of 
his  character ;  and  this  is  what  is  affirmed 
by  "  the  faithful  and  true  witness"  in  the 
words  of  our  text.  Our  Lord  asserts  that 
"  it  is  eternal  life"  to  know  the  only  true 
God — that  is,  it  is  the  means,  the  way,  the 
sure  and  only  way  to  eternal  life  : — that 
there  is  a  connexion  between  the  right 
knowledge  of  the  only  true  God,  and  the 
attainment  of  eternal  felicity,  of  which, 
indeed,  this  knowledge  furnishes  the  true 
Christian  with  the  beginning  and  the 
earnest. 

Let  us  here  consider — 

1.  The  glorious  objects  of  saving  know- 
ledge ;  and 

2.  The  connexion  of  this  knowledge 
with  eternal  life. 

I.  The  great  and  glorious  objects  of 
saving  knowledge,  mentioned  in  the  text, 
are — "  the  only  true  God,"  and  "  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ." 

The  mind  of  man  was  formed  for 
knowledge.  He  is  endowed  with  faculties 
superior  to  those  of  all  other  creatures 
upon  earth,  which  render  him  capable  of 
obtaining  the  knowledge  of  God.  You 
cannot,  by  any  means,  communicate  to  the 
most  sagacious  animal,  the  least  idea  of 
the  great  Creator  ;  but  man  was  originally 
made  in  "  the  image"  of  his  Maker ;  of 
which  image,  "  knowledge"  formed  an 
essential  part ;  and  when  fallen  man  is 
renewed  by  grace,  in  the  image  of  God, 
he  is  renewed  "  in  knowledge  and  true 
holiness." 

It  is  an  unhappy  consequence  of  man's 
apostasy  from  God,  that  he  is  not  disposed 
to  seek  him.  On  the  contrary,  wicked 
men  say  to  God,  in  their  hearts  and  by 
their  practice,  "  Depart  from  us,  for  we 
desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways." 
In  all  other  matters,  it  is  natural  to  man 
to  look  at  every  object  around  him,  and  to 
ask— What  is  it  1  What  is  it  fori 
Whence  does  it  come  7     Man  naturally 


SERMON  LXVI. 


309 


inquires  into  the  reasons  and  causes  of 
things :  and,  surely,  the  first  cause,  the 
great  maker  of  all,  should  be  the  first 
and  chief  object  of  inquiry.  And,  were 
we  rightly  disposed  to  seek  iiim,  we  should 
soon  find  him.  "'He  is  not  tar  from  every 
one  of  us."  We  are  surrounded  with  God. 
The  heavens,  the  earth,  the  sea,  display 
his  glory.  The  whole  world  is  a  kind  of 
looking-glass,  in  which  his  perfections  are 
reflected;  for  "  the  invisible  things  of  him, 
even  his  power  and  godhead,  are  clearly 
seen  by  the  things  that  appear."  But  alas ! 
"  the  world  by  wisdom  knew  not  God  :" 
and  the  reason  was,  "  they  did  not  like  to 
retain  God  in  their  knowledge  ;  therefore 
God  gave  them  over  to  a  reprobate  mmd," 
— "  they  changed  the  truth  of  God  into  a 
lie,  and  worshipped  and  served  the  crea- 
ture more  than  the  Creator :"  they  even 
"  changed  the  glory  of  the  incorruptible 
God  into  the  image  of  corruptible  men, 
yea,  of  four-footed  beasts  and  creeping 
things."  The  better  sort  of  the  gods 
which  the  heathens  adored,  were,  in 
general,  patterns  of  abominable  vices ; 
and  it  is  no  wonder  that  their  worshippers 
imitated  them,  and  mingled  their  devotions 
with  the  utmost  execrable  deeds.  Hence 
it  was  that  some  of  their  wise  men,  sensible 
of  the  mischief  of  such  a  system,  wished 
that  the  poets,  who  dressed  up  in  fine  lan- 
guage the  stories  and  the  vices  of  the 
gods,  should  be  banished  from  the  country, 
as  the  enemies  of  society. 

In  opposition  to  this  wr«tched  gang  of 
deities,  the  knowledge  of  "  the  only  true 
God"  is  here  extolled.  Jehovah  is  the 
only  true  God  ;  all  others  are  fnJse :  they 
are  "vanity  and  lies."  A  principal  design 
of  divine  Revelation  was  to  maintain  this 
great  truth, — "There  is  one  God,  and 
there  is  none  other  but  He."  Mark  xii. 
32.  "  Hear,  O  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God  is 
one  Ix)rd."  Deut.  vi.  4 :  and  the  Jewish 
nation  had  the  honor,  for  many  ages,  of 
being  the  chief  supporters  of  this  great 
tkictrine,  amidst  a  world  of  blind  idolaters. 
The  sacred  Scriptures  which  they  pos- 
sessed, and  whicli  were  the  treasury  of 
til  is  sacred  truth,  have  been  handed  down 
to  us ;  and  we  enjoy,  in  addition  to  them, 
the  testimonies  of  the  inspired  apostles  in 
tlie  New  Testament;  and  above  all,  the 
testimony  of  the  Son  of  God  himself  in 
our  text,  and  in  many  otlier  places.  In 
the  scriptures  of  truth  we  learn  all  that  is 
necessary  to  be  known  of  God.  All  his 
moral  as  well  as  his  natural  perfections 
are  therein  displayed.  There  we  learn  that 
he  is  Eternal,  Almiohty,  OMNiPRE.st;NT, 
Holy,  Just,  Wise,  Faithful,  and  Good. 


Blessed  be  God  for  these  bright  dis- 
coveries of  his  infinite  perfections  !  It  is 
life  eternal  to  know  thee,  the  only  true 
God! 

But,  in  our  text,  we  find  the  knowledge 
of  Jesus  Christ  is  made  of  equal  unport- 
ance  with  the  knowledge  of  (iod ;  which 
seems  to  imply  that  Jesus  Christ  is  equal 
with  God ;  and  so  indeed  he  is.  At  tlie 
first  view  of  these  words,  some  may  think 
tiiat  the  inferiority  of  our  Savior  is  intima- 
ted, for  it  is  said — "  This  is  life  eternal, 
that  they  might  know  thee,  the  only  true 
God,  and  Jesus  Christ,"  &c.  But  the  title 
of  "  the  only  true  God"  is  not  intended  to 
exclude  the  Son  of  God,  but  to  exclude 
idols.  Jehovah  is  the  only  true  God,  and 
idols  are  nothing  ;  but  as  Jesus  Christ  is, 
in  many  places  of  the  Scripture,  declared 
to  be  the  true  God,  the  text  cannot  be  un- 
derstood as  a  denial  of  liJs  Deity ;  but  it  is 
intended  to  show  that  it  is  necessary  to 
salvation,  not  only  to  know  God  as  a  Crea- 
tor, but  also,  as  a  Savior:  it  is  as  necessa- 
ry to  know  Jesus  the  Mediator,  by  whom 
we  come  to  the  Father,  as  it  is  to  know 
the  Father  himself;  and  as  we  said  before, 
thus  rendering  the  knowledge  of  Christ  as 
necessary  to  eternal  life  as  the  knowledge 
of  God  the  J'ather,  the  text,  instead  of  re- 
jecting the  divinity  of  Jesus,  affords  a  pow- 
erful argument  for  it ; — and  here  let  it  be 
observed,  that  the  tliree  names  of  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  are  not  intended  to 
explain  to  us  the  manner  in  which  the 
three  divine  persons  subsist,  for  that  is  not 
revealed,  nor  could  we  comprehend  it  if  it 
were ;  but  they  are  the  ofiice  names  of  the 
three  divine  persons  in  the  Godhead  ;  and 
express  the  characters  they  sustain  in  the 
covenant  of  grace  ;  and  these  "  Three  are 
One" — three  in  per.^on  and  in  office,  but 
one  in  nature  and  in  essence. 

The  true  divinity  of  our  Savior  is  strong- 
ly asserted  in  the  following  scripture : — 
John  V.  22,  23.  "  The  Father  hath  com- 
mitted all  judgment  unto  the  Son  :  that 
all  men  sliould  honor  the  Son,  even  as 
they  honor  tlie  Fatlier."  And  in  the  20th 
chapter  of  St.  John,  verse  the  28th,  we 
find  the  apostle,  St.  Thomas,  saying  to 
Ciirist,  "  My  Lord,  and  my  God."  St. 
Paul  also  charges  the  elders  of  Ephesus  to 
"feed  the  Churcli  of  God,  wJiich  //c"  (that 
is,  Christ)  "purchased  with  his  own  blood." 
Acts  XX.  28.  Many  more  passages  might 
be  cited  in  proof  of  this  doctrine,  but  we 
add  only  tlie  following :  Rom.  ix.  5,  "  Of 
whom,"  that  is,  of  the  Fathers,  "  as  con- 
cerning the  flesh,  Christ  came,  who  is  over 
all,  God  blessed  for  ever.  Amen."  It  is 
necessary  to  know  the  Son  of  God  as  de- 


310 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


scribed  by  those  two  names — Jesus  and 
Christ,  as  descriptive  (5f  his  character  and 
office.  The  name  Jesus  was  given  him  to 
denote  the  great  work  of  salvation  wliich 
he  came  to  perform  :  "  Tliou  slialt  call  his 
name  Jesus,"  said  the  angel  to  his  mother, 
"for  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their 
sins  :"  (Matt.  i.  21.)  for  he  came  from 
Heaven  on  purpose  to  deliver  his  people 
from  their  iniquities  by  the  sacrifice  of 
himself,  and  by  the  power  of  his  Spirit  at- 
tending his  word. 

But,  it  may  be  asked  by  the  anxious  sin- 
ner, Is  he  appointed,  and  perfectly  able  to 
do  this  !  Yes,  he  is,  for  he  is  Christ  also, 
which  name  signifies  Anointed  in  the 
Greek  language,  as  Messiah  does  in  the 
Hebrew.  The  name  denotes  his  being 
fully  qualified  for  the  office,  being  anointed 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  "  full  of  grace  and 
truth;"  and  as,  in  ancient  times,  kings, 
priests,  and  prophets  were  solemnly  set 
apart  to  their  several  offices  by  being 
anointed,  so  Jesus  Chri:?t  is  divinely  con- 
secrated and  authorized  to  perform  the 
grand  work  of  saving  sinners  ;  and  this  is 
farther  expressed  by  his  being  Sent — "  Je- 
sus Christ,  whom  he  hath  sent."  Jesus 
Christ,  though  equal  with  the  Father  as 
touching  his  divine  nature,  condescends,  in 
his  human  nature,  and  in  his  office  of  Me- 
diator, to  become  "  the  servant  of  the 
Father  ;"  and,  in  regard  to  that  character, 
he  was  sent ;  he  did  not  come  without  au- 
thority ;  he  came  with  all  the  authority  of 
Heaven,  to  accomplish  the  great  design, 
determined  upon  in  the  councils  of  God, 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world.  To 
know  Christ,  therefore,  is  as  necessary  to 
salvation  a^  to  know  the  Father ;  he  is  as 
much  the  object  of  saving  knowledge  and 
of  saving  faith  as  the  Father;  and  he  is 
distinguished  from  him,  not  on  account  of 
any  inferiority  of  nature,  but  on  account  of 
his  office-character ;  and  it  may  be  remark- 
ed, that  the  same  apostle,  who  records  the 
words  of  the  text,  expressly  says  of  Christ 
(1  John  V.  21.)  "  This  is  the  true  God, 
and  eternal  life."  Our  Lord  himself  also 
declares,  that  he  himself  is,  equally  with 
the  Father,  the  object  of  faith  (John  xiv. 
1.)  "Ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in 
me" — that  is.  Ye  have  faith  in  God  the 
Father,  according  to  the  discoveries  of  the 
Old  Testament;  have  the  same  faith  in  me, 
his  Son,  the  Savior,  according  to  the  dis- 
coveries of  the  New  Testament. 

Let  us  now  proceed,  as  we  proposed,  in 
the  second  place,  to  point  out, 

II.  T/ie  connexion  between  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Father  and  of  his  Son,  and 
the  attainment  of  eternal  life. 


And  here  let  us  pause  a  moment,  and 
consider  the  import  of  the  words — "  eter- 
nal life."  This  is  the  glorious  blessing 
which  the  Son  of  God  came  from  Heaven 
to  procure  for  sinners,  who  deserved  eter- 
nal death,  and  were  justly  doomed  to  it  by 
the  broken  law  of  a  righteous  God."  "  The 
wages  of  sin  is  death" — not  merely  the 
death  of  the  body,  but  that  which  may  be 
called  the  Death  of  the  Soul — complete 
and  everlasting  separation  from  God,  who 
is  the  only  fountain  of  life  and  happiness; 
and  this  is  called  (Rev.  xxi.  8.)  "  the  Sec- 
ond Death  ;"  this  is  that  dreadful  state 
which  our  Lord  himself  calls  "  everlasting 
punishment" — "everlasting  fire" — "where 
their  worm  dieth  not,  and  their  fire  is  not 
quenched."  But,  although  the  wages  of 
sin  be  death,  "  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal 
life,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 
Rom.  vi.  23. 

Opposed  then  to  eternal  death,  is  that 
eternal  life  of  which  our  text  speaks ;  the 
foundation  of  which  is  laid  in  justification 
of  life,  as  St.  Paul  terms  it  (Rom.  v.  18.) 
which  includes  both  an  exemption  from  the 
sentence  of  death,  and  a  title,  through  the 
perfect  righteousness  of  Christ,  to  the  com- 
plete enjoyment  of  happiness  in  Heaven; 
for  which  blessed  state  every  true  Chris- 
tian is  prepared  by  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  who,  as  an  active  principle  of  Spir- 
itual life,  is  compared,  by  our  Lord,  to  "  a 
well  of  water  springing  up  to  everlasting 
life."  What  the  glories  and  liappiness  of 
that  state  will  be,  it  doth  not  yet  fully  ap- 
pear ;  but  we  know  that  they  will  consist, 
partly,  in  that  knowledge  of  God  in  Christ 
which  is  here  commenced;  for  "we  shall 
see  him  as  he  is,"  and  "  know  even  as  we 
are  known." 

Now,  such  is  the  importance  of  divine 
knowledge,  that  our  text  declares  "  it  is 
eternal  life" — it  is  so  connected  with  it, 
that  eternal  life  is  not  to  be  expected  with- 
out it,  but  may  be  confidently  hoped  for  as 
the  result  of  it. 

This  will  appear,  if  we  consider  that  the 
knowledge  of  ourselves,  in  relation  to  God ; 
conviction  of  sin ;  apprehension  of  danger ; 
prayer  to  God  for  pardon ;  trusting  m  him, 
through  Christ,  for  salvation ;  love  to  him ; 
delight  in  him;  hope  in  his  mercy;  and 
obedience  to  his  will  (all  which  are  neces- 
sary in  a  Christian,)  depend  upon,  and  re- 
sult from  a  knowledge  of  his  true  charac- 
ter ;  and,  consequently,  that  gross  igno- 
rance of  him,  or  great  mistakes  respecting 
him,  must  be  extremely  dangerous  to  the 
soul. 

It  is  through  the  knowledge  of  God,  as 
infinitely  pure  and  holy,  that  we  become 


SERMON  LXVI. 


311 


humble  and  penitent.  We  see  his  infinite 
purity  in  the  glass  of  his  holy  law;  we 
discern  our  own  deformity ;  "  abhor  our- 
selves, and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes,"  as 
pious  Job  did.  The  heatliens  thought  God 
to  be  "altogether  like  unto  themselves," 
no  wonder  then  that  they  were  proud  and 
wicked.  Where  ignorance  of  God  pre- 
vails, there  sin  also  prevails.  The  prophet 
Hosea,  complaining  of  the  people  in  his 
days,  says,  "  there  is  no  knowledge  of  God 
in  the  land,"  and  he  ascribes  to  this,  the 
prevalence  of  "  swearing,  lying,  stealing, 
adultery,  and  murder."  Hosea,  iv.  12. 
Where  ignorance  reigns,  there  Satan  also 
reigns,  for  "  he  is  the  ruler  of  the  darkness 
of  this  world,"  and  wicked  men  are  "  un- 
der the  power  of  darkness."  Hence  when 
Jesus  Clirist  commissioned  Paul  to  go  and 
preach  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen,  it  was 
for  the  purpose  of  "  turning  them  from 
darkness  unto  light,  and  from  the  power  of 
Satan  unto  God."  It  was  ignorance  of 
God  that  caused  the  Pharisee  in  the  tem- 
ple to  boast ;  it  was  a  true  knowledge  of 
him  that  humbled  the  publican,  and  con- 
strained him  to  cry, — "  God  be  merciful  to 
me  a  sinner !" 

It  is  through  the  knowledge .  of  God  in 
Christ,  that  we  are  led  to  believe  in  him. 
"  They  that  know  thy  name,"  says  the 
psalmist,  "  will  trust  in  thee."  We  dare 
not,  in  any  momentous  affair,  especially  in 
a  matter  of  life  and  death,  confide  in  a 
stranger,  a  person  of  whose  ability  and  in- 
tegrity we  have  no  knowledge.  If  our 
property,  if  our  health,  if  our  life  be  in 
danger,  we  are  anxious  to  know  whom  we 
trust  to  defend  us :  how  much  more  neces- 
sary is  it  to  know  Him  to  whom  we  com- 
mit our  immortal  souls ;  to  whose  advocacy 
we  leave  our  cause ;  on  whose  fidelity  we 
repose,  and  who  is  the  only  foundation  of 
our  hopes  of  eternity.  Our  faith  will  cer- 
tainly bear  some  proportion  to  our  know- 
ledge; if  our  knowledge  be  very  imperfect, 
our  faith  will  be  weak.  Abraham's  ac- 
quaintance with  the  character  of  God,  pre- 
served him  from  distrust,  even  in  the  most 
trying  circumstances ;  therefore,  "  he  stag- 
gered not  at  tiie  promise  of  God,  througli 
unbelief,  but  was  strong  in  faith,  giving 
glory  to  God ;  being  fully  persuaded  that 
what  he  had  promised  (however  contrary 
to  nature)  he  was  able  to  perform."  Rom. 
iv.  20,  21.  In  like  manner,  the  hjessed 
apostle,  St.  Paul,  in  the  prospect  of  mar- 
tyrdom, says,  »/  Jiiiow  whom  I  have  be- 
lieved, and  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to 
keep  that  which  I  have  committed  to  him 
against  that  day."     2  Tim.  i.  12. 

Love  ia  anotlier  distinguishing  disposi- 


tion of  the  real  Christian,  without  which 
all  pretensions  to  religion  are  vain;  but 
how  IS  it  possible  to  love  any  person,  how- 
ever amiable  he  may  be,  if  we  are  per- 
fectly ignorant  of  his  cliaracter  !  The 
knowledge  of  God  and  the  love  of  God  are 
inseparable ;  for  St.  John  saith — "  He  that 
loveth  not,  knoweth  not  God,  for  God  is 
love."  It  is  the  moral  excellency  uf  any 
person  that  renders  him  amiable  in  our  es- 
teem. Wisdom,  justice,  goodness,  recom- 
mend a  fellow-creature  to  our  regard ;  but 
that  regard  must  arise  from  some  acquaint- 
ance wiih  the  person  possessing  these  vir- 
tues, and  it  is  heightened  by  our  deriving 
personal  advantage  from  his  possession  of 
them.  In  like  manner,  the  glorious  God 
presents  himself  to  our  vit,nv,  in  his  works, 
and  especially  in  his  Gospel,  as  infinite  in 
power,  wisdom,  holiness,  justice,  goodness, 
and  truth  ;  and,  as  exercising  all  these 
perfections,  through  the  redemption  that  is 
in  Christ,  for  us  men  and  for  our  salvation ; 
to  deliver  us  from  guilt  and  danger,  to  re- 
instate us  in  his  favor  and  friendship,  to 
render  us  happy  in  communion  with  him 
here,  and  most  blessed  for  ever,  at  his  own 
right  hand,  where  there  is  fullness  of  joy, 
and  pleasures  for  evermore  ?  Surely, 
such  a  being  must  appear  to  us  infinitely 
worthy  of  our  highest  veneration,  our  most 
cordial  afiection,  our  most  devoted  obe- 
dience. But  all  this  depends  upon  the 
knowledge  of  God  and  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ. 

It  is  equally  plain  that  the  true  and  ac- 
ceptable worship  of  God  must  depend  on 
the  right  knowledge  of  him.  "  Ye  wor- 
ship ye  know  not  what,"  said  our  Lord  to 
the  Samaritans ;  "  we  know  what  we  wor- 
ship," said  he  of  the  Jews,  who  derived 
their  know^ledge  from  the  sacred  Scrip- 
tures. More  grossly  ignorant  tlian  the  Sa- 
maritans were  the  Greeks;  for  in  their  me- 
tropolis, in  Athens,  so  famed  for  its  wisdom, 
the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles  beheld  an  altar 
with  this  inscription, — "  To  the  unknown 
God." — Unknown,  alas!  in  Athens!  un- 
known by  the  learned  and  sagacious 
Greeks !  so  true  it  is,  that  "  the  world  by 
wisdom  knew  not  God."  Neither  Egypt, 
nor  Greece,  nor  Rome,  with  all  their  im- 
provements in  science,  arts,  and  arms, 
knew  or  worshipped  the  true  God.  But  Je- 
hovah has  revealed  himsell'to  us;  he  lias  also 
revealed  to  us  the  way  and  manner  in  which 
he  may  and  will  be  worshipped  ;  and  "every 
one  wiio  hath  heaid  and  learned  of  the  Fa- 
ther, conies  to  him  by  Jesus  Christ :" — for 
no  man  coineth  to  the  Father  but  by  him  ; 
and  coming  to  him  in  this  way,  we  must 
also  worship  him  "  in  spirit  and  in  truth," 


312 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


not  with  bodily  service  merely,  nor  merely 
with  the  best  worded  pelitiond,  but  with 
the  heart:  with  sincerity,  reverence,  fer- 
vent desires,  and  humble  Iiopes;  all  wliich 
imply  the  knowledge  of  God. 


The  great  importance  of  the  right  know- 
ledge of  God  having  been  sufficiently  proved, 
there  are  some  practical  lessons  of  instruc- 
tion which  we  may  learn  from  the  subject. 

From  hence  we  perceive  in  what  a  de- 
plorable condition  a  great  part  of  the  world 
continues  to  this  day.  There  are  millions 
of  our  fellow-creatures  who  know  not  God  ; 
who,  following  the  superstitions  of  their 
fathers,  worship,  if  they  worship  at  all,  idols 
of  their  own  making;  while,  for  the  greater 
part,  they  are  addicted  to  the  grossest  vices 
and  most  cruel  practices ;  walking,  as  St. 
Paul  expresses  it,  "  according  to  the  course 
of  this  world,  according  to  the  prince  of 
the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now 
worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience." 
How  devoutly  is  it  to  be  wished  that  proper 
and  effectual  means  may  be  taken  to  dispel 
this  dreadful  darkness,  and  to  communi- 
cate to  them  the  saving  knowledge  of  God  ! 

More  pitiable,  because  far  more  criminal, 
are  those  persons  among  ourselves  in  this 
land  of  vision,  who  know  not  God ;  for  it 
may  truly  be  said  of  many  in  this  country, 
as  St.  Paul  said  of  others  in  his  day, 
"  Some  have  not  the  knowledge  of  God  ;  I 
speak  this  to  your  shame  !"  How  many  are 
wilfully  and  contentedly  ignorant.  "  The 
light  shineth  in  darkness,  and  the  dark- 
ness comprehendeth  it  not."  Unhappy  crea- 
tures !  their  ignorance  is  their  sin ;  yet 
their  ignorance  hides  from  them  both  their 
sin  and  their  danger.  "  My  people,"  said 
the  Lord  concerning  Israel,  "  are  destroyed 
for  lack  of  knowledge ;"  and  the  same  may 
be  said  of  many  who  are  called  his  people 
now  :  but  let  such  persons  know  this,  that 
the  Lord  Jesus  will  be  revealed  from  hea- 
ven m  flaming  fij  e ;"  and  when  he  comes, 
he  will  "take  vengeance  on  them  that 
know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  Gospel 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  2  Th.  i.  7,  8. 
Let  none  then  who  live  in  this  happy  coun- 
try, think  that  they  shall  be  e.xcused  on  ac- 
count of  their  ignorance ;  for  all  have  op- 
portunity to  read  or  hear  the  Gospel ;  and 
to  neglect  the  proper  means  of  obtaining 
divine  knowledge  is  ^o  incur  the  displeasure 
of  God ;  for  "  this  is  the  condemnation," 
said  the  Savior  himself,  "  tliat  light  is  come 
into  the  world,  and  men  love  darkness 
rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds  were 
evil."  John  iii.  19.  O  that  such  persons 
may  resolve,  by  the  grace  of  God,  from  this 
moment,  earnestly  to  apply  their  hearts  to 


wisdom ;  and,  while  they  use  the  means, 
pray  fervently  to  "  the  Father  of  lights"  to 
make  them  wise  to  salvation  ! 

Others  among  us  have  the  greatest  cause 
for  thankfulness.  Has  he,  who,  in  the  first 
creation,  "  commanded  the  light  to  shine 
out  of  darkness,  shined  into  your  hearts, 
to  give  us  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ.'"  O  reflect  on  the  greatness  of  the 
blessing !  Christ  congratulated  his  disciples 
on  this  account,  saying,  "  Blessed  are  your 
eyes,  for  they  see ;"  and  he  offered  up 
praises,  to  his  heavenly  Father,  that  he  had 
revealed  to  babes  the  great  truths  of  the 
Gospel,  which  the  wise  and  the  prudent 
had  rejected.  Let  it  be  your  constant  care 
to  let  "  your  light  shine  before  men,  that 
they  seeing  your  good  works,  may  glorify 
your  Father,  who  is  in  heaven."  If  you 
have  indeed  been  "  taught  of  God,"  prove  it, 
by  "  putting  off' the  old  man  of  sin,"  and  by 
being  "  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind." 
For  the  true  knowledge  of  God  is  always 
practical.  We  deceive  ourselves  if  we  pre- 
tend to  know  him,  and  yet  persist  in  sin. 
The  apostle  John  tells  us,  that  "  he  who 
saith,  I  know  him,  and  keepeth  not  his  com- 
mandments, is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not 
in  him."  1  John  ii.  4.  On  the  contrary, 
he  who  truly  knows  God,  will  love,  and 
serve,  and  obey  him.  Thus  the  obedience 
of  the  young  king  Josiah  is  mentioned,  by 
the  Lord  himself  as  the  evidence  of  the 
right  knowledge  of  him: — "  he  judged  the 
cause  of  the  poor  and  needy,  then  it  was 
well  with  him  ;  was  not  this  to  know  me  1 
saith  the  Lord."  Jer.  xxii.  16.  A  right 
knowledge  of  Christ  produces  an  imitation 
of  him:  "we  behold  his  glory,  and  are 
changed  into  the  same  image  ;  we  behold 
the  glory  of  his  holiness,  meekness,  hu- 
mility, and  self-denial ;  and  we  study  to  be 
holy,  and  meek,  and  humble,  and  self-de- 
nied, like  him.  This  is  the  true  knowledge 
of  God :  and  if  you  possess  this,  in  any 
measure,  you  have  cause  to  be  thankful.  , 
Then,  indeed,  may  you  glory  in  this — not 
that  you  are  rich  or  mighty  in  the  world,  but 
tliat  you  know  the  Lord;  that  you  are 
going  on  to  know  him  better ;  and  that  the 
happy  day  may  be  expected,  when,  in  the 
heavenly  world,  you  shall  "  know  even 
as  you  are  known;"  not  see  any  longer 
"  through  a  glass  darkly,  but  face  to  face  ;" 
and  learn,  by  blessed  experience,  the  full 
meaning  of  the  text — "  This  is  eternal  life, 
to  know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus 
Christ  whom  he  hath  sent." — To  whom, 
with  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  one  God  of  our 
salvation,  be  ascribed  everlasting  praise ! 
Amen. 


SERMON  l.XVII. 


318 


PRAYER.—  Almighty  God,  the  Father  of 
Lights,  and  Fountain  of  all  Wisdom,  give  us,  we 
pray  lliee,  thy  Holy  Spirit— the  great  and  |)rom- 
iscd  Teacher,  to  lead  us  into  all  irulh ;  and  es- 
pecially that  we  may  know  tliee,  the  only  true 
God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent.  We 
thank  thee  that  the  true  light  shineth  around  us. 
O  let  It  shine  into  our  hearts,  to  give  us  the  light 
of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ.  May  this  knowledge  deep- 
ly humble  us;  may  it  lead  us  to  trust  only,  and 
to  tni.st  confidently  on  the  Savior;  may  we  su- 
premely love  thee,  worship  thee  in  spirit  and  in 
truth,  and  practically  prove  that  the  truth  is  in  us, 
by  departing  from  all  evil,  and  keeping  thy  holy 
<-oinmaiidments ;  and  may  we,  finally,  be  admit- 
ted to  that  world  of  light,  where  we  shall  no 
longer  see  through  a  glass  darkly,  but  lace  to 
face  ;  and  so  learn,  by  happy  experience,  the  full 
meaning  of  the  text, — This  is  eternal  life,  to  know 
thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom 
thou  hast  sent ;  to  w  hom,  w  ilh  the  Holy  Spirit, 
be  glory  and  honor,  for  ever  and  ever.   Amen. 


SERMON  LXVII. 

THE  POWER  OF  GOD. 
Genesis  xvii.  1.    I  am  the  Almighty  God. 

In  attempting  to  display  the  divine  per-- 
fections,  it  is  natural  to  begin  with  that 
which  first  strikes  the  mind  of  man  when 
he  thinks  of  a  God.  Whoever  believes 
tiiat  there  is  a  God,  must  believe  that  he 
is  a  great  and  powerful  being.  When  St. 
Paul  says,  that  "  the  invisible  things  of 
God"  are  perceived  by  the  works  of  his 
hands,  he  mentions  particularly,  "  his  eter- 
nal power."  Rom.  i.  20.  We  cannot  con- 
ceive of  a  God  without  power;  nor  can 
we  conceive  riglitly  of  Jehovah  but  as  a 
God  of  iiifiiiile  power;  the  Almighty  God, 
as  he  is  called  in  our  text.  By  this  name 
he  revealed  liiinself  to  Abraham,  when  he 
appeared  to  him  to  confirm  the  promise  of 
a  very  numerous  posterity;  a  thing  that 
seemed  unlikely,  if  human  appearances 
only  liad  been  consulted :  but,  to  encour- 
age his  faith  in  the  promise,  he  says,  "  I 
am  tlie  Almighty  God."  This  was  enough. 
Abraham  was  satisfied :  he  believed :  he 
waited  ;  and  the  promise  was  fulfilled.  It 
will  also  greatly  assist  our  faith,  and  pro- 
mote our  devotion,  if  we  receive  and  re- 
tain a  solemn  conviction  tliat 

(rod  is  a  being  possessed  of  infinite 
power. 

Let  us  trace  the  evidences  of  this  truth, 

1.  In  the  original  production  of  all  crea- 
tures; 

2.  In  the  preservation  and  government 
of  all  creature;- ;  and, 

M.   In  the  rodeinptiou  of  siufiil  man. 
I.  "Through  faith  we  'ludcrstand  that 
2P 


the  worlds  were  framed  by  the  word  of 
God,  so  that  tlie  things  whicli  are  seen, 
were  not  made  of  things  whicli  do  appear." 
Heb.  xi.  3.  They  were  not  merely  formed, 
they  were  created — they  were  made  out 
of  nothing,  the  matter  of  which  they 
were  formed  was  created ;  tor,  "  in  the 
beginning  God  created  the  heaven  and  the 
earth"  (Gen.  i.  1 ;)  and  these  two  words, 
"  the  heaven  and  the  earth,"  include  all 
the  countless  myriads  of  creatures  and 
tilings  which  fill  the  universe,  and  far  ex- 
ceed the  ken  of  mortals.  God  alone  can 
create.  Men  can  build  houses  and  ships, 
but  they  must  have  materials  to  build  them 
with ;  but  when  God  made  the  world,  he 
found  no  materials  to  work  with ;  he 
created  the  materials  themselves,  he  made 
the  matter  of  the  heaven  and  the  earth ; 
he  then  fi-amed,  or  curiously  and  perfectly 
wrought,  that  created  matter  into  millions 
of  beautiful  forms;  and,  in  the  space  of 
six  days  "  the  heavens  and  the  earth  were 
finished."  Gen.  ii.  1.  All  God's  works 
are  finished  works;  they  will  bear  the 
closest  inspection,  and  when  most  exam- 
ined, will  be  most  admired ;  they  are  the 
work  of  the  Almighty  God. 

It  is  thus  that  he  is  distinguished  from 
all  false  and  pretended  gods.  "  The  idols 
of  the  heathen  are  vanity  and  lies,  but  the 
Lord  made  the  heavens." — "  For  thus, 
said  the  Lord,  that  created  the  heavens, 
God  himself  that  formed  the  earth,  and 
made  it;  he  hath  established  it;  he  created 
it  not  in  vain,  he  formed  it  to  be  inhabited  ; 
I  am  the  Lord,  and  there  is  none  else." 
Isa.  xlv.  18.  "  The  gods  that  have  not 
made  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  even  they 
shall  perish  from  tlie  earth  ;  they  are  vanity 
and  the  work  of  errors."     Jer.  .\.  11. 

The  limits  of  a  short  sermon  will  not 
admit  of  a  large  description  of  the  crea- 
tion. We  can  refer  but  to  few  particulars. 
Observe  the  power  of  God  in  the  ffriatntss 
of  some  bodies,  and  in  the  smallncss  of 
others.  The  earth,  which  we  inhabit,  is 
eight  thousand  miles  in  diameter  (or 
acro.ss;)  but  what  is  this  to  the  body  of  the 
sun,  which  is  said  to  be  a  million  of  times 
larger  than  the  earth,  and  ninety  millions 
of  miles  distant  from  it?  Some  of  the  fixed 
stars  are,  perhaps,  suns  of  other  systems, 
and  at  stich  an  imnien.se  distance,  that  it 
is  sujipcso!]  their  light  would  bo  many 
thousands  of  years  in  reaching  us,  were  it 
to  travel  with  the  velocity  (or  quickness) 
of  a  cannon-ball. 

The  smdllncss  of  many  creatures  is  as 

surprising   as    the    greatness    of   olhers. 

Tliere  arc  living  creature.^  so  very  small, 

that  many  thousands  of  tliem  may  be  con- 

27 


314 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


tained  in  the  bulk  of  a  single  drop  of  wa- 
ter. Tlieso  all  proclaim,  with  a  loud  voice, 
the  alnjighty  power  of  God ;  they  con- 
strain us  to  cry  out,  in  the  words  of  the 
prophet,  "Ah,  Lord  God!  behold,  thou 
hast  made  the  lieaven  and  the  earth  by 
thy  great  power,  and  there  is  nothing  too 
hard  for  thee."  Jer.  x.  17.  They  oblige 
us  also  to  exclaim,  in  the  language  of  the 
psalmist,  "  Lord,  what  is  man,  that  thou 
art  mindful  of  him  !"  Ps.  viii.  Bt»t  this 
condescension  of  the  Almighty  God  will 
perhaps  appear  more  wonderful,  when  we 
consider,  in  tlie  second  place, 

II.  The  power  of  God,  as  it  is  displayed 
in  the  preservation  and  government  of  his 
creatures. 

Tlie  whole  system  is  preserved  in  its 
beautiful  order  by  the  same  almighty  hand 
which  gave  it  being.  "  He  upholds  all 
things  by  the  word  of  his  power."  The 
planets,  those  vast  bodies,  revolve  in  their 
appointed  circuits  with  the  most  minute 
exactness,  as  is  evident  from  the  nicety 
with  which  eclipses  and  other  wonders  of 
the  heavens  are  calculated.  The  earth, 
for  instance,  performs  its  annual  revolution 
in  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  days,  five 
hours,  and  forty-nine  minutes,  never  vary- 
ing its  course  a  single  inch,  nor  its  period 
a  single  moment.  The  moon  also  faithfully 
attends  the  earth,  and  sweetly  lessens-  the 
gloom  of  our  tedious  nights.  The  various 
seasons  succeed  each  other  in  their  ap- 
pointed order ;  and,  according  to  the  divine 
promise,  "  summer  and  winter,  seed-time 
and  harvest"  contmue  to  this  day.  The 
great  and  wide  sea,  whose  billows  roar 
and  threaten  to  overwhelm  the  earth,  is 
kept  by  the  power  of  its  Maker,  within  its 
proper  limits  :  and  "  shall  we  not  fear  him 
who  has  placed  the  sand  for  the  bound  of 
the  sea,  by  a  perpetual  decree,  that  it  can- 
not pass  it? — and  though  the  waves  there- 
of toss  themselves,  yet  can  they  not  pre- 
vail 1 — though  they  roar,  yet  can  they  not 
pass  over  it !"  Jer.  v.  22. 

Mark  the  display  of  tlie  same  almighty 
power  in  making  constant  provision  for 
the  vast  family  of  the  universe.  All  the 
innumerable  tribes  of  beings  which  mhabit 
the  air,  the  earth,  and  the  water,  "  these 
all  wait  upon  God,  that  he  may  give  them 
their  food  in  due  season;  that  which  he 
giveth  them,  they  gather ;  he  openeth  his 
hand,  they  are  filled  with  good."  Ps. 
civ.  27. 

The  continuance,  from  age  to  age,  of 
the  various  orders  of  animals,  beasts,  birds, 
fishes,  insects ;  and  all  the  multitudes  of 
trees,  plants,  and  flowers,  must  be  ascribed 
to  the  same  almiglity  power.     Kow  re- 


markable is  the  uniform  proportion  of  males 
and  females  in  the  human  race  !  and  how 
kind  the  providence  which  multiplies  the 
creatures  useful  to  man,  while  lions  and 
tigers,  whales  and  sharks,  are  comparative- 
ly few ! 

The  moral  government  of  God  is  still 
more  wonderful.  To  his  power  in  restrain- 
ing evil  spirits  we  owe  much  of  our  safety 
and  comfort.  We  are  more  sensible  of  his 
power  in  restraining  wicked  men.  Bad  as 
the  world  is,  it  would  be  infinitely  worse, 
if  God  did  not  withhold  bad  men  from  their 
purposes;  but  all  hearts  are  in  his  hand. 
He  that  restrains  the  raging  waves  of  the 
sea,  subdues  also  the  madness  of  the  peo- 
ple. "  The  floods  have  lifted  up  their 
voice ;  the  floods  lift  up  their  waves ;  but 
the  Lord  on  high  is  mightier  than  the  noise 
of  many  waters ;  yea,  than  the  mighty 
waves  of  the  sea."    Ps.  xciii.  3,  4. 

The  power  of  God  was  in  ancient  times 
most  marvellously  displayed  in  the  mira- 
cles, which  were  wrought  for  wise  and 
great  purposes.  He  who  gave  laws  to 
nature,  can  suspend  or  reverse  them  if  he 
thinks  fit.  Once  he  permitted  the  waters 
to  cover  the  whole  earth,  and  drown  its 
guilty  inhabitants ;  again,  he  restrained 
the  floods  and  caused  them  to  retire.  By 
a  train  of  most  wonderful  works  he  res- 
cued Israel  from  the  yoke  of  Egypt,  form- 
ed a  path  for  them  through  the  Red  Sea, 
and  sustained  them  for  forty  years  in  the 
wilderness.  When  he  commands,  U^aters 
shall  not  drown,  fire  shall  not  consume, 
lions  shall  not  devour.  The  miracles  of 
Christ  exceeded  all  others,  for  he  was 
power  itself  in  a  liuman  form.  "  The  blind 
received  their  sight,  and  the  lame  walked ; 
the  lepers  were  cleansed,  and  the  deaf 
heai'd;  the  dead  were  raised  up,  and  to 
the  poor  the  Gospel  was  preached."  Matt 
xi.  5.  Now  in  that  Gospel,  so  confirmed , 
we  shall  find  the  grandest  displays  of  di- 
vine power,  and  those  in  which  we  are 
most  concerned.  We  proceed  then,  in  the 
third  place,  to  consider, 

III.  The  power  of  God,  as  it  shines  in 
the  redemption  of  sinful  men  by  Jesus 
Christ. 

Observe  this  power  in  the  person  of  the 
great  Redeemer.  The  production  of  his 
human  nature,  in  the  womb  of  the  Virgin, 
is  ascribed  (Luke  i.  45)  "  to  the  power  of 
the  Highest,"  that  is,  of  the  Holy  Spirit ; 
in  consequence  of  which,  though  he  "  was 
made  of  a  woman,"  and  made  "  in  the 
likeness  of  sinful  flesh,"  his  nature  was 
without  sin,  and  "  that  holy  thing"  which 
was  born,  was  the  pure  and  immaculate 
Son  of  God.     Wonderful  was  tlie  power 


SERMON  LXVII. 


315 


which  preserved  him  from  his  cruel  and 
implacable  enemies,  for  he  constantly  en- 
dured the  opposition  of  men  and  devils  ; 
nor  could  any  of  iiis  adversaries  prevail 
against  liim,  "till  "  his  hour  was  come ;" 
that  appointed  hour  when,  "  according  to 
the  determinate  counsel  and  foreknowledge 
of  God,  "  with  wicked  hands"  they  cruci- 
fied "  tlie  Lord  of  glory."  Nor  could  death 
itself  detain  " the  Lord  of  life;"  he  burst 
asunder  the  bars  of  the  grave,  and  by  his 
resurrection,  more  than  by  all  that  went 
betbre,  "  he  was  declared  to  be  the  Son  of 
God  with  power." 

When  we  consider  the  first  planting  of 
our  holy  religion  in  the  world,  by  instru- 
ments so  feeble,  aiid  notwithstanding  ob- 
stacles so  great,  we  shall  see  with  what 
propriety  the  Gospel  is  said  to  be  "  the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation."  The  apos- 
tles were  plain  men,  who  had  been  under 
the  instruction  of  Christ  for  three  or  four 
years,  and  were  well  qualified  to  teach 
mankind;  but  they  had  not  the  sanction 
of  learning,  the  eloquence  of  orators,  nor 
tiie  authority  of  the  magistrate.  They 
had  to  encounter  the  deeply  rooted  preju- 
dices of  the  Jews ;  the  superstition,  idola- 
try, hatred,  and  vices  of  the  heathen  ;  the 
customs  of  the  world,  the  laws  of  nations, 
and  the  interests  of  priests,  aided  by  all 
the  malice,  cunning,  and  cruelty  of  the 
great  destroyer,  whose  kingdom  and  influ- 
ence among  men  the  Gospel  was  intended 
to  subvert.  But  they  went  forth  in  the 
name  of  Jesus,  filled  with  his  love,  inspired 
by  his  Spirit,  animated  by  his  promise,  and 
the  weapons  of  their  warfare,  altogether 
spiritual,  became  "  mighty,  through  God, 
to  destroy  the  strongest  holds  of  the  devil ;" 
even  in  Jerusalem,  where  Christ  was  cru- 
cified, many  thousands  were  converted  to 
him.  In  Ctesarea,  in  Antioch,  in  Corinth, 
in  Ephesus,  in  Alexandria,  and  even  in 
Rome,  Christian  churches  were  formed  ; 
the  altars  of  the  idols  were  abandoned ; 
and  the  Gospel  triumphed  over  millions  of 
souls  ! 

But  it  concerns  us  most  of  all  to  trace 
the  effects  of  divine  power  in  the  applica- 
tion of  the  Gospel  to  tlie  heart;  without 
which,  its  publication  to  the  world,  and  its 
preservation  to  this  day,  will  not  avail  to 
our  personal  salvation. 

The  Gospel  is  designed  to  produce  a 
great  inward  change.  The  corruption  of 
our  nature  renders  tliis  change  absolutely 
necessary ;  and  it  is  a  change  so  conside- 
rable, as  to  be  called  in  Scripture  "a  new 
creation  ;"  tliis,  of  course,  can  be  effected 
only  by  the  power  of  God,  and  therefore, 
true  gonverts  are  said  to  be  made  "  will- 


ing in  the  day  of  his  power."  Ps.  ex.  3 
The  mind  of  man,  in  his  natural  state,  is 
in  darkness,  unacquainted  with  the  way 
of  salvation  through  faith  in  Christ,  and 
frequently  contentedly  ignorant ;  yea,  wil- 
fully ignorant;  for  there  is  an  unhappy 
aversion  to  the  truth,  a  strong  prejudice 
against  it,  insomuch  that  many  persons 
"  love  darkness  rather  than  liglit."  There 
is  a  strange  dislike  to  private  religion — the 
reading  of  tlie  Bible,  and  prayer ;  while 
in  some  persons  there  is  a  strong  attach- 
ment to  vanity,  to  gaiety,  to  amusements ; 
in  others,  vicious  habits  are  formed,  and 
wilful  sins  indulged.  Some  are  profane, 
and  venture  without  fear  of  the  threatened 
punishment,  to  take  the  holy  name  of  God 
in  vain,  perhaps  to  utter  curses  on  them- 
selves or  others.  Some,  in  open  defiance 
of  divine  authority,  instead  of  remember- 
ing the  Sabbath-day  to  keep  it  holy,  turn 
their  backs  on  their  Maker,  and  prove  that 
they  love  him  not,  by  preferring  their  plea- 
sures to  his  service  and  worship,  to  tlie  ut- 
ter neglect  of  their  souls  and  salvation. 
Others  launch  out  still  further  into  the 
ocean  of  vice,  and  plunge  themselves  into 
guilty  pleasures  and  filthy  vices,  to  which 
God  has  annexed  everlasting  punishment. 
The  multitude  among  us,  it  may  be  feared, 
forget  God ;  they  live  without  God  in  the 
world  ;  and  their  hearts  are  as  far  from 
him  as  those  of  the  Pagans  themselves. 

Taking  this  view  of  thmgs,  we  are 
ready  to  say,  as  did  the  prophet,  "  Can 
these  dry  bones  live  !"  Can  these  careless 
souls  become  diligent  disciples  of  Christ  ? 
Can  their  love  of  vanity  be  cured  ■?  "  Can 
the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or  the  leop- 
ard his  spots  !"  Can  the  habits  of  profane- 
ness,  of  drunkenness,  of  uncleanncss,  be 
subdued  1  Can  these  vain  and  worldly  peo- 
ple be  so  changed,  that  tiiey  may  love  what 
once  they  hated,  and  hate  what  once  they 
loved !  Can  they  become  pure,  pious,  spirit- 
ual, humble,  zealous  followers  of  the  Lamb? 
Can  thoy  be  induced  to  resist  the  claims 
of  self-interest,  and  endure  the  scornful 
smile,  the  harsh  insults,  and  the  cruel 
mockings  of  gay  companions  and  displeas- 
ed relations'! — Yes.  All  this  has  been 
done,  and  may  be  done  again.  What !  if 
it  be  impossible  with  men  !  All  things  are 
possible  with  God.  "  lie  who  commanded 
the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath 
shined  in  our  hearts  to  give  the  light  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God."  2  Cor. 
iv.  ().  And  the  Gospel,  attended  by  the 
energy  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  "casts  down 
imaginations  (or  reasonings)  and  every 
high  thing  tliat  exalteth  itself  against  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  brings  into  cap» 


31G 


Vll.LAGE  SERMONS. 


tivity  every  thought  to  the  obedience  of 
Christ."  2Cor.  X.  5. 

"  But,"  it  may  be  asked  by  a  penitent 
sinner,  "  can  an  offender  t^o  guilty  and  vile 
be  pardoned,  and  received  into  the  divine 
favor?  Can  crimes  like  mine  be  blotted 
out,  and  remembered  no  more  ?"  Yes. 
The  Son  of  Man  when  on  earth  had  power 
to  forgive  sins :  nor  has  he  less  power  in 
heaven  ;  be  has  power  to  give  eternal  life 
to  all  who  are  given  to  him ;  and  as  he 
never  rejected  a  penitent  sinner  when  he 
lived  among  men,  neither  will  he  now; 
for  "  he  is  exalted  to  give  repentance  to 
Israel  and  remission  of  sins,"  and  he  has 
graciously  said,  "Him  that  cometh  unto 
me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 

One  exertion  more  of  divine  power  let 
us  contemplate.  Wlien  Moses  saw  a  bush 
on  fire,  and  yet  it  was  not  consumed,  he 
turned  aside  to  behold  it  with  admiration. 
In  tJiat  burning  bush  he  beheld  the  em- 
blem of  Israel  afflicted  in  Egypt,  yet  not 
destroyed ;  and  we  may  perceive  in  it  an 
emblem  of  a  true  Christian,  "  kept  by  the 
power  of  God,  through  faith  to  salvation." 
And  what  but  the  power  of  God  is  suffi- 
cient ■  for  this  purpose  !  If  you  consider 
what  a  dangerous  world  we  live  in,  where 
iniquity  abounds,  where  prosperity  pre- 
sents a  tliousand  snares,  and  adversity  a 
thousand  temptations;  when  you  remem- 
ber that  Satan,  "  like  a  roaring  lion,  go- 
eth  about  seeking  wliom  he  may  devour  :" 
and,  above  all,  vv'hen  you  recollect  that 
"  the  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things, 
and  desperately  u'icked,"  you  will  rejoice 
to  think  that  the  great  and  good  shepherd 
of  the  flock  hath  said  of  his  sheep,  "  I  give 
unto  them  eternal  life ;  and  they  shall 
never  perish,  neither  siiall  any  man  pluck 
them  out  of  my  hand."  In  that  almighty 
hand  the  believer  is  safe ;  "  he  is  able  to 
keep  us  from  falling;"  to  "keep  what  we 
have  committed  to  his  care ;"  to  support 
us  under  all  the  trials  of  life ;  to  comfort 
our  souls  in  the  article  of  death ;  and  to 
complete  the  whole  redemption  at  the  last 
day — when  "  he  shall  change  our  vile 
body,  tlint  it  rnay  be  fashioned  like  unto 
his  glorious  body,  according  to  the  work- 
ing, whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all 
things  unto  himself."  Phil.  iii.  21. 

What  then  shall  we  say  to  these  things? 
What  use  shall  we  make  of  our  medita- 
tions on  the  almiglity  power  of  God  ?  Let 
him  be  adored  ;  let  him  be  feared  ;  let  him 
be  trusted. 

Let  lam  be  adored.  He,  and  he  alone, 
is  the  proper  object  of  religious  worship. 
Observe  and  admire  his  power  wherever 


you  see  it ;  and  where  can  you  look  with- 
out seeing  it ']  Wisdom  and  power  among 
men  command  our  respect ;  we  reverence 
the  wise  and  the  mighty ;  and  shall  we 
not  reverence  and  adore  Hiin,  who  is  infi- 
nite in  wisdom,  and  almighty  in  power  I 
We  admire  the  princes  of  this  world,  mor- 
tal as  they  are,  who  command  numerous 
armies,  govern  extensive  empires,  conquer 
powerful  enemies,  and  preserve  their  own 
people  in  peace ;  should  we  not  then  ad- 
mire and  adore  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  who 
rules  among  the  armies  of  heaven,  and 
over  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth;  whose 
wisdom  none  can  fathom,  whose  power 
none  can  resist?  Yes,  "Ilim  shall  you 
worship,  and  to  him  shall  you  do  sacri- 
fice." Adore  and  praise  him,  and  say,  with 
the  heavenly  worshippers  who  bow  before 
his  throne,  and  cast  their  crowns  at  his 
feet,  "  Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord,  to  re- 
ceive glory,  and  honor,  and  power :  for  thou 
hast  created  all  things,  and  for  thy  plea- 
sure they  are,  and  were  created."  Rev. 
iv.  11. 

Let  this  Almighty  God  be  feared.  Fear 
not  man,  who  can  do  notlung  but  as  per- 
mitted. "  Fear  not  man,"  said  our  Savior, 
"  but  I  will  forewarn  you  whom  ye  shall 
fear,  fear  him  who,  after  he  hath  killed  the 
body,  can  cast  both  body  and  soul  into 
hell :  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  fear  him."  O 
the  folly  and  madness  that  possess  the 
hearts  of  men,  who  dare  rebel  against 
him,  break  his  connnandments,  abuse  his 
goodness,  defy  his  anger,  and  neglect  his 
salvation !  The  almighty  povv^er  of  God 
renders  the  thoughts  of  his  being  our  ene- 
my insupportably  terrible.  He  who  has 
"revealed  his  wrath  aofainst  all  unrigfhte- 
ousness  and  ungodliness  of  men,"  is  able 
at  any  time,  and  by  any  means,  to  execute 
his  threatenings ;  for  "  He  is  strong  that 
executeth  his  word."  If  he  is  pleased  to 
give  commission  to  thunders  and  light- 
nings, to  storms  and  tempests,  to  earth- 
quakes or  plagues,  floods  and  fires,  to  de- 
stroy his  enemies,  who  can  "  stay  his 
hand,"  or  restrain  his  power  ?  Ah  !  "  who 
ever  hardened  his  heart  against  him,  and 
prospered  ?"  "  Consider  this,  tlien,  ye  that 
forget  God ;  lest  he  tear  you  in  pieces,  and 
there  be  none  to  deliver."  "  Set  not  the 
briers  and  thorns  against  him  in  battle,  lest 
he  go  tlirough  them,  and  burn  them  to- 
gether ;  but  take  hold  of  his  strength,  and 
make  peace  with  him."  Say,  poor  sinner, 
"  Can  thine  heart  endure,  and  tliine  hands 
be  strong,  when  he  shall  deal  witli  thee  ]" 
or,  "Is  tliere  any  that  can  deliver  out  of 
liis  hand  ?"  Be  wise  now,  tlierefore ;  be 
instructed.     Submit  at  once;  and  seek  his 


SERMON  LXVIII. 


317 


pardoning  mercy  through  Christ,  "  lest 
you  perish  from  tlie  way,  when  his  wrath 
is  kindled  but  a  little."     But,  finally, 

*'  Blessed  are  they  thai  put  tluir  trust 
in  him."  Yes,  "trust  in  the  Lord  for  ever, 
fqr  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  everlasthig 
strength."  What  cannot  he  do,  who  is 
almiglity  !  "Is  any  tiling  loo  hard  fur  the 
Lord  J"  Imitate  the  faith  cf  Al)ruljam,  who 
could  confide  in  tlie  power  of  God,  when 
probabilities  were  all  against  him,  "  being 
fully  persuaded  that  wiiat  lie  had  promised, 
he  was  able  also  to  perform."  I'hus,  the 
noble  confessors  in  Daniel's  time  were 
courageous  for  Jehovah,  being  assured  that 
the  God  whom  they  served  was  able  to 
preserve  them,  even  in  Nebuchadnezzar's 
furnace.  Our  faith  should  bear  some  pro- 
portion to  the  object  of  it.  How  inconsis- 
tent is  a  strong  God  and  weak  faith  ! 
\\'hen  our  Savior  was  about  to  exert  his 
miraculous  power  in  healing,  he  proposed 
this  question,  "  Believest  thou  that  I  am 
able  to  do  this '!"  So  should  we  ask  our- 
selves when  we  desire  any  thing  from  God. 
Do  I  believe  that  God  is  able  to  fulfil  my 
request!  Faith  will  be  feeble,  and  prayer 
will  be  lifeless,  if  the  power  of  God  be  for- 
gotten; and  be  encouraged  by  reflecting 
that  the  exercise  of  almighty  power  is  in- 
trusted to  the  liands  of  Jesus  Christ.  He 
has  "  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth ;" 
he  is  therefore  "  able  to  save  to  the  utter- 
most all  who  come  to  God  by  him."  His 
blood  is  so  efiicacious,  tiiat  it  can  cleanse 
from  the  utmost  possible  degree  of  guilt ; 
his  grace  so  powerfiil,  that  it  can  reecue 
from  the  utmost  power  of  sin  ;  he  can  save 
to  the  utuiost  extent  of  our  wishes  and 
capacities,  to  the  utmost  period  of  life  ; 
yea,  he  can  and  will  continue  to  bless  his 
people  to  the  most  distant  ages  of  eternity. 
Be  not,  therefore,  afraid  to  trust  him. 
Venture  on  him ;  he  is  the  rock  of  ages. 
Cast  your  souls,  your  sins,  your  burdens 
on  the  Savior.  "  Trust  in  him  at  all  times, 
ye  people."  "  What  time  you  are  afraid, 
trust  in  him."  "Seek  unto  God,  and  to 
God  commit  your  cause;  for  he  doeth 
great  things,  and  unsearchable,  marvellous 
tilings  without  number."  Job  v.  8,  9.  "  In 
every  thing,  by  prayer  and  supplication, 
make  known  your  recjuests  unto  him,"  en- 
couraged by  this  declaration,  "  He  is  able 
to  do  e.Ycecding  abundantly  above  all  that 
we  ask  or  think,  according  to  the  power 
that  worketh  in  u.s."  "  Unto  him  be  glory 
in  the  church  by  Jesus  Christ,  throughout 
all  ages,  world  without  end."  Amen. 


desire  to  acknowledge  and  glorify  thee,  for  thou 
hast  created  all  things,  and  for  thy  pleasure  they 
are  and  were  created.  'J'hou  also  art  the  Pre- 
server and  Governor  of  all  thy  creatures.  The 
inniinierable  tribes  of  beings  which  inhabit  the 
air,  tlie  earth,  and  liio  water;  these  all  wail  upon 
thee,  that  thou  mnyest  give  them  their  Ibod  ia 
due  season.  Thou  also  art  the  Ruler  of  the 
moral  world  ;  angels  and  men,  yea  devils,  are 
under  thy  control ;  ail  human  hearts  are  in  thine 
liarid,  and  thy  throne  rulelh  over  all.  But  while 
we  bless  ihce  for  our  creation,  preservation,  and 
all  the  blessings  of  this  lite,  v\e  would,  above 
all,  adore  and  praise  thee  lor  thine  inestimable 
love  in  the  redemption  of  the  world  by  our  Lord 
Jesus  Clirist;  we  rejoice  that  Jesus  is  able  to 
save  to  the  uttermost ;  may  we  be  saved  from 
w  rath  through  him ;  may  we  be  delivered  from 
the  dominion  of  sin  ;  may  wfe  be  preserved  from 
the  wiles  of  the  devil ;  and  kept,  by  the  power 
of  God,  through  iiiith  unto  salvation.  Aow  unto 
him  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly 
above  all  that  we  ask  or  think,  according  to  the 
power  that  worketh  in  us, — unto  him  be  glory  in 
the  church,  by  Jesus  Christ,  throughout  all  ages, 
w'orld  without  end.   Amen. 


I'RAYKK. — Cii.oRious  Jehovah  !  Thou  only 
art  Almighty:  thou  canst  do  every  thing.     We 


SERMON  LXVIII. 

THE  WISDOM  OF  GOD. 

Romans  xvi.  27.  To  God,  only  wise,  be  glory  through 
Jesus  Christ.   Amen. 

With  these  words  the  apostle  Paul 
concludes  his  most  admirable  and  useful 
epistle  to  the  Romans.  Having  e.xpressed 
his  good  will  towards  the  Christians  then 
living  m  the  city  of  Rome,  he  prays  for 
the  establishment  of  the  Gospel  among 
them ;  for  which  Gospel  he  ascribes  glory 
to  that  infinitely  wise  God,  who  is  the  au- 
thor of  the  Gospel,  through  Jesus  Christ 
his  Son,  the  great  preacher  and  the  great 
subject  of  it.  "  To  God,  only  wise,  be 
glory." 

Our  present  business  is  to  explain  and 
improve  the  following  truth  : — 

GOD    IS   A   BEING    POSSKSSED    OF    INFINITE 
WISDOM. 

Wisdom,  in  man,  is  that  attainment  of 
his  mind  whereby  he  is  enabled  to  regu- 
late all  his  actions  in  the  best  manner ;  to 
choose  the  best  object,  and  to  pursue  it  by 
the  best  means.  It  is  the  application  of 
good  knov.ledge  to  goo<l  purposes;  it  is 
acting  according  to  a  correct  judgment; 
for  there  is  a  difierence  between  know- 
ledge and  wisdom.  Knowledge  resides  in 
the  understanding  ;  but  wisdom  relates  to 
practice.  Knowledge  is  therefore  the 
foundation  of  wisdom.  A  man  may  have 
knowledge  without  wis^lom ;  but  he  can- 
27* 


318 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


not  have  wisdom  without  knowledo^e,  tor 
wisdom  is  the  right  use  of  knowledge. 

Bat  knowledge  and  wisdom  in  the  bless- 
ed God  are  inseparable.  St.  Paul  puts 
them  together,  when  he  cries — "  O  the 
depth  of  the  riches,  both  of  the  wisdom 
and  knowledge  of  God  !"  Rom.  xi.  33. 
His  knowledge  is  mfinite.  "  Great  is  our 
Lord,  and  of  great  power;  his  understand- 
ing is  infinite."  Ps.  cxlvii.  5.  God  knows 
himself,  and  he  only  knows  himself  per- 
fectly, foi*  he  only  is  infinite.  He  also 
knows  all  other  things,  whether  they  be 
past,  or  present,  or  to  come.  His  judg- 
ment of  all  things  is  perfectly  correct,  and 
this  regulates  all  his  operations.  He  di- 
rects all  things  to  their  proper  end,  the 
end  for  which  he  gave  them  being ;  and 
this  is  his  own  glory:  for,  as  he  is  the 
most  excellent  being,  nothing  can  be  so 
excellent  an  end  as  his  own  glory;  and 
liis  wisdom  so  directs  all  beings  and  all 
occurrences,  that  this  end  shall  be  fully 
and  finally  accomplished.  "  For  of  him, 
and  THROUGH  him,  and  to  him,  are  all 
things:  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever.  Amen." 
Rom.  xi.  36. 

In  our  text  God  is  termed  "  only  wise;" 
and  in  another  place  he  is  called  ".The 
only  wise  God;"  for  God  alone  is  per- 
fectly, universally,  and  constantly  wise.  In 
very  ancient  times,  men,  distinguished  by 
superior  learning  and  knowledge,  were 
called  Sophoi,  that  is,  wise  ;  but  Pythago- 
ras and  Socrates,  two  of  the  most  eminent 
of  them,  thought  this  too  high  a  title  to  be 
given  to  any  but  God ;  and  from  that  time 
they  were  known  by  the  more  modest 
name  of  lovers  of  wisdom,  {Philo-Sophm) 
or  Philosophers.  Wisdom  is  indeed  "  The 
divine  Royalty."  Strictly  speaking,  it  be- 
longs to  God  alone.  As  "  there  is  none 
good  but  one,  that  is,  God ;"  so  there  is 
none  wise  but  him.  Men  have  often  boast- 
ed of  their  wisdom  ;  but  "  the  wisdom  of 
this  world  is  foolishness  with  God ;"  and 
"  he  knowetl:  the  reasonings  of  men  that 
they  are  vain,"  especially  when  they  are 
opposed  to  his  Gospel ;  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  "the  foolishness  of  God,"  that  is, 
the  Gospel  of  Ciirist,  profanely  so  called 
by  some,  is  "  wiser  than  men" — far  wiser 
than  any  of  the  schemes  devised  by  the 
wit  of  man.  1  Cor.  i.  25 ;  and  iii.  19. 

But  we  need  not  confirm  this  truth  by 
referring  to  many  other  Scripture  proofs, 
for  it  Is  what  every  man  must  admit  ;  we 
shall  rather  show,  in  a  few  select  instances, 
wlierein  the  wisdom  of  God  is  displayed. 

1.  It  is  natural,  in  the  first  place,  to  re- 
fer to  the  loorks  of  God,  which  our  eyes 
behold;  and  tlie  slightest  observation  of 


their  nature  and  design  will  constrain  us 
to  sav,  "In  wisdom  hast  thou  made  them 
all!'' 

Observe  their  variety,  and  say  with  the 
Psalmist,  "  O  Lord,  how  manifold  are  thy 
works !"  From  the  same  original  matter, 
tlie  infinitely  wise  God  has  produced  a 
vast  variety  of  creatures  and  things.  "  Let 
the  earth,"  said  he,  "bring  forth  grass, 
the  herb,  and  the  fruit-tree ;  and  it  was  so. 
And  God  said,  Let  the  waters  bring  forth 
abundantly  the  moving  creatures  that  hath 
life,  and  fowls  that  may  fly  above  the 
earth:  let  the  earth  bring  forth  cattle, 
beasts,  and  creeping  things.  And  God 
said,  Let  us  make  man ;  and  God  saw 
every  thing  that  he  had  made,  and  behold 
it  was  very  good."  Gen.  i.  How  different 
are  the  forms,  the  qualities,  the  colors,  and 
the  uses  of  the  creatures  of  God !  How 
numerous  are  the  heavenly  bodies;  the 
inhabitants  of  tlie  earth,  of  the  air,  and  of 
the  water :  they  all  differ  in  their  struc- 
ture; but  they  all  display  the  wonderful 
wisdom  of  their  great  Creator :  a  wisdom 
we  cannot  comprehend,  "  for  no  man  can 
find  out  the  work  that  God  maketh,  from 
the  beginning  to  the  end."  Eccles.  iii.  11. 

The  remarkable  fitness  of.  every  thing 
which  God  has  made,  for  its  intended  pur- 
pose, is  another  proof  of  his  wisdom.  It 
IS  impossible  not  to  see  the  most  evident 
marks  of  design  and  contrivance  in  the 
works  of  God.  Every  thing  has  its  proper 
use,  and  every  thhig  is  perfectly  adapted 
to  that  use.  He  hath  formed  the  sun  to 
give  us  light  by  day,  and  the  moon  by 
night;  he  causeth  the  grass  to  grow  for 
the  cattle,  and  herb  for  the  service  of 
man :  that  he  may  bring  forth  food  out  of 
the  earth.  That  every  tree  and  plant 
should  produce  its  distinct  and  proper 
seed,  to  perpetuate  the  same  species  for 
future  years,  is  an  admirable  provision  of 
divine  wisdom.  "  The  sea  also  is  his" — 
"  the  great  and  wide  sea,  wherein  are 
creatures  innumerable."  "There  go  the 
ships,"  which  render  the  sea  the  medium 
of  union  among  the  most  distant  na- 
tions, although  it  seems  to  separate  one 
country  from  another;  for,  by  navigation 
and  commerce,  the  productions  of  differ- 
ent countries  become  a  common  stock, 
and  wonderfully  increase  the  comforts  of 
man,  while  it  employs  the  skill  and  indus- 
try of  multitudes,  facilitates  friendly  inter- 
course, and  extends  knowledge,  especially 
tliat  best  kind  of  knowledge,  the  Gospel 
of  Clirist,  which  is  the  wisdom  of  God." 

The  changing  seasons  of  the  year  are  a 
wise  and  gracious  appointment  of  Heaven, 
and  are  far  more  grateful  than  a  constant 


SERMON  LXVIII. 


319 


sameness.  The  frost  of  winter  destroys 
noxious  insects  and  weeds,  braces  the  hu- 
man body,  and  prepares  the  soil  for  a  new 
crop.  The  returning  spruig  renews  the 
face  of  tlie  earth,  and  inspires  tJie  heart  of 
man  with  cheerfulness  and  pleasure.  The 
warmth  of  summer  ripens  the  succeeding 
productions  of  the  garden  and  the  field ; 
and  the  autumn  crowns  the  year  with  fruit 
and  corn  to  reward  the  care  and  toil  of  the 
husbandman.  The  succession  of  niglit  and 
day  is  pleasant  and  useful  to  man ;  lie  wel- 
comes the  day  as  the  proper  season  of  la- 
bor, and  the  night  is  no  less  welcome  as 
the  season  of  rest.  All  night  would  be 
intolerable,  and  all  day  would  be  extremely 
inconvenient.  "  Tiie  day  is  thine,  the  night 
also  is  thine ;  thou  hast  prepared  the  light 
and  the  sun ;  thou  hast  set  all  the  borders 
of  the  earth :  thou  hast  made  summer  and 
winter."  Ps.  Ixxiv.  16,  17. 

The  bodies  of  animals  and  all  other  liv- 
ing creatures,  display  the  wisdom  of  God 
in  a  most  wonderful  manner.  Some  are 
formed  to  live  in  the  water,  an  element 
that  would  destroy  others.  Birds  are  fur- 
nished with  wings  to  soar  aloft  in  the  air ; 
some  animals  live  beneath  tlie  surface  of 
the  ground  ;  but  they  all  have  organs  suit- 
ed to  their  destination  ;  proper  food  is  pro- 
vided for  their  support,  and  they  have  sa- 
gacity to  find  it,  and  stomachs  fitted  to 
digest  it.  All  this  proceedeth  from  him 
who  is  excellent  in  counsel  and  wonderful 
m  working. 

The  human  frame  is  itself  a  world  of 
wonders.  Consider  some  of  its  parts.  The 
bones  are  so  firm  that  they  support  the 
whole  body,  yet  so  flexible  that  we  can 
perform  a  vast  variety  of  motions.  The 
muscles,  which  are  more  than  four  hundred 
in  number,  have  all  their  particular  uses, 
yet  never  interfere  with  each  other.  The 
eye  is  an  organ  of  such  astonishing  con- 
trivance, that  anatomists  have  called  it  "  a 
sure  cure  for  Atheism."  The  ear  is  no 
less  wonderfully  adapted  to  its  office ;  its 
mechanism  is  extremely  simple,  but  the 
variety  of  its  effects  is  remarkably  great. 
The  process  of  digestion  is  surprising  ;  the 
power  of  the  stomach  and  other  organs  to 
turn  so  many  different  substances  into 
chyle  and  blood,  and  thus  to  nourish  life 
for  many  years,  is  truly  amazing.  The 
circulation  of  the  blood  is  equally  admira- 
ble. The  heart  has  tl\,e  power  of  forcing 
the  blood  into  the  arteries,  and  receiving  it 
back  from  the  veins,  after  it  has  visited  the 
most  distant  and  minute  parts  of  the  sys- 
tem; for  this  purpose  it  contracts  and  di- 
lates its  muscles,  four  thousand  times  in 


every  hour,  making  one  hundred  thousand 
strokes  in  every  twenty-four  Jiours;  and 
continuing  to  do  this,  witiiout  weariness  or 
disorder,  for  seventy  or  eighty  years  to- 
gether. This  wonderful  machine  is,  gene- 
rally speakmg,  kept  in  perfect  order ;  for 
health  requires  tlie  exact  performance  of 
every  function.  Little  do  we  consider 
how  much  must  go  to  produce  the  ease  we 
generally  enjoy.  We  need  not  wonder  if 
at  any  time  we  are  unwell ;  but,  knowing 
the  complicated  machine  of  the  body,  we 
may  wonder  at  a  single  hour's  comfort  and 
activity.  Well  may  each  of  us  say  with 
the  prophet,  "  I  will  praise  thee,  for  I  am 
fearfully  and  wonderfully  made :  marvel- 
lous are  thy  works,  and  that  my  soul  know- 
eth  right  well." 

2.  The  wisdom  of  God  is  no  less  appa- 
rent in  the  work  of  providence  than  in 
that  of  creation.  It  requires  the  same 
skill  to  govern  the  world  as  to  make  it 
The  order  and  harmony  of  the  universe 
can  be  ascribed  only  to  the  constant  influ- 
ence of  the  eternal  mind ;  without  which 
neither  an  empire  rises,  nor  a  sparrow  falls. 
The  world  is  like  a  vast  machine,  in  which 
there  are  many  millions  of  movements ; 
some  of  which,  to  our  mistaken  view, 
seem  to  contradict  each  other;  but,  by  the 
wisdom  of  the  great  Artificer,  they  all 
concur  to  accomplish  his  design,  and  to 
promote  his  glory. 

But  it  is  to  MAN,  and  to  man  as  a  fallen 
ctealure,  that  we  should  chiefly  direct  our 
attention.  How  remarkable  is  the  wisdom 
of  God  in  conferring  upon  men  those  dif- 
ferent abilities  and  inclinations,  which  tend 
to  the  general  welfare  of  society !  How 
wonderful  is  the  restraint  which  he  lays 
upon  the  wicked,  without  ^hich,  their  un- 
governed  appetites  and  ferocious  tempers 
would  deluge  the  earth  with  misery  and 
blood !  but  "  he  stilleth  the  noise  of  the 
waves,  and  the  raging  of  the  people." 

The  wisdom  of  God  is  frecjuently  con- 
spicuous in  effecting  the  most  grand  and 
glorious  designs  by  weak  and  feeble 
means,  and  even  by  the  bad  dispositions  of 
men.^ 

The  envy  and  cruelty  of  Joseph's  breth- 
ren, led  the  way  to  his  advancement  in 
Egypt,  as  did  also  tlie  wickedness  of  Poti- 
pliar's  wife.  God  turned  tlie  counsel  of 
Ahitliopliel  into  fool ishne.<s;  ?o  that  what 
was  proposed  for  the  destruction  of  David, 
became  the  means  of  his  safety.  The 
luxury  of  some  of  the  rich,  provides  labor 
and  food  for  tiie  poor ;  and  the  worst  of 
human  actions  give  occasion  to  the  enact- 
ment of  the  most  excellent  laws.     Perse- 


320 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


cution  itself,  the  vilest  effort  of  liuman 
depravity,  tends  to  the  promotion  of  the 
Gospel,  and  "  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  be- 
comes the  seed  of  the  clmrch."  Thus, 
even  "  the  wrath  of  man  is  made  to  praise 
him,  and  tlie  remainder  thereof  he  is 
pleased  to  restrain." 

3.  But  the  wiisdom  of  God  is  most.of  all 
illustrated  in  the  grand  affair  x>t'  human 
REDEMPTION :  Other  discoveries  of  it,  how- 
ever excellent,  are  as  the  dawning  light 
of  the  morning,  compared  with  that  of 
the  meridian  sun,  shining  in  its  brightest 
splendor. 

To  restrain  or  lessen  human  evils,  and 
render  them  tolerable,  is  no  small  effort 
of  the  wisdom  of  man ;  but  the  wisdom 
of  God  has  brought  out  of  greatest  possible 
evil,  the  greatest  possible  good.  He  has 
made  the  apostasy  of  angels,  the  malice 
of  devils,  and  the  rebellion  of  man,  the  oc- 
casion of  exhibiting  all  his  glorious  perfec- 
tions, and  especially  his  wisdom,  to  the  ut- 
most advantage.  Nothing  in  all  the  world 
can  be  so  evil,  so  detestable  as  sin ;  nothing 
so  hurtful  and  horrible  as  its  effects  :  and 
yet  it  has  given  occasion  for  the  manifesta- 
tion of  divine  wisdom,  holiness,  justice, 
patience,  and  mercy,  beyond  what  we  can 
conceive  would  have  been  possible,  had 
not  sin  entered  into  the  world. 

Here  then  is  the  "  hidden  wisdom  of 
God  ;"  wisdom  which  the  light  of  nature 
could  never  have  discovered ;  and  which 
our  feeble  intellect  so  imperfectly  compre- 
hends, that  it  still  remains  "  the  wisdom 
of  God  in  a  mystery."  1  Tim.  i.  17  ;  and 
1  Cor.  ii.  7.  It  is  "  the  manifold  wisdom 
of  God" — displayed,  not  in  a  single  act, 
.  but  in  a  variety  of  counsels  ;  the  union  of 
the  most  excellent  ends  and  of  the  most 
excellent  means.  "  He  has  abounded  to- 
ward us  in  all  wisdom  and  prudence :" — 
wisdom  in  the  contrivance,  and  prudence 
in  the  execution  of  the  plan. 

Nothing  less  than  wisdom  truly  divine 
could  have  found  out  an  expedient  where- 
by "  mercy  and  truth"  (apparently  con- 
trary to  each  other)  "  should  meet  to- 
gether ;  righteousness  and  peace,"  equally 
hostile  to  each  other,  "  should  meet  and 
embrace."  The  claims  of  justice  and  of 
mercy  are  so  opposite,  that  human  wisdom 
could  never  have  reconciled  them.  VVc 
may  suppose  justice  to  plead  in  the  follow- 
ing manner  : — "  Dread  Majesty  of  Heaven, 
I  arraign,  before  thy  awful  tribunal,  the 
rebel  man.  Made  in  thy  image,  richly  fa- 
vored by  thy  blessings,  placed  under  a 
law,  easy,  righteous,  and  reasonable — 
bound  by  ten  thousand  ties  to  love  and 


serve  thee,  he  has  listened  to  the  tempter, 
wilfully  transgressed  thy  commandments, 
dishonored  thy  government,  and  filled  thy 
whole  creation  with  folly,  and  sin,  and  woe. 
I  demand  his  life.  It  is  forfeited.  He 
well  deserves  to  die  :  and  die  he  must ;  or 
what  becomes  of  thy  truth,  which  declared 
he  should  die  ?  What  becomes  of  thy  ho- 
liness, should  he  not  die  1  What  world  of 
thine  will  hereafter  believe  that  thou  art 
holy,  or  just,  or  true  !  I  demand  therefore 
that  he  die." 

But  Mercy,  smiling,  appears.  "  I  too," 
saith  she,  "  have  my  plea  to  offer.  It  is 
true,  man  hath  sinned,  and  deserves  to  die. 
But  is  there  no  room  for  the  exercise  of 
pity  and  compassion  1  Justice  is  already 
displayed  in  the  punishment  of  fallen  an- 
gels ;  let  that  suffice.  Permit  mercy  also 
to  be  exhibited  to  the  universe.  Now 
there  is  an  admirable  opportunity  for  it,  for 
without  misery  there  can  be  no  mercy. 
Show  pity,  then,  to  miserable  man.  Shall 
devils  for  ever  triumph  .'  Shall  they  boast 
that,  by  one  daring  stroke,  they  have  spoil- 
ed the  sLx  days'  labor  of  a  God ;  and  this 
fair  globe,  adorned  with  a  profusion  of  thy 
choicest  gifts,  become  a  mere  wilderness 
of  woe,  a  charnel-house  of  destruction, 
and  nothing  more  than  the  porch  of  hell  ] 
O  listen  to  Meicy,  and  let  the  rebel  sinne 
live !" 

Now  who  can  adjust  these  jarring  claim^l 
If  one  be  gratified,  it  must  be  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  other.  If  man  must  perish, 
what  becomes  of  mercy  ?  If  man  be  par- 
doned, what  becomes  of  justice  ? 

Only  the  wisdom  of  God  can  devise  a 
satisfactory  expedient.  The  wisdom  of 
God  saith,  "  I  will  satisfy  you  both.  The 
pleas  of  justice  shall  be  satisfied  in  the 
punishment  of  sin  ;  and  the  pleas  of  mer- 
cy shall  be  satisfied  in  the  pardon  of  sin. 
Justice  shall  not  complain  for  want  of  pun- 
ishment ;  nor  mercy  for  want  of  compas- 
sion. I  will  provide  a  sacrifice  which  shall 
satisfy  justice  ;  and  the  virtue  of  that  sac- 
rifice shall  gratify  Mercy.  Justice  shall 
have  punishment  to  accept,  and  Mercy 
shall  have  pardon  to  bestow.  The  rights 
of  both  shall  be  secured ;  and  the  demands 
of  both  shall  amicably  accord  in  punisli- 
ment  and  pardon,  by  transferring  the  pun- 
ishment of  the  sinner  to  his  Surety.  Jus- 
tice shall  exact  a  recompense  from  his 
blood,  while  life  {ind  salvation  shall  be 
granted  by  Mercy  to  the  sinner,  without 
the  expense  of  one  drop  of  his  own."  Be- 
hold, therefore,  the  goodness  and  the  se- 
verity of  God  !  The  riches  of  grace  are 
entwined  with  the  terrors  of  wrath.     God 


SERMON  LXVIII. 


321 


is  righteous  without  being  cruel,  and  mer- 
ciful without  being  unjust.  His  righteous- 
ness inviolate,  and  the  world  recovered.* 

How  marvellous  is  the  wisdom  of  God 
in  the  provision  of  a  Savior  in  the  person 
of  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ !  Who  so  proper 
to  restore  the  world  as  he  who  made  it ! 
Who  so  qualified  to  renew  the  divine 
image,  as  he  who  first  impressed  it !  Who 
so  fit  to  intercede  with  God,  as  his  dear- 
ly beloved  Son !  Who  so  proper  to  redeem 
tiie  forfeited  inheritance,  as  the  "  Heir  of 
all  things!" 

Tiie  union  of  the  two  natures,  human 
and  divine,  in  the  person  of  Christ,  appears 
to  be  admirably  adapted  to  the  great  pur- 
pose designed.  "  He  is  Immanuel — God 
with  us ;"  he  was  therefore  qualified,  as 
an  umpire,  to  lay  his  hand  upon  both 
parties.  By  the  one  nature,  he  was  fitted 
for  "  things  pertaining  to  God,"  by  the 
other,  he  was  capable  of  sympathizing 
with  men.  He  had  a  nature  capable  of 
suffering,  and  a  nature  which  could  render 
his  sutferings  infinitely  meritorious.  Had 
he  not  been  man,  he  could  not  have  suf- 
fered and  died ;  had  he  not  been  more 
than  man,  his  sufferings  and  death  could 
have  been  of  no  avail. 

In  the  death  of  Christ  we  behoIB  the 
righteousness  of  the  law  perfectly  fulfilled 
(Rom.  viii.  3 ;)  so  that  "  as  by  one  man's 
disobedience  many  were  made  sinners,  by 
the  obedience  of  one,  many  were  made 
righteous."  And  in  this  way,  God  mani- 
fested to  the  world,  in  one  act,  the  strong- 
est hatred  to  sin,  and  the  greatest  love  to 
tlie  sinner.  Here  is  infinite  love  and  in- 
finite hatred  condemning  with  awful 
severity  the  sin  to  what  it  deserved,  and 
advancing  the  sinner  himself  to  unde- 
served, unexpected,  and  everlasting  happi- 
ness; consuming  the  sin,  and  recovering 
the  sinner ;  and  doing  all  this  by  instru- 
ments who  had  no  such  intention.  Satan 
is  overthrown  by  his  own  hands ;  lie  that 
had  "the  power  of  death,"  is  himself  de- 
stroyed "  by  death ;"  by  his  cross,  Jesus 
wrests  the  crown  of  dominion  from  the 
prince  of  darkness :  Satan  is  altogether 
baffled,  and  tlie  agents  he  inspired  to  effect 
his  plans,  are  completely  disappointed.  It 
was  "  by  wicked  hands,  that  Jesus  was 
crucified  and  slain  ;"  but  thus  "  the  coun- 
sel and  foreknowledge  of  God  were  ful- 
filled," and  tlie  church  of  God  ransomed 
by  the  blood  of  his  Son. 


•  These  thoughts,  with  mtiny  otliere  in  the 
course  of  these  Sermons,  are  horrowed  from  the 
admirable  Charnock  on  the  Attributes  of  God. 
See  particularly  vol.  i.  page  383,  &c. 

2Q 


Nor  is  the  wisdom  of  God  less  conspicu- 
ous in  the  ways  and  means  by  which  the 
redemption  ot  Christ  is  applied  to  the  hearts 
of  men.  How  simple  and  plain  is  that 
glorious  gospel,  which  is  the  power  of  God 
to  salvation,  to  every  one  that  believeth  ! 
The  great  salvation  was  not  published  by 
men  famous  for  worldly  wisdom  ;  it  was 
not  by  the  force  of  human  eloquence,  or 
by  the  influence  of  human  authority,  that 
inen  were  converted  ;  but  "  this  treasure 
was  put  into  earthen  vessels,  that  the 
excellency  of  the  power  might  plainly 
appear  to  be  of  Gotl,  and  not  of  man." 
For  the  same  reason.  Faith  is  appoimed  to 
be  the  instrument  of  our  justification  ;  for 
Faith  assumes  no  merits  of  its  own ;  it 
simply  and  humbly  receives  the  divine 
testimony,  and  with  it  the  blessings  prom- 
ised, "without  money  and  without  price;" 
and  "  therefore  it  is  of  faith,  that  it  may 
be  by  grace." 

The  wisdom  of  God  has  adapted  the 
Gospel  to  promote,  in  the  most  powerful 
manner,  the  practice  of  holiness  and  good 
works.  While  a  salvation  of  pure  grace 
is  bestowed  upon  men,  and  becomes  the 
ground  of  their  confidence  and  the  source 
of  their  hopes,  they  are  powerfully  induced 
and  enabled  to  glorify  God  by  their  holy 
obedience.  A  true  acquaintance  with  the 
gospel  produces  in  the  heart  love  both  to 
God  and  men.  Nothing  is  so  powerful  as 
love ;  and  the  love  of  God  to  us,  if  "  shed 
abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost," 
must  and  will  effect  a  return  of  love  and 
gratitude  to  God ;  and  if  we  love  him,  wc 
shall  keep  his  commandments,  for  this  is 
the  proper  fruit  of  faith,  and  the  best  evi* 
dence  of  our  sincerity. 

CONCLUSION. 

Let  us  improve  the  subject  in  three 
ways: — Adore  the  wisdom  of  God;  Rely 
on  the  wisdom  of  God ;  and  Implore  wis- 
dom of  God. 

1.  Adore  the  wisdom  of  God.  Where 
can  you  turn  your  eyes  without  beholding 
it !  Behold  it  in  every  object  around  you. 
Look  at  creation  with  this  design,  that  the 
Creator,  infinitely  wise  and  good,  may  be 
adored.  Thus  shall  "  the  whole  world 
become  a  temple,  and  life  itself  be  one 
continued  act  of  adoration."  But  it  is  in 
"the  new  creation"  that  wisdom  most 
briglitly  shines :  it  is  "  through  Jesug 
Christ,"  as  the  text  expresses  it ;  through 
him,  as  the  light  of  the  world,  God  shines 
upon  us;  and  through  him,  as  our  Media- 
tor, let  our  honors  be  paid  to  God. 

2.  Rely  on  the  wisdom  of  God.   In  the 


322 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


common  affairs  of  lifb  we  have  frequent 
occasion  for  advice ;  and  we  gladly  avail 
ourselves  of  the  wisdom  of  a  friend,  of  a 
physician,  of  a  counsellor  :  but  O !  what  a 
privilege  is  it  to  a  Christian,  that  the  God 
of  wisdom  presides  over  the  world,  over 
the  church,  and  over  his  private  affairs! 
Commit  then  tliy  way  to  the  Lord.  Trust 
in  him  at  all  times,  even  at  the  worst  of 
times.  He  knows  how  to  deliver  the  god- 
ly out  of  temptation :  he  knows  how  to 
make  all  things  work  together  for  good. 
"  The  Lord  is  a  God  of  judgment:  blessed 
are  aj^  they  that  wait  for  him."  Finally, 

3.  Ask  wisdom  of  God ;  so  he  directs 
us  to  do.  "  If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom, 
let  him  ask  of  God,  and  it  shall  be  given 
hini."  We  need  wisdom  in  all  our  con- 
cerns, and  should  seek  direction  in  the 
management  of  all  our  affairs;  but  chiefly, 
we  need  it  for  our  souls ;  for  mistakes  in 
religion  are  of  all  others  the  most  danger- 
ous. God  has  favored  us  with  the  Bible, 
which  is  his  own  book  of  wisdom,  and  it 
is  able  to  make  us  "  wise  unto  salvation ;" 
but  we  also  need  "  the  Spirit  of  wisdom 
and  of  revelation,"  to  guide  us  into  all 
truth,  and  to  glorify  Jesus,  by  revealing 
him  to  us  as  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the 
life. — May  we  know,  and  love,  and  serve 
him  on  earth  !  daily  increasing  in  true 
wisdom,  and  rejoicing  in  hope  of  a  superior 
state,  where  our  faculties  shall  be  en- 
larged, and  our  knowledge  improved ;  and 
where,  with  infinite  gratitude,  we  shall 
adopt  the  doxology  in  our  text : —  To  God, 
only  loise,  be  glory,  through  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 


PRAYER.— O  THOU  that  dwellest  in  the 
heavens,  thou  art  God,  only  wise ;  thy  under- 
standing is  infiiaite  ;  we  behold  it  in  the  works 
of  thy  hands ;  in  wisdom  hast  thou  made  them 
all ;  and  when  all  were  finished,  thou  didst  pro- 
nounce them  all  to  be  very  good.  We  adore  thy 
wisdom  as  it  appears  in  all  thy  creatures,  and  we 
will  praise  thee  especially  on  our  own  account, 
for  we  are  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made.  By 
thee,  O  God,  the  universe  is  preserved  and 
governed  :  and  without  Ihee  neither  an  empire 
rises  nor  a  sparrow  falls.  And  all  affairs  of  man- 
kind are  imder  ihy  direction  and  control ;  even 
the  wrath  of  man  is  made  to  praise  thee,  while  tlie 
remainder  thereof  is  mercifully  reslrained.  Butiii 
the  salvation  of  sinful  men,  by  Jesus  Christ,  we 
discern  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God  :  we  behold 
it  in  Ihe  person  of  the  Savior,  uniting  in  himself 
the  two  natures,  human  and  divine;  and  glorify- 
ing in  his  mediatorial  work,  both  justice  and 
mercy,  that  God  might  be  just,  while  justifying 
the  ungodly. 

We  adore  thy  wisdom  O  God,  though  we  can 
never  fully  comprehend  it.  We  entreat  wisdom 
from  thee  to  direct  us  in  all  our  ways,  and  especial- 
ly tt)  make  us  wise  unto  salvation  ;  and  with  hum- 
ble confidence  we  would  rely  on  thy  wisdom, 


and  trust  in  thee  at  all  times  ;  for  the  Lord  is  a 
God  of  judgment ;  blessed  are  all  they  that  wait 
for  him.  Now  to  God,  only  wise,  be  glory,  through 
Jesus  Christ,  for  ever.    Amen. 


SERMON  LXIX. 

THE  HOLINESS  OF  GOD. 
Isaiah  vi.  3.   Holy,  lioly,  holy,  is  the  Lord  of  Hosts. 

All  the  divine  attributes  are  equally 
necessary  to  the  perfection  of  his  nature  ; 
and  it  may  be  improper  to  exalt  any  one 
of  them  above  the  rest :  but  it  may  be 
remarked,  that  no  attribute  of  God  is  ex- 
pressed in  Scripture  as  his  holiness  is — no 
attribute  is  so  awfully  proclaimed : — it  is 
thrice  repeated  in  a  smgle  sentence : 
"  Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord  of  hosts." 
We  find  this  doxology  in  the  account  Of  a 
most  remarkable  vision,  which  Isaiah,  the 
prophet,  saw.  "  I  saw  the  Lord,"  saith  he, 
"  sitting  upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted 
up,  and  his  train  filled  the  temple.  Above 
it  stood  the  Seraphim ; — and  one  cried  unto 
another,  and  said,  Holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord 
of  hosts :  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his 
glory."  This  is  applied  to  Jesus  Christ, 
in  the  gospel  of  St.  John,  where  it  is 
written,  "  These  things  said  Esaias  when 
he  saw  his  glory,  and  spake  of  him."  John 
xii.  41.  We  find  another  doxology  of  a 
similar  kind,  in  Rev.  iv.  8 ;  where  celestial 
beings  are  represented  as  giving  glory  to 
God,  saying,  "  Holy,  holy,  holy.  Lord  God 
Almighty,  which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to 
come."  From  these  and  many  other  texts 
of  Scripture,  we  learn  a  great  and  import- 
ant doctrine,  which  we  shall  attempt  to 
illustrate  and  improve ;  namely,  that 

The  great  God  is  infinitely  pure  and 
holy. 

By  holiness,  in  the  blessed  God,  we 
mean,  that  essential  rectitude  of  his  na- 
ture, whereby  he  takes  infinite  delight 
and  pleasure  in  that  which  is  pure  and 
holy  ;  and  hates,  with  a  perfect  hatred,, 
every  thing  which  is  morally  evil.        ■  -''- 

We  consider  holiness  as  essential,  or 
absolutely  necessary,  to  the  very  being  and 
existence  of  God.  We  can  have  no  right 
conception  of  a  God  without  holiness.  A 
God  without  holiness  would  be  like  a  God 
without  power,  or  a  God  without  wisdom  : 
it  would  be  a  monster,  not  a  God.  Many 
of  the  idols,  or  pretended  gods  of  the 
heathens,  were  indeed  unlioly ;  they  were 
abominably  impure  ;  the  patterns  and  the 
patrons  of  detestable  vices  ;  and  therefore 
it  ia  said  in  the  song  of  Moses — "  Who  is 


SERMON  1,XIX. 


323 


like  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  aniong  tlie  gods  ? 
— wlio  is  like  unto  thee — glorious  in  lioli- 
Thc  holiness  of  (Jod  is  tlie  glory 


ness . 


of  God ;  it  is  the  glory  of  all  his  other 
perfections ;  of  his  jrower ;  hence  we  read 
of  "  his  holy  arm  :"  of  his  truth  ;  hence 
we  read  of  "  his  holy  promise  :"  of  his 
justice ;  for  he  is  righteous  in  all  "  his 
ways,  and  holy  m  all  his  works."  We 
say  therefore  that  God  is  essentially  holy ; 
and  it  would  be  less  absurd  to  say.  There 
is  no  God,  than  to  say,  God  is  not  holy. 

Holiness  is  originally  in  God.  If  an- 
gels are  holy, -God  made  them  so.  If  be- 
jlievers  are  holy,  God  made  them  so.  But 
the  holiness  of  God  is  not  derived  ;  it  was 
eternally,  originally,  and  unchangeably  in 
him.  Some  of  the  holy  angels  sinned,  and 
are  become  devils.  Man,  who  was  made 
holy  at  first,  is  now  become  an  impure  sin- 
ner ;  and  the  holiest  creatures  in  the  world, 
if  left  to  themselves,  might  become  unholy : 
but  God  is  eternally  holy ;  tliere  is  "  no 
variableness  witli  him,  neither  shadow  of 
turning." 

Let  us  now  produce  some  evidence  of 
this  truth — some  satisfactory  proof  that 
God  is  holy.  And  we  may  easily  obtain 
this  from  the  uniform  testimony  of  the  sa- 
cred Scriptures — from  the  original  condi- 
tion of  all  rational  creatures — from  the  holy 
law  which  God  has  given  to  men — from 
the  anger  he  has  manifested  against  unholy 
sinners — from  the  atonement  made  for  sin 
by  the  deatli  of  Christ — and  from  the  sanc- 
tifying work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the 
hearts  of  believers. 

1.  The  holiness  of  God  appears  from  the 
positive,  imiform,  repeated  testimony  of  the 
sacred  writers,  in  the  Scriptures  of  truth. 
The  great  God  himself,  in  whose  liglit 
alone  we  see  light,  asserts  his  own  char- 
acter, and  proclaims  his  own  name.  "  I, 
the  Lord  your  God,  am  holy."  "  I  am  the 
Lord,  the  holy  one  of  Israel,  your  Savior." 
This  is  ever  the  sanction  of  his  holy  com- 
mandments,— "  Be  ye  lioly,  for  I  am  holy." 
We  need  not  multiply  texts :  tiie  holy  wri- 
ters, inspired  by  the  Holy  Spirit  himself, 
concur  with  the  Seraphim  in  the  text, — 
one  of  whom  cried  unto  another,  and  said, 
"  Holy,  holy,  iioly,  is  the  Lord  of  hosts ; 
the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory ;"  and 
observe,  so  awfully,  so  loudly  was  this 
proclamation  made,  tiiat  "  the  posts  of  the 
door,"  or  the  massy  pillars  of  tlie  temple, 
"moved  at  the  voice  of  him  that  cried  ;" 
while  the  holy  prophet  himself  trembled 
and  said,  "  Wo  is  me  !  for  I  am  undone, 
because  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips ;  for 
mine  eyes  have  seen  the  King,  the  Lord 
of  hosts ;" — that  is,  tlie  holy  "  VVord,"  who 


was  afterwards  "made  flesh,  and  dwelt 
among  us."  Such  will  ever  be  the  hum- 
bling eti'ect  of  right  views  of  the  holiness 
of  God ! 

2.  We  refer  to  the  original  state  of  all 
rational  and  unmortal  beings.  When 
formed  by  him,  they  were  holy  ;  for  no- 
thing morally  evil  could  proceed  from  the 
pure  hands  of  a  holy  God.  The  innumer- 
able hosts  of  angels  were  created  pure. 
Those  who  still  retain  their  first  estate  are 
called  "  the  holy  angels ;"  and  those  who 
fell  were  originally  such.  As  to  man,  be- 
fore his  creation,  "  God  said,  Let  us  make 
man  in  our  image,  after  our  likeness,"  and 
accordingly—"  God  created  man  in  his 
own  image ;  in  the  image  of  God  created 
he  him."  Gen.  i.  26,  27.  It  is  no  im- 
peachment of  the  holiness  of  God,  that  he 
permitted  his  creatures  to  fall.  All  crea- 
tures are  in  their  very  nature  changeable. 
God  only  is  incapable  of  change.  But 
though  "  God  made  man  upright,"  yet  he 
was  capable  of  "  seeking  out  many  inven- 
tions." He  was  able  to  stand,  yet  capable 
of  falling.  He  was  created  with  a  will 
perfectly  free ;  he  was  capable  of  loving 
God  and  keeping  his  commandments; 
there  was  a  light  in  his  understanding, 
a  rectitude  in  his  heart,  a  rule  to  act  by ; 
a  promise  to  encourage|^im  to  obedience, 
and  a  threatening  to  deter  him  from  sin. 
More  was  not  necessary;  his  defection 
must  be  charged  on  himself:  God  is  holy. 

3.  Consider  the  nature  of  the  law,  origin- 
ally given  to  man  in  Paradise,  and,  long 
after,  renewed  at  Sinai. 

The  substance  of  the  eternal,  unchange- 
able law  of  God  is — "  Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  lieart,  and  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself"  Less  than  this,  a 
holy  God  cannot  demand  ;  less  than  this  a 
holy  creature  cannot  desire.  The  lioliness 
of  God  was  strongly  expressed  in  the 
method  which  he  took  to  secure  the  holi- 
ness of  Adam,  and,  in  him,  the  holiness  of 
all  his  posterity.  What  could  have  been  a 
stronger  inducement  to  obedience,  than 
the  hope  of  everlasting  happiness  for  him- 
self and  all  mankind  !  What  a  more  po\y- 
erful  guard  against  sin,  than  the  certain 
and  eternal  ruin  of  himself  and  all  his  race  ? 

"  The  law,"  renewed,  and  awfully  pub- 
lished at  Sinai,  "  is  holy,  and  just,  and 
good."  It  is  the  rule  of  holiness.  By  this 
we  learn  what  isliolyor  unholy,  especially 
when  we  learn  that  it  is  "  spiritual," — that 
it  reaches  to  the  secret  thoughts  of  the 
heart,  and  condemns  even  an  evil  desire. 
Thus,  St.  Paul  assures  us  tiiat  he  was  con- 
vinced of  sin,  "  because  the  law  hath  said, 
Thou  shalt  not  covet."     This  obliged  him 


324 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


to  cry,  "  The  law  is  spiritual,  but  I  am  car- 
nal." "  The  law  entered  that  tlie  offence 
might  abound;"  that  men  might  be  con- 
vinced how  dreadfully  their  sins  have 
abounded ; — "  and  "thus,"  saith  he,  "  sin 
slew  me,"  and  "  I  died :" — "  it  was  made 
death  unto  me,  and  sm,  by  the  command- 
ment, became  exceeding  smful."  See 
Rom.  vii.  9 — 14.  Surely,  this  holy  law, 
which  is  called  perfect,  pure,  clean,  and 
"righteous,"  and  armed  with  a  dreadful 
curse  against  every  transgressor,  is  an 
awful  proof  that  God  is  holy.  So,  however, 
Moses,  the  man  of  God,  thought,  when  wit- 
nessing the  fire,  and  tempest,  and  terrible 
voice  which  attended  the  giving  of  the 
law  at  Sinai :  he  said,  "  I  exceedingly  fear 
and  quake ;"  and  thus  every  man  will 
think  who  is  acquainted  with  the  extent  of 
its  demands,  and  sensible  of  his  own  innu- 
merable transgressions. 

4.  Let  us  take  a  view  of  the  holiness  of 
God,  as  awfully  displayed  in  his  anger 
against  sin  and  sinners. 

The  first  display  of  this  was,  in  the  ex- 
pulsion of  rebel  angels  from  their  thrones 
of  glory.  "  God  spared  not  the  angels  that 
sinned,  but  cast  them  down  to  hell,  and 
delivered  them  into  chains  of  darkness,  to 
be  reserved  unta judgment:"  they  "kept 
not  their  fii'st  esmte,"  and  were  therefore 
expelled  from  "  their  own  habitation." 
What  a  dreadful  proof  do  those  once  illus- 
trious, and  now  degraded  spirits,  exhibit  to 
the  whole  spiritual  world,  of  God's  uncon- 
querable and  everlasting  aversion  to  sin ! 

And  see,  with  horror  and  surprise,  man 
seduced  by  the  devil,  involved  in  the  same 
condemnation.  Well  might  Adam  trem- 
ble at  the  sound  of  the  once  delightful 
voice  of  his  Maker,  when  he  approached, 
and  cried,  "  Adam,  where  art  thou  1" 
"  What  is  this  that  thou  hast  done  f  and 
still  more,  when,  dragged  from  his  vain 
refuge,  and  in  spite  of  his  vain  excuses,  he 
hear^  the  holy  oflended  God  say,  "  Cursed 
is  the  serpent — cursed  is  the  ground  ;"  yet, 
not  altogether  cursed  is  poor  apostate  man : 
he  is  doomed  indeed  to  severe  labor  and 
toils ;  and  the  penurious  earth  refuses  to 
aflbrd  him  bread,  but  at  the  expense  of  the 
sweat  of  his  brow;  the  deluded  woman 
also,  first  in  the  transgression,  is  doomed 
to  be  the  subject  of  multiplied  sorrows, 
pains,  and  infirmities. 

When  men  were  greatly  increased,  and 
sin  became  universal  and  triumphant,  we 
see  the  holy  God  so  provoked,  that  "  it  re- 
pented him  he  had  made  man,  and  it 
grieved  him  at  the  heart :"  "  he  looked  on 
the  earth,  and  behold  it  was  corrupt ;  for 
all  flesh  had  corrupted  his  way :"  "  then 


were  the  windows  of  heaven  opened,  and 
the  fountains  of  the  great  deep  were  bro- 
ken up,  and  the  waters  prevailed  exceed- 
ingly, and  every  living  substance  was  de- 
stroyed in  which  was  the  breath  of  life. 
Noah  only  remained  alive,  and  they  that 
were  with  him  in  the  ark."  What  a  dread- 
ful proof  was  this  that  the  holy  God  was 
angry  with  the  wicked  ! 

Remember  the  fate  of  Sodom  and  Go- 
morrah. "  Their  sin  was  very  grievous, — 
their  cry  was  great ;"  and  their  crimes  so 
general,  that  not  ten  righteous  men  could 
be  found.  "Then  the  Lord  rained  upon 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah  brimstone  and  fire,* 
from  the  Lord  out  of  Heaven  ;  and  he 
overthrew  those  cities,  and  all  the  plain,  and 
all  the  cities ;  and  the  smoke  of  the  country 
went  up  as  the  smoke  of  a  furnace."  Gen. 
xix.  24.     But  he  delivered  righteous  Lot. 

When  the  Canaan ites  had  filled  up  the 
measure  of  their  iniquities,  he  punished 
them  with  the  sword  of  Joshua,  and  ex- 
pelled them  from  their  fruitfiil  land,  which 
flowed  with  milk  and  honey. 

And  when  the  children  of  Israel,  though 
God's  peculiar  people,  forgot  their  duty  to 
him,  indulged  in  vice,  or  forsook  his  wor- 
ship, he  delivered  them  into  the  hands  of 
the  Philistines  or  of  the  Assyrians ;  and  at 
one  time  consigned  them  to  captivity  for 
seventy  years  in  Babylon ;  and  at  length, 
when  they  crucified  the  Lord  of  glory,  re- 
jected his  gospel,  and  forbade  it  to  be 
preached  to  the  Gentiles,  he  brought  upon 
them  the  fury  of  the  Romans,  burnt  their 
temple,  destroyed  their  city,  and  dispersed 
them,  the  most  miserable  of  mankind, 
among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  Every 
Jew  you  see  may  remind  you  that  God  is 
holy. 

Mark  also,  how  this  holy  Lord  God  has 
chastised  some  of  his  dear  children,  emi- 
nent saints,  when  tiiey  have  indulged  un- 
holy tempers,  or  committed  unholy  actions. 
Moses,  who  spake  unadvisedly  with  his 
lips,  was  not  permitted  to  enter  the  goodly 
land  he  longed  for.  Jonah,  when  he  desert- 
ed his  duty,  was  imprisoned  in  the  whale's 
belly :  and  David,  when  he  tell  into  some 
gross  sins,  was  severely  visited,  and  the 
bloody  sword  was  entailed  upon  his  family. 
The  holy  God  hates  sin  wherever  he  sees 
it,  but  most  of  all  wlien  he  sees  it  in  his 
children  ;  as  a  gardener  hates  a  weed  the 
more,  when  he  finds  it  in  a  bed  of  his 
choicest  flowers.  God  is  indeed  reconciled 
to  the  sinner  who  believes,  but  he  is  never 
reconciled  to  his  sins  ;  he  loves  his  person, 
but  he  hates  his  vices.  Surely,  then,  believ- 
ers should  avoid  even  the  appearance  of  evil, 
for  they  serve  a  holy  God. 


SERI\ION   LXIX. 


325 


5.  But  we  must  visit  Calvary,  if  we 
would  behold  at  once  the  most  awful,  and 
the  most  engaging  display  of  divine  lioli- 
ness.  "  Not  all  the  vials  of  judgments 
which  were  ever  poured  out  on  the  guilty 
world,  nor  the  irreversible  sentence  pro- 
nounced against  rebellious  devils,  nor  the 
groans  of  danmed  sinners,  atibrd  such  a 
demonstration  of  God's  hatred  to  sin,  as  the 
sutlerings  of  Christ  on  the  accursed  tree." 
It  was  because  he  was  infinitely  displeased 
with  sin,  tliat  "  the  Lord  was  pleased  to 
bruise  his  Son,  and  put  him  to  grief"  It 
was  holiness  that  drew  the  veil  between 
the  Father's  countenance  and  the  Savior's 
soul,  when  horrible  darkness  covered  the 
earth,  and  he  cried,  in  the  bitterness  of  his 
broken  heart,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast 
thou  forsaken  me  !"  God's  afl^ection  to  his 
holiness  seemed,  in  this  instance,  to  sur- 
mount his  affection  to  his  Son.  Rather 
should  his  well-beloved  Son  expire  on  a 
disgraceful  cross,  than  sin  should  be  suffer- 
ed to  live,  and  his  holiness  be  disparaged  by 
the  violations  of  his  law.  Thus  was  sin 
made  the  chief  mark  of  his  displeasure, 
while  the  poor  sinner  becomes  the  happy 
object  of  his  pitiful  regard.  The  odious- 
ness  of  sin  is  exposed,  while  the  compassion 
ofhis  heart  is  displayed.  His  infinite  ab- 
liorrence  of  sin,  and  his  infinite  love  to  tlie 
sinner,  go  hand  in  hand  together.  Thus 
*'  Mercy  and  Truth  meet  together" — Mercy 
to  the  misery  of  the  sinner,  Truth  to  the 
parity  of  the  law.  "  Righteousness  and 
Peace  embrace  each  other" — the  right- 
eousness of  God,  and  the  peace  of  the  be- 
lievers in  Jesus;  and  thus  "there  is  for- 
giveness with  God,  tliat  he  may  be  feared.'''' 
And  this  leads  us  to  the  last  evidence  we 
shall  produce  of  the  holiness  of  God. 

H.  The  holiness  of  God  appears  in  the 
sanctifying  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  tlie 
hearts  of  believers,  and  in  all  means  ap- 
pointed for  that  purpose. 

God,  who,  from  eternity,  designed  the 
everlasting  happiness  of  his  people,  decreed 
that  they  should  be  holy;  "he  predesti- 
nated them  to  be  conformed  to  the  image 
of  his  Son."  Rom.  viii.  29.  For  this  pur- 
pose he  gave  his  Son,  and  his  Son  gave 
himself,  that  "  he  might  purify  unto  him- 
self a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good 
works."  It  was  impossible  that  Jesus 
Christ,  who  is  "  the  Holy  One  of  Israel," 
should  become  "the  minister  ofsin,"  or  even 
permit  tlie  purchased  ofhis  blood  to  remain 
the  slaves  of  corruption  :  he  came  "  by 
water  as  well  as  by  bloody"  (1  Joim  vi.  6  ;) 
and  intended,  by  the  power  of  his  death 
and  resurrection,  to  introduce  us  not  only 
into  a  relative  state  of  happine.ss  by  justi- 


fication, but  also  into  a  real  state  of  grace 
by  sanctification."  "  For  in  that  he  died, 
he  died  unto  sin  once  ;  but  in  that  he  liveth, 
he  liveth  unto  God.  Likewise  reckon  ye 
also  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin, 
but  alive  unto  God  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord."  Rom.  vi.  10. 

For  this  purpose  also  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
given  to  all  believers ;  for  if  "  any  man 
have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of 
his."  It  is  by  the  gospel  of  truth  that  men 
are  begotten  again,  and  made  new  crea- 
tures ;  "  for  of  his  own  will  begat  he  us 
with  the  word  of  truth,  that  we  should  be 
a  kind  of  first-fruits  of  his  creatures." 
James  i.  18.  The  gospel  of  the  free  grace 
of  God,  which  some  mistaken  persons 
charge  with  an  unholy  tendency,  is  the 
very  instrument  of  renewing  them  in  holi- 
ness after  the  image  of  God.  The  Savior 
promised  that  his  disciples  should  know  the 
truth,  and  that  the  truth  should  make  them 
free ;  and  again  he  prayed  for  his  disciples, 
saying,  "  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth, 
thy  word  is  truth."  John  xvii.  17.  The 
faith  which  they  have  in  Christ,  if  true  and 
genuine,  has  always  this  effect :  "  it  puri- 
fies the  heart ;"  "  it  works  by  love ;"  "  it 
overcomes  the  world."  If  men,  professing 
to  receive  the  truth,  and  to  believe  in 
Christ,  are  not  holy,  we  are  bold  to  say 
that  their  knowledge  is  not  true,  their  faith 
is  not  genuine.  They  deceive  themselves, 
and  the  truth  is  not  in  them. 

All  the  ordinances  of  God's  appointment 
and  all  the  means  of  grace,  private  as  well 
as  public,  are  instruments  in  the  hand  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  promote  the  holiness  of 
believers.  Thej'  are  properly  called  "  means 
of  grace;"  for  in  the  diligent  use  of  them, 
God  is  pleased  to  communicate  those  "sup- 
plies ofhis  Spirit,"  by  which  we  are  gradu- 
ally and  progressively  transformed  into 
his  image,  "  from  glory  to  glory." 

For  the  same  blessed  end,  he  who  gov- 
erns the  world,  and  orders  all  its  afl'airs  ac- 
cording to  his  all-wise  and  all  lioly  plan, 
so  directs  and  overrules  the  affairs  of  his 
people,  that  "all  things  work  together  for 
their  good."  They  certainly  do  so,  when 
they  promote  and  increase  their  holiness. 
This  is  particularly  affirmed  of  their  afflic- 
tions; for  though  tliese  are  irksome,  and 
what  we  would  gladly  avoid,  yet,  "  v\  horn 
the  Lord  loveth  he  chastencth,  and  scourgeth 
every  son  whom  he  receiveth."  Afflictions 
are,  indeed,  "  not  joyous,  but  grievous ;" 
nevertheless,  "  they  yield  the  peaceable 
fruits  of  righteouf-ness,"  and  thus  he  who 
inflicts  them,  makes  us  "partakers  of  hia 
holine.ss."  Heb.  xii.  6.  10,  11. 

Thus  then  it  appears  from  the  Scripture, 
28 


326 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


from  the  original  state  of  man,  from  the 
law,  from  God's  anger  against  sin,  from 
(he  death  of  Christ,  and  from  tiie  work 
of  the  Spirit — that  our  God  is  a  most  holy 
God. 


We  conclude  with  some  practical  infer- 
ences from  what  has  been  advanced  ;  and, 

1.  Is  God  so  holy  1  Then  how  base  and 
siiifiU  is  the  hatred  of  holiness  !  So  awful- 
ly IS  man  fallen,  that  he  is  not  only  by  na- 
ture destitute  of  holiness,  but  he  hates  it 
it  in  otiiers.  He  forms  a  false  notion  of 
God,  as  if  he  were  not  holy.  It  is  charged 
upon  the  sinner  (Ps.  1.  21.)  "  Thou  thougiit- 
est  that  I  was  altogether  such  a  one  as  thy- 
self,"— an  unholy  being,  that  could  dis- 
pense with  sin  ;  as  the  lieathens  worshipped 
fancied  gods  who  were  wicked  like  them- 
selves. No  wonder,  then,  that  those  who 
love  sin,  hate  holiness  in  others.  Hence, 
all  endeavors  to  be  holy,  are  despised,  by 
many  persons,  as  mere  hypocrisy ;  and  the 
very  name,  a  saint,  is  a  term  of  the  utmost 
contempt.  A  surer  sign  of  being,  at  present, 
a  child  of  the  devil,  there  cannot  be,  than 
to  hate  and  despise  holiness;  for  this  is  to 
hate  and  despise  God  himself,  for  he  is 
holy,  and  holiness  is  his  image.  But  let 
it  be  remembered,  that  "  without  holiness, 
no  man  can  see  the  Lord  ;"  and,  most 
assuredly,  they  are  ,  "  without  holiness" 
themselves,  who  despise  it  in  others.  Let 
such  persons  tremble,  and  repent. 

2.  Is  God  so  holy  ?  then  what  cause  is 
there  for  humiliaiion  !  Let  all  men,  let  even 
the  best  of  men,  prostrate  themselves  in 
deep  humiliation  before  this  holy  Lord  God. 
So  did  the  holy  prophet  Isaiah,  when  he 
saw  the  vision  in  the  text,  and  heard 
the  words  of  it  pronounced.  "  Woe  is  me  !" 
said  he,  "  for  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips!" 
So,  when  the  holy  Job  had  a  special  mani- 
festation of  the  power  and  holiness  of  God, 
lie  cried,  Behold,  I  am  vile  !  I  abhor  myself, 
and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes."  A  right 
view  of  the  holiness  of  God  will  effectual- 
ly repress  the  pride  of  our  minds,  and  keep 
ns  from  boasting  of  good  hearts  and  good 
works,  and  from  "  going  about  to  establish 
our  own  righteousness*"  "  Shall  mortal 
man  pretend  to  be  just  with  God  V  Shall 
he  pretend  to  be  pure  in  his  sight  ?  Far  be 
it.  Deep  repentance  and  self-abhorrence 
better  become  him. 

3.  We  may  learn  from  hence  the  need 
of  a  Mediator  and  Redeemer.  If  we  are 
duly  impressed  with  the  truth  now  de- 
clared, we  shall  cry,  with  the  Bethshemites 
of  old,  "  Who  can  stand  before  this  holy 
Lord  God  1"  Who  indeed  1  In  themselves, 
none  can  stand.     The  best  man  must  say 


with  David,  "  Enter  not  into  judgment  with 
thy  .servant,  O  Lord,  for  in  thy  sight  shall 
shall  no  man  living  be  justified."  There 
can  be  no  safe  approach  to  this  holy  God, 
but  by  Jesus  Christ  the  Mediator.  "No 
man,"  said  he,  "  cometh  to  the  Father  but 
by  me."  But,  blessed  be  God,  we  may  come, 
we  are  invited  thus  to  come.  God  has  de- 
clared himself  to  be  reconciled  through  the 
death  of  his  Son ;  and  now,  by  his  servants, 
condescends  to  entreat  us  to  be  reconciled 
to  him.  Yes  we  may  now  come ;  come 
even  with  freedom  and  boldness  to  the 
throne  of  his  grace,  and  there  obtain  mercy 
to  pardon  all  our  sins,  and  grace  to  help  us 
in  every  time  of  need. 

4.  Finally.  Is  God  holy  1  then  let  us 
be  also  holy.  Such  is  the  high  command  of 
God  himself — "  Be  ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy." 
This  sliould  be  our  grand  object.  Here  is 
the  bright,  the  only  perfect  example,  for 
our  imitation.  For  this  purpose,  beinSf  born 
in  sin,  we  must  needs  "  be  born  again" — 
born  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  whose  gracious  in- 
fluence on  the  heart,  through  faith  in  the 
gospel,  makes  us  a  kind  of  "  new  creatures" 
— brings  us,  as  it  were,  into  a  new  world ; 
for  such  is  it  to  every  one  who,  contrary  to 
the  example  of  the  world,  sincerely  hates 
sin  and  loves  holiness. 

This  will  render  our  worship  truly  holy. 
"  Holiness  becometh  tlie  house  of  God  for 
ever."  Let  us  then  "  worship  tlie  Lord  in 
the  beauty  of  holiness ;"  let  us  "  praise  his 
great  and  terrible  name,  for  he  is  holy ;" 
let  us  "sing  his  praises  with  understand- 
incr."  Let  us  also  aim  at  still  hio-her  de- 
grees  of  purification, — still  beholding  in  the 
gospel,  as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  the  Lord, 
May  we  be  "  changed  into  the  same  image, 
from  glory  to  glory," — "perfecting  holi- 
ness in  the  fear  of  God  !" 

'■  Now,  the  God  of  peace,  who  brought 
again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  that 
great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  through  the 
blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  make 
you  perfect  in  every  good  work,  to  do  his 
will,  working  in  you  that  which  is  well 
pleasing  in  his  sight,  through  Jesus  Christ, 
to  whom  be  glory  for  ever  and  ever." 
Amen. 


PRAYER.— Holy,  holy,  holy  art  thou,  O  Lord 
God  Almighty,  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  thy 
glory !  But  O  now  shall  sinful  man  approach  thee, 
ibr  thou  art  of  purer  eyes  than  to  heboid  iniquity. 
Shame  and  confusion  of  face  belong  to  us  ;  for  be- 
hold we  are  vile,  we  abhor  ourselves,  and  repent 
in  dust  and  ashes. 

Thou,  O  God,  didst  make  man  holy  ;  thy  law 
is  holy  ;  thy  judgments  pronounced  and  executed 
upon  rebel  angels  and  fallen  men,  and  the  chas- 
tisements of  thy  people,  all  evince  thy  holiness  ; 
but  we  behold  it  in  the  most  awful  manner  on 


SERMON  LXX. 


327 


Calvary,  when  it  pleased  thee  to  bruise  thy  dear 
Son,  and  make  our  iniquities  meet  upon  him, 
that  by  iiis  stripes  we  might  be  lieulcd.  But, 
blessed  be  thy  name,  that,  tlirough  his  death,  we 
have  now  boldness  to  enter  into  the  hohest  of 
all,  and  may  draw  near  to  thee,  as  our  heavenly 
Father.  And  now,  we  beseech  thee  to  give  us, 
according  to  thy  gracious  promise,  thy  Holy 
Spirit,  that  by  his  efFectual  working  we  may  be 
sanciilied  in  body, soul,  and  spirit;  and  thus  "be 
made  meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in 
light ;  and  being  changed  into  thy  holy  image, 
li-oin  glory  to  glory,  we  may  be  for  ever  with  and 
like  our  Lord  ;  who  with  the  Father,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  is  one  God  over  all,  blessed  for  ever. 
Amen. 


SERMON  LXX. 

THE  JUSTICE  OF  GOD. 

Deuteronomy  xxxii.  3.   Just  and  right  is  he. 

Justice,  among  men,  is  giving  to  every 
one  his  due ;  and  the  importance  of  doing 
so,  is  acknowledged  by  every  honest  man. 
It  is  easy  to  see  that  there  could  be  no  safety 
nor  happiness  in  society,  if  justice  were 
not  regarded.  If  there  are  any  persons 
who  do  not  approve  of  the  administration 
of  justice,  it  is  probable  that  they  them- 
selves are  unjust.  The  character  of  a 
judge  may  not  be  very  amiable  in  the  eyes 
of  a  criminal  prisoner,  and  he  may  not 
look  forward  to  the  approaching  assizes 
with  any  degree  of  pleasure;  he  would 
perhaps  be  willing  to  dispense  with  the 
whole  system  of  justice  in  our  laws,  be- 
cause he  is  exposed  to  the  punishment 
which  those  laws  require  ;  but  honest  and 
virtuous  men  highly  approve  of  the  execu- 
tion of  justice.  They  regulate  all  their 
affairs,  in  their  dealings  with  men,  by  a 
regard  to  justice ;  and  tliey  wish  to  be 
treated  in  the  same  manner  by  their 
neighbors.  This  general  regard  to  justice, 
this  tribute  of  mankind  to  its  excellence, 
leads  us  naturally  to  conclude  that  it  must 
have  the  sanction  of  divine  authority,  and 
that  it  must  be  a  perfection  of  the  divine 
nature ;  and  we  could  as  easily  conceive 
of  a  God  without  power,  or  a  God  without 
goodness,  as  of  a  God  without  justice. 
We  are  not  left,  however,  to  the  mere 
conjectures  or  conclusions  of  reason  ;  we 
have  the  fullest  authority  from  God's  own 
word,  to  assure  us  that  he  is  perfectly  just. 
The  ageertion  is  made  in  the  text,  which 
is  taken  from  the  song  of  Moses ;  not  that 
which  was  sung  immediately  after  the 
passage  of  Israel  through  the  Red  Sea, 
but  that  which  he  uttered  just  before  his 
death,  and  solemnly  delivered  to  the  peo- 
ple.    He  begins  tlie  sacred  ode  by  ascrib- 


ing glory  to  God ;  first,  the  glory  of  his 
greatness ;  and  here,  tlie  glory  of  his 
justice  and  righteousness. 

By  the  justice  of  God,  we  understand 
that  universal  rectitude  of  his  nature, 
whereby,  in  his  government  of  the  world, 
he  does  all  things  with  perfect  righteous- 
ness, giving  to  every  one  his  due. 

1.  We  are  to  consider  Cod,  not  only  as 
the  Maker  and  Preserver  of  men,  but  as 
their  Governor  also.  He  who  made  man, 
and  furnished  him  with  all  his  wonderful 
powers,  has  an  undoubted  right  to  pre- 
scribe laws  for  his  conduct,  and  to  enforce 
the  laws  which  he  prescribes  by  sufficient 
sanctions,  by  rewards  and  punishments,  as 
in  his  infinite  wisdom  he  sees  fit ;  and  in 
so  doing  he  consults  the  good  of  his  crea- 
tures, as  well  as  his  own  glory  ;  for  as  the 
peace  and  order  of  society  cannot  be  main- 
tained without  human  laws  properly  en- 
forced, so  we  cannot  conceive  of  the  pre- 
servation of  the  divine  government,  with- 
out laws  worthy  of  a  wise,  holy,  and  just 
God. 

This  right  seems  to  have  been  exercised 
towards  Adam  at  his  creation.  Besides 
the  moral  law,  the  substance  of  which  is 
love  to  God  and  man,  and  which  was  writ- 
ten on  his  heart,  a  positive  law  was  given 
to  him  as  the  test  of  his  obedience.  One 
particular  tree,  though  as  pleasant  to  the 
eyes  and  as  good  for  food  as  others,  was 
forbidden,  and  tliat  on  pain  of  death  ;  for 
this  positive  law  was  armed  with  a  dreadful 
sanction — "  in  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof 
thou  shalt  surely  die." 

In  like  manner,  God  has  given  laws  to 
all  mankind.  For  many  ages  they  were 
handed  down  from  father  to  son,  and  after- 
wards renewed  to  the  Jews  (and  through 
them  to  a  great  part  of 'the  world)  in  an 
awful  manner,  at  Sinai ;  and  where  men 
have  not  this  written  law,  they  have,  as 
St.  Paul  assures  us,  "  a  law  in  tliemselves, 
the  work  of  the  law  written  on  their 
hearts ;  and  their  consciences  (more  or 
less  informed)  accusing  or  excusing  them," 
according  as  they  observe  it  or  break  it. 
Rom.  ii. 

Now  the  law  which  God  has  given  to 
man,  is  worthy  of  himself.  It  is  said,  in 
Rom.  vii.  12,  to  be  "  Holy  and  Just,  and 
Good  ;"  it  requires  nothing  but  what  God 
may  justly  demand  of  man ;  nothing  but 
what  we  ought  to  pay  :  for,  can  any  thing 
be  more  reasonable,  than  that  we  should 
love  the  supreme  good  in  a  supreme  man- 
ner ;  and,  loving  hinj,  should  abstain  from 
what  he  forbids,  and  perform  wliat  he  re- 
quires; especially  when  both  would  be  for 
our  advantage,  our  safety,  and  our  happi- 


328 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


ness;  and  when  disobedience  would  ter- 
minate only  in  our  everlasting  destruction; 
Thus,  as  tlie  apostle  saith,  "  the  command- 
ment was  ordained  unto  lite  ;" — "  but," 
he  adds,  in  words  that  well  demand  our 
serious  regard — "  I  found  it  to  be  unto 
death.''''  Rom.  vii.  For  now,  alas !  man  is 
a  fallen  creature:  fallen  in  Adam,  the  first 
sinner ;  and  is  no  longer  able  to  render  the 
full  obedience  required  by  the  law.  God, 
however,  has  not  lost  his  right  to  com- 
mand. His  law,  like  himself,  is  un- 
changeable ;  and  if  not  obeyed,  renders 
tiie  smner  liable  to  his  just  and  awful  dis- 
pleasure. 

2.  We  observe  then,  in  the  next  place, 
that  God  is  just  in  punishing  disobedience 
to  his  holy  law.  As  he  sanctioned  the  law 
of  Paradise,  with  that  dreadful  threaten- 
ing, "  In  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof  thou 
shalt  surely  die ;"  so  he  sanctions  the 
moral  law  with  a  terrible  curse,  as  it  is 
written  (Gal.  iii.  10.)  "  Cursed  is  every  one 
that  continueth  not  in  all  things,  which 
are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law,  to  do 
them."  Observe,  he  who  performs  not  all 
things,  he  who  continues  not  to  perform 
them  all,  without  omitting  one,  without  a 
single  failure  in  thought,  word,  or  deed  ; 
and,  that  this  is  the  meaning  of  the 
passage,  appears  fi'om  another  text  in  St. 
James  (ch.  ii.  10,)  "  For  whosoever  shall 
keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend  in 
one  pouit,  he  is  guilty  of  all."  The  law 
has  not  relaxed  in  its  demands,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  fall  and  frailty  of  man. 
Some  have  pretended  that  now  sincere 
obedience  only  is  required  instead  of  per- 
fect obedience ;  but  this  notion  has  no 
foundation  in  Scripture,  and  tends  strongly 
to  encourage  sin ;  for  most  men,  however 
sinful,  flatter  themselves  that  they  are 
sincere,  though  imperfect.  It  is  not  by 
reducing  the  demands  of  the  law,  that  a 
sinner  is  entitled  to  entertain  hope  of  sal- 
vation ;  but  by  looking  to  him  whom  the 
Gospel  sets  before  us  as  "  the  end  of  the 
law  of  righteousness,"  who  has  redeemed 
us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made 
a  curse  for  us."  Gal.  iii.  13.  But  the  law 
itself  affords  no  relief:  it  may  convince;  it 
must  condemn;  and  it  leaves  everyone, 
who  seeks  salvation  by  obedience  to  it, 
under  its  fearful  curse.  St.  Paul  therefore 
justly  concludes  (ver.  10,)  that  "  as  many 
as  are  under  the  law,  are  under  the 
curse ;  and,  "  that  every  mouth  must  be 
stopped,  and  all  the  world  become  guilty 
before  God ;  for  by  the  law  is  the  know- 
ledge of  sin."  It  is  by  the  Gospel,  and 
not  by  the  law,  that  we  obtain  the  know- 
ledge  of  Christ,    "  whom   God   hath   set 


forth  to  be  a  propitiation  for  sins ;  that  he 
might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him 
which  believeth  in  Jesus."  Rom.  iv.  19, 
20—25. 

3.  If  we  consult  the  Scriptures,  we  shall 
find  that  God  has  displayed  his  justice,  in 
many  awful  instances,  by  the  punishment 
of  dinners.* 

The  rebel  angels  were  expelled  from 
Heaven ;  they  are  awful  monuments  of  his 
justice  already;  and  will  be  rendered 
visibly  such  in  the  judgment  of  the  great 
day.  What  a  dreadful  revolution  did  sin 
occasion  in  our  world !  See  Adam  cast 
out  from  Paradise ;  the  earth  cursed  for 
his  sake  ;  the  man  doomed  to  severe  labor ; 
the  woman  to  multiplied  sorrows;  the 
creature  "  made  subject  to  vanity ;"  and 
trouble,  sickness,  and  death,  like  a  mighty 
flood,  overwhelming  all  mankind. 

When  men  had  multiplied  on  the  earth, 
sin  seems  to  have  preserved  a  sad  propor- 
tion to  their  numbers  ;  and  wickedness 
rose  to  such  a  daring  height,  that  Justice 
could  no  longer  forbear,  but  opened  the 
windows  of  Heaven,  and  unbarred  the 
gates  of  the  great  abyss,  and  poured  uni- 
versal destruction  on  a  guilty  world. 

At  another  time,  fire  from  Heaven  con- 
sumed the  base  inhabitants  of  Sodom ;  and 
the  sword  of  Israel  was  the  instrument  of 
divine  justice  in  the  extirpation  of  the 
wicked  Canaanites.  Israel  herself,  highly 
favored  as  she  was  of  God,  could  not  es- 
cape his  chastising  hand,  but  always  suf- 
fered when  she  sinned.  It  was  divine 
justice  that  armed  the  Philistines,  the  As- 
syrians, the  Babylonians,  the  Romans,  and 
made  them  the  severe  scourges  of  an  un- 
grateful and  backsliding  nation.  In  like 
manner,  nation  after  nation,  in  their  turn, 
having  filled  up  the  several  measures  of 
their  iniquities,  have  declined  and  perished. 
Men  ascribed  their  fall  to  the  ambition  of 
a  neighboring  conqueror;  but  the  real 
cause  was  predominant  sin,  punished  by 
the  sword  of  divine  justice. 

It  is  true,  that  God  does  not  always  exe- 
cute immediate  justice  on  every  transgres- 
sor ;  but  this  is  no  impeachment  of  that 
perfection,  although  it  be  abused  by  some  : 
"  because  sentence  against  an  evil  work  is 
not  speedily  executed,  the  hearts  of  men 
are  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil."  It  is 
possible  that  the  impunity  with  which  some 
atrocious  rebels  seem  to  sin,  may  stumble 
even  believers  themselves ;  who  cry,  in  the 

*  The  following  instances  are  more  briefly  ex- 
pressed, on  account  of  their  havino;  been  intro- 
duced in  the  sernion  on  God's  Holiness ;  but  it 
was  not  proper  wholly  to  pass  over  them  in  a 
discourse  on  Divine  Justice. 


SERMON  LXX. 


329 


perplexity  of  their  spirit,  "  Wherefore 
cloth  the  way  of  the  wicked  prosper!" 
"  How  long,  O  Lord,  shall  tlie  wicked 
triumph  .'"  IJut  they  should  remember  that 
llie  Judge  of  all  the  earth  will  certainly  do 
right.  iSometimes  the  wicked  may  be 
i-pared  as  instruments  of  public  good.  Con- 
trary to  their  intentions,  they  may  eventu- 
ally etiect  the  purposes  of  Heaven.  Be- 
sides, the  present  is  a  state  of  probation. 
Cod  is  giving  them  "time  and  space  for 
repentance,"  and  if  they  repent  not,  his 
arm  that  delays  to  strike,  will  tall  with  a 
lieavicr  blow  hereafter ;  and  patience 
abused,  will  aggravate  their  future  punish- 
ment. 

Otlen,  however,  the  great  God  convinces 
the  world  that  he  has  not  relinquished 
the  government  of  it.  His  vengeance 
falls  heavily  on  some  distinguished  rebels. 
Bloody  persecutors  have  sometimes  been 
signally  cut  off.  Murderers  have  oflen 
been  remarkably  detected.  Perjured 
wretches,  and  those  who  have  called  God 
to  witness  their.falsehoods,  have  been  sud- 
denly destroyed ;  and  Conscience,  awa- 
kened and  terrified,  has  frequently  supplied 
the  place  of  accusers,  witnesses,  judge, 
and  executioner.  Yes  !  and  thus  "  God  is 
known  by  the  judgment  that  he  executeth." 
Ps.  ix.  16.  "  Verily,  there  is  a  God  that 
judgeth  on  the  earth." 

Indeed,  the  operation  of  conscience,  in 
general,  among  all  the  children  of  men, 
affords  a  striking  evidence  of  the  Justice 
of  God.  Why  else  is  it  that  every  man 
feels  pleasure  when  he  has  performed  a 
good  action,  and  pain  when  he  has  com- 
mitted a  bad  one!  Conscience,  like  the 
grand  jury  in  our  excellent  constitution, 
finds  the  bill  that  is  afterwards  to  be  pub- 
licly tried,  and  frequently  anticipates  too 
the  fatal  results  of  the  trial.  And  although 
there  are  instances  in  which  good  men  are 
exercised  with  heavy  afflictions,  and  others 
in  which  bad  men  enjoy  abundant  pros- 
perity, yet  it  is  certain  that,  that  which  is 
good  tends  to  good,  and  that  which  is  evil 
tends  to  evil.  "  Wisdom's  ways  are  ways 
of  pleasantness;"  "godliness  is  great 
gain ;"  "  length  of  days  is  in  her  right 
hand ;  and  in  her  left  hand  riches  and 
honor."  A  life  of  virtue  and  religion  tends 
to  hcaltli,  wealth,  and  long  life  ;  while,  on 
the  other  hand,  vice  and  ungodliness  as 
])o\verfully  tend  to  disease,  poverty,  infa- 
my, and  death  ;  and  this  wise  distribution 
of  things  is  a  standing  evidence  of  the 
justice  of  God. 

4.  But  the  most  affecting  display  of  di- 
vine justice   was  made  in  tiie   sufferings 
and  death  of  our  Savior  Jesys  Christ. 
2R 


Indeed,  this  was  the  chief  design  of  the 
death  of  Christ.  When  all  men  had 
"  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of 
God  ;"  when  they  had  dishonored  his  holy 
law  by  their  disobedience, — in  what  way 
could  the  honor  of  God  be  restored  1  If 
justice  alone  take  place,  the  sentence  of 
death  must  be  executed,  and  every  trans- 
gressor receive  the  wages  of  his  sin  ;  but 
if  mercy  interpose,  and  spare  the  guilty, 
what  becomes  of  the  justice  of  God  !  Here 
divine  wisdom  steps  in,  and  provides 
equally  for  the  glory  of  justice  and  of 
mercy.  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he 
gave" — "  he  spared  not,  his  only-begotten 
Son ;"  "  he  was  wounded  for  our  trans- 
gressions ;  he  was  bruised  for  our  iniqui- 
ties; our  sins  were  made  to  meet  upon 
him ;  and  the  Lord  laid  upon  him  the  ini- 
quities of  us  all."  And  why  was  this 
done  1  St.  Paul  says,  it  was  "  to  declare 
ihe  righteousness  or  justice  of  God  ;"  and 
thus  to  convince  all  the  world  that  "  he  is 
just,  while  the  justilier  of  him  that  be- 
lieveth."  Thus  a  just  and  holy  God 
"  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh"  (of  his  own 
Son)  "  that  the  righteousness  of  the  law 
might  be  fulfilled  in  (or  for)  us." — See 
Isa.  liii.  5;  Rom.  iii.  25;  and  viii.  3.  On 
this  ground,  God  will  appear  to  hejttst,  as 
well  as  merciful,  in  pardoning  and  justify- 
ing the  believer  in  Jesus.  On  this  ground 
it  is  said,  concerning  the  penitent  and  be- 
lieving sinner,  "  Save  him  from  going- 
down  to  the  pit,  I  have  found  a  ransom." 
Job  xxxiii.  Grace  is  thus  exalted  to  the 
highest  degree,  but  not  to  tlie  disparage- 
ment of  justice  ;  both  are  exalted  together ; 
as  saith  the  apostle  (Rom.  iii.  24.)  "  Being 
justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  If 
pardon  for  the  chief  of  sinners  could  not 
be  obtained,  how  would  it  appear  that  God 
is  infinitely  merciful  ■?  But  if  pardon  were 
bestowed  without  any  satisfaction  for  sin, 
how  would  it  appear  that  God  is  infinitely 
just?  But  when  God  is  pleased  to  punish 
sin  in  the  person  of  his  dear  Son,  and  in 
consequence  of  the  honor  done  to  his  law 
thereby,  he  is  pleased  to  pardon  and  save 
the  guilty :  abundant  provision  appears  to 
be  made  for  the  glory  both  of  justice  and 
mercy  ;  and  thus,  "  Grace  reigns,"  but  it 
"  reigns  throuffh  ritrhteoiisiiess" — through 
the  justice  of  God  in  punishing  sin,  and 
the  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ,  tlie  il- 
lustrious sufferer.     Rom.  v.  21. 

On  thi.s  foundation,  the  vilest  sinners, 
the  greatest  offenders,  being  penitent,  may 
hope  for  mercy ;  f()r  "  if  we  confess  our 
sins,  God  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us 
our  sins ;"  not  for  the  n)crit  of  repentance, 
28* 


330 


VILLAGE  -SERMONS. 


as  some  falsely  conclude,  but  because  "the 
blood  of  Jesus  Clirist  cleanseth  us  from 
all  sin,"  as  St.  John  saith  (1  John  i.  7,  9,) 
and  as  he  atfirms  immediately  after,  "  If 
any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate  with 
the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  Righteous." 
He  further  informs  us  on  what  grounds 
this  powerful  Advocate  pleads  tor  our  par- 
don ;  this  immediately  follows :  "  He  is 
the  propitiation  for  our  sins,"  ver.  2.  He 
does  not,  therefore,  sue  for  mere  mercy : 
he  pleads  the  price  paid,  the  ransom  laid 
down,  the  death  endured;  and  the  cove- 
nant, the  promise,  and  the  oath  of  the 
Father  made  with  and  to  him,  in  behalf 
of  all  who  were  given  to  him,  redeemed 
by  him,  and  who  apply  to  him  for  salva- 
tion. "All  that  the  Father  giveth  me 
shall  come  unto  me,  and  him  that  cometh 
unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 
"  Father,  I  will  that  they  whom  thou  hast 
given  me  be  with  me  where  I  am,  that 
they  may  behold  my  glory."  John  vi.  37, 
and  John  xvii.  24. 

Thus  we  have  seen  that  God  is  infinitely 
just.  Let  us  then  "  ascribe  righteousness 
to  our  Maker."  His  ways  may  sometimes 
appear  to  be  mysterious,  but  never  let  his 
justice  be  suspected.  "  Is  there  unright- 
eousness with  God  1  God  forbid  !"  "  Shall 
not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  V 
Unquestionably.  When  he  corrects  his 
children,  when  he  punishes  his  enemies, 
we  ought  to  say,  "  Great  and  marvellous 
are  thy  works,  Lord  God  Almighty ;  just 
and  true  are  thy  ways,  thou  King  of 
Saints." 

If  God  be  just,  we  may  certainly  con- 
clude that  there  will  be  a  day  of  judgment. 
If  God  be  just,  "  it  shall  be  well  with  the 
righteous ;  it  shall  be  ill  with  the  wicked." 
If  God  be  just,  then  "  what  a  man  sows, 
he  shall  certainly  reap,"  and  every  man 
shall  receive  according  to  his  works.  If 
so,  there  must  be  a  day  of  judgment — the 
day  of  "  the  revelation  of  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God."  At  present,  wicked 
men  may  escape  punishment,  for  this  is 
the  day  of  God's  patience,  and  our  trial. 
But  such  are  the  irregularities  of  the 
present  state  of  things,  that  there  must 
needs  be  a  day  of  settling,  a  day  of  retri- 
bution. Let  not  the  daring  offender  flatter 
himself  with  impunity.  If  the  young  man 
"rejoice  in  his  youth,  and  he  walk  in  the 
ways  of  his  heart,  and  in  the  sight  of  his 
eyes,"  let  him  know  this — that  "  for  all 
these  things  God  will  bring  him  into  judg- 
ment." O !  stand  in  awe,  and  sin  not,  for 
God  will  bring  every  work  and  thought 
into  judgment,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad. 
If  sinners  would  escape  the  punishment  of 


their  sin,  let  them  believe  the  Gospel,  and 
take  refuge  in  Christ.  There  is  no  safe 
approach  to  this  just  and  Holy  God,  with- 
out a  Mediator ;  but  through  him,  who  has 
glorified  divine  justice  by  his  obedience  to 
death,  the  greatest  siimers  may  be  ac- 
cepted. 

If  God  be  glorious  in  his  justice,  it  will 
be  our  honor  to  imitate  him.  "  If  we  know 
that  he  is  righteous,  we  know  that  ever}' 
one  that  doeth  righteousness  is  born  of 
him."  If  justice  require  us  to  give  every 
one  his  due,  let  us  study  to  be  just  both  to- 
wards God  and  man.  Let  us  "  give  unto 
Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's,  and 
unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's."  He 
who  gives  us  all  our  powers,  requires  that 
we  should  give  him  our  hearts.  Yes; 
constrained  by  the  mercies  of  God,  let  us 
present  unto  him  our  whole  selves,  body 
and  soul,  time,  talents,  and  influence,  a 
living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God, 
which  is  our  reasonable  service. 

Let  us  also  be  just  to  men.  The  great, 
the  golden,  the  divine  rule  of  conduct  is, 
"Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should 
do  unto  you,  do  ye  even  the  same  unto 
them."  "  Render  to  all  their  dues:  tribute 
to  whom  tribute  is  due ;  custom  to  whom 
custom ;  fear  to  whom  fear ;  honor  to 
whom  honor."  God  abhors  dishonesty,  de- 
ceit, and  oppression ;  "  false  weights  and 
measures  are  an  abomination  to  the  Lord ;" 
but  "  to  do  justice  and  judgment  is  more 
acceptable  to  him  than  sacrifice."  God 
rejected  the  fasts  of  the  Jews,  as  solemn 
mockeries,  because  they  did  not  "loose 
the  bands  of  wickedness,  and  undo  the 
heavy  burdens,  and  let  the  oppressed  go 
free."  Nor  would  he  accept  of  their  offer- 
ings, "  till  judgment  ran  down  like  water, 
and  righteousness  as  a  mighty  stream." 
In  vain  do  tradesmen  and  workmen,  mas- 
ters and  servants,  profess  a  regard  to  tlie 
Gospel,  unless  they  adorn  the  holy  doctrine 
by  a  holy  life  ;  an  eminent  branch  of  which 
is,  to  act  uprightly  and  conscientiously. 
Let  no  man  then  "  go  beyond  and  defraud 
his  brother,  because  that  the  Lord  is  the 
avenger  of  all  such." 

Finally,  let  us  rely  on  the  justice  of  God. 
The  justice  of  God  is  engaged  on  the  be- 
half of  believers,  as  well  as  his  mercy. 
By  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  justice  is 
fully  satisfied,  and  has  no  demands  to  make 
on  the  believer ;  and  if  we  confess  our  sins, 
"  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our 
sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighte- 
ousness." He  is  pleased  to  bind  himself 
by  his  own  free  promises,  and  will  assuredly 
be  just  in  fulfilling  them.  Hence,  it  is 
written,  "  God  is  not  unrighteous  to  forget 


SERMON  LXXl. 


831 


your  work  of  faith,  and  labor  of  love."  He 
will  do  right.  Much  evil  and  injustice 
there  now  is,  and  always  has  been  in  the 
world.  But  every  wronjr,  private,  domestic, 
or  public,  will  be  called  over  in  the  great 
day.  Then  none  will  be  thought  too  mean 
to  engage  his  regard,  none  too  great  to 
escape  his  justice.  Let  this  render  the 
op])ressed  patient  under  their  wrongs : 
"  Vengeance  is  mine ;  I  will  repay,  saith 
the  Lord."  "  He  will  execute  righteous- 
ness and  judgment  for  all  that  are  op- 
pressed." He  will  make  "  inquisition  for 
blood." 

Let  the  justice  of  God  reconcile  his  peo- 
ple to  all  their  afflictions.  Tlie  King  of 
Heaven  can  do  no  wrong ;  "  the  just  Lord 
will  do  no  iniquity."  Are  we  punished  or 
chastised  ■?  Let  us  say  with  holy  Daniel, 
"  O  Lord,  righteousness  belongeth  unto 
thee ;  but  unto  us  confusion  of  face :  the 
Lord  watched  upon  tlie  evil,  and  brought 
it  upon  us ;  for  the  Lord  our  God  is  right- 
eous in  all  his  works  which  he  doeth  ;  for 
we  obeyed  not  his  voice."  Dan.  ix.  8.  14. 
He  is  "justified  .when  he  speaketh;  he  is 
clear  when  he  judgeth." 

From  tlie  justice  of  God,  let  his  people 
expect  a  full  accomplishment  of  all  the 
gracious  promises  on  which  he  has  caused 
them  to  hope.  "  Verily  there  is  a  reward 
for  the  righteous;" — a  reward  of  grace, 
not  of  debt.  None  shall  be  losers  by  him. 
If  they  "suffer  for  righteousness'  sake;  if 
men  revile  them,  and  persecute  them,  and 
say  all  manner  of  evil  against  them, 
falsely,  for  his  sake,  blessed  are  they ;  for 
theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  If  they 
pray  in  secret,  if  they  fast  in  private,  if 
they  give  but  a  cup  of  cold  water  to  a  dis- 
ciple of  Christ,  they  shall  in  no  wise  lose 
their  reward.  Take  courage,  then,  ye 
humble  followers  of  Christ ;  be  patient 
until  the  coming  of  our  Lord ;  be  not 
weary  of  well  doing;  fight  the  good  fight; 
persevere  in  your  course  ;  keep  the  faith ; 
for  henceforth  tliere  is  laid  up  for  you  a 
crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord, 
the  righteous  Judge  shall  give  unto  you  at 
that  day ;"  and  then  shall  an  assembled 
world  be  constrained  to  say,  "  He  is  the 
rock,;  his  work  is  perfect;  for  all  his  ways 
are  judgment :  a  God  of  trutli,  and  with- 
out iniquity — Just  and  right  is  /tf ." 


PRAYER.— Rrr.iiTF.ous  Father  I  Grrnt  and 
marvellous  are  all  thy  work-s;  just  and  true  are 
nil  thy  ways.  In  all  ages  thou  hast  displayed  thy 
justice.  Kebel  angels  were  excluded  from  Hea- 
ven ;  man  was  expelled  from  Paradise ;  tlie 
deluge  destroyed  the  world  of  the  ungodly ; 
Sodom  was  destroyed  by  fire  ;  thine  aneient  peo- 
ple were  often  sorely  chastised  for  their  haek- 


sliiliiiGS  :  and  to  this  day  thy  providence  often 
proves  that  there  is  a  God  who  judgeth  on  the 
earth.  Above  all,  was  thy  awful  justice  dis- 
played, when  thy  own  Son  was  made  an  offering 
ibr  sin ;  when  thou  didst  condemn  sin,  in  the 
pei-son  of  our  Surety,  that  the  righteousness  of 
the  law,  which  we  had  broken,  might  be  fulfilled 
for  us,  tha't  so  God  might  appear  to  the  whole 
universe  a  just  God,  while  a  Savior.  And  now 
we  would  rejoice,  holy  Father,  in  thy  gracious 
declaration,  that  if  we  confess  our  sins,  thou  art 
faithful  and  just  to  fi:)rgive  us  our  sins,  and  to 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness. 

Blessed  God,  enable  us  to  imitate  thy  justice — 
may  we  render  to  all  their  dues;  knowing  that 
to  Jo  justice  and  judgment  is  more  acceptable  to 
ihee  than  sacrifice;  and  may  we  humbly  expect 
that,  when  we  have  finished  our  course,  we  shall 
receive  that  crown  of  righteousness  which  God, 
the  righteous  Judge,  shall  give  unto  all  his  peo- 
ple in  the  glorious  day  of  his  appearing. 


SERMON  LXXL 

THE  OMNIPRESENCE*  OF  GOD. 
Ps.  cxxxix.  7.  Whither  shall  I  fiee  from  tliy  presence? 

When  the  great  and  glorious  God  is  the 
subject  of  our  meditation,  a  holy  awe  should 
possess  our  minds  like  that  which  Moses 
felt  when  he  approached  the  burning  bush, 
which  displayed  a  visible  token  of  the  di- 
vine presence :  he  was  then  commanded 
to  take  off  his  shoes  as  a  mark  of  rever- 
ence, for  the  presence  of  God  made  the 
place  itself  lioly.  Po  when  Abraham  con- 
versed with  Jehovah  in  prayer,  being 
deeply  sensible  of  his  own  unworthiness, 
he  cried  out,  "  Behold  !  I  who  am  dust  and 
ashes,  have  taken  upon  me  to  speak  to  the 
Most  High  God !"  Such  thoughts  as  these 
should  fill  our  hearts,  when  we  attempt  to 
display,  with  our  feeble  and  polluted  pow- 
ers, the  infinite  perfections  of  the  great 
Supreme. 

That  awful,  sublime,  and  most  useful 
truth,  which  now  calls  for  our  serious  at- 
tention, is  this, 

TUB    GREAT    GOD    I.S    EVERYWHERE 
PRESENT. 

This  doctrine  seems  necessarily  to  re- 
sult from  our  belief  of  a  divine  Being — at 
least  of  such  a  Being  as  deserves  the  title 
Divine ;   for  to  suppose  him  confined  to 

*  As  these  Sermons  are  in!cnd(Hi  chieflv  for 
plain  people,  the  author  adniiis  a  hard  word  un- 
willingly; hut  when  the  divine  Perfections  are 
the  suhject,  it  is  diflicylt  to  avoid  them  entirely. 
It  may  be  sufficient  to  say,  that  Omniprifcnce  is 
unbounded  presence,  or  a  presenre  everywhere. 
In  like  manner,  Omnipoloit  signihes  Almighty — 
powerful  without  limit.  Omniscient  is  infinitely 
wise,  knowing  every  thing. 


332 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


certain  bounds  and  limits,  is,  in  fact,  to 
make  him  no  God  at  all.  Although  some 
of  the  heathens  said  great  things  of  their 
deities,  yet  in  general  their  notions  of  them 
were  low  and  trifling.  They  imagined 
that  different  gods  presided  over  different 
countries ;  and,  on  some  occasions,  chained 
down  their  idols  lest  they  should  forsake 
them.  Elijah,  the  prophet  of  Jehovah, 
rallied  the  disappointed  worshippers  of 
Baal ;  for,  wlien  tliey  had  cried  from  morn- 
ing till  noon,  "  O  Baal,  hear  us !"  and  there 
was  no  answer,  Elijah  mocked  them,  and 
said,  "  Cry  aloud,  for  he  is  a  god,"  (so  you 
profess  to  believe)  but  perhaps  he  is  too 
busy  to  regard  you — "  he  is  talking,  or 
pursuing,  or  he  is  on  a  journey,  or  perhaps 
he  is  asleep,  and  must  be  awaked."  1  Kings 
xviii.  27.  But  the  glorious  God,  whom  we 
adore,  cannot  thus  be  mocked  ;  he  is  pres- 
ent everywhere ;  and  especially  "  where 
two  or  three"  are  assembled  for  his  wor- 
ship.    He  is  here. 

That  God  is,  and  cannot  but  be,  every- 
where present,  will  evidently  appear,  if 
you  consider, 

1.   Jlis  Infinity ; 

"2.  His  Universal  Providence ;  and, 

3.   The  Testimonies  of  Scripture. 

1.  God  is  infinite ;  and  therefore  omni- 
present. To  be  infinite,  is  to  be  without 
bounds,  or  limits;  consequently,  there  are 
no  limits  to  his  presence.  An  infinite  be- 
ing cannot  be  contained  in  a  finite  space. 
It  is  the  property  of  all  creatures  to  be 
confined  within  certain  bounds;  and  there- 
fore we  call  them  finite :  but  it  is  the  prop- 
erty of  the  Creator  to  be  unlimited,  con- 
fined by  no  bounds ;  and  therefore  he  is 
termed  infinite.  He  is  so  in  all  his  per- 
fections :  his  knowledge  is  infinite ;  his 
power  is  infinite;  his  holiness  is  infinite, 
and  so  is  his  presence.  "Whither  then 
sliall  I  flee  from  thy  presence  7" 

Let  us  illustrate  this  great  truth  from 
the  psalm  before  us ;  and  especially  from 
the  verses  which  follow  our  text.  "  If  I 
ascend  up  into  Heaven,  thou  art  there ;  if 
I  make  my  bed  in  Hell,  behold,  thou  art 
there :  if  I  take  the  wings  of  the  morn- 
ing, and  dwell  in  the  utlrnnost  parts  of 
the  sea ;  even  tliere  shall  thy  hand  lead 
me,  and  thy  right  hand  shall  hold  me.  If 
I  say,  Surely  the  darhnrss  shall  cover  me; 
even  the  night  shall  be  light  about  me  !"  In 
vain  then  shall  we  try  to  shun  his  presence. 
Search  the  universe;  explore  all  nature; 
but  you  shall  find  no  place  without  God  ! 

Search  Heaven.  Heaven  is  his  throne, 
the  seat  of  his  glory ;  there  he  will  cer- 
tainly be  found  ;  for  it  is  the  happiness  of 
saints  and  angels  that  they  "always  be- 


hold his  face."  We  know  not  the  extent 
of  the  heavenly  world ;  innumerable  are 
its  blessed  inhabitants,  but,  "  all  the  pure 
in  heart  see  God;"  nor  can  we  suppose 
that  any  person  who  is  so  happy  as  to  be 
admitted  into  that  glorious  state,  can  hide, 
or  wish  to  hide,  himself  from  his  pres- 
ence. 

Or  if,  by  the  heavens,  we  understand 
the  visible,  the  material  heavens,  that  vast 
space  in  which  we  behold  the  sun,  the 
sun,  the  moon,  and  the  stars  of  light ;  ex- 
tended as  these  .are  beyond  the  utmost 
powers  of  calculation  or  conception,  there 
shall  no  spot,  in  all  the  vast  domain,  be 
found,  in  which  God  is  not.  The  sun  is 
said  to  be  ninety-four  millions  of  miles  dis- 
tant from  the  earth ;  and  the  fixed  stars 
are  thought  to  be  many  hundred  thousand 
millions  of  miles  distant.  What  immensity, 
what  grandeur,  what  glory  is  here !  God 
is  here. 

"  If  I  make  my  bed  in  Hell "  (Hebrew, 
Sheol.)  If  by  Hell  we  imderstand  the 
place  of  torment,  where  impenitent  sin- 
ners are  confined  in  chains  of  darkness, 
there,  indeed,  in  a  most  awfiil  sense,  is 
God  present! — present  in  the  dreadful 
power  of  his  incensed  justice,  inflicting  the 
deserved  punishment  of  sin ;  for  amongst 
the  myriads  of  those  miserable  creatures, 
there  is  not  one  who  escapes  his  notice,  or 
avoids  his  rod. 

But  the  word  Hell  sometimes  signifies 
the  invisible  world,  the  state  of  souls  de- 
parted, whether  in  happiness  or  in  misery. 
Of  this  state,  as  to  the  manner  of  their 
existence,  mortals  yet  in  the  body  know 
very  little ;  it  is  to  us  the  invisible,  the  un- 
known state :  but  it  is  not  so  to  God.  Je- 
sus Christ  is  said  (Rev.  i.  18)  to  have  "  the 
keys  of  Hell  and  Death" — that  is,  of  the 
invisible  world,  and  of  death,  by  which  the 
spirits  of  men  are  separated  from  the  bodj'^, 
and  enter  into  the  invisible  world  ;  conse- 
quently this  state,  and  all  the  souls  which 
are  in  it,  are  perfectly  known  to  him ;  it  is 
therefore  impossible  to  avoid  his  presence 
there. 

And  thus,  if  we  refer  to  the  most  dis- 
tant parts  of  the  sea  and  land,  though  far 
removed  from  the  known  and  iniiabited 
parts  of  the  globe,  in  deserts  and  forests 
yet  untrod  by  the  foot  of  man,  even  there, 
everywhere,  would  God  be  present ;  and 
to  make  the  foolish  attempt  of  hiding  from 
him,  would  be  as  vain  as  the  effort  of  the 
refractory  prophet  Jonah  was,  "  who  fled 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,"  in  the  land 
of  Israel :  but  God  followed  hifh  to  the 
ocean,  and  by  a  dreadful  storm,  convinced 
him  of  his  error,  and  taught  him  obedience. 


SERMON  LXXI. 


333 


This  glorious  perfection  of  God  is  inti- 
mately connected  with  another,  equally 
essential  to  his  being',  tliat  is,  his  Omnis- 
cience or  Universal  Knowledge.  Gotl's 
knowing  all  things,  implies  his  being 
everywhere  present.  The  imperfection 
of  man  is  very  obvious ;  his  knowledge, 
like  his  presence,  is  confined  to  very  nar- 
row limits.  His  relations,  his  friends,  it 
may  be,  are  in  a  foreign  country,  and  he  is 
anxious  to  know  their  condition ;  but  he 
must  wait  weeks  and  months  before  he 
can  obtain  it.  His  dearest  friends  are  at  a 
few  miles  distance ;  they  sicken  and  die, 
and  he  knows  it  not.  Distance  deprives 
him  of  the  knowledge  of  the  event.  He  is 
confined  to  one  place.  But  God  beholds, 
at  one  glance,  all  the  children  of  men  in 
every  place ;  all  their  actions,  all  their 
words,  all  their  thoughts.  Yea,  saith  He, 
"  every  beast  of  the  forest  is  mine,  and  the 
cattle  upon  a  thousand  hills.  I  know  all 
the  fowls  of  the  mountains :  and  the  wild 
beasts  of  the  field  are  mine."  Yea,  far- 
ther still :  "  he  telleth  the  stars,  he  calleth 
them  all  by  their  names."  "  The  ways  of 
man  are  before  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  and 
he  pondereth  all  his  goings."  "  There  is 
not  a  word  on  our  tongues,  but  1o,  O  Lord, 
thou  knowest  it  altogether  !"  "  No  thought 
can  be  withholden  from  him."  "  He  seeth 
wickedness."  "  He  seeth  in  secret." 
"  Hell  and  destruction  are  before  the 
Lord ; — how  much  more  then  the  hearts 
of  the  children  of  men  !"  Surely,  then, 
God  is  everywhere  present.  This  will 
farther  appear,  if  we  refer  to, 

2.  His  Universal  Providence. 

We  have  already  noticed  his  universal 
observation  of  men,  their  thoughts,  their 
words,  and  their  actions:  but  he  is  not  a 
mere  spectator  o?  whaX  passes  in  the  world. 
Of  that  world  he  is  the  constant  Supporter 
and  Governor.  He  "  upholds  all  things  by 
the  word  of  his  power ;"  "  by  him  all 
things  consist'"'  that  is,  they  stand  tosreth- 
er,  in  the  same  harmonious  order  in  which 
he  first  placed  them.  Nothing  in  the  uni- 
verse lives  or  moves,  independent  of  him. 
Tfie  sun,  the  moon,  the  planet.'!  maintain 
their  station,  or  move  in  their  orbits,  by  his 
influence.  The  seasons  revolve,  summer 
and  winter,  spring-time  and  harvest,  suc- 
ceed each  otlier  at  tlieir  appointed  periods. 
The  earth  produces  food  for  man  ;  yea, 
the  beasts  of  the  field  and  the  birds  of  the 
air,  look  to  him  for  sustenance,  and  he  giv- 
eth  them  their  food  in  due  season.  The 
very  sparrows  are  not  beneath  his  notice, 
and  tlie  hairs  of  our  head  are  all  numbered. 

He  controls  the  affairs  of  empires  and 
nations;  the  "hearts  of  kings  are  in  his 


hand,  and  he  is  Governor  among  the  na- 
tions." He  overrules  even  tlie  policy,  the 
pride,  the  ambition,  and  the  avarice  of 
wicked  men,  for  tlie  purposes  of  his  own 
glory,  and  makes  them  the  unwilling  in- 
struments of  promoting  the  very  objects 
which  they  wished  to  destroy. 

But  tliis  special  providence  of  God  is 
exercised  in  behalf  of  his  church :  hence 
it  is  that  God  has  committed  the  manage- 
ment of  the  whole  world  to  Christ  the  Me- 
diator. "Angels,  principalities,  and  pow- 
ers, are  all  subject  to  him  ;  and  he  employs 
them  for  the  benefit  of  his  people.  "  All 
power,"  said  he  to  his  disciples,  "  in  hea- 
ven and  earth  is  mine ;  therefore  go  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  all  nations  ;"  and 
for  your  encouragement  in  that  work, 
whatever  difficulties  you  may  encounter, 
whatever  opposition  you  may  meet  with, 
remember  this,  "  I  am  with  you"  (and  will 
be  with  your  successors  in  the  Christian 
ministry)  "  always,  even  to  the  end  of  the 
world."  It  was  the  belief,  and  the  sense, 
of  the  presence  of  Christ,  that  rendered 
the  apostles  and  martyrs  laborious  and 
dauntless  in  their  holy  labors,  and  serene 
and  joyful  in  prisons,  and  at  the  stake ;  it 
was  this  which  made  St.  Paul  rejoice  that, 
when  all  men  forsook  him,  when  he  ap- 
peared before  Nero,  "  the  Lord  stood  with 
him  and  strengthened  him  :"  and  this  pres- 
ence of  the  Lord  (miraculously  visible) 
animated  Stephen,  the  first  confessor,  when 
he  said  to  the  Sanhedrim,  "  Behold,  I  see 
the  heavens  opened,  and  the  Son  of  man 
standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God." 

If  farther  evidence  be  necessary  to  prove 
the  universal  presence  of  God,  let  us,  in 
the  last  place,  derive  it  from, 

3.   The  Tesiinionics  of  Scripture. 

Many  of  these  have  already  been  pro- 
duced, in  the  two  particulars  already  men- 
tioned ;  a  few  more  will  strengthen  the 
evidence. 

It  is  expressly  affirmed  (Prov.  xv.  3,) 
that  "  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every 
place,  beholding  the  evil  and  the  good  ;" 
and  again,  in  2  Chron.  xvi.  9,  "The  eyes 
of  the  Lord  run  to  and  fro  throughout  the 
wliole  earth,  to  show  himself  strong  in  the 
behalf  of  them  whose  heart  is  perfect  to- 
ward hun."  It  must  needs  be  so,  if  you 
consider  that  the  divine  inspection  reaches 
even  to  the  hearts  of  men,  so  that  the  most 
secret  springs  and  movements  of  our 
minds,  though  unknown  to  our  fellow-mor- 
tals, are  fully  exposed  to  liis  observ.ation. 
'I'lnis,  when  aged  David  transferred  the 
kingdom  to  Solomon  his  son,  he  exhorted 
him  "  to  serve  the  I>ord  with  a  perfect 
heart,  and  with  a  willing  mind,"  enforcing 


331 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


his  exhortation  with  this  solemn  truth, 
"  for  the  Lord  searcheth  all  hearts,  and  un- 
derstandeth  all  the  imaginations  of  the 
thoughts."  Happy  would  it  have  heen  for 
Solomon  had  he  duly  regarded  this !  Happy 
will  it  be  for  us  if  we  habitually  regard  it ! 

When  Jesus  Christ  dictated  to  St.  John 
the  seven  epistles  to  the  angels  of  the  sev- 
en churches  in  Asia,  he  says  to  each  of 
them,  "  I  know  thy  works ;"  and  he  adds 
to  one  of  them — "  These  things  saith  the 
Son  of  God,  who  hath  his  eyes  like  unto  a 
flame  of  fire;  all  the  churches  shall  know 
that  I  am  he  who  searcheth  the  reins  and 
hearts ;  and  I  will  give  to  every  one  of  you 
according  to  your  works."  Rev.  ii.  23. 
The  belief  of  this  truth  enabled  Peter  to 
appeal  to  his  Master,  when  the  question 
was  thrice  repeated,  "  Simon,  son  of  Jonas, 
lovest  thou  me?"  Peter  replied,  "Lord, 
tiiou  knowest  all  things,  thou  knowest  that 
I  love  thee."  In  a  word,  "  there  is  not 
any  creature  that  is  not  manifest  in  his 
sight,  but  all  things  are  naked  and  opened 
unto  t]\e  eyes  of  him  with  whom  we  have 
to  do."     Heb.  iv.  13. 

The  presence  of  God  is,  in  a  most  gra- 
cious manner,  granted  to  his  church.  The 
name  of  the  church,  as  predicted  by  the 
prophet,  was  to  be  "  Jehovah  Shammah" — 
"  The  Lord  is  there."  Of  the  temple  at 
Jerusalem,  the  centre  of  the  ancient 
church,  God  was  pleased  to  say,  "My 
heart  and  my  eyes  shall  be  there  contin- 
ually," denoting  his  most  gracious  pres- 
ence, and  parental  affection ;  and  we  are 
sure  that  the  church  of  Christ  is  not  de- 
serted by  its  glorious  King.  "  Wherever 
two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my 
name,"  said  the  Savior,  "  there  am  I  in  the 
■midst  of  them."  Matt,  xviii.  20.  None 
but  an  Omnipresent,  and  consequently  a 
divine  Person,  could  say  this;  and  what 
•an  encouragement  does  this  afford  to  public 
worship  and  social  prayer !  Jesus,  the  Son 
of  God,  is  always  present  to  assist,  accept, 
and  bless  his  pious  friends ! 

But  I  imagine  that  I  need  not  multiply 
Scripture  testimonies  to  that  point.  The 
truth  is  sufficiently  established.  O  that  it 
were  more  generally  regarded  !  Few  de- 
ny the  omnipresence  of  God  !  but  alas ! 
many  forget  it.  It  stands  in  need,  there- 
fore, not  so  much  of  proof,  as  of  practical 

IMPROVEMENT. 

From  hence  we  may  learn  how  much 
there  is  of  Practical  Atheism  in  all  wilful 
sin. 

Surely  Adam  forgot  himself,  when  he 
sought  to  be  hidden  "  from  the  presence  of 
the  Lord  God,  among  the  trees  of  the  gar- 


den."    Ah  !  how  could  he  suppose  that  the 
thickest  trees  of  Eden  could  conceal  him 
from  the  sight  of  his  Omniscient  Maker  ? 
So  soon  did  sin  introduce  guilt,  and  fear, 
and  foll>/ !     And  yet  his  posterity  approve 
and  imitate  his  conduct.    They  think,  or 
seem  to  think,  that  they  may  sin  without 
his  observation.     "  The  wicked  hath  said 
in  his  heart  (if  not  with  his  tongue)  God 
hath  forgotten ;  he  hideth  his  face ;  he  will 
never  see  it  •"  but  the  Psalmist  reproves 
the    atheistical   notion,   and   immediately 
adds.  Thou  hast  seen  it ;  for  thou  behold- 
est  mischief  and  spite,  to  requite  it  with 
thy  hand."   Psalm  x.  11.     Why  then  do 
the  workers  of  iniquity  evade  the  light  of 
day,  court  the  shadows  of  night,  shun  the 
notice  of  fellow-mortals,  and  retire  to  se- 
cret places'?     The  reason  is,  "they  love 
darkness  rather  than  light,  because  their 
deeds  are  evil."     "  These  are  the  people," 
said  Job  in  old  time,  "  who  rebel  against 
the  light ;  they  know  not  the  ways  thereof, 
nor  abide  in  the  paths  thereof"     On  the 
contrary,  "the  eye  of  the  adulterer  waiteth 
for  the  twilight,  saying,  No  eye  shall  see 
me;  and   disguiseth   his  face."      In   like 
manner  the  housebreaker  is  described,  "  In 
the  dark  they  dig  through  houses,  which 
they  had  marked   for  themselves   in   the 
day-time  ;   they  know  not  the  light ;  for 
the  morning  is  to  them  even  as  the  shadow 
of  death :  if  any  one  know  them,  they  are 
in  the  terrors  of  the  shadow  of    death." 
Job  xxiv.  13,  &c.     Now,  what  practical 
Atheism  is  all  this  !      What !    do  these 
night-sinners  believe   there   is   a    God  ? 
What  a  God  !     A  God,  like  a  man,  who  is 
deceived  by  darkness  ?     But  such  a  God 
would  be  no  God  at  all.     "  There  is  no 
darkness,  nor  shadow  of  death,  where  the 
workers  of  iniquity  may  hide  themselves." 
Job  xxxiv.  22.     Let  them  observe  what  is 
said  in  this  Psalm  (ver.  11th)  "If  I  say. 
Surely  the  darkness  shall  cover  me ;  even 
the  night  shall  be  light  about  me.     Yea, 
the   darkness  hideth  not  from  thee  ;    but 
the  night  shineth  as  the  day :  the  darkness 
and  the  light   are  both  alike   to  thee  !" 
Wretched  mortals,  deceive  yourselves  no 
longer !     Reflect  a  moment,  and  you  will 
perceive  your  mistake.     Why  do  you  shun 
the  eye  of  man  ]     Are  you  afraid  of  him  1 
And  will  you  not  be  afraid  of  God  1     Will 
the  presence  of  a  child  keep  you  from  a 
wicked  action  ?     And  will  not  'the  pres- 
ence of  God  do  it  ?  Ah !  sinner,  even  your 
"  secret  sins  are  placed  in  the  light  of  his 
countenance  ;"  and  if  not  repented  of,  and 
pardoned,  and  forsaken,  they  will  all  be 
published  before  an  assembled  world  at  the 
day  of  judgment ;  for,  "  God  will  bring 


SERMON  LXXl. 


335 


every  secret  thing  into  judgment,  whether 
it  be  good  or  bad."  lie  will  then  "  bring 
to  light  the  l)idden  things  of  darkness,  and 
make  manifest  the  counsels  of  the  hearts." 
Then  the  book  of  God's  remembrance,  in 
which  is  recorded  every  sinful  deed,  shall 
be  opened,  and  tlie  dead  shall  be  judged 
out  of  those  things  which  are  written  in 
the  book,  according  to  their  works." 
Eccles.  xii.  14 ;  1  Cor.  iv.  5 ;  Rev.  xx.  12. 
Cheat  then  your  own  souls  no  longer  willi 
the  pretence  of  secrecy ;  and  know  that 
there  is  no  house  so  privately  situated,  no 
time  or  place  so  unsuspected,  no  chamber 
so  retired,  no  curtains  so  closely  drawn  as 
to  hide  the  guilty  deed  from  the  all-seeing 
eyes  of  an  ever-present  God.  You  cannot 
deceive  him ;  ah !  why  should  you  deceive 
yourself? 

While  this  subject  suggests  matter  of 
reproof,  and  even  of  terror,  to  guilty  sin- 
ners, it  may  become  a  source  of  consola- 
tion to  the  sincere  Christian.  It  affords 
comfort  to  him  in  his  private  retirements 
for  devotion.  He  withdraws  from  the  busy 
and  the  gay  world,  to  converse  with  his  Bi- 
ble and  his  God  in  secret ;  and  his  Father, 
"  who  seeth  in  secret,  shall  reward  him 
openly."  So  Jesus  said  to  the  devout  Na- 
thaniel, that  "  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom 
there  was  no  guile — when  thou  wast  under 
the  fig-tree,  I  saw  thee :"  he  had  retired 
probably  to  liis  garden,  secluded  from  the 
eyes  and  ears  of  men,  for  the  purpose  of 
meditation  and  prayer ;  perhaps  earnestly 
desiring  to  know  whether  Jesus  were  the 
true  Messiah  or  not.  There  the  eye  of 
Christ  beheld  him ;  not  the  eye  of  his  hu- 
manity, but  of  his  divinity,  from  which  the 
darkest  shade  affords  no  concealment. 
This  discovery  of  Christ's  knowledge  fully 
convinced  ^^athaniel  tliat  Jesus  was  the 
Messiah.  The  omnipresent  Savior  still  ob- 
serves the  closest  religion  of  his  people, 
though  carefully  concealed  from  the  eye  of 
the  world,  and  he  will,  in  the  great  day, 
reward  it  openly. 

In  deep  affliction,  it  is  a  comfort  to  know 
tliat  the  Lord  is  at  hand — "  a  very  present 
help  in  the  time  of  trouble."  "  Lover  and 
friend,"  it  may  be,  "  are  far  away  :"  rela- 
tions and  physicians  may  be  at  a  distance ; 
but  God  is  not  far  from  us ;  and  the  lan- 
guage of  his  promise  is,  "  Fear  not,  for  I 
am  with  tiiee ;  be  not  dismayed,  I  am  thy 
God,  I  will  help  thee."  "  When  thou  pass- 
est  through  the  waters,  I  will  be  with  thee ; 
and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  over- 
flow thee  :  when  thou  walkest  through  tiie 
fire,  thou  shalt  not  be  burnt ;  neither  shall 
the  flames  kindle  upon  thee."  Animated 
by  these  most  gracious  declarations,  the 


Christian  may  boldly  say,  "  God  is  my 
refuge  and  strength ;  therefore  will  I  not  fear 
though  tlie  earth  be  removed,  and  thougli 
the  mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of 
the  sea."  "Yea,  thougii  I  walk  through 
the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will 
fear  no  evil ;  for  thou  art  with  me."  These 
promises  have  been  made  good  to  believers, 
and  they  have  found  "  joy  and  peace  in  be- 
lieving." Christians,  banished  from  their 
native  country,  have  still  enjoyed  the  pres- 
ence of  their  God,  which  is  confined  to  no 
particular  spot.  Shut  up  in  lothesome  dun- 
geons, prisons  have  become  palaces,  for  the 
King  was  there ;  and  encircled  with  furious 
flames,  tlie  raging  fire  could  not  scorch 
them,  for  the  son  of  God  was  present  "with 
them  in  the  furnace. 

Finally,  Let  us  all  take  care  habitually 
to  recollect  the  presence  of  God.  This 
will  prove  the  most  powerful  check  to  our 
remaining  corruptions,  the  most  effectual 
shield  against  Satanic  temptations,  and  the 
sharpest  spur  to  holy  duties.  Remember 
that  God  is  present.  This  is  a  rule  in  re- 
ligion, of  the  greatest  practical  importance. 
In  vain  was  Moses  solicited  by  the  luxu- 
ries of  Pharaoh's  court ;  in  vain  assaulted 
by  the  terrors  of  Pharaoh's  anger  :  "  he 
endured  as  seeing  him  who  was  invisible." 
When  Satan  tempts  us  to  sinful  actions,  let 
it  be  recollected  that  "  God  seeth  us ;"  "  he 
knoweth  the  way  that  we  take ;"  and  let 
his  presence  prevail  over  the  presence  of 
the  tempter.  Are  we  called  to  perform 
difficult  and  laborious  services?  Weak  as 
we  are  in  ourselves,  we  can  "  do  all  thirio^s 
through  Christ,  who  strengtheneth  us." 
Why  should  we  faint  or  fear,  when,  by  his 
Spirit,  "  he  worketh  in  us.  both  to  will  and 
to  do."  And  in  the  performance  of  every 
duty,  let  the  presence  of  God  keep  us  close 
to  our  business.  Bad  servants  are  called 
in  Scripture,  "  eye-servants,"  because  they 
will  not  work  unless  their  masters'  eyes 
are  upon  them.  Then,  even  idle  servants 
will  be  industrious.  We  work,  my  friends, 
under  the  eye  of  our  divine  and  gracious 
master.  He  is  present  with  us  at  all  times 
Let  us  therefore  "  be  stedfast,  unmovablo, 
always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord, 
for  we  assuredly  know  that  our  labor  is  not 
in  vain  in  the  Lord ;"  and  when  that  work 
is  finished,  he  will  say  to  each,  of  us, 
"  Well  done,  goo<l  and  faitiiful  servant, 
enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord."  Then 
shall  we  know,  in  a  far  higiier  and  happier 
manner,  than  wc  cau  now  know,  what  the 
presence  of  the  Lord  means.  Now  "  wc 
see  him  through  a  glass  darkly;  then  shall 
we  see  him  face  to  face,  and  so  shall  we 
ever  be  with  tlie  Lord."     "Comfort  one 


336 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


another,  brethren,  with  these  delightful 
words."  The  text  will  never  more  become 
a  question,  "  Whither  shall  I  flee  from  thy 
presence  .'" — for  "  in  thy  presence  is  full- 
ness of  joy ;  at  thy  right  hand  there  are 
pleasures  for  evermore."    Amen. 

PRAYER. — All-seeing  God !  we  believe  ihat 
thou  art  everywhere  present,  beholding  the  evil 
and  llie  good.  It  is  in  vain  to  hide  ourselves  Ironi 
thee,  lor  there  is  no  darliness,  nor  shadow  of 
death,  where  the  workers  of  iniquity  may  hide 
themselves.  Wherever  we  are,  thou  God  seest 
us:  wc  would,  therefore,  stand  in  awe  of  thee, 
and  sin  not. 

Blessed  God,  it  is  the  consolation  of  thy  peojile 
that  thou  art  ever  with  them.  Thou  beholdest 
us,  whether  in  the  church,  or  in  the  closet,  or  in 
the  world.  May  it  be  our  concern  to  approve 
ourselves  to  thee,  that  thou,  who  seest  in  secret, 
may  reward  us  openly.  VVe  rejoice  to  think  that 
in  the  hour  of  affliction,  thine  eye,  the  eye  of  a 
Father,  beholds  us,  and  that  thou  art  a  very  pres- 
ent help  in  the  time  of  trouble.  Thou  hast  gra- 
ciously said.  When  thou  passest  through  the 
water,  I  will  be  with  thee;  and  when  thou  walk- 
est  through  the  fire,  thou  shall  not  be  burnt.  We 
desire  therefore  to  take  courage,  humbly  trusting 
that  thou  wilt  never  leave  us  nor  forsake  us. 
And,  at  the  close  of  life,  enable  each  of  us,  in 
faith,  to  say — Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the 
valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil, 
for  thou  art  with  me.  Hear  ihese,  our  petitions, 
most  merciful  Father,  for  the  sake  of  thy  dear 
Son  Jesus  Christ.    Amen. 


SERMON  LXXIL 

THE  PATIENCE  OF  GOD. 

Romans  ii.  4.  Despisest  thou  the  riches  of  his  good- 
ness, and  forbearance,  and  iDiig-siilferiiig ;  not 
knowing  that  the  goodness  of  God  leadeth  thee  to 
repentance  ? 

Among  the  various  perfections  of  God, 
which  render  him  infinitely  worthy  of  our 
admiration  and  love,  his  Patience  requires 
our  peculiar  regard,  for  there  is  not  a  hu- 
man being  upon  earth  who  is  not  interested 
in  it.  God  himself  accounts  it  his  glory 
to  exercise  patience  towards  the  children 
of  men,  for  when  his  servant  Moses  de- 
sired to  see  his  glory,  God  was  pleased  to 
make  a  solemn  proclamation  of  his  name, 
including  this  amiable  perfection,  "The 
Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious, 
long-suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness 
and  tjuth."  His  patience  is  his  glory  ;  it 
is  "a  diadem  belonging  to  the  imperial 
crown  of  Heaven."  He  glories  in  it  as  pe- 
culiar to  himself  "  I  will  not,"  saith  he, 
"  execute  the  fierceness  of  my  anger,  for  I 
am  God,  and  not  man ;"  as  if  he  said, 
"  Had  I  been  man,  the  best  and  most  pa- 
tient man,  I  had  destroyed  them  long  ago ; 
but  as  the  heavens  are  above  the  earth,  so 


are  my  ways  above  the  ways  of  man." 
And  it  is  with  a  design  to  exalt  tlie  glory 
of  this  divine  attribute,  that  St.  Paul,  in 
our  text,  speaks  of  "  the  riches  of  his  good- 
ness, and  forbearance,  and  long-sufiering," 
together  with  the  genuine  tendency  of 
these,  which  is  "  to  lead  the  sinner  to  re- 
pentance," he  bears  with  thee,  that  thou 
nmyest  prevent  the  dreadful  blow,  by  hum- 
bling thyself  before  him,  and  forsaking  thy 
sins.  From  these  words  we  shall  take  oc- 
casion to  show,  that 

The  great,  holy,  and  just  God,  exercises 
most  astonishing  patience  towards  his  sin- 
ful creatures. 

Patience,  forbearance,  long-suffering, 
suppose  the  commission  of  offences.  If 
God  does  not  speedily  punish  the  sins  of 
men,  it  is  not  because  he  is  not  displeased 
with  them.  This  indeed  was  the  mistake 
of  the  Jews,  to  whom  St.  Paul  speaks  in 
our  text.  The  goodness  of  God  to  them, 
made  some  of  them  think,  that  he  would 
not  punish  the  children  of  Abraham  for 
their  sins ;  but  the  apostle  tells  tliem,  that 
they  formed  a  wrong  judgment  of  God, 
whose  patience  was  not  intended  to  lull 
them  asleep  in  security,  but  to  give  them 
time,  and  space,  and  motive  to  repentance. 
If  God  does  not  at  once  execute  his  judg- 
ments on  wicked  transgressors,  it  is  not 
because  he  does  not  notice  them,  and  hate 
them,  and  determine  to  punish  them.  He 
who  is  infinitely  holy,  hates  sin  with  a 
perfect  abhorrence,  of  which  he  has  given 
the  world  sufficient  evidence  in  the 
numerous  calamities  which  everywhere 
abound,  in  consequence  of  sin.  The  earth 
was  cursed  for  man's  sake ;  it  produces 
thorns  and  thistles;  cares,  labors,  and 
troubles;  sickness,  sorrow,  and  death;  to 
remind  the  children  of  Adamf  that  they 
have  sinned,  and  that  he  is  displeased. 

The  great  God,  seated  on  his  eternal 
throne,  beholds  every  individual  of  all  the 
millions  of  mankind,  and  none  of  their  ac- 
tions can  be  concealed  from  his  notice. 
He  knows  our  "  down-sitting  and  our  up- 
rising; he  compasseth  our  path,  and  our 
lying  down,  and  is  acquainted  with  all  our 
ways :"  and  O,  what  a  world  of  iniquity 
does  he  behold  ! — "  the  whole  world," 
saith  St.  John,  "  lieth  in  wickedness" — "a 
rebel  universe ! — our  species  up  in  arms, 
not  one  exempt !"  The  Scripture  testifies, 
that  "  all  are  under  sin ;  that  there  is  none 
righteous,  no,  not  one :"  that  so,  "  every 
moutli  may  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world 
may  become  guilty  before  God."  Rom. 
iii.  10,  &c.  And,  if  every  one  be  a  sinner, 
if  God  beholds  innumerable  sins  in  every 
one  of  us,  what  must  be  the  collected  sum 


SERMON  LXXII. 


337 


of  a  thousand  millions  of  sinners  who  in- 
habit ttic  earth ! — and  who  can  calculate 
the  amount  of  sins  repeated  throughout 
the  life  of  each  transgressor,  contmued 
(in  the  case  of  many)  tor  fifty  years  or 
more .'  God  hears  every  oath  tiiat  sinners 
utter :  he  hears  thousands  of  these  every 
moment  He  observes  all  the  lascivious 
glances  of  the  eye,  he  follows  the  lewd 
and  filtliy  sinner  into  the  most  secret 
chamber:  he  witnesses  all  the  acts  of 
fraud,  and  cruelty,  and  oppression,  which 
arc  daily  committed  :  and  he  beholds  all 
these,  not  with  indifterence,  but  with  infi- 
nite abhorrence,  for  "  he  is  angry  with  the 
wicked  every  day."  "  I  know,"  saith  he, 
"  your  manifold  transgressions,  and  your 
mighty  sins"  (Amos  v.  12;)  and,  in  an- 
other place  (Ezek.  xi.  5,)  he  says,  "  I 
know  the  things  that  come  into  your  mind, 
every  one  of  them."  What  provoking 
acts  of  iniquity  does  he  behold  in  courts, 
in  senates,  in  ships,  and  play-houses,  in 
taverns,  and  in  brothels;  yea,  in  churches 
too,  where  too  often,  formality,  wandering 
eyes  and  wandering  hearts,  hypocrisy,  and 
unbelief,  sins  most  hateful  in  his  eyes,  are 
to  be  found  !  All  these  things  are  noticed 
in  order  that  they  may  be  punished  ;  they 
are  recorded  in  his  book  of  remembrance, 
and  will  be  brought  into  judgment  in  the 
great  day  of  accounts. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  God  is  not 
displeased,  because  he  does  not  yet  punish. 
Not  only  do  the  evils  which  abound  in  the 
world,  manifest  his  anger  against  sin,  but 
the  testimonies  of  his  word  most  fully  and 
strongly  declare  it.  Hear  what  he  said  to 
Israel  in  old  time  (Ps.  Ixxviii.  40.)  "  How 
oft  did  they  provoke  mc  in  the  wilderness, 
and  grieve  me  in  the  desert !" — "  forty 
years  long  was  I  grieved  with  this  genera- 
tion ;"  and  in  another  passage  (Amos  ii. 
13,)  "  Behold,  I  am  pressed  under  you,  as 
a  cart  is  pressed  that  is  full  of  sheaves ;" 
and  in  another  text,  more  strongly  expres- 
sive of  the  divine  hatred  of  sin  than  any 
other  in  the  Bible  (Genesis  vi.  5,  0.)  "And 
God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was 
great  in  the  earth,  and  tliat  every  imagina- 
tion of  tlie  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only 
evil  continually  ;  and  it  repented  the  Lord 
that  he  had  made  man  on  the  earth,  and  it 
grieved  him  at  his  heart."  These  expres- 
sions, which  are  after  the  manner  of  men, 
must  not  be  taken  as  if  they  implied  any 
weakness  or  unliappincss  in  God ;  but  they 
certainly  prove  that  he  is  greatly  displeased 
with  sin,  and  especially  with  atrocious  sin- 
ners ;  even  as  a  parent,  who  is  not  only 
displeased  at  the  disobedience  and  ingrati- 
tude  of  a  son,  but   is   also   exceedingly 


grieved,  grieved  at  his  heart.  Surely  this 
should  teach  us  to  grieve  for  our  own  sins ! 
But  if  such  be  the  just  resentment  which 
a  holy  God  feels  when  sinners  rebel,  how 
wonderful  is  his  patience  in  delaying  the 
deserved  punishment !  This  is  what  we 
are  called  in  our  text  to  admire — "  the 
riches  of  his  gentleness,  and  forbearance, 
and  long-suffering." 

That  we  may  more  clearly  discern,  and 
be  more  deeply  affected  with  the  patience 
of  God,  let  us  review  some  of  those  in- 
stances which  are  recorded  in  the  sacred 
Scriptures,  or  which  are  still  manifested  in 
the  world,  and  in  ourselves. 

1.  God  was  pleased  to  give  a  specimen 
of  his  patience  in  his  conduct  towards  the 
first  human  sinners — our  first  parents. 

The  great  Creator  had  been  liberal  to 
his  creature,  man.  Me  was  filled  and  sur- 
rounded with  good  ;  there  was  nothing  left; 
him  to  wish  for.  He  had  all  the  liberty  he 
could  desire.  There  was  no  restraint  laid 
upon  him,  save  an  easy  abstinence  from 
the  forbidden  tree ;  to  enforce  which  his 
Maker  had  declared  that  disobedience 
should  be  punished  by  death.  But,  ah  ! 
too  soon  did  he  yield  to  the  force  of  tempt- 
ation ;  he  saw,  he  took,  he  ate  the  fatal 
fruit.  Soon  did  horror  seize  his  soul,  when 
his  offended  Maker  approached,  and  ap- 
proached, as  he  had  reason  to  expect,  to 
execute  the  dreadful  threatening;  for  he 
had  said,  "  In  the  day  that  thcu  eatest 
thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die."  But  did 
he  die?  Did  the  thunderbolts  of  divine 
wrath  strike  him  dead  as  he  stood  trem- 
bling in  the  thicket?  No.  Patience  de- 
scends, for  the  first  time,  to  this  guilty 
world  (which  she  has  never  since  for- 
saken,) and  gives  the  condemned  criminal 
a  reprieve,  a  reprieve  for  900  years.  The 
sentence  of  death  indeed  was  past,  "  Dust 
thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  return ;" 
but  it  was  many  centuries  before  it  was 
executed  ;  it  was  also  accompanied  with 
an  intimation  of  ledeeming  mercy,  by 
which,  on  believing,  the  worst  part  of  the 
sentence  should  be  remitted,  for  he  was 
not  to  taste  "  the  second  death."  What  a 
living  monument  of  patience  did  our  ven- 
erable first  father  exhibit  to  all  his  numer- 
ous posterity,  for  almost  a  thousand  years ; 
every  one  of  his  pious  descendants  who 
beheld  him  would  say.  Behold  the  patience 
of  God  !  The  same  patience  was  exercised 
towards  the  first-born  man,  who,  sad  to 
think,  proved  a  murderer,  a  murderer  of 
his  brother,  a  murderer  of  his  pious  bro- 
ther; and  who  li.td  no  other  ])rovocation  to 
the  horrid  deed  tlian  the  piety  of  his  bro- 
ther and  his  own  wickedness.  And  might 
2f> 


338 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


it  not  have  been  expected,  that  in  answer 
to  the  cry  of  Abel's  blood,  vengeance 
should  have  struck  the  bloody  Cain  to  the 
earth,  and  to  hell !  But  here  again  behold 
the  patience  of  God  ;  he  received  an  awful 
sentence,  and  became  a  fugitive  and  a 
vagabond,  but  he  was  allowed  a  season  for 
repentance,  and  his  life  was  secured  by  a 
special  provision.     Gen.  iv.  9 — 15. 

2.  Advancing  in  the  history  of  the  world, 
we  find  that  in  less  than  1400  years,  "  the 
earth  was  corrupt  before  God ;  the  earth 
was  filled  with  violence ;  for  all  flesh  had 
corrupted  his  way."  The  offended  God 
determines  to  destroy  the  earth  and  its 
guilty  inhabitants.  "  Behold  I,  even  I,  do 
bring  a  flood  of  waters  upon  the  earth  to 
destroy  all  flesh,  wherein  is  the  breath  of 
life,  from  under  Heaven."  But  was  this 
awful  sentence  immediately  executed? 
No :  "  his  days  shall  be  a  hundred  and 
twenty  years."  Noah,  who  was  himself 
to  be  preserved  in  the  ark  which  he  under- 
took to  build,  became  a  preacher  of  right- 
eousness to  his  neighbors,  that  they  also 
might  repent,  and  escape  the  threatened 
punishment.  On  that  disobedient  race 
"  the  long-suffering  of  God  once  waited  in 
the  days  of  Noah,  while  the  ark  was  pre- 
paring." 1  Pet.  iii.  20.  Every  stroke  of 
the  hammer,  while  that  vessel  was  build- 
ing, was  a  warning  from  God,  and  a  fruit 
of  his  patience.  How  many,  during  that 
120  years,  repented  and  were  pardoned, 
we  are  not  informed — we  hope  there  were 
many,  but  they  died  in  peace  before  the 
flood  came :  of  those  who  were  living  bn 
earth  at  the  time,  none  were  preserved 
from  the  waters  but  Noah  and  his  family. 
O  how  little  was  the  patience  of  God  im- 
proved by  that  generation  ! 

3.  Observe  the  patience  of  God  towards 
the  idolatrous  nations  of  the  heathen  world. 
Most  hateful  to  God  is  the  sin  of  idolatry. 
It  is  defrauding  him  of  his  glory;  it  is 
serving  the  creature  instead  of  the  Crea- 
tor ;  it  is  transferring  the  honor  due  to  the 
most  high  God  to  dead  men,  to  images  of 
men,  to  birds,  and  brutes,  and  reptiles,  yea, 
to  devils  ;  but  idolatry  was  not  their  only 
crime  ;  their  morals  were  as  depraved  as 
their  worship  was  false :  the  greater  part 
of  them  were  "  filled  with  all  unrighteous- 
ness, fornication,  wickedness,  covetousness, 
maliciousness,  full  of  envy,  murder,  debate, 
deceit,  malignity ;  haters  of  God,  disobe- 
dient to  parents,  without  natural  affection, 
implacable,  unmerciful."  This  was  their 
character.  Yet,  having  sufficient  light  to 
know  that  these  things  were  worthy  of 
death,  they  persisted  in  the  practice  of 
them,  and  took  pleasure  in  others  who  did 


them.  Many,  even  of  their  lawgivers, 
priests,  and  philosophers,  by  their  institu- 
tions, examples,  and  presence,  encouraged 
the  people  in  the  practice  of  these  abomi- 
nations, especially  in  celebratmg  the  fes- 
tivals of  their  gods.  Most  justly  might 
the  holy  Governor  of  the  world  make  a 
dreadful  example  of  such  egregious  sin- 
ners, but  he  was  patient  and  long-suffer- 
ing ;  "  the  times  of  this  ignorance  God 
winked  at."  Acts  xvii.  30.  He  so  over- 
looked as  not  severely  to  punish.  Great 
was  his  patience ! 

4.  The  history  of  the  Jews  affords  most 
striking  proofs  of  divine  forbearance.  No 
nation  upon  earth  was  ever  so  highly  fa- 
vored. For  no  other  people  did  God  so  mi- 
raculously interpose :  no  country  was  ever 
indulged  with  so  full  a  revelation  of  his 
will,  with  such  tokens  of  his  presence ;  to 
them,  therefore,  he  might  justly  say,  "  You 
only  have  I  known  of  all  the  families  of 
the  earth ;  therefore  I  will  punish  you  for 
all  your  iniquities."  Those  iniquities  were 
indeed  numerous  and  aggravated ;  they 
are  charged  with  being  "  stiff-necked  and 
rebellious,"  and  they  frequently  fell  into 
idolatry ;  to  which  crimes  they  added  the 
persecution  and  murder  of  the  prophets ; 
yet  he  endured,  with  much  long-suffering, 
their  ungrateful  conduct.  Forty  years  he 
endured  their  manners  in  the  wilderness. 
It  was  long  before  he  cast  off  the  ten 
tribes  of  Israel ;  and  before  he  sent  Judah 
to  Babylon.  He  restored  them  again  to 
their  own  land,  rebuilt  their  temple,  and 
gave  them  another  trial.  They  did  not 
after  this  relapse  into  idolatry;  but  they 
lost  the  spirit  of  their  religion,  became 
formal,  and  hypocritical,  and  worldly,  and 
substituted  the  traditions  of  men  in  the 
place  of  the  word  of  God ;  still  his  pa- 
tience was  prolonged,  and  to  them  he 
made  the  first  offer  of  the  Gospel ;  nor  did 
he  "destroy  their  place  and  nation"  till 
they  had  rejected  both  his  Son  and  the 
apostles,  and  tlien  wrath  came  upon  them 
to  the  uttermost. 

5.  The  patience  of  God  appears  in  his 
giving  warning  of  approaching  judgments. 
Thus,  by  Noah,  he  warned  the  old  world; 
thus,  by  Jonah,  he  warned  Nineveh ;  thus, 
by  the  prophets,  was  Israel  warnfjd,  when 
captivity  or  war  was  at  hand ;  and  thus, 
our  Lord  himself  warned  Jerusalem  and 
the  Jews  of  their  impending  fate.  In  this 
manner  he  commanded  his  people  to  act 
in  the  conquest  of  Canaan  ;  they  were  to 
summon  a  city  before  they  attacked  it; 
and  in  this  manner  he  proceeds  towards 
all  his  rebellious  creatures.  This  was  a 
principal  branch  of  the  prophet's  office  in 


SERMON  LXXII. 


339 


ancient  days,  as  expressed  in  the  book  of 
Ezekiel  (cli.  iii.  17.)  "  Son  of  man,  I  have 
made  thee  a  watchman  unto  the  house  of 
Israel:  therefore  hear  tlie  word  at  my 
mouth,  and  give  them  warning  from  me. 
When  I  say  unto  the  wicked,  Tliou  shalt 
surely  die,  and  thou  givest  him  not  warn- 
ing, nor  spcakest  to  warn  the  wicked  from 
his  wicked  way,  to  save  his  life ;  the  same 
wicked  man  shall  die  in  his  iniquity  ;  but 
hl&  blood  will  I  require  at  thine  hand." 
Awful  admonition !  but  strong  demonstra- 
tion of  the  patience  of  God  !  In  the  same 
manner  his  long-suffering  is  still  displayed. 
The  faithful  ministers  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, no  less  than  those  of  the  Old,  are 
still  his  watchmen.  Bear  with  them,  ye 
wlio  hate  not  your  own  souls ;  do  not  be 
angry  with  them,  because  they  tell  you  the 
truth,  nor  reproach  them  as  ministers  of 
wrath,  when  they  warn  you  to  flee  from 
the  wratli  to  come.  They  are  your  best 
friends;  they  only  act  according  to  their 
commission,  and  they  imitate  tiie  apostle 
of  the  Gentiles,  whose  joy  it  was  that  he 
could  appeal  to  Heaven,  that  "he  had  not 
shunned  to  declare"  to  the  Ephesians  "  the 
whole  counsel  of  God,"  and  that  for  three 
whole  years  he  had  "not  ceased  to  warn 
every  one  of  them,  night  and  day,  with 
tears."  O  consider  these  feithful  warnings 
as  tokens  of  the  divine  patience ! 

6.  Once  more,  observe  and  admire  the 
patience  of  God,  in  the  reluctance  with 
which  lie  punishes  men,  and  in  the  mode- 
ration with  which  punishments  are  inflict- 
ed. His  judgments  are  long  delayed,  as 
long  as  possible.  He  strikes  not  till  it  be 
absolutely  necessary.  He  convinces  the 
world  tliat  "judgment  is  his  strange  work," 
and  that  he  "  doth  not  afflict  willingly,  nor 
grieve  the  children  of  men."  Like  a  ten- 
der parent,  necessity  only  urges  him  to 
chastise,  and  his  language  is,  "  How  shall 
I  give  thee  up,  Ephraira  1  how  shall  I  de- 
liver thee,  Israel  1  how  shall  I  make  thee 
as  Admahl  how  shall  I  set  thee  as  Ze- 
boiml  Mine  heart  is  turned  within  me, 
my  repentings  are  kindled  together."  Hos. 
iii.  8.  And  when  he  does  punish,  with 
what  moderation  is  it  done  !  "  He  stirs  not 
up  all  his  wrath."  If  he  send  into  a  coun- 
try the  famine,  the  plague,  or  the  sword, 
all  are  not  destroyed;  some  are  spared, 
perhaps  the  greater  part.  At  tlie  worst  of 
times  it  may  be  said,  "  He  hath  punished 
less  than  our  iniquities  have  deserved," 
and  "  in  the  midst  of  judgment  he  remem- 
bers mercy." 


We  conclude  with  directing  your  atten- 


tion to  those  practical  lessons  which  tlie 
subject  suggests. 

1.  Let  us  take  care  that  we  do  not  abuse 
the  patience  of  God.     This  is  a  common 
and  often  a  fatal  fault.     Because  God  is 
patient,  sinners  presume  that  he  is  uncon- 
cerned about  their  sins.     Because  l\p  de- 
lays to  punish,  they  conclude   he  never 
will.  But  this  is  to  abuse  his  patience,  and 
deny  his  veracity.     Of  this  he  complained 
in  ancient  times  (Ps.  1.  21.)  "  Because  I 
kept  silence,  thou  thoughtest  that  I  was 
altogetlier  such  an  one  as  thyself;"    but 
this  vile  abuse  of  his  patience  is  so  pro- 
voking to  him,  that  he  adds,    "Consider 
this,  lest  I  tear  you  in  pieces,  and  there  be 
none  to  deliver."     Wretched  infatuation  ! 
Ungrateful  treatment !  Do  ye  thus  requite 
the  patience  of  God  I  Do  ye  thus  despise 
— put  a  wrong  construction  on  his  long 
forbearance  !  If  so,  mark  the  consequence, 
as  declared  in  the  verse  after  our  text — 
"  Thou  treasurest  up  wrath  against  the 
day  of  wrath,  and  the  revelation  of  the 
righteous  judgment  of  God."     For,  ob- 
serve, his  patience  will  have  an  end.  This 
perfection  will  not,  like  most  others,  be 
continued  to  eternity.     It  is  adapted  only 
to  the  present  time,  and  may  end  to-mor- 
row, it  may  end  to-night,  yea,  the  next 
moment.   Jesus  Christ,  foreseeing  that  the 
forbearance  of  God  with  Jerusalem  was 
near  a  close,  anticipates  the  dreadful  day, 
and  weeps  when  he  cries,  "  O  that  thou 
hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this 
thy  day,  the  things  which  belong  to  thy 
peace ;  but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine 
eyes."     Sad  it  is  to  think,  that  the  good- 
ness  which   leads   to  repentance,   should 
only  serve  to  harden  the  heart,  and  em- 
bolden the  sinner  to  persist  in  his  sins. 
"Because  sentence  against  an  evil  work 
is  not    speedily   executed,   therefore  the 
heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  fully  set  in 
them  to  do  evil."  Eccles.  viii.  11.  But,  ah  ! 
what  will  be  the  consequence  ?  The  stroke 
delayed  will  fall  the  heavier ;  the  stream 
impeded  in  its  course,  will  increase  its 
weight,  and  when  once  it  breaks  down  the 
dam,  will  rush  with  such  violence  as  to 
carry  all  before  it :  the  debt  that  remains 
long  unpaid,  will  be  demanded  with  in- 
terest upon  interest,  and  tliat  terrific  threat- 
ening will  be  fulfilled  (Prov.  i.  24,  &c.) 
"  Because  I  have  called  and  ye  refused,  I 
have  stretched  out  my  iiand,  and  no  man 
regarded,  I  also  will  laugh  at  your  calamity, 
I  will  mock  when  your  fear  cometh ;  when 
your  fear  cometh  as  a  desolation,  and  your 
destruction  cometh  as  a  whirlwind."     To 
avoid  this  dreadful  doom, 


340 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


2.  Let  us  he  concerned  to  improve  his 
patience;  and  our  text  directs  us  how  to 
do  it ;  "  the  goodness  of  God  leadeth  thee 
to  repentance ;"  it  gives  opportunity  for  it; 
and  it  has  a  tendency  to  produce  it.  God 
might  have  cut  you  down  in  the  first  of 
those  sinful  actions  which  perhaps  you 
have  repeated  hundreds  of  times.  Ananias 
and  Sapphira  were  struck  dead  in  the  act 
of  lying,  and  so  have  many  others  been 
when  uttering  horrid  imprecations.  Zimri 
and  Cosbi  were  slain  when  committing 
lewdness.  Many  have  died  in  fits  of  drunk- 
enness; and  many  persecutors  have  been 
snatched  away  before  they  could  execute 
their  wicked  purposes,  or  soon  after  com- 
mitting them.  VVliy  are  we  spared  1  Why 
more  forbearance  of  us  than  others?  It 
may  be  (O  that  it  may !)  that  God  designs 
to  melt  our  stubborn  hearts  by  his  kind- 
ness. Delay  then  no  longer.  Lift  up  your 
heart  with  me  and  say,  God  be  merciful  to 
me  a  sinner !  I  yield,  O  Lord,  at  length.  I 
admire  thy  long-suffering.  I  will  tempt  it 
no  longer.  O  pardon  my  iniquity,  for  it  is 
great.  Wash  me  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb, 
and  let  thy  good  Spirit  cleanse  this  foul 
heart,  and  make  it  new. 

With  what  grateful  admiration  should 
believers  reflect  on  the  days  that  are  past ! 
The  weeks,  the  months,  the  years  when 
God  "  waited  to  be  gracious."  Longf  did 
he  stand  at  the  door  and  knock,  before  it 
was  opened ;  and  in  the  mean  time,  how 
many  a  neiglibor,  a  friend,  a  companion 
perhaps  of  iniquity,  was  snatched  away — 
they  were  taken,  but  you  were  left ;  left 
till  you  heard  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God, 
and  lived.  O  't  is  a  heart-melting  consid- 
eration, tliat  God  sliould  spare  you,  as  a 
man  spareth  his  son,  till  he  brought  you 
up  out  of  the  horrible  pit,  out  of  the  miry 
clay,  set  your  teet  upon  a  rock,  and  estab- 
lished your  goings.  O  to  grace  what  a 
debtor  are  you !  Will  you  not  henceforth 
sing  his  praise,  admire  his  patience,  and 
devote  yourself  to  his  service!  How  rea- 
sonable is  it  also  that  you  should, 

3.  Resemble  the  God  of  Patience.   We 
cannot  have  the  same  occasion  for  patience 
as  he  has,  for  we  are  not  tlie  rulers  of  the 
world ;  yet  some  occasion  for  it  we  shall 
certainly  find.      Some  injuries  from  our 
fellow-creatures  we  must  expect;  some  de- 
gree of  opposition  even  for  Christ's  sake.  [ 
But  the  patience  of  God  must  make  us  pa-  j 
tient.     Good  men  have  sometimes  failed  | 
here.     Even  Moses,  meek  as  he  was,  was  ! 
ao  offended  by  the  stubborn  Israelites,  that 
he  angrily  called  tliem  Rebels.     How  un- 
like to  God  are  those  persons  who  are  all 
in  a  flame  at  tlie  slightest  provocation,  and 


meditate  revenge  under  the  pretence  of  a 
regard  to  honor.  Even  Christians  them- 
selves, in  their  families  and  in  their 
churches,  discover  too  little  of  this  amia- 
ble and  God-like  grace  :  but  true  Christian 
love  "  suffereth  long  and  is  kind ;  beareth 
all  things,  and  is  not  easily  provoked."  ■  O 
let  the  patience  of  God  engage  you  to  pos- 
sess your  souls  in  patience!  Remember 
the  instructive  parable,  in  which  our  Lord 
reproves  the  cruel  creditor,  whose  im- 
mense debt  of  ten  thousand  talents  had 
been  freely  forgiven,  but  wlio  went  out  and 
seized  by  the  throat  his  fellow-servant,  who 
owed  him  only  a  hundred  pence.  How  un- 
grateful, how  inconsistent,  how  provoking 
was  his  conduct!  Let  us,  however,  "for- 
bear one  another  in  love,  and  forgive  one 
another,  even  as  God,  for  Christ's  sake, 
hath  forgiven  us." 

PRAYER. — O  Lord  our  God,  thou  art  indeed 
merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering  and  abun- 
dant in  goodness  and  truth ;  we  adore  the  riches 
of  thy  patience  and  forbearance.  The  whole 
world  lieth  in  wickedness,  and  thou  knowest 
that  the  sinfulness  of  man  is  great  in  the  earth  ; 
and  ahhough  thou  art  angry  with  the  wicked 
every  day,  and  hast  declared,  that  except  men 
repent  they  shall  certainly  perish,  yet  thou  art 
slow  to  anger ;  thou  givest  men  many  kind 
warnings,  and  allovvest  much  time  and  space 
for  repentance.  And  nistead  of  dealing  with  us 
according  to  our  sins,  thou  art  constantly  follow- 
ing us  with  goodness  and  mercy.  O  that  thy 
goodness  may  lead  us  to  repentance !  Suffer 
none  of  us  to  abuse  thy  patience,  and  so  treasure 
up  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath,  but  may  our 
hearts  be  melted  by  thy  kindness,  so  that  we 
may  seek  and  obtain  both  thy  pardoning  mercy 
and  renewing  grace.  And  O  that  those  who 
have  obtained  mercy,  may  show  mercy  to  others ; 
possess  their  own  souls  in  patience ;  forbearing 
one  another  in  love,  and  forgiving  one  another, 
even  as  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  hath  forgiven 
them. 


SERMON  LXXm. 

THE  SOVEREIGNTY  OF  GOD. 

Psalm  cxv.  3.    But  our  God  is  in  the  heavens;  he 
hath  done  whatsoever  he  hath  pleased. 

The  sovereignty  of  God  is  a  sublime 
and  difficult  subject,  yet  very  important 
and  useftil.  Some  of  the  divine  perfec- 
tions may,  perhaps,  appear  to  our  selfish 
minds  more  amiable  and  attractive  ;  but 
there  is  none  in  which  our  obedience  and 
submission  to  him  are  more  deeply  con- 
cerned. Some  of  his  attributes  may  seem 
more  clearly  to  invite  our  confidence,  and 
engage  otir  affection ;  but  as  creatures  in 
a  state  of  subjection  and  trial,  we  are 
peculiarly  interested   in  the  divine  sove- 


SERMON  LXXIII. 


341 


reignty.  It  is  necessary  that  we  should  be 
well  established  in  this  doctrine,  that  we 
may  with  snicerity  pray,  "  Thy  will  be 
done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven  ;"  and  that 
in  the  hour  of  adversity  we  may  be  able  to 
say — "  It  is  tiie  Lord,  let  him  do  as  seem- 
eth  him  good." 

Sovereignty  signifies,  in  general,  Su- 
premacy— the  possession  of  supreme  power 
— a  riorht  to  govern  without  tlie  control  of 
another ;  or,  as  in  our  text,  power  to  act 
as  one  pleases.  This  riglit  is  liere  ascribed 
to  God,  and  can  belong  to  no  otlier  in  the 
same  sense  or  degree.  Puny  mortals,  con- 
querors, and  tyrants,  have  frequently  as- 
sumed this  right,  and  have  exercised  it 
over  a  small  portion  of  this  little  globe, 
and  over  a  few  millions  of  their  fellow- 
mortals  ;  and  history  has  awfully  shown 
how  unfit  man  is  to  be  intrusted  with 
sovereignty  unrestrained  ;  for  great  men 
are  too  otten  the  subjects  of  an  infernal 
sovereign,  and  slaves  of  their  own  bad 
passions ;  they  are  proud,  ambitious,  cruel, 
selfish,  and  misinformed :  therefore,  the 
common  sense  and  common  interest  of 
mankind  have  led  some  to  restrain  human 
sovereignty  withm  reasonable  bounds ;  but 
the  great,  holy,  and  blessed  God  is  inca- 
pable of  any  of  these  evils,  and  is  perfectly 
qualified  to  exercise  unlimited  sovereignty 
over  the  whole  universe,  whatever  worlds 
and  beings  it  may  contain,  known  or  un- 
known to  us. 

Our  present  business  shall  be  to  estab- 
lish and  improve  this  great  scriptural  doc- 
trine, that  the  glorious  God  has  a  right 
to  exercise  dominion  over  all  his  crea- 
tures, and  to  do,  in  all  respects,  as  he 
pleases. 

This  right  naturally  results  from  his 
being  the  Former  and  the  Possessor  of 
heaven  and  earth.  Who  can  dispute  his 
right!  He  made  all  things;  he  supports 
all  things ;  and  is  it  not  fit  that  he  should 
govern  all  things  ?  "  For  his  pleasure  they 
are,  and  were  created  ;" — may  he  then  not 
do  with  them  as  he  pleases?  especially 
when  we  consider  that 

He  is  injinitcly  wise.  He  perfectly  knows 
all  his  creatures,  all  their  actions,  and  all 
their  tendencies,  lie  is  acquainted  witli 
tlie  great  plan  which  his  own  infinite  mind 
projected  before  the  beginningof  time,  and 
of  which  the  wisest  men  know  nothing,  but 
"  that  he  hath  made  all  things  for  himself, 
to  show  forth  his  own  glory."  As  little 
children,  however  acute,  cannot  compre- 
hend the  movements  of  a  large  machine, 
or  the  operations  of  a  manufactory,  or  the 
affairs  of  government,  so  we  short-sighted 
mortals,  whatever  be  our  attainments,  are 


unqualified  to  judge  of  the  management 
of  the  universe  ;  but  we  know  that  he  is 
wise,  and  should  rejoice  to  think  that  "  the 
Lord  reigneth." 

He  is  also  infinitely  righteous.  His 
sovereign  rule  is  not  that  of  a  haughty 
tyrant ;  but  of  a  most  righteous  and  holy 
Governor.  "  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all 
the  earth  do  right?"  Yes;  he  cannot  do 
wrong.  His  ways  may  be,  to  our  appre- 
hension, mysterious:  his  paths  may  be  "in 
the  sea,  and  his  footsteps  in  the  mighty 
waters,"  so  that  we  may  not  be  able  to 
trace  him  :  "  clouds  and  darkness  may  be 
round  about  him,"  so  that  we  may  not 
clearly  discern  him  :  but  justice  and  judg- 
ment are  the  habitation  of  his  throne." 
It  is  tlie  pride  of  man  that  arraigns  the 
divine  procedure  at  the  bar  of  his  reason, 
and  concludes  that  this  is  right,  and  that  is 
wrong,  according  as  it  agrees  or  dis- 
agrees with  human  notions  and  practices. 
God's  ways  and  thoughts  may  difier  wide- 
ly from  ours,  but  they  are  all  right.  "  Just 
and  true  are  all  thy  ways,  O  King  of 
Saints." 

He  is  also  infinitely  good.  We  may 
not  always  be  able  to  discern  the  goodness 
of  God.  In  particular  instances,  his  deal- 
ings with  men  may  seem  severe ;  but  we 
are  bound  to  believe  from  the  essential 
goodness  of  his  nature,  that  none  of  his 
actions  are  inconsistent  with  it.  In  human 
affairs,  the  imprisonment  or  execution  of  a 
criminal  may  appear  to  an  ignorant  spec- 
tator a  cruel  action;  but  the  intelligent 
observer  knows  that  the  general  good  of 
society  is  promoted  by  the  punishment  of 
evil-doers.  A  child  can  hardly  be  prevailed 
upon  to  swallow  a  nauseous  medicine, 
however  necessary ;  but  an  adult  person 
receives  it  as  a  benefit,  calculated  to  re- 
store his  health  and  preserve  his  life ;  he 
will  even  submit  to  the  amputation  of  a 
limb  for  the  same  purpose.  Probably, 
those  things  in  the  course  of  Providence 
which  seem  the  most  severe,  are  equally 
necessary;  and  the  destruction  of  whole 
cities  or  nations  may  be  so,  for  aught  we 
can  tell :  at  least  we  may,  with  great  pro- 
priety, say  of  God — 

"  Good  when  he  gives,  supremely  good, 

Nor  less  when  he  denies  ; 
E'en  crosses,  from  his  sovereign  hand, 

Are  blessings  in  disguise." 

That  tlie  blessed  God  is  not  only  per- 
fectly qualified  to  exercise  a  sovereign 
rule  over  the  universe,  but  that  he  actually 
does  exercise  it,  has  always  done  so,  and 
will  do  so  to  the  end  of  time,  is  absolutely 
certain  and  undeniable,  and  is  uniformly 
29* 


342 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


asserted  in  the  Scriptures  of  truth.  It  is 
unnecessary  to  stop  hei"e,  in  order  to  pro- 
duce tbrnial  proof;  it  will  be  sufficiently 
evident  while  we  point  out  some  of  the 
distinct  instances  of  his  sovereignty  : — In 
tlie  creation  of  the  world — in  the  fall  of 
man — in  the  method  appointed  for  his 
recovery — in  the  application  of  redemp- 
tion to  sinners — and  all  the  temporal  con- 
cerns of  men,  prosperous  or  adverse. 

1.  Observe  the  sovereignty  of  God  in 
the  creation  of  the  world. 

Why  was  this  world  made  at  all  1  Why 
made  just  when  it  was]  Why  made  as  it 
was !  Why  not  made  many  ages  before  '.' 
Why  organized  as  it  is]  a  sun  in  the  centre  ] 
— several  planets  (how  many !)  revolving 
about  it  ] — the  earth  in  her  present  orbit  ] 
— the  moon  attending  her] — why  other 
planets  nearer  the  sun — others  more 
remote  ]  Why  was  this  globe  inhabited  ] 
and  by  such  a  creature  as  man,  so  like 
other  beings  in  some  respects,  so  unlike 
them  in  others]  A  thousand  such  ques- 
tions might  be  asked.  One  answer  suffices 
for  them  all — "  For  thy  pleasure  they  are 
and  were  created."  Other  reasons  we 
know  not,  nor  is  any  other  necessary. 

2.  The  sovereignty  of  God  may  be  no- 
ticed in  the  awful  event  of  man's  apostasy. 

Before  the  fall,  his  Maker  entered  into 
a  covenant  with  him,  not  for  himself  alone, 
but  for  all  his  posterity  in  and  with  him, 
as  their  head  and  representative.  If  he 
should  fulfil  the  condition  of  that  covenant, 
abstaining  from  the  forbidden  tree  as  the 
pledge  of  his  obedience,  all  his  posterity 
would  be  confirmed  in  the  same  state  of 
happiness,  and  in  the  divine  favor ;  if  he 
transgressed,  all  his  posterity  would  be  in- 
volved in  the  consequences  of  that  trans- 
gression, and  become  liable  to  the  same 
condemnation  and  misery  with  himself 
Could  all  the  posterity  of  Adam  have  been 
consulted,  it  is  probable,  that  all  would  read- 
ily have  consented  to  this  arrangement ;  but 
whether  they  would  have  approved  or  not, 
or  whether  men  now  approve  or  disapprove 
of  this  constitution  of  things,  is  of  no  manner 
of  consequence.  So  God  determined ;  and 
doubtless  he  determined  rightly.  He  gave 
Adam  sufficient  power  to  maintain  his  in- 
tegrity ;  but  he  left  him  free  to  fall.  So 
his  sovereignty  appointed.  Left  to  him- 
self, he  who  could^  have  stood,  did  fall,  and 
by  that  fall 

"  Brought  death  into  the  world,  and  all  our  woe !" 

3.  The  sovereignty  of  God  is  displayed 
in  the  method  he  has  been  pleased  to  ap- 
point for  the  recovery  of  fallen  man. 

There  was  rebellion  in  heaven,  as  well 


as  on  earth.  Angels  rebelled,  and  were 
expelled  from  Heaven — not  all  indeed; 
and  why  not  all]  The  sovereign  good- 
ness of  God  preserved  the  "elect  angels" 
(1  Tim.  v.  21,)  from  tailing;  the  rest 
"  are  reserved  in  chains  of  darkness  to 
the  judgment  of  the  great  day."  But 
man,  apostate  man,  became  the  object  of 
divine  compassion  ;  and  no  sooner  did  he 
need  a  Savior,  than  a  Savior  was  promised 
— a  Savior  who  should  assume  the  nature 
that  had  sinned,  and  restore  the  otlender 
and  his  (believing)  posterity  to  a  better 
paradise  than  Adam  lost.  But  why  not 
include  angels  ]  They  were  beings  superior 
to  man.  Divine  sovereignty  passed  them 
by ;  "  for  verily  he  (the  Redeemer)  took 
not  upon  him  the  nature  of  angels,  but 
he  took  on  him  the  seed  of  Abraham" 
— "he  took  flesh  and  blood,  that  he  might 
die,  and  by  dying,  make  reconciliation  for 
the  sins  of  the  people."  Heb.  ii.  17,  <tc. 

That  this  method  of  reconciliation  should 
be  fixed  upon,  we  ascribe  to  the  divine 
sovereignty.  That  he  should  save  any  of 
the  fallen  race — that  liis  Son  should  be 
the  Savior — that  in  order  to  his  being  a 
Savior  he  should  be  incarnate — be  born  of 
a  virgin — be  born  where  and  when  he  was 
— be  a  poor  man,  and  a  man  of  sorrows — 
should  speak,  and  act  as  never  man  did, 
yet  be  treated  as  never  man  was ;  and  that 
he  who  was  to  give  life  to  the  world,  should 
himself  die — die  a  violent  death — die  on 
the  infamous  cross,  and  that  his  so  dying 
should  be  considered  and  accepted  by  a 
holy  and  just  God  as  a  sacrifice,  satisfac- 
tion, and  atonement  for  sin — that  his  blood 
should  cleanse  from  all  sin :  and  that, 
through  faith  in  his  blood,  all  sinners  who 
believe  should  be  freely,  fully,  and  for  ever 
justified,  and  entitled  to  everlasting  life. — 
Such  was  the  divine  constitution ;  so  God 
appointed  in  his  sovereign  pleasure ;  and 
therefore  we  conclude  that  this  method  of 
salvation  is  right  and  good,  excellent  and 
glorious,  every  way  worthy  of  its  divine 
Author,  who  will  be  eternally  glorified  by 
the  whole  intelligent  universe  for  adopt- 
ing it. 

4.  The  sovereignty  of  God  is  no  less  dis- 
played in  the  application,  than  in  the  pro- 
vision of  this  great  salvation. 

The  glorious  gospel,  which  is  "  the  pow- 
er of  God  to  salvation,  to  eVery  one  that 
believeth,"  is  sent  to  one  place  and  not 
to  another.  He  has  indeed  authorized 
his  disciples  to  proclaim  his  Gospel  "to 
every  nation" — "  to  every  creature :" — and 
no  small  share  of  blame,  it  may  be  feared, 
attaches  to  the  church,  and  especially  to 
the  ministers  of  it,   that  greater  eftbrts 


SERMON  LXXIII. 


343 


have  not  been  made  in  obedience  to  that 
authority  :  yet  we  cannot  deny  the  exer- 
cise of  divine  sovereignty,  in  the  unequal 
distribution  of  Gospel  light.  In  the  days  of 
the  apostles,  Macedonia  was  preferred  to 
Bithynia;  and  doubtless  the  providence  of 
God  directed  the  steps  of  the  first  Evan- 
gelists and  of  successive  Missionaries. 
Some  nations  of  tiie  world  are  far  more 
highly  favored  than  others.  Many  populous 
re'rions  of  Asia  arc  destitute  of  a  gleam  of 
light,  and  others  enjoy  but  a  very  small 
portion  of  it.  Almost  the  whole  of  Africa 
lies  in  midnight  darkness ;  and  the  vast  con- 
tinent of  America  knew  nothing  of  the 
Gospel  till  within  a  few  centuries.  Of  all 
countries,  ours  has  the  greatest  cause  for 
joy  and  gratitude.  Here,  surely,  the  sove- 
reign goodness  of  God  will  be  gladly  ac- 
knowledged— "  He  hath  not  dealt  so  with 
every  land,  praise  ye  the  Lord." 

And  will  not  every  individual,  who  has 
"  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious,"  ascribe 
all  the  light,  the  faith,  the  love,  the  hope 
that  he  enjoys  to  the  sovereignty  of  God  1 
That  he  was  pleased  to  send  his  Gospel  to 
the  place  of  your  abode  (while  others  are 
passed  by ;)  that  he  should  so  order  the 
circumstances  of  time  and  place,  that  you 
should  be  brought  to  hear  the  joyful  sound ; 
and  above  all,  that  the  eyes  of  your  under- 
standing should  be  enlightened,  your  heart 
softened  and  humbled,  the  Savior  revealed 
in  you  the  hope  of  glory,  and  you  enabled, 
perhaps,  m  the  face  of  contempt  and  oppo- 
sition, to  own  his  cause  and  follow  him 
fully ;  while  probably  those  who  heard  the 
same  sermons,  and  were  placed  in  the  same 
circumstances  with  you,  remain  in  their 
natural  state,  and,  like  Gallio,  "  care  for 
none  of  these  things,"  but  despise  and  hate 
them,  and  speak  all  manner  of  evil  of 
them  and  of  you. — Now,  to  what  will  you 
ascribe  the  difference  1  Who  maketh  thee 
to  differ  from  another  1  Was  it  your  own 
superior  wisdom  and  goodness  1  No ;  you 
will  certainly  say,  "By  the  grace  of  God  I 
am  what  I  am ;  that  grace  was  freely  be- 
stowed, and  might  justly  have  been  with- 
held. Not  unto  me,  O  Lord ;  not  unto  me, 
but  to  thy  name  be  the  praise  and  glory  of 
the  saving  change.  Such  was  the  language 
of  our  adorable  Lord  when  on  earth,  when 
the  seventy  disciples  reported  to  him  the 
success  of  their  ministry.  "  In  that  hour 
Jesus  rejoiced  in  spirit,  and  said,  I  thank 
thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  of  earth, 
that  thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the 
wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed  them 
unto  babes  ;  even  so.  Father,  for  so  it  seem- 
ed good  in  thy  sight."  Luke  x.  2L 

The  sovereignty  of  God  our  fcjavior  is 


apparent  in  the  constitution  and  ordinances 
of  his  church.  He  has  appointed  what  offi- 
cers should  dispense  his  word,  and  super- 
intend its  concerns.  He  has  appointed  the 
first  day  of  the  week  instead  of  the  seventh, 
to  be  the  Christian  Sabbath,  for  he  is 
"  Lord  of  the  Sabbath."  He  has  ordained 
the  preaching  of  his  word,  prayer,  and 
praise,  to  be  the  stated  branches  of  public 
worship.  He  has  appointed  Sacraments,  or 
external  representations  of  spiritual  bless- 
ings, and  he  has  confined  these  to  two  in 
number,  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper ; 
the  first  of  these  to  be  the  badge  of  disci- 
pleship,  showing,  by  the  use  of  water,  that 
his  religion  was  intended  for  the  purifica- 
tion of  all  his  people ;  and  by  the  bread 
and  wine  in  the  latter,  that  Christ  cruci- 
fied, whose  death  we  therein  remember 
and  exhibit,  is  the  food  and  support  of  every 
believer.  That  Christ  thus  appointed  the 
ordinances  of  his  worship  in  the  church,  is 
a  high  instance  of  his  sovereignty,  and 
every  Christian  is  in  duty  and  in  love 
bound  to  submit  to  all  his  appointments. 

5.  The  sovereignty  of  God  is  obvious  in 
his  disposal  of  the  temporal  affairs  of  men, 
whether  as  individuals  or  as  nations. 

As  individuals. — Our  parentage,  the 
circumstances  of  our  birth,  the  place,  the 
time,  all  are  arranged  by  the  great  Ruler. 
The  powers,  we  possess,  of  body  and  of 
mind ;  the  degree  of  education  we  receive, 
and  on  which,  frequently,  so  much,  in  after 
life,  depends ;  the  culture  or  the  neglect 
of  the  mind ;  the  connexions  which  we 
form,  apparently  the  result,  not  so  much  of 
choice,  as  of  what  we  call  Accident,  are 
all  under  the  direction  of  Heaven  ;  and  so 
are  all  our  concerns,  whether  we  enjoy  un- 
interrupted health  and  good  spirits,  or 
whether  we  drag  on  heavily,  with  a  sick 
body  and  a  feeble  mind ;  whether  we  for- 
sake the  land  of  the  living  at  twenty  years 
of  age,  or  are  detained  in  it  to  seventy  or 
eighty,  depends  on  the  divine  pleasure,  for 
Jesus  hath  "  the  keys  of  death  and  of  the 
invisible  world."  In  like  manner,  his  sove- 
reign pleasure  allots  the  bounds  of  our 
habitations;  the  nature  of  our  employment, 
in  a  superior  or  inferior  station ;  and  the 
degree  of  prosperity  or  failure,  that  shall 
crown  our  labors  or  disappoint  our  hopes. 
Every  prudent  and  laborious  tradesman  is 
not  always  successful;  "  the  race  is  not  al- 
ways to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the 
etrong."  "  Promotion,"  says  the  wisest  of 
men,  "  cometh  not  from  the  East,  nor  from 
the  West,  nor  from  the  South."  Events, 
that  contradict  all  probabilities,  often  take 
place,  to  show  man  liis  dependence  on  a 
superior  power ;  for  sometimes,  as  we  read 


344 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


in  Hannah's  song,  (1  Sam.  ii.  8.)  "He 
r£iiseth  up  the  poor  out  of  the  dust,  and 
lifteth  up  the  beggar  from  the  duughill,  to 
set  them  among  princes,  and  to  make  them 
inherit  the  throne  of  glory  ;  for  the  pillars 
of  the  earth  are  the  Lord's,  and  he  hath 
set  the  world  upon  them." 

The  sovereignty  of  God  should  particu- 
larly be  owned  by  the  afflicted  and  dis- 
tressed, who  form  a  large  proportion  of 
human  beings,  man  being  "  born  to  trouble, 
as  the  sparks  fly  upward."  It  is  of  great 
importance  to  know  and  remember,  what 
was  wisely  observed  to  patient  Job,  that 
"  afiliction  cometh  not  forth  of  the  dust, 
neither  doth  trouble  spring  out  of  the 
ground ;"  that  is  to  say,  afflictions  are  not 
tlie  effect  of  chance,  they  are  in  the  hand 
of  God ;  and  therefore  it  is  added  as  a  piece 
of  advice  to  Job, — "  I  would  seek  unto 
God,  and  unto  God  I  would  commit  my 
cause." — I  would  submit  to  his  rod,  and 
seek  relief  from  him.  Even  those  events 
which  seem  to  us  casual,  and,  as  to  agents 
concerned  in  them,  undesigned,  are  under 
the  direction  of  heaven ;  so  it  appears  from 
Exodus  xxi.  12,  13,  "  He  that  smiteth  a 
man,  so  that  he  die,  shall  be  surely  put  to 
death :  but  if  a  man  lie  not  in  wait,  but 
God  deliver  him  into  his  hand,  then  I  will 
appoint  thee  a  place  whither  he  shall  flee," 
that  is,  to  the  city  of  Refuge.  This  proves 
that  nothing  comes  by  chance,  but  the  most 
casual  events  are  under  the  control  of  di- 
vine sovereignty. 

To  the  wicked,  afflictions  are  intima- 
tions of  God's  holy  displeasure  against 
their  sins,  and  solemn  warnings  to  fly  from 
the  wrath  to  come  ;  but  to  the  children  of 
God  they  are  parental  chastisements,  the 
effects  of  tender  love,  and  wisely  directed 
for  their  good.  The  sovereign  hand  of  the 
Almighty  should  be  owned  in  both. 

That  sovereign  hand  is,  perhaps,  more 
visible  in  the  affairs  of  nations ;  they  rise 
and  fall,  flourish  and  decay,  and  the  con- 
nexion between  natural  causes  and  effects 
may  sometimes  be  plainly  discerned  ;  yet- 
that  the  Ruler  of  the  world  directs  and 
controls  them  is  sufficiently  evident,  for  in 
his  hand  are  both  the  causes  and  the  ef- 
fects. This  might  be  fully  illustrated  from 
the  history  of  Israel,  and  other  nations 
connected  with  them,  from  their  first  rise 
in  the  family  of  Abraham,  to  their  disper- 
sion :  a  great  part  of  the  Old  Testament 
might  be  adduced  for  this  purpose,  but  time 
forbids.  God  was  pleased  himself  to  illus- 
trate this  before  the  eyes  of  Jeremiah,  by 
the  emblem  of  a  potter,  who,  with  the  ut- 
most ease,  formed  a  vessel  of  the  yielding 
clay,  and  as  easily  broke  it,  and  formed  it 


again  into  another  vessel,  "  as  seemed 
good  to  the  potter  to  make  it."  "  Cannot 
1  do  with  you,  O  house  of  Israel,  saith  the 
Lord,  as  this  potter]" — destroy  a  nation, 
or  erect  an  empire "!  Jer.  xviii.  6.  The 
crafl;,  the  envy,  the  revenge,  the  ambition 
of  men  are  often  the  occasions  of  wars, 
and  fightmgs,  and  revolutions ;  the  agents 
may  be  wicked  men,  but  frequently  they 
are  the  mere  instruments  of  a  holy  and 
just  God,  in  punishing  an  individual  or  a 
nation,  ripe  for  ruin.  The  agent  may  be 
wicked,  but  God  is  righteous.  "With 
him,"  said  the  wise  and  pious  Job,  "  with 
him  is  strength  and  wisdom :  the  deceiver 
and  the  deceived  are  his.  He  leadeth 
counsellors  away  spoiled,  and  maketh  the 
judges  fools.  He  looseth  the  bands  of 
kings,  or  girdeth  their  loins  with  a  girdle. 
He  increaseth  tlie  nations  and  destroyeth 
them,"  &c.  Job  xii.  16,  &c.  In  this  man- 
ner God  displays,  in  every  age,  his  sove- 
reign dominion  over  the  nations, — his  man- 
agement of  the  children  of  men,  crossing 
their  purposes,  overruling  their  counsels, 
overpowering  their  efforts,  and  overcoming 
their  opposition  :  and  proving,  to  their  con- 
fusion, that  "  in  the  thing  wherein  they 
dealt  proudly,  he  was  above  them."  Exod. 
xviii.  11.  And  in  nothing  is  this,  his  sove- 
reign power,  more  conspicuous,  than  in 
producing  great  and  good  events  from  the 
evil  actions  of  his  creatures,  as  in  the  case 
of  Joseph,  whose  glory  in  Egypt  was  the 
result  of  the  envy  and  cruelty  of  his 
brethren,  and  of  the  lewdness  and  lies  of 
Potiphar's  wife.  Their  actions  and  inten- 
tions were  bad,  "  but  God  meant  them  for 
good."  The  Sabeans  and  the  Chaldeans 
pillaged  Job,  but  the  glory  of  God,  as  well 
as  Job's  greater  prosperitjs  was  ultimately 
promoted.  Pharaoh,  king  of  Egypt,  was 
a  tyrannical  oppressor  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  who  could  proudly  say,  "Who  is 
the  Lord,  that  I  should  obey  him  ?"  but  to 
him  God  says,  "In  very  deed,  for  this 
cause  have  I  raised  thee  up,  for  to  show 
in  thee  my  power ;  and  that  my  name  may 
be  declared  throughout  all  the  earth." 
Exod.  ix.  16.  In  a  word,  the  greatest  and 
most  glorious  event  that  ever  took  place  in 
our  world,  the  atoning  death  of  Immanuel, 
was  effected  by  ini^truments  the  most  base 
and  vile.  It  was  by  the  "  wicked  hands" 
of  the  Jews,  that  Jesus  "was  cj-ucified 
and  slain ;"  but  we  are  assured  by  St.  Pe- 
ter, that  even  this  was  according  to  "  the 
determinate  counsel  and  foreknowledge  of 
God."  The  holy  God  is  not  the  author,  or 
abettor  of  the  sins  of  men;  it  is  impossible 
that  lie  can  concur  in  the  moral  evil  of  any 
human  action ;  but  we  see  that,  in  the  ex- 


SERMON  LXXIV. 


345 


ercise  of  his  sovereign  rule,  he  not  only 
permits  wicked  men  to  perform  bad  ac- 
tions, but  by  liis  infinite  wisdom  and  power 
hi-in<rs  good"  out  of  evil.  The  sinner  is  con- 
dennied,  but  God  is  righteous. 

The  doctrine  of  God's  sovereignty  shows 
us,  that  ready  obedience  to  all  his  precepts 
is  our  reasonable  service.  Is  God  the  right- 
ful Governor  of  the  world  ? — are  we  liis 
natural  subjects  1 — has  he  made  known  his 
liolv  will  to  us? — and  shall  we  not  cheer- 
fully obey  him  !  As  our  Creator,  we  ought 
to  obey  him  ; — as  our  Preserver,  we  ought 
to  obey  him;  and  especially  as  our  Re- 
deemer, we  ouglit  to  obey  him.  "  I  am 
the  Lord  thy  God,  who  have  brought  thee 
out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  out  of  the 
house  of  bondage,"  said  Jehovah  to  Israel ; 
and  then  he  proceeds  to  lay  down  his  law 
for  their  conduct — "Thou  shalt  have  no 
other  gods  before  me,"  &c.  Exod.  xx.  2,  3. 
In  like  manner  he  speaks  to  us  in  the  Gos- 
pel, not  from  Sinai,  but  from  Sion,  "  Be- 
cause I  am  the  Lord,  and  your  God,  and 
Redeemer,  therefore  are  ye  bound  to  keep 
all  my  commandments." 

The  gi-eat  lesson  enforced  by  this  doc- 
trine is.  Humble  submission  to  all  his 
righteous  pleasure.  Is  God  the  Sovereign 
of  the  world,  infinitely  wise,  righteous, 
and  good  1  Has  he  an  undoubted  right  to 
do  as  he  will  with  all  his  creatures'!  Then 
surely  he  has  a  right  to  do  as  he  pleases 
witli  me.  He  is  too  wise  to  err  ;  too  good 
to  be  unkind.  I  welcome  all  his  sovereign 
will,  for  all  that  will  is  love.  He  says  to 
me,  in  this  painful,  or  in  that  bereaving 
providence,  "  Be  still,  and  know  that  I  am 
God ;"  and  my  submissive  temper  shall 
yield  obedience.  I  will  adopt  the  praise- 
worthy language  of  the  most  patient  of 
men,  "  The  Lord  gave,  aud  the  Lord  hath 
taken  away ;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the 
liOrd."  He  will  permit  his  suffering  child 
to  plead,  as  his  oiily-bcgotten  Son  once  did 
in  liis  agony,  "  O  my  Father,  if  it  be  pos- 
sible, let  this  cup  pass  from  me;"  but  I 
hope  he  will  strengthen  me  to  add,  with 
profound  submission,  "Nevertheless,  not 
as  I  will,  but  as  thou  wilt."  Amen. 


PRAYER. — O  THOU  great  Supreme!  thou  art 
the  Former  and  the  Possessor  of  Heaven  and  of 
Earth  :  infinitely  wise,  infinitely  rijrhteons,  infi- 
nitely pood  !  Thou  art  the  sovereign  Ruler  of  the 
world,  and  hast  a  right  to  dispose  of  all  creatures 
and  things  according  to  ihv  good  pleasure.  Thou 
art  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth,  and- always  doest 
that  which  is  right.  Teach  us,  ()  I^rd,  )iiimbly 
to  sulimit  to  thy  holy  will  iu  all  thy  dispensa- 
tions, even  when  they  arc  the  most  afflictive.  In 
every  trouhle  may  \\>c  be  still,  and  know  that 
thou  art  fJod.  Make  ns  conleiU  to  rt-ccixe  not 
good  only  at  thy  sovereign  hand,  but  evil  also; 
2  T 


and  to  say,  when  deprived  of  what  we  love  and 
value,  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lnnl  hath  taken 
away,  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord.  And  O 
that  we  may  entertain  the  most  grateful  thoughts 
of  thy  undeserved  goodness,  and  especially  of 
thy  grace.  We  blews  thee,  that  to  us  is  the  word 
of  salvation  sent,  while  millions  remain  desti- 
tute of  it;  and  if  thou  hast  also  given  us  thy 
Holy  Spirit,  and  caused  us  to  taste  that  thou  art 
gracious,  we  ascribe  it  to  thy  sovereign  and  dis- 
tinguishing mercy.  Not  unto  us.  Lord,  not  unto 
us,  but  to  thy  name,  be  glory,  now  and  for  ever- 
more.  Amen. 


SERMON  LXXIV. 

THE  GOODNESS  OF  GOD. 

Psalm  xxxiii.  5.    The  earth  is  full  of  the  goodness 
of  the  Lord. 

In  discoursing  on  the  glorious  perfec- 
tions of  God,  his  goodness  must  by  no 
means  be  omitted ;  for  though  all  his  per- 
fections are  his  glory,  yet  this  is  particu- 
larly so  called  ;  for  when  Moses,  the  man 
of  God,  earnestly  desired  to  behold  a  grand 
display  of  the  glory  of  Jihovah,  the  Lord 
said,  in  answer  to  his  petition,  "  I  will 
cause  all  my  goodmss  to  ])a5s  before 
thee  ;"  thus  intimating,  that  He  himself 
accounted  his  goodness .  to  be  his  glory, 
(Exod.  xxxiv.  6 ;)  and  it  includes  that 
mercy,  grace,  long-suffering,  and  truth, 
which  are  afterwards  mentioned.  When 
it  relieves  the  miserable,  it  is  mercy ; 
when  it  bestows  fivors  on  the  worthless,  it 
is  grace ;  when  it  bears  witli  provoking 
rebels,  it  is  long-svjfcring  ;  when  it  con- 
fers promised  blessings,  it  is  truth  ;  when 
it  supplies'  indigent  beings,  it  is  bounty ; 
and  this  is  the  principal  view  we  shall  now 
take  of  it.  The  goodness  of  God  is  a 
very  comprehensive  term ;  it  includes  all 
the  forms  of  his  kindness  shown  to  men, 
whether  considered  as  creatures,  as  sin- 
ners, or  as  believers:  but  I  purpose  to  con- 
sider the  goodness,  mercy,  and  love  of  God 
distinctly.  All  might,  indeed,  be  compre- 
hended in  one  word;  but  as  these  attri- 
butes are  so  amiable  and  encouraging,  and 
as  our  happiness  is  &o  mucii  concerned  in 
them,  it  may  be  for  our  advantage  to  view 
each  of  them  separately  ;  and  though  there 
should  be  some  degree  of  sameness,  or 
repetition,  in  ottr  so  doing,  I  trust  it  will 
not  be  a  vain  or  tiresome  repetition.  I  shall 
therefore  take  a  view  of  the  goodness  of 
God,  as  it  respects  creatures;  the  mercy 
of  (iod,  as  it  regards  sinners;  and  the  love 
of  God,  as  it  relates  to  believers.  Now, 
by  the  goodness  of  God,  we  mean, 

Tiiat  disj)osition  of  the  divine  Being 


346 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


which  always  inclines  him  to  render  his 
creatures  happy,  as  far  as  is  consistent 
with  his  other  perfections. 

The  goodness  of  God  is  generally  dis- 
tinguished into  Absolute  and  Relative.  By 
absolute  goodness  is  meant  tliat  essential 
property  of  iiis  nature  which  he  had  in 
himself  from  eternity,  before  any  crea- 
tures were  formed,  and  without  regard  to 
creatures.  His  relative  goodness  is  that 
perfection  exercised  towards  his  crea- 
tures ;  it  is  his  generous  disposition  to  'do 
them  good,  and  make  them  happy.  Both 
are  included  in  that  Scripture  (Psalm  cxix. 
68,)  Thou  art  good — and  doest  good.  God 
is  infinitely,  eternally,  unchangeably  good 
in  himself;  so  that  it  may  be  truly  said, 
There  is  none  good  but  one,  that  is  God, 
(Mark  x.  18 :)  none  good  in  comparison  of 
him ;  none  good  originally,  absolutely,  per- 
fectly, immutably,  like  him.  But  it  is  his 
goodness  as  imparted,  as  communicating 
good  to  his  various  and  innumerable  crea- 
tures, which  we  are  now  to  contemplate. 
For  this  purpose  he  made  the  world,  and 
placed  therein  a  variety  of  creatures,  which 
might  be  capable  of  receiving  his  goodness 
in  a  variety  of  ways,  according  to  the  dis- 
tinct capacities  of  their  several  natures ; 
but  especially  man,  a  rational  creature, 
capable  of  knowing  his  benefactor,  and  of 
glorifying  him  for  his  bounty.  It  is  the 
goodness  of  God  to  man,  chiefly,  that  we 
shall  now  consider. 

1.  Observe  then  in  the  first  place,  the 
goodness  of  God  to  man  in  the  formation 
of  his  body,  in  the  powers  of  his  mind,  and 
in  that  state  of  holiness  and  happiness 
wherein  he  was  originally  placed. 

The  human  body  is  indeed  "fearfully 
and  wonderfully  made ;"  it  cannot  be  sur- 
veyed without  astonishment ;  every  limb, 
every    sense,    every  faculty,    bears    the 
clearest  marks  of    the  beneficent   hand 
which  produced  it !     The   outward  form 
of  man  is  evidently  far  superior  to  that  of 
the  brutes.     The  delicacy  of  his  composi- 
tion, his  erect  posture,  his  beautiful  coun- 
tenance, his  capacities  of   action  and  of  i 
enjoyment,  give  him  a  vast  pre-eminence  i 
above  all  other  creatures  on  earth ;    his  | 
supremacy  over  them,  is  admitted  almost 
by  them  all — so  that  with  little  difficulty  i 
they  are  brought  to  spend  their  lives  in 
his  service.  | 

But  it  is  in  the  powers  of  his  mind  ; — 
in  his  possession  of  a  thinking,  reasoning, 
immortal  principle,  that  we  perceive  his  \ 
chief  superiority.  The  brutes  have  some  ' 
advantages  above  us,  in  their  speed  and  in 
the  quickness  of  tlioir  senses;  but  "the 
nispiration  of  tlie  Almighty  has  given  us; 


understanding,  and  taught  us  more  than 
the  beasts  of  the  field."  Every  one  who 
reflects  on  his  own  powers,  his  perception, 
his  imagination,  his  judgment,  his  memory, 
must  be  sensible  of  their  high  value. 
These  are  sources  of  unspeakable  enjoy- 
ment, usefulness,  and  happiness ;  affording 
a  gratification,  always  at  hand,  and  in- 
finitely superior  to  the  grosser  pleasures 
of  sense,  which  are  often  dearly  pur- 
chased, which  soon  cloy,  and,  if  irregular- 
ly indulged,  are  sure  to  destroy  us.  It  is 
a  wonderful  privilege  granted  to  man,  that 
he  is  capable  of  knowing  his  God ;  and, 
while  all  other  creatures  are  merely 
passive  subjects  of  his  goodness,  man  can 
reflect  upon  the  bounty  of  his  Maker — 
can  "  taste  and  see  that  he  is  good,  and 
give  to  him  the  glory  due  to  his  name. 
God  has  also  made  us  immortal.  Other 
creatures  have  but  scanty  sources  of  plea- 
sure ;  they  enjoy  them  but  for  a  short  sea- 
son ;  they  die  and  perish  :  but  man  is  born 
to  live  for  ever.  He  is  to  be  the  inhabit- 
ant of  another  world  ;  his  days  are  to  run 
parallel  with  those  of  God  himself;  and, 
if  saved  by  grace,  his  happiness  will  be 
inconceivably  great,  and  never,  never 
terminate. 

Look  back  also,  and  reflect  on  the  good- 
ness of  God  to  man  in  his  original  state. 
He  made  man  "  in  his  own  likeness,  in  his 
own  image,"  that  is,  in  the  image  of  his 
own  wisdom,  purity,  and  holiness,  by 
which  he  was  qualified  to  glorify  his 
Maker  on  earth,  and  to  enjoy  superior 
bliss  in  his  immediate  presence  in  a  fiiture 
state.  Surely  the  goodness  of  God  was 
wonderfully  displayed  in  the  formation  of 
man  !  Indeed,  the  Creator  himself,  survey- 
ing all  his  wonderful  and  excellent  works, 
and  especially  man,  the  master,  and  the 
master-piece  of  them  all,  pronounced  the 
whole  to  be  "  good" — to  be  "  very  good  !" 

2.  Consider  also,  the  ample  provision 
made  for  the  comfort  of  man.  The  world 
was  made  for  him.  "  The  earth  hath  he 
given  to  the  children  of  men."  As  man 
was  made  for  the  honor  of  God,  so  the 
world  was  made  for  the  support  and  de- 
light of  man,  in  order  to  his  due  perform- 
ance of  his  service  to  God.  The  sun  and 
the  moon  were  ordained  to  give  liim  light ; 
the  grass  is  a  beautiful  carpet  spread  for 
his  feet ;  the  heavens  are  a  splendid  can- 
opy stretched  over  his  head  ;  the  trees 
afford  him  delicious  food ;  the  earth  pro- 
duces wholesome  grain  ;  the  beasts  of  the 
field,  the  birds  of  the  air,  and  the  fishes 
of  the  sea,  furnish  his  table,  in  immense 
variety,  with  pleasant  and  nourishing  food. 
His  garments,  whether  for  necessity  or 


SERMON  LXXIV. 


347 


ornament,  are  borrowed  from  the  innocent 
sheep,  the  silk-woi'm,  and  the  cotton-tree  ; 
the  sturdy  ox,  and  the  generous  horse, 
contribute  their  hhot  to  lessen  his  toil,  and 
enable  him,  with  comparative  ease,  to  cul- 
tivate the  earth,  and  perform  his  journeys. 
The  diversified  beauties  of  nature, — the 
hills,  the  dales,  the  rocks,  and  rivers,  and 
seas,  delight  his  organs  of  vision;  the 
songsters  of  the  grove  ravish  his  ears  with 
their  musical  notes,  and  the  flowers  of  the 
garden  regale  his  nostrils  with  their  fra- 
grant odors.  "  Lord !  what  is  man,  that 
thou  art  mindful  of  him  !"  "  O  that  men 
"»'ould  praise  the  Lord  for  his  goodness, 
and  for  his  wonderful  works  to  the  chil- 
dren of  men  !•" 

3.  The  goodness  of  God  to  man  was 
discovered  in  placing  him  in  so  agreeable 
a  state  originally,  and  in  giving  him  so 
holy  and  goTxl  a  law.  The  commandment 
which  he  gave  him,  was  not  grievous.  No 
more  was  required  of  him,  than  what  was 
written  on  his  heart,  and  which  he  had 
full  power  to  perform.  Obedience  was 
easy  and  pleasant  to  him  ;  it  was  the  con- 
dition on  which  his  own  happiness  and 
that  of  all  his  posterity,  depended;  and 
the  threatening  of  death  annexed,  was  a 
further  instance  of  the  goodness  of  God  ; 
because  it  was  calculated  to  preserve  him 
in  his  integrity,  by  the  fear  of  ruin  to  him- 
self and  all  his  race. 

4.  The  goodness  of  God  is  apparent  in 
preserving  the  order  of  the  universe,  for 
the  welfare  of  man.  He  who  first  made, 
still  "  upholds  all  things."  The  heavenly 
bodies  perform,  with  the  most  astonishing 
punctuality,  their  appointed  revolutions, 
any  irregularity  in  which  order  might  be 
fatal  to  the  earth  and  to  man ;  and  a  regu- 
lar succession  of  the  seasons  is  secured 
by  the  promise  and  providence  of  God. 
Hence  we  have  "summer  and  winter, 
seed-time  and  harvest."  "  He  visiteth  the 
earth,  and  watereth  it ;  he  prepares  the 
corn  when  he  hath  so  provided  for  it ;  he 
blesseth  the  springing  of  the  earth ;  he 
crovvneth  the  year  with  his  goodness,  and 
his  paths  drop  fatness ;  the  little  hills  re- 
joice on  every  side ;  the  pastures  are 
clothed  with  flocks ;  the  valleys  also  are 
covered  over  with  corn;  they  shout  for 
joy,  they  alsq  sing."  Even  the  inferior 
creatures  are.  the  objects  of  his  care. 
"The  young  lions  roar,  and  seek  their 
meat  from  God."  All  animals  "  wait  upon 
him,  that  he  may  give  them  their  meat  in 
due  season;  that  which  he  giveth  them 
they  gather ;  he  openeth  his  hand,  and 
they  are  filled  with  good."     In  a  word, 


"  the  earth  is  full  of  the  goodness  of  the 
Ix)rd." 

5.  To  the  same  cause  we  must  thank- 
fully ascribe  our  defence  against  innumer- 
able evils  and  dangers,  seen  and  unseen. 
"  O  Lord,  thou  preservest  man  and  beast !" 
Our  greatest  danger  is  from  invisible  ene- 
mies. What  would  evil  spirits  effect, 
were  they  permitted  ?  Satan  "  goeth  about 
like  a  roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he  may 
devour ;"  we  are  therefore  taught  to  pray, 
"  deliver  us  from  evil,"  or  rather,  "  from 
the  evil  one."  The  malice  of  evil  spirits 
is  plain  from  the  case  of  Job,  whose  char- 
acter, property,  family,  health,  and  life, 
were  assailed  by  him  ;  and  whose  security, 
Satan  himself  ascribes  to  the  Almighty,  in 
those  remarkable  words,  "  Hast  thou  not 
made  a  hedge  about  him,  and  about  all 
that  he  hath?"  The  goodness  of  "God  is 
our  shield  and  our  defence. 

Our  security  from  wicked  men  is  like- 
wise from  him.  We  too  often  see  what 
wicked  men  would  do,  if  they  w^ere  per- 
mitted ;  but  he  sets  bounds  to  their  raging 
and  cruel  passions,  as  well  as  to  the  stormy 
billows  of  the  ocean.  "  He  stilleth  the 
noise  of  the  waves,  and  the  tumult  of  the 
people."  Without  this  restraint,  how 
would  murders,  adulteries,  robberies,  per- 
juries, and  oppressions,  prevail  in  the 
world  !  Men  would  become,  as  the  prophet 
speaks,  "  like  the  fishes  of  the  sea,"  de- 
stroyers of  each  other, — "  like  the  creep- 
ing things,  which  have  no  rule  over  them." 
And  this  should  make  us  thankful  for  the 
wholesome  laws,  and  the  just  government,C* 
of  the  country  in  which  we  live.  It  is  by 
the  instrumentality  of  the  magistrate,  that 
the  peace  and  order  of  society  are  pre- 
served :  without  this  there  would  be  no 
safety  to  our  persons  or  property, — the 
world  would  be  like  a  howling  wilderness, 
infested  by  lions,  and  tigers,  and  serpents : 
but  the  "  shields  of  the  earth  belong  to 
God" — they  are  the  effects  and  instru- 
ments of  his  goodness,  and  let  tliis  be 
acknowledged  with  gratitude  by  every 
man,  "  sitting  under  his  vine  and  his  fig- 
tree,  without  fear." 

Let  us,  in  like  manner,  ascribe  to  his 
goodness,  that  social  order  and  good  be- 
havior, which  generally  prevail  in  this  and 
in  other  civilized  countries,  and  which  con- 
tribute so  much  to  the  comfort  of  life.  There 
aresoiiicfainttracosoftlie  moral  law,  upon 
the  hearts  of  men,  in  general :  alid  we 
owe  still  more  to  the  common  influence 
of  Christian  truth,  Christian  worship,  and 
Christian  example,  upon  multitudes  of  per- 
sons who,  it  may  be  feared,  are  not  real 


348 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


and  serious  Christians.  But,  considering- 
man  as  a  fallen  creature,  we  ought  to  be 
thankful  that  the  state  of  things  is  no 
worse  than  it  is,  and  ascribe  to  his  good- 
ness whatever  is  moral,  decent,  peaceable, 
and  commendable  among  men : — the  kind- 
ness of  parents,  the  dutifulness  of  chil- 
dren, the  submission  of  servants,  the  fidelity 
of  husbands  and  wives,  the  obedience  of 
citizens,  and  tlie  justice  of  magistrates,  all 
are  the  eflects  of  divine  goodness. 

Our  daily  exemption  from  surrounding 
evils  is  also  the  fruit  of  divine  goodness. 
The  "  eartli  was  cursed  for  man's  sake ;" 
and  Sin  opened  the  flood-gates  of  Misery. 
That  we  are  preserved,  so  generally  as  we 
are,  and  for  many  years  together,  from 
painful,  lothesome,  and  dangerous  diseases ; 
from  storms  and  tempests,  lightning,  earth- 
quakes, and  inundations,  should  be  the 
theme  of  our  daily  praise.  Nor  should 
we  lose  sight  of  those  seasonable  allevia- 
tions, which  are  afforded  to  the  afiiicted.  The 
arts  of  medicine  and  surgery,  the  provision 
of  soothing  and  healing  remedies,  the  hos- 
pitals, infirmaries,  and  dispensaries,  which 
abound  in  our  land,  (and  which  are  some 
of  its  most  beautiful  ornaments)  the  relief 
provided  by  our  humane  laws,  so  superior 
to  the  precarious  charity  of  other  coun- 
tries ;  and  the  innumerable  societies  estab- 
lished among  us,  for  the  instruction  of  poor 
children,  the  visitation  of  the  sick,  the  care 
of  the  insane,  the  blind,  the  deaf  and  dumb, 
and  other  benevolent  purposes;  all  these 
benefits,  through  whatever  channel  they 
flow,  must  be  traced  to  their  original 
source,  and  that  source  is  the  goodness  of 
God. 

6.  To  form  a  just  estimate  of  the  divine 
bounty,  let  it  be  remembered,  that  it  is  be- 
stowed upon  unworthy  and  sinful  crea- 
tures. God,  who  is  infinitely  holy,  and 
who  hates  sin  with  a  perfect  hatred, 
might  justly  withdraw  from  his  rebellious 
creatures  all  the  tokens  of  his  favor.  This 
is,  in  fact,  "the  manner  of  men."  Men 
are  used  to  feed  their  prisoners  with  "  the 
bread  of  affliction,  and  the  water  of  afflic- 
tion ;"  and,  "  if  a  man  find  his  enemy,  will 
he  let  him  go  well  away!" — buttlie  great 
and  blessed  God  treats  his  bitterest  enemies 
with  kindness;  and  the  generous  conduct 
which  he  recommends  to  us,  is  no  other 
than  that  which  is  constantly  observed  by 
himself — "  If  thine  enemy  hunger,  feed 
him ;  if  he  thirst,  give  him  drink ;  for  in 
so  doing,  thou  shalt  heap  coals  of  fire  on 
his  liead  :"  it  is  thus  that  he  melts  down 
his  obdurate  foes,  and  subdues  them  with 
the  arras  of  love.  ■  Those,  therefore,  who 
have    entertained   a  just  view  of  them- 


selves as  guilty  sinners,  have  expressed 
their  admiration  of  the'  divine  bounty  in 
tlie  strongest  terms.  Thus  Jacob,  when 
surveying  the  interpositions  of  Providence 
in  his  favor,  exclaims,  '•  I  am  less  than  the 
least  of  all  thy  mercies  !"  and  David,  re- 
flecting on  the  beneficence  of  Heaven,  in 
raising  him  to  a  crown,  cries,  "  Who  am  I, 
O  Lord  God,  that  thou  shouldest  bring  me 
hitherto !" 

Thus  we  have  taken  a  slight  view  of 
the  goodness  of  God  to  man,  in  his  original 
formation  ; — in  the  powers  of  his  body  and 
mind ;  in  the  ample  provision  made  tor  his 
support  and  comfort;  in  the  preservation 
of  the  world  ;  his  deliverance  from  innu- 
merable evils, — and  his  enjoyment  of  innu- 
merable blessings.  All  these  are  great, 
unspeakably  great;  but  there  is  yet  an- 
other display  of  his  goodness  which  e.x- 
ceeds  any  one  of  these ;  which  exceeds 
them  all  put  together ;  which  exceeds  all 
the  powers  of  language,  all  the  stretch  of 
conception — it  is  the  redemption^  of  the 
world  by  Jesus  Christ — concerning  this  it 
is  said — said  by  the  lips  of  the  Redeemer 
himself — "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he 
gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life."  "There  is 
more  of  his  bounty,"  says  an  eminent  wri- 
ter, "  expressed  in  that  one  sentence,  than 
there  is  in  the  whole  volume  of  the  world. 
It  is  an  incomprehensible  word — So:  a 
word  that  all  the  angels  of  heaven  cannot 
analyze.  Few  comment  upon,  or  under- 
stand the  dimensions  of  this  so.  In  crea- 
tion, he  formed  an  innocent  creature  of  tlie 
dust  of  the  ground  ;  in  redemption,  he  re- 
stores a  rebellious  creature  by  the  blood  of 
his  Son.  It  is  greater  than  the  goodness 
manifested  in  creation,  in  regard  of  the 
difficulty  of  efliecting  it;  in  regard  of  its 
immense  cost ;  in  regard  of  man's  desert 
of  the  contrary ;  it  was  greater  goodness 
than  was  shown  to  the  angels  who  stood, 
— greater  than  was  granted  to  the  angels 
who  fell."  But  as  this  must  be  the  subject 
of  a  future  discourse,  we  shall  not  now  en- 
large upon  it.  For  the  present,  let  us  en- 
deavor to  make  some  practical  use  of  the 
doctrine  of  divine  goodness. 

1.  Let  God  be  praised  for  his  goodness. 
This  is  the  pepper-corn  of  acknowledg- 
ment, which  he  demands,  and  expects  of 
us;  and  how  frequently  does  the  writer  of 
the  lOTtli  Psalm,  in  which  the  displays  of 
divine  bounty  are  enumerated,  exclaim, 
"  O  that  men  would  praise  the  Lord  for 
his  goodness  !"  Alas  !  that  ungrateful 
man  should  need  to  be  repeatedly  urged  to 
this  reasonable  and  pleasant  duty  ! 


SERMON  LXXIV. 


349 


Let  us  not  be  satisfied  with  a  general 
view  of  the  goodness  of  God.  Let  every 
one  of  us  review  tlie  blessings  of  God  to 
him  in  ])articular.  "  Bless  the  Lord,  O  nuj 
soul,  and  all  that  is  within  me,  bless  his 
holy  name  !  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul, 
and  forget  not  all  his  benefits;  who  forgiv- 
eth  all  thine  iniquities ;  who  liealeth  all 
thi/  diseases  :  who  redeerneth  thy  life  from 
destruction,  who  crowneth  thee  witli  lov- 
ing-kindness and  tender  mercies."  Let 
each  record  his  own  history,  and  trace  the 
slreaiiisof  mercy  in  his  intimcy,  childhood, 
and  youth :  in  the  tender  cares  of  parents, 
now  perhaps  numbered  with  the  dead  ; 
in  the  advantages  of  early  education,  and 
salutary  restraint;  in  preservation  from 
the  disorders  of  infancy  ;  in  deliverance 
from  some  threatening  danger.  How  many 
thousand  times  has  thy  table  been  spread 
with  the  good  creatures  of  God  !  how 
many  refreshing  and  comfortable  meals 
hast  thou  enjoyed  !  how  many  thousand 
nights  of  safe  and  comfortable  repose  !  how 
often  has  he  restored  thee  from  pain  and 
sickness  !  what  favorable  turns  took  place 
in  thy  affairs !  but  time  would  fail  to  enu- 
merate all  his  benefits :  O  forget  not  all  his 
benefits ! 

2.  If  such  be  the  goodness  of  God,  how 
base  is  the  ingratitude  of  man !  so  God 
himself  complains.  "  The  ox  knoweth  his 
owner,  and  the  ass  his  master's  crib ;  but 
Israel  doth  not  know,  my  people  doth  not 
consider."  The  goodness  of  God  is  aw- 
fully abused  by  sinners.  The  goodness  of 
God  should  excite  the  love  of  our  hearts, 
and  secure  the  obedience  of  our  lives;  but 
how  is  it  perverted  by  sin !  how  is  it 
abused  to  tiic  purposes  of  luxury,  of  lewd- 
ness, of  intemperance,  of  sabbath-breaking ! 
How  do  men,  like  Jeshurun  of  old,  wax 
fat,  and  kick  against  God ;  and  thus,  the 
bounties  of  Providence  are  turned  into 
weapons  of  rebellion  against  their  Giver, 
and  instruments  of  destruction  to  them- 
selves. "Do  ye  tiius  requite  the  Lord?" 
Is  it  thus,  that  "  thou  despiscst  the  riches 
of  his  goodness,  not  knowing  that  the 
goodness  of  God  leadeth  thee  to  repent- 
ance !"  But  this  cannot  be  done  with  im- 
punity. God  observes  with  a  severe  eye, 
and  he  will  revenge  with  a  heavy  arm,  the 
abuses  of  his  kindness. 

3.  On  the  contrary,  Le<  the  goodness  of 
(lOiI  attract  oar  htarls,  and  engage  tiiem 
to  adore,  love,  obey,  and  trust  in  him. 
1  low  great  is  his  goodness !  how  great 
is  his  beauty  !  He  is  infinitely  worthy  to 
be  su|)remely  loved.  Among  men,  the  shad- 
ow of  iiis  goodness  excites  our  esteem,  and 
''  for  a  good  man,  possibly  some  would  even 


dare  to  die."  But  the  supreme  Good  de- 
mands our  supreme  regard.  Let  his  name 
be  adored  ; — let  his  worship  be  our  delight ; 
— let  his  praise  be  our  employ ; — let  his 
commandments  be  our  rule ; — let  his  good- 
ness encourage  us  to  pray; — let  his  good- 
ness invite  us  to  trust  in  him,  for  "  the 
Lord  is  good,  he  is  a  strong-hold  in  the 
day  of  trouble."  He  who  gave  us  Christ, 
will  withhold  no  good  thing  from  them 
that  love  him.  "  O  taste  and  see  that  the 
Lord  is  good  !  blessed  is  the  man  that 
trusteth  in  him."  "  O  praise  the  Lord,  for 
he  is  good ;  sing  praises  unto  his  name,  for 
it  is  pleasant !" 

4.  Let  us  i?nitate  him.  Let  us  en- 
deavor,, in  our  humble  measure,  to  resem- 
ble God  in  the  goodness  of  his  disposition, 
and  to  imitate  him  in  acts  of  kindness  to 
our  fellow-men.  Sufficient  objects  will 
ever  surround  us  :  "  the  poor  ye  have  al- 
ways with  you,  and  whensoever  ye  will  ye 
may  do  them  good."  "  To  do  good,  then, 
and  to  communicate,  foi'get  not,  for  with 
such  sacrifices  God  is  well  pleased."  For 
this  purpose  divine  providence  permits  an 
inequality  among  men ;  some  have  too  lit- 
tle ;  others  have  somewhat  to  spare ;  and 
it  is  a  high  privilege  conferred  upon  any, 
that  they  are  able  and  willing  to  help  their 
neighbors.  We  ought  to  remember  the 
saying  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  "It  is  more 
blessed  to  give  than  to  receive :"  and  it  is 
God-like  to  imitate  our  Savior,  who  "  went 
about  doing  good."  Nor  let  our  favors  be 
confined  to  the  deserving.  Our  Lord's  di- 
rection is  this :  "  Bless  them  that  curse 
you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you^  and 
pray  for  them  which  despitefully  use  you 
and  persecute  you,  that  ye  may  be  the  (fliil- 
dren  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven : 
for  he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil, 
and  on  the  good ;  and  sendeth  rain  on  the 
just  and  on  the  unjust."  "  Let  us,  there- 
fore, as  we  have  opportunity,  do  good  unto 
all  men,  especially  unto  them  wiio  are  of 
the  household  of  faith." 

Finally.  Look  forward  to  the  heavenly 
world,  when  the  goodness  of  God  will  be 
fully  displayed,  and  perfectly  enjoyed. 
Here,  we  taste  that  the  Lord  is  good ;  but 
it  is  only  a  taste, — the  feast  is  reserved  for 
the  future  and  eternal  state;  and  if  the 
foretaste  of  his  goodness  on  earth  be  so 
sweet,  what  will  the  complete  fruition  of 
it  be  ?  If,  even  now,  the  believer's  peace 
be  a  "  peace  passing  all  understanding ;" 
if  the  believer's  joy  be  a  "joy  unspeakable 
and  fiill  of  glory."  what  may  he  expected 
in  tliat  better  world,  where  "  God  himself 
shall  dwell  with  his  people,  and  be  their 
God  !"  When  "  God  shall  wipe  away  all 
30 


350 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


tears  from  their  eyes ;  and  there  shall  be 
no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying, 
neitlier  shall  there  be  any  more  pain."  Re- 
joice, then,  in  hope  of  this  glory  of  God ; 
for  "  in  his  presence  there  is  fullness  of 
joy, — at  his  right  hand  there  are  pleasures 
for  evermore !" 


PRAYER.— O  God!  thou  art  good:  lliere  is 
noiio  good  but  ihee ;  ibr  thou  only  art  infinitely, 
originally,  perfectly,  immutably  good.  Thou  art 
good,  and  doesl  good,-  Heaven  and  earth  are  full 
of  lliy  goodness.  Man,  especially,  largely  par- 
takes of  thy  kindness, — in  his  original  formation, 
in  the  powers  of  his  body  and  mind,  in  the  ample 
provision  made  for  his  support  and  comfort,  in  his 
deliverance  from  innumerable  evils,  and  his  en- 
joyment of  innumerai)le  blessings.  Above  all, 
thy  goodness  is  displayed  in  the  gift  of  thy  dear 
Son,  and  in  our  redemption  through  his  blood. 
O  that  men  would  praise  the  Lord  for  his  good- 
ness, and  for  his  wonderful  works  to  the  children 
of  rnen  !  O  God,  we  desire  to  feel  our  hearts  at- 
tracted by  thy  love,  and  effectually  drawn  to 
adore,  love,  obey,  and  trust  in  thee,  through  Je- 
sus Christ.  And  O  that,  having  tasted  of  thy 
goodness  to  us,  we  may  imitate  it  in  our  conduct 
to  others.  May  we  do  good  to  all,  even  to  our 
enemies ;  and,  above  all,  to  the  household  of 
fliith :  so  shall  we  prove  ourselves  to  be  the  chil- 
dren of  thee,  our  Father  who  art  in  Heaven ;  so 
shall  we  hope  fully  and  for  ever  to  feast  upon  thy 
goodness  in  glory.  Grant  this,  O  Lord,  we  be- 
seech thee,  for  the  Redeemer's  sake.    Amen. 


SERMON  LXXV. 

THE  MERCY  OF  GOD. 

Psalm  l.xii.  13.    Also  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  belongeth 
Mercy. 

In  our  meditations  on  the  divine  perfec- 
tions, we  proposed  to  take  a  distinct  view 
of  the  goodness,  the  mercy,  and  the  love 
of  God  ;  for  though  they  are  sometimes 
taken  for  each  other,  and,  in  some  measure, 
included  in  each  other,  yet  a  separate  con- 
sideration of  them  may  be  useful ;  espe- 
cially as  God's  goodness  relates  to  his 
creatures  in  general,  and  as  creatures. 
Mercy  relates  to  those  only  of  his  crea- 
tures which  are  sinful,  and  therefore  mis- 
erable ;  and  his  love  signifies  the  delight 
and  complacency  of  his  heart,  in  the  spe- 
cial objects  of  his  choice.  We  have  al- 
ready spoken  of  the  divine  goodness ;  let 
his  mercy  be  the  subject  of  our  present 
discourse;  and  may  we  entertain  such  a 
view  of  this  pleasing  perfection,  that  we 
may  learn  to  "  hope  in  his  mercy,"  and  to 
"  glorify  him  for  his  mercy."  That  which 
we  shall  now  endeavor  to  prove  and  illus- 
trate is,  that 

Mercy  to  miserable  sinners  is  a  distin- 
guishing attribute  of  the  blessed  God. 


Mercy,  among  men,  is  a  soft  and  tender 
affection,  arising  in  the  mind  on  the  view 
of  human  misery,  accompanied  by  a  desire 
to  afford  relief;  and  though  we  ought  not 
to  ascribe  to  God  any  painful  feelings,  any 
passion  or  agitation,  grief  or  trouble,  such 
as  we  feel,  yet  we  may  consider  mercy  in 
God  as  his  disposition  and  readiness  to  re- 
lieve his  miserable  creatures.  Our  text 
asserts,  that  Mercy  "  belongeth  to  him,"  or 
is  "  within  him ;"  that  is,  it  belongs  to  his 
nature ;  it  is  inseparable  from  him ;  it  be- 
longs to  him  more  than  to  any  other  be- 
ing ;  so  that  nothing  in  his  creatures  de- 
serves the  name,  compared  with  his  mer- 
cy; for  he  is  "the  Father  of  mercies," 
and  "he  delighteth  in  mercy;"  it  is  his 
glory, — for  when  Moses  (as  mentioned  in 
a  former  discourse)  desired  to  see  his  glory, 
he  gratified  him  by  proclaiming  his  names 
and  titles,  the  first  of  which  was  "  the  Lord 
God,  merciful  and  gracious — keeping 
mercy  for  thousands ;"  and  this  forms  the 
chief  ground  of  confidence  and  trust  in 
him,  as  appears  from  this  psalm.  David 
had  found,  by  experience,  that  confidence 
could  not  safely  be  reposed  in  man :  but 
finding  that  God  was  possessed  of  almighty 
power,  and  also  of  infinite  mercy,  he  de- 
clares his  resolution  to  trust  in  him  alone. 

As  mercy  relates  to  misery,  we  must 
necessarily  consider  the  mercy  of  God  as 
extended  to  miserable  man — to  man  in  his 
fallen,  sinful,  helpless  state,  as  a  sinner ; 
for,  as  "  the  whole  need  not  the  physician, 
but  they  who  are  sick,"  so  none  will  seek 
or  prize  the  mercy  of  God,  but  those  who, 
in  truth,  feel,  and  confess  themselves  to  be 
"  miserable  sinners."  The  Scriptures  uni- 
formly represent  man  as  a  depraved  crea- 
ture, having  lost  that  original  rectitude  in 
which  he  was  created.  He  is  now  so  de- 
praved,,  so  "  very  fiir  gone  from  original 
righteousness,  that  he  is  of  his  own  nature 
inclined  to  evil."  He  is  also  actually 
guilty :  charged  with  innumerable  offences 
against  God's  holy  law,  in  thought,  word, 
and  deed ;  "  for  what  the  law  saith,  it  saith 
to  them  that  are  under  the  law,  that  every 
mouth  may  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world 
become  guilty  before  God."  Rom.  iii.  In 
this  state,  man  must  needs  be  miserable ; 
for  he  is  exposed  to  the  righteous  anger 
of  an  offended  God ;  "  the  wages  of  sin  is 
death;"  and  it  is,  indeed,  "a  fearful  thing 
to  fall  into  the  hand  of  the  living  God." 
This  is  the  real  condition  of  every  man, 
whether  he  be  sensible  of  it  or  not.  If  he 
be  not  sensible  of  it,  his  case  is  so  much 
the  worse  ;  his  danger  is  increased  by  liis 
ignorance  of  it,  for  of  course  he  will. not 
seek  for  mercy  :  if  it  be  known,  then  will 


SERMON  LXXV. 


351 


tlie  mercy  of  God  be  the  chief  desire  of 
his  soul,  and  his  sincere  prayer  will  be, 
"God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner  !" 

That  "  mercy  belongeth  unto  God,"  is 
the  only  trutii  that  can  support  and  cheer 
the  real  penitent.  Tliis  is  the  relief  of 
which  the  prophet  speaks  (Ps.  cxxx.  1 — 3,) 
wiicre  the  deep  distress  of  some  convinced 
sinners  is  thus  described :  "  Out  of  the 
depths  have  I  cried  unto  thee,  O  Lord.  If 
thou,  Ijord,  shouldcst  mark  iniquities,  O 
Lord,  who  shall  stand  !  but  there  is  forgive- 
ness with  tlice,  that  thou  mayest  be  feared : 
let  Israel  hope  in  the  Lord ;  for  with  the 
Lord  there  is  mercy,  and  with  him  is  plen- 
teous redemption." 

It  seems  to  be  a  principal  design  of  the 
word  of  God,  and  especially  of  the  Gospel 
of  Christ,  to  satisfy  the  penitent  soul,  that 
"  mercy  belongeth  unto  God."  Without 
these  gracious  assurances,  the  self-con- 
demned sinner  would  be  ready  to  despair ; 
for  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  those  w^ho 
have  just  views  of  the  holiness  and  justice 
of  God,  and  of  the  extent  and  aggravations 
of  their  own  sins,  to  fear  that  their  ini- 
quities are  too  great  to  be  pardoned,  and 
that  there  is  no  help  for  them  in  God.  The 
tempter  also,  who  "  goeth  about  seeking 
whom  he  may  devour,"  and  who  prevails 
upon  many  to  neglect  the  mercy  of  God, 
as  scarcely  needing  it,  frequently  suggests 
to  those  wh»  have  lately  become  religious, 
that  there  is  no  mercy  for  them.  But  the 
Gospel  provides  a  sufficient  antidote  against 
despair ;  assures  us  that  God  is  "  rich  in 
mercy  to  all  that  call  upon  him;"  that 
"  if  the  wicked  man  forsake  his  ways,  he 
will  have  mercy  upon  him ;  he  will  abun- 
dantly pardon." 

The  grandest,  the  most  affecting,  the 
most  satisfactory  evidence  of  the  divine 
mercy,  appears  in  the  person,  character, 
sufFeringi3,  and  death  of  the  Son  of  God  ; 
for  it  might  be  said,  How  can  God  he  just, 
if  he  be  merciful?  Is  he  not  infinitely 
lioly  ?  Does  he  not  hate  sin  most  intensely  ? 
Has  he  not  threatened  to  punish  it  with 
everlasting  death  J  And  is  he  not  true  to 
his  threatenings  1  How  then  can  the  honor 
of  his  justice  be  maintained,  if  mercy  be 
shown  to  the  guilty  sinner'!  This  objec- 
tion is  reasonable.  This  inquiry  is  im- 
portant. And  the  question  could  never 
iiave  been  resolved,  had  not  God  himself 
given  the  answer.  The  Gospel  now  in- 
forms us,  tliat  "  Mercy  and  Truth  meet  to- 
gether ;  Righteousness  and  Peace  embrace 
each  other."  "  The  mercy  of  God  is  now 
exercised  without  prejudice  to  his  justice, 
because  justice  received  full  satisfaction  in 
tjie  death  of  Christ,  the  sinner's  .surety ; 


so  that  there  is  justice  in  punishing  the 
sin,  and  mercy  in  relieving  the  sinner. 
The  sin  is  punished  by  justice,  in  the 
Surety,  and  pardoned  by  mercy,  in  the 
sinner  :  so  that  he  is  just  without  impairing 
the  honor  of  his  mercy,  and  merciful  with- 
out invading  the  rights  of  his  justice." 

This  shows  with  what  propriety  Jesus 
Christ  bears  the  name  of  "  Mercy  ;"  for 
when  Zacharias  praised  God  on  the  birth 
of  John,  the  harbinger  of  Christ,  he  cries, 
"  Blessed  be  God,  tor  he  hath  visited  and 
redeemed  his  people !  to  perform  the 
Mercy  promised  to  our  fathers."  Luke  i. 
72.  Christ  was  the  mercy  promised  from 
the  beginning ;  the  mercy  of  all  mercies, 
the  matchless,  the  invaluable,  tlie  unspeak- 
able mercy — the  greatest  and  the  best  that 
God  liimself  could  bestow  on  a  fallen 
world,  for  he  is  the  medium  of  all  divine 
communications  with  man ;  the  great,  the 
only  channel,  through  which  his  mercy 
flows  to  the  guilty  children  of  Adam. 

That  we  may  the  better  conceive  of  the 
nature  and  extent  of  the  divine  mercy,  let 
us  attend  to  some  of  its  properties. 

1.  It  is  free  and  sovereign.  Mercy,  in- 
deed, is  essential  to  his  nature,  and  insepa- 
rable from  it ;  we  cannot  conceive  of  God 
but  as  being  merciful ;  yet,  the  exercise 
of  his  mercy  is  free  and  sovereign;  it  is 
regulated  by  his  will  and  wisdom  ;  and  be- 
stowed in  such  a  way  as  is  consistent  with 
his  infinite  justice  and  holiness,  and  a  due 
regard  to  the  authority  of  his  law,  and  the 
honor  of  his  government.  Wherever  it  is 
bestowed,  it  is  freely  bestowed ;  none  can 
say  they  deserve  mercy.  Some  ignorantly 
talk  "of  making  themselves  worthy  of  the 
mercy  of  God,  by  their  repentance  and  re- 
formation !"  but  this  is  to  turn  mercy  into 
debt,  and  to  set  up  merit  is  to  destroy 
mercy.,  It  is  plain  that  all  sinners  do  not 
obtain  mercy ;  mflny  neglect  it ;  many 
live  and  die  wholly  careless  about  it,  their 
hearts  being  hardened  through  the  deceit- 
fulness  of  sin ;  if  any  therefore  obtain 
mercy,  it  is  from  God  who  gives  the  de- 
sire, inspires  the  prayer,  and  leads  the  pouI 
gladly  to  receive  it  through  the  hands  of 
the  Mediator.  Gotl  himself  declares  the 
sovereignty  of  his  mercy,  saying  to  Moses, 
"  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have 
mercy;  and  I  will  have  compassion  on 
whom  I  will  have  compassion :  so  then 
(St.  Paul  concludes)  it  is  not  of  him  that 
willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of 
God  that  showeth  mercy."  Rom.  ix.  15, 
16.  Indeed,  that  apostle  was  himself  a 
marvellous  instance  of  the  freedom  and 
sovereignty  of  divine  mercy,  which  he 
frankly  owns ;  for  "  I,"  says  he,  "  was  be- 


352 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


fore  a  blasphemer,  and  a  persecutor,  and 
unjurious ;  but  I  have  obtained  mercy." 
He  calls  himself  "  the  Chief  of  Sinners," 
but  he  was  one  of  those  "  vessels  of  mercy 
afore  prepared  unto  glory,"  in  wliich  God 
was  pleased  "  to  make  known  the  riches 
of  his  glory,"  that  is,  of  his  mercy :  and 
this  leads  us  to  observe, 

2.  That  it  is  rich,  and  exceedingly 
abundant.  It  is  worthy  of  the  infinite 
Being  who  bestows  it.  We  read  in  Scrip- 
ture of  "great  mercy," — "abundant  mer- 
cy,"— "  tender  mercy," — and — "  manifold 
mercies."  God  is  said  to  be — "  rich  in 
mercy," — "  plentegus  in  mercy," — and  "  to 
keep  mercy  for  thousands."  There  is  a 
fullness  of  mercy  in  God  that  is  inexhaust- 
ible ;  riches  of  mercy  that  cannot  be 
counted;  miiltitude  of  mercies  which  can- 
not be  numbered.  Who  can  number  the 
objects  of  mercy  1  Who  can  recount  the 
mercies  that  every  one  of  them  has  re- 
ceived ]  So  that  each  of  them  may  adopt 
the  pious  words  of  the  Psalmist,  "  Many, 
O  Lord  my  God,  are  the  wonderful  works 
which  thou  hast  done,  and  thy  thoughts 
which  are  to  us-ward :  they  cannot  be 
reckoned  up  in  order  unto  thee ;  if  I  would 
declare  and  speak  of  them,  they  are  more 
than  can  be  numbered."  Ps.  Ix.  5.  And 
if  such  be  the  amount  of  mercies  received 
"by  one  individual,  what  must  be  the  total 
sum  of  those  received  by  a  whole  world  ! 
This  has  been  the  anchor  of  hope  to  my- 
riads, who  must  else  have  perished  in  de- 
spair. This  encouraged  Moses  to  plead  in 
behalf  of  Israel,  when  their  destruction 
was  threatened  (Numb.  xiv.  17,)  "  And 
now,  I  beseech  thee,  let  the  power  of  my 
Lord  be  great,  according  as  thou  hast 
spoken,  saying.  The  Lord  is  long-suffering 
and  of  great  mercy,  &c. — Pardon,  I  be- 
seech thee,  the  iniquity  of  this  people,  ac- 
cording unto  the  greatness  of  thy  mercy  ; 
and  the  Lord  said,  I  have  pardoned  accord- 
ing to  thy  word."  In  like  manner,  encour- 
agement is  offered  to  the  almost  despairing 
penitent  (Ps.  cxxx.  7.)  "  Let  Israel  hope 
in  the  Lord :  for  with  the  Lord  there  is 
mercy,  and  with  him  is  plenteous  redemp- 
tion." 

3.  Let  us  add,  that  this  mercy  of  God  is 
effectual — eftectual  for  the  complete  re- 
lief, and  perfect  salvation  of  those  who 
obtain  it.  Mercy,  in  man,  is  often  ineffec- 
tual :  it  is  merely  pity  and  compassion ;  it 
looks,  and  sighs,  and  oflers  words  of  sym- 
pathy and  condolence,  or  pours  forth 
prayers  to  the  Father  of  mercies  ;  but  the 
case  is  too  aggravated,  the  object  is  too  far 
gone  to  admit  of  relief  from  human  hands: 
but  the  mercy  of  God  is  accompanied  with 


infinite  power;  and  there  can  be  no  per- 
plexity so  complicated,  no  danger  so  immi- 
nent, no  distress  so  deep,  in  which  his 
merciful  hand  cannot  afford  effectual  re- 
lief "  Give  us  help  from  trouble,  O  God, 
for  vain  is  the  help  of  man :"  "  thy  mercy 
is  great  above  the  heavens,  and  thy 
truth  reacheth  unto  the  clouds."  Ps. 
cviii.  4,  12. 

The  mercy  of  God  is  comprehensive — 
that  is,  it  includes,  or  is  connected  with, 
every  other  desirable  good.  The  soul  that 
requests  it  may  say,  "  O  satisfy  us  early 
with  thy  mercy ;  that  we  may  rejoice  and 
be  glad  all  our  days."  The  blessing  of 
pardoning  mercy  comes  not  alone:  it  is 
the  first  link  in  the  golden  chain  of  salva- 
tion ;  connected  with  all  the  rest,  and  in- 
suring to  the  happy  possessor,  grace  and 
glory';  for  no  good  thing  will  be  withholden 
from  the  objects  of  mercy.  "  He  that  spared 
not  hisown  Son,"  the  chief  mercy,  the  chan- 
nel of  all  other  mercies,  "  but  freely  gave 
him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with 
him  freely  give  us  all  things  !"  This  shows 
the  unspeakable  value  of  mercy ! 

5.  It  is  perpetual.  It  always  resides  in 
God ;  in  every  age  of  the  world  he  con- 
tinues to  display  it ;  and  wherever  it  is 
once  bestowed,  it  shall  never  be  with- 
drawn. In  a  psalm  of  praise,  much  used 
in  the  Jewish  church,  this  attribute  of  God 
is  peculiarly  celebrated,  and  the  perpetuity 
of  divine  mercy  is  repeatedly  declared. 
Twenty-six  times  in  that  Psalm  it  is  said, 
His  mercy  endureth  for  ever.  Ps.  cxxxvi. 
This  was  the  chorus  of  a  spiritual  song,  in 
which  the  various  blessings  of  creation 
and  Providence  are  recited,  on  account  of 
all  which  it  is  said,  "  O  give  thanks  unto 
the  Lord,  for  he  is  good,  for  his  mercy 
endureth  for  ever !" 

Indeed,  it  has  been  the  same  in  all  ages 
of  the  world.  All  men  have  needed  it, 
and  millions  have  obtained  it.  Adam, 
Noah,  Abraham,  Moses,  David,  and  all 
the  patriarchs  and  prophets ;  the  penitents 
to  whom  John  the  baptist  preached  ;  the 
apostles  and  disciples  of  our  Lord  ;  and 
all  believers  from  that  day  to  this — all 
have  sought,  obtained,  and  praised  God  for 
his  mercy.  How  richly  was  Mercy  dis- 
played in  and  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ! 
Himself  the  chief  Mercy ;  Mercy  was  in- 
carnate in  him.  It  was  Mercy  that 
brought  him  down  from  the  throne  of 
glory,  and  induced  him  to  dwell  in  a 
tabernacle  of  clay ;  it  was  Mercy  that  led 
him  to  become  a  poor,  despised  man,  and 
to  endure  the  contradiction  of  sinners 
against  himself;  it  was  mercy  that  nailed 
him  to  the  cross,  and  laid  him  in  the  tomb; 


SERMON  LXXV. 


353 


and  he  has  risen  tx)  the  throne  of  univer- 
sal empire,  with  his  lieart  as  full  as  ever 
of  mercy  to  sinful  man.  In  the  high 
office  he  sustains,  as  a  Priest  upon  his 
throne,  he  forgets  not  the  miseries  of  man : 
"  for  we  have  not  a  high  priest  who  can- 
not be  touched  with  the  feelings  of  our 
infirmities :"  he  wiio,  on  earth,  was  tempt- 
ed in  all  points  as  we  now  are,  still  retains 
a  sympathetic  heart ;  and  is  as  ready  to 
pity  and  relieve  the  poor  sufferer  as  when, 
himself  a  traveller  on  earth,  he  went  about 
doing  good,  exercising  compassion,  iii- 
Btructing  the  ignorant,  healing  the  sick, 
and  comforting  the  mourner.  Having 
therefore  such  a  higli  priest,  "  Let  us 
come  with  boldness  to  the  throne  of  grace, 
that  we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace 
to  help  in  time  of  need." 

And,  blessed  be  God,  this  mercy  once 
bestowed,  sliall  never  be  withdrawn.  "The 
gift  and  callings  of  God  are  without  re- 
pentance." Were  the  objects  of  mercy 
left  to  themselves,  to  the  deceitfulness  of 
sin,  and  to  the  wiles  of  the  tempter,  they 
would  soon  forfeit  every  blessing,  and 
wander  irrecoverably  from  God :  but  he 
who  had  mercy  "  because  he  would  have 
mercy,"  has  engaged,  by  covenant,  to  "  put 
his  fear  in  their  hearts,  tliat  they  may  not 
depart  from  him ;  they  shall  therefore  per- 
severe in  the  good  way  of  faith  and  holi- 
ness, "  looking  for  the  mercy  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life ;"  then  the 
final  manifestations,  fruits,  and  efl>3cts  of 
his  mercy  shall  appear,  when  a  complete 
period  shall  be  put  to  sin  and- sorrow,  and 
his  people  shall  enter  into  his  glory,  and 
sit  down  witii  him  on  his  throne.  Then, 
with  an  empiiasis  before  unknown,  tlae 
joyful  song  shall  be  shouted  by  myriads  of 
voices,  "  O  praise  the  Lord,  for  he  is  good, 
for  his  mercy  endurcth  for  ever !" 

And  now,  let  us  take  care  to  improve, 
to  practical  purposes,  this  encouraging 
attribute  of  the  divine  Being.  Docs  mercy 
belong  to  God  1  O  lei  us  take  care  to  seek 
it  in  time !  Do  we  not  need  it?  Are  we 
not  very  justly  styled,  "  Miserable  Sin- 
ners]" Only  "fools  make  a  mock  at 
sin."  All  thinking  and  serious  persons 
will,  readily  admit  that  they  are  sinners; 
and,  as  such,  that  they  need  mercy.  But 
are  our  hearts  affected  with  this  convic- 
tion 7 — deeply  affected  ? — durably  affected .' 
Some  slight  and  transient  thoughts  of 
needing  mercy,  most  men  have  at  times, 
especially  in  tlie  liour  of  affliction,  and 
in  the  apprehension  of  death;  hut  they 
soon  pass  off.  No  use  is  made  of  them. 
They  do  not  lead  to  fervent  prayer  for 
mercy ;  and  the  general  notions  that  some 
2V 


men  have  of  mercy  are  sadly  abused. 
They  take  encouragement  to  continue  in 
sin,  because  they  thuik  that  God  is  merci- 
ful, and  they  may  obtain  mercy  whenever 
they  please.  But  let  such  persons  know, 
that  this  presumption  is  exceedingly  dis- 
pleasing to  God.  As  he  is  mfinitely  mer- 
ciful to  penitent  sinners,  who  are  inclined 
to  forsake  their  sins,  so  he  is  infinitely  just 
to  take  vengeance  on  hard-hearted  and 
impenitent  transgressors,  who  presume 
upon  his  mercy.  He  hath  said  (Ps.  Ixviii. 
21,)  "God  shall  wound  the  head  of  his 
enemies,  and  the  hairy  scalp  of  such  a 
one  as  goeth  on  still  in  his  trespasses ;" 
and  again  he  hath  said  (Ps.  lix.  5,)  "  He 
will  not  be  merciful  to  any  wicked  trans- 
gressors." Again  he  saith  to  him  who 
cries  "  I  shall  have  peace,  though  I  walk 
in  the  imagination  of  my  heart — the  Lord 
will  not  spare  him,  but  the  anger  of  the 
Lord  shall  smoke  against  that  man."  Deut. 
xxix.  20.  Beware,  then,  of  abusmg  mer- 
cy ;  and  let  not  the  present  moment  be  neg- 
lected. To-morrow  may  be  too  late.  "  Now 
is  the  accepted  time.  To-day  if  ye  will 
hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts." 
Hereafter  the  door  will  be  shut,  and  many 
shall  seek  to  enter  in,  but  shall  not  be 
able.  When  God  had  shut  Noah  into  the 
ark,  there  was  no  refiige  for  the  drowning 
multitudes,  who  refused  his  calls  to  re- 
pentance. But  now  he  saith,  "  Let  the 
wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  tlie  unrighte- 
ous man  his  thoughts,  and  let  him  return 
unto  tlie  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy 
upon  him,  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will 
abundantly  pardon."  Isa.  Iv.  7.  Only  turn 
to  God  through  Christ,  and  beg  him  to 
help  you  to  do  it.  If  you  turn  to  the  Lord, 
he  will  have  mercy  upon  you.  It  is  his 
own  word.  "  Whoso  confessetli  and  for- 
saketh  his  sin,  shall  have  mercy."  Prov. 
xxviii.  13.  If  you  will  not  come  to 
Christ,  you  will  not,  cannot,  have  life ;  but 
coming  to  him,  "  you  shall  in  no  wise  be 
cast  out,"  but  obtain  mercy,  and  "the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  shall  cleanse  you 
from  all  sin." 

3Vfe  mercy  of  God  affords  great  en- 
couragement to  prayer.  In  the  temple  of 
Solomon  there  was  a  Mercy-seat — this  was 
the  cover  of  the  Ark,  sprinkled  with  tiie 
blood  of  atonement,  towards  which  all  wlio 
offered  up  their  petitions  at  the  hour  of 
prayer,  turned  their  faces.  Towards  this 
seat  of  mercy  the  penitent  Publican  looked 
(in  spirit  at  least)  when  he  presented  that 
humble  but  succe.-sful  petition,  "God  be 
mercifid  to  me  a  sinner  !"  We  too  have  a 
"  a  tlironc  of  grace,"  sprinkled  with  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb,  to  which  we  are  kindly 
30* 


354 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


invited  with  confidence  to  approach,  "  that 
we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to 
help  in  every  time  of  need."  A  persua- 
sion that  God  "is  rich  in  mercy"  to  all 
who  call  upon  him,  will  inspire  us  with 
holy  boldness.  This  will  fiirnish  us  with 
the  Psalmist's  plea,  "  Great  are  thy  tender 
mercies,  O  Lord,  quicken  me  according  to 
thy  judgments !"  Again,  he  pleads,  "  Deal 
well  with  thy  servant,  according  to  thy 
mercy ;"  or,  as  another  eminent  believer 
pleaded,  "  We  do  not  present  our  suppli- 
cations before  thee  for  our  righteousness, 
but  for  thy  great  mercies." 

Does  mercy  belong  to  God?  Then  let 
humble  believers  trust,  and  not  be  afraid. 
Think  highly,  think  largely  of  divine 
mercy.  "  He  will  abundantly  pardon." 
He  will  readily  pardon.  His  thoughts  are 
not  as  man's  contracted  thoughts — his  ways 
are  not  as  man's  limited  ways :  but  supe- 
rior, as  the  heavens  are  above  the  earth. 
Enlarge,  then,  your  views  of  the  mercy  of 
God.  Cherish  extended  thoughts  of  his 
goodness ;  and  say,  with  the  Psalmist,  "  I 
will  hope  in  thy  mercy ;"  "  I  trust  in  the 
mercy  of  the  Lord  for  ever ;"  and  this  will 
induce  you  to 

Thank  God  for  his  mercy.  Look  back 
and  consider  how  much  you  owe  to  mercy ! 
How  many  dangers  have  you  escaped  ! 
how  many  deliverances  experienced !  how 
many  benefits  received !  Reflect  on  his 
preventing  mercies ;  how  many  sins  were 
you  prevented  from  committing !  his  pro- 
viding mercies;  how  constantly  hath  he 
supplied  your  returning  wants !  his  restor- 
ing mercies,  recovering  you  from  the  very 
borders  of  the  grave  !  but,  above  all,  think 
of  his  pardoning  mercies .' — how  hath  he 
*'  multiplied  to  pardon"  your  renewed  and 
multiplied  transgressions !  O  then  "  praise 
tlie  Lord,  for  he  is  good,  for  his  mercy  en- 
dureth  for  ever !  let  the  redeemed  of  the 
Lord  (especially)  say  so,  and  add,  "  How 
precious  are  thy  thoughts  (of  mercy)  unto 
me,  O  God  !  how  great  is  the  sum  of  them  ; 
if  I  should  count  them,  they  are  more  than 
the  sand."  And  when  you  reflect  upon 
this  vast  profusion  of  mercies,  reflect  also 
on  your  total  un worthiness  of  them,  of  any 
of  them.  What  God  has  done  for  you,  was 
not  only  without  merit,  but  contrary  to  it. 
So  far  were  you  from  deserving  any  favor, 
that  you  deserved  his  anger;  he  might 
not  only  have  withheld  his  blessings,  but 
he  might  justly  have  punished  your  trans- 
gressions. Forget  not  then  to  make  some 
grateful  return  for  his  favors.  "  They  are 
new  every  morning."  Let  your  praises 
be  as  frequently  renewed.  Offer  tlie  sacri- 
fice of  thanksgiving,  and  in  the  s])irit  of 


the  patriarch  Jacob,  who  had  a  long  expe- 
rience of  the  divine  favor,  say,  "  I  am  les3 
than  the  least  of  all  thy  mercies !" 

Finally,  Let  us  imitate  divine  mercy. 
They  who  have  obtained  mercy,  should 
certainly  show  mercy.  Such  persons  can 
never  be  covetous,  hard-hearted,  cruel,  or 
oppressive.  Shall  he,  to  whom  ten  thou- 
sand talents  have  been  forgiven,  seize  his 
brother  by  the  throat  for  a  few  pence  1  It 
is  impossible.  If  you  forgive  not  men  their 
trespasses,  it  is  certain  that  you  are  not 
forgiven.  But,  on  the  contrary.  Christians, 
"  Put  ye  on,  as  the  elect  of  God,  holy  and 
beloved,  bowels  of  mercies,  kindness,  hum- 
bleness of  mind,  meekness,  long-suffering, 
forbearing  one  another,  and  forgiving  one 
another,  if  a  man  have  a  quarrel  against 
any.  Even  as  Christ  forgave  you,  so  also 
do  ye."  Such  is  the  scriptural  direction  to 
those  who  have  received  mercy ;  and  this 
will  be  the  best  evidence  of  having  re- 
ceived it ;  for  thus  said  he  who  will  be  our 
Judge,  "  Blessed  are  the  merciful,  for  they 
shall  obtain  mercy !" 


PRAYER.— Unto  thee,  O  Lord  our  God,  be- 
longeth  mercy ;  thou  art  the  Father  of  Mercies ; 
thou  keepest  mercy  for  thousands,  thou  dehght- 
est  in  mercy.  Therefore  are  we  encouraged  to 
come  to  the  throne  of  thy  grace,  to  obtain  mercy 
through  Jesus  Christ,  the  chief  mercy  promised 
to  the  fathers,  and  whom  thou  hast  set  forth  to 
be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood.  We 
greatly  rejoice,  that  in  Jesus  mercy  and  truth 
meet  together ;  thou  art  just,  without  impairing 
the  honor  of  thy  mercy,  and  merciful,  without 
invading  the  rights  of  thy  justice.  May  the  Holy 
and  blessed  Spirit  manifest  tons  the  riches  of  thy 
mercy,  in  its  sovereignty,  its  abundance,  its  effi- 
cacy, its  comprehensiveness,  and  in  its  perpetuity, 
for  thy  mercy  endureth  for  ever. 

O  that  sinners,  who  so  much  need  thy  mercy, 
may  be  sensible  of  their  need !  May  the  wicked 
forsake  his  way,  and  turn  to  the  Lord,  who  will 
have  mercy  upon  him;  even  to  thee,  O  God,  who 
wilt  abundantly  pardon.  And  may  we,  who 
have  obtained  mercy,  and  who  are  less  than  the 
least  of  all  thy  mercies,  abound  in  praise,  and 
offer  continually  the  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving, 
through  Jesus  Christ;  to  whom  with  the  Father 
and  Holy  Ghost  be  everlasting  praises.  Amen 


SERMON  LXXVI. 

THE  LOVE  OF  GOD. 
2  Cor.  xiii.  14.  And  the  Love  of  God  be  with  you  all. 

These  words  are  a  part  of  the  benedic- 
tion usually  pronoimced  at  the  close  of 
public  worship  in  Christian  congregations. 
They  are  the  words  of  St.  Paul,  in  the 
conclus  on   of  Iiis  second  epistle  to  tl  c 


SERMON  LXXVI. 


355 


churcn  at  Corinth,  by  which  he  expresses  | 
his  best  wishes  on  their  behalf;  as  if  he  ' 
liad  said,  "  May  the  perpetual  favor  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  constant  and 
peculiar  love  of  God  the  Father,  and  the 
most  abundant  communication  of  the  Holy 
l^^.pirit,  in  his  gifts  and  graces,  be  with  you, 
and  remain  with  you,  even  with  all  the 
jncinbers  of  the  church  of  Corinth !"  "It 
i.-i  vvilii  great  reason,"  says  an  eminent  di- 
\ine,  "that  this  comprehensive  and  in- 
structive benediction  is  pronounced  just 
before  our  assemblies  for  public  worship 
?ire  dismissed;  and  it  is  a  very  indecent 
tiling  to  see  so  many  quitting  them,  or 
(getting  into  postures  of  removal,  before 
this  short  sentence  can  be  ended." 

That  this  excellent  and  desirable  privi- 
lege, which  St.  Paul  so  fervently  wished 
might  be  enjoyed  by  the  Corinthian  Chris- 
tians, may  be  ours  also,  let  us  make  it  the 
subject  of  our  devout  meditations  at  this 
time ;  and  "  may  the  love  of  God  be  shed 
abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Spirit !" 
But,  how  difficult  is  it  to  conceive  aright 
of  the  love  of  God !  When  we  contemplate 
the  firmament,  and  survey  the  starry  hea- 
vens, we  are  constrained,  from  a  sense  of 
our  own  insignificance,  to  exclaim,  "  Lord ! 
what  is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him  ! 
The  condescensions  of  divine  Providence 
are  also  truly  wonderful ;  but  the  special 
love  of  God  to  sinful  men,  as  displayed  in 
their  everlasting  salvation,  is  beyond  all 
description ; — it  "  passeth  knowledge !" 

Love,  among  mortals,  is  that  affection 
of  the  human  heart  tvhich  inclines  us  to 
take  delight  in  a  chosen  object,  and  to  seek 
the  good  and  happiness  of  that  object.  The 
love  of  God  is  that  holy  affection  by  which 
he  condescends  to  take  a  pleasure  in  his 
chosen  people,  to  confer  special  favors  upon 
them,  kindly  to  accept  their  persons  and 
services,  and  to  make  them  eternally  happy. 
That  such  is  the  love  of  God  to  his  church, 
is  abundantly  evident  from  the  testimonies 
of  his  word,  and  from  innumerable  facts. 
Take  a  few  of  his  own  declarations. 

lie  was  pleased  to  select  the  posterity 
of  Abraham  from  among  all  other  nations, 
and  to  treat  them  with  distinguished  atten- 
tion ;  concerning  which  he  says,  (Dent.  vii. 
6—8,)  "The  Ix)rd  thy  God  hath  chosen 
thee  to  be  a  special  people  unto  himself, 
above  all  people  that  are  upon  the  face  of 
the  earth :  the  Lord  did  not  set  his  love 
upon  yoL,  nor  chiwse  you,  because  ye  were 
more  in  number  than  any  people,  (for  ye 
were  the  fewest  of  all  people :)  but  be- 
cause the  liOrd  loved  you,  and  because  he 
would  keep  the  oath  which  he  had  sworn 
unto  your  fathers;"  and  in  Deut.  x.  15, 


"  Only  the  Lord  had  a  delight  in  tliy  fa- 
thers to  love  them,  and  he  chose  their  seed 
after  them,  even  you,  above  all  people." 
It  is  also  said,  (Ps.  Ixxviii.  68,)  "  He  chose 
the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  mount  Zion  which 
he  loved."  It  is  written  in  another  place, 
(Ps.  cxlvi.  8,)  »  The  Lord  loveth  the  right- 
eous." Particular  persons  are  also  described 
as  the  objects  of  divine  love — "Jacob  have 
I  loved  ;"  and  our  Savior  said  to  his  disci- 
ples, "  The  Father  himself  loveth  you." 

But  it  is  not  by  words  merely  that  God 
has  manifested  his  love  (though  there  is 
no  difference  between  his  professions  and 
practices,  as  there  too  often  is  among  men) 
he  has  evinced  his  love  by  the  most  valua- 
ble gifts,  by  the  most  generous  and  be- 
nevolent actions. 

1.  God,  in  his  infinite  love,  has  given 
us  his  Son,  his  own,  his  only-begotten  Son, 
Jesits  Christ. 

Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God  in  a  pe- 
culiar sense,  in  a  much  higher  sense  than 
any  other  being.  Angels  are  called  sons 
of  God — Adam  was  the  son  of  God — be- 
lievers are  also  the  sons  of  God;  but  Christ, 
in  an  infinitely  higher  sense,  is  the  Son  of 
God.  He  is  called  his  only-begotten  Son, 
which  surely  implies  that  he  is  a  partaker 
of  the  same  divine  nature  with  his  Father. 
Jesus  Christ  had  a  being  before  he  made 
his  appearance  in  this  world.  God  is  there- 
fore said  to  send  his  Son  into  the  world. 
And  the  acknowledgment  of  this  was  reck- 
oned by  St.  John  an  important  branch  of 
the  true  Christian  faith,  for,  says  he  (1  John 
iv.  2,)  "  Every  spirit  that  confesseth  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  is  of 
God :  and  every  spirit  that  confesseth  not 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  tlie  flesh,  is 
not  of  God :  this  is  that  spirit  of  Antichrist 
— (that  is,  against  Christ)  which  is  already 
in  the  world.  If  we  compare  this  expres- 
sion, ChrisVs  coming  in  the  flesh,  with 
the  first  chapter  of  St.  John's  Gospel, 
(verses  1st  and  14th)  we  shall  find  that  it 
affords  a  proof  of  the  divinity  of  our  Sa- 
vior ;  for  the  apostle  there  says,  "  In  the 
beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word 
was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God ;" 
he  also  says  (ver.  14)  "The  Word  was 
made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us."  Christ, 
then,  the  Son  of  God,  who  came  in  the 
flesh,  and  ivas  made  flesh,  or  became  man, 
is  a  divine  person,  "tiie  Word,  who  was 
with  God  (the  Father,)  and  was  God ;  and 
being  now  man  also,  is  God  the  Son" — 
"  Imtnanuel — God  with  us." 

Here,  then,  is  the  most  astonishing  dis- 
play of  divine  love  ! — "  herein  is  love,  not 
that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us, 
and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for 


356 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


sins."  1  John  iv  10.  Well  might  St. 
Paul  exclaim,  "  Thanks  be  to  God,  for  his 
unspeakable  gift !" 

The  degraded  state  of  man,  on  whom 
this  gift  was  bestowed,  wonderfully  en- 
hances the  love  which  bestowed  it;  for 
"  when  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ"  was 
born,  lived,  and  "  died  for  us."  How  de- 
plorably is  man  fallen!  what  a  horrible 
mixture  of  the  brute  and  the  fiend  is  ex- 
hibited in  many  of  the  children  of  Adam  ! 
Look  at  the  frightful,  but  faithful  picture, 
drawn  by  St.  Paul  in  the  first  chapter  of 
his  epistles  to  the  Romans — a  picture 
which  too  nearly  resembles  thousands  still. 
Behold  a  rebel  universe — our  species  up  in 
arms  against  their  God!  See  how  men 
are  "  haters  of  God" — their  carnal  minds 
full  of  enmity  against  him ;  they  reject 
his  authority ;  they  trample  on  his  laws ; 
they  devote  themselves  to  brutal  lusts,  de- 
praved appetites,  drunkenness,  lewdness, 
unnatural  vices,  cruelty,  oppression,  mur- 
der,— and  yet,  hear  it,  O  heavens!  give 
ear  and  be  astonished,  O  earth !  for  such, 
even  for  such  vile  and  sinful  rebels,  God 
gave  his  only-begotten  Son  ! 

The  Love  of  God,  in  this  gift,  appears 
to  be  still  more  wonderful,  when  wq  con- 
sider the  deep  humiliation  to  which  he 
was  subjected.  To  have  united  the  divine 
nature  with  humanity  in  any  form,  in  the 
highest  form,  or  under  any  circumstances, 
even  the  most  glorious,  would  have  dis- 
played a  condescension  which  can  have  no 
name,  no  parallel ;  but  for  tlie  Son  of  God 
to  submit  to  abject  poverty  ;  to  live  a  life 
of  constant  self-denial ;  to  endure  the  con- 
tradiction of  sinners  against  himself;  to 
bear  with  the  vilest  indignities  and  insults, 
and  those  in  return  for  innumerable  acts 
of  kindness,  and,  to  complete  the  scene, 
to  be  tried  as  a  malefactor,  to  be  unjustly 
condemned,  to  be  barbarously  mangled  by 
cruel  scourges,  to  be  nailed  like  a  crimi- 
nal slave  to  the  cross,  there  to  agonize  and 
to  die, — and  all  this  for  guilty  rebels ! — O 
it  is  astonishing  !  no  words  of  mortals  can 
describe,  no  hearts  of  mortals  can  duly 
conceive  of  that  divine  love  which  is  the 
source  of  all  this. 

"  Let  all  the  world  fall  down,  and  know  ^^ 

That  none  but  God  such  love  could  show." 

2.  Another  method  by  which  the  love  of 
God  is  manifested,  is  in  the  gift  of  his 
Word,  his  Gospel,  by  lohich  we  come  to 
know  his  love ;  for  without  this,  even  the 
gift  of  his  Son  would  have  been  of  little 
avail. 

He  was  pleased  to  dart  into  the  minds  of 
his  prophets  and  apostles  a  ray  of  supernat- 
ural light.     At  sundry  times  and  in  divers 


manners  he  spake  unto  the  fathers  by  the 
prophets ;  and  to  Jesus  Christ  they  all  bare 
witness ;  they  testified  beforehand  the  suf- 
ferings of  Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should 
follow ;  and,  when  all  that  they  predicted 
had  been  accomplished,  he  inspired  holy 
men  to  write  the  history  of  his  birth,  teach- 
ing, miracles,  death,  and  resurrection,  in 
what  we  call  the  Gospels.  Others  were 
equally  inspired  to  write  epistles  to  the 
first  Christians,  explaining  at  large  the  na- 
ture of  that  salvation  which  he  had  pro- 
cured ;  the  faith  by  which  it  becomes  ours ; 
the  hope  that  we  are  warranted  to  indulge, 
and  the  holy  temper  and  conduct  which 
all  believers  must  discover.  "  To  us  is 
the  word  of  this  salvation  sent !"  Let  us 
prize  it,  according  to  its  inestimable  value ; 
let  us  bind  it  to  our  hearts ;  let  it  be  our 
meditation  day  and  night ;  let  it  be  sweet- 
er to  our  taste  than  honey  and  the  honey- 
comb, and  more  valuable  than  the  gold  of 
Opliir.     It  is  the  gift  of  divine  love  ! 

3.  Nor  is  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
less  necessary  than  the  gift  of  the  Savior 
himself,  for  without  his  enlightening  and 
renewing  influences,  we  cannot  savingly 
know  or  receive  him.  His  office  is  "  to 
glorify  Jesus ;"  for  which  purpose  "  he 
takes  the  things  of  Christ  and  showeth 
them  to  us ;"  and  God  is  said  to  give  us 
his  spirit,  "  that  we  may  know  the  things 
which  he  hath  freely  given  us."  So 
necessary  are  his  influences,  that  without 
them  no  man  can  say  in  faith  and  in  sin- 
cerity, "  Jesus  is  the  Lord."  So  necessary 
was  it  for  the  Spiftt  to  descend  on  the 
church,  tliat  Christ  said,  "  It  is  expedient 
for  me  to  go  away,  for  if  I  go  not  away, 
the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you ;  but 
if  I  depart,  I  will  send  him  unto  you  ;" — 
"and  when  he  is  come,  he  will  guide  you 
into  all  truth."  Yea,  so  necessary  is  this 
gift,  and  the  reception  of  it,  that  "  if  any 
man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is 
none  of  his." 

4.  The  love  of  God  is  farther  display- 
ed in  the  forgiveness  of  sins. 

Among  men,  an  enemy  usually  resents 
a  great  offence,  aggravates  its  evils,  and 
meditates  revenge  ;  but  love  is  rather 
grieved,  than  angry,  when  an  injury  is 
committed  ;  is  disposed  to  pardon,  and, 
perhaps,  seeks  an  occasion  to  be  reconciled 
to  the  offender.  Such,  and  infinitely  more, 
is  the  condescending  love  of  our  offended 
God.  He  who  could,  at  any  time,  and  by 
any  means,  take  the  deserved  vengeance, 
stoops  to  send  his  messengers  to  assure  us 
of  his  friendly  disposition  towards  us; 
warns  us  of  tlie  danger  of  persisting  in. 
our  rebellion ;  and  "  in  Christ's  stead  they 


SERMON  LXXVI. 


357 


beseech  us  to  be  reconciled  to  him."  This 
readiness  to  forgive,  he  has  been  pleased 
most  patiietically  to  display  in  the  ciiarm- 
ing  parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son.  There, 
the  tather  of  the  once  licentious  youth  is 
represented  as  beholding  with  compassion 
his  forlorn,  his  penitent,  and  returning  son, 
while  yet  a  great  way  off,  and  running, 
wilii  eager  haste,  to  receive  and  embrace 
hiin  !  Affecting  emblem  of  divine  love  ! 
Such  is  the  readiness  with  which  the  Fa- 
tiier  of  mercies  will  still  receive  all  who 
forsake  their  sins,  and  return  to  him  by 
Jesus  Christ.  "  Verily,  there  is  joy  in 
iieaven  over  every  sinner  that  repenteth," 
over  every  sinner  that  is  pardoned ;  and  in 
every  such  instance  the  love  of  God  is 
glorified. 

5.  God  commendeth  his  love  to  us  still 
more,  in  making  the  most  abundant  pro- 
vision for  our  comfort  and  happiness  in 
the  present  world. 

As  parents  are  strongly  attached  to  their 
children,  and  with  pleasure  provide  them 
with  food,  and  raiment,  and  education,  and 
portions,  so  our  heavenly  Father  kindly  re- 
ceives pardoned  sinners  into  his  family,  and 
puts  them  amongst  his  children.  "Be- 
hold !"  saith  St.  John  (observe  it  with  the 
highest  admiration,)  "  what  manner  of  love 
the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us,  that  we 
should  be  called  the  sons  of  God !"  Be- 
hold what  provision  he  hath  made  for  our 
.souls  !  He  gives  us  his  holy  Sabbaths, 
his  blessed  bible,  his  faithful  ministers,  his 
sacred  ordinances,  his  precious  promises. 
He  holds  intercourse  with  our  spirits,  ad- 
mits us  to  communion  with  himself,  allows 
us  to  tell  him  all  our  fears  and  all  our  de- 
sires, and  assures  us  that  he  will  withhold 
from  us  no  good  thing.  He  bids  us  dis- 
miss all  anxious  concern,  for  he  himself 
"  careth  for  us  ;"  he  will  be  our  guide ;  he 
will  be  our  shield,  he  \\>ill  make  all  things 
work  together  for  our  good,  and  will  never, 
never  leave  nor  forsake  us !  O  what  man- 
ner of  love  is  this ! 

And  "  if  he  doth  so  much  for  us  in  the 
prison,  what  will  he  do  for  us  in  the  pal- 
ace !"  We  are  yet  minors.  But  "  if  chil- 
dren, then  heirs, — heirs  of  God,  and  joint 
heirs  with  Jesus  Christ."  Even  now,  be- 
lievers are  inmiensely  rich.  Read  the  un- 
paralleled inventory  of  their  wealth  (1  Cor. 
iii.  21  :)  "All  things  are  yours" — the 
iDorld  is  the  first  article — as  nmch  of  the 
world  as  their  Father  sees  good  to  bestow, 
and,  indeed,  all  the  world  in  a  sense,  for  all 
things  lead  their  minds  to  God ;  "  they  are 
Bteps  by  which  they  ascend  to  their  Crea- 
tor, for  in  them  all,  they  view,  as  in  a 
bright  mirror,  his  adorable  perfections,  and 


in  that  meditation  exult.  Above  all,  they 
perceive  in  them  the  love  of  God  towards 
them.  When  they  view  tlie  sun,  moon, 
and  stars,  they  rejoice  that  their  heavenly 
Father  has  lighted  up  so  many  tapers  for 
them,  at  which  they  may  work  what  be- 
comes the  sons  of  God :  nor  do  they  less 
admire  these,  than  if  every  one  of  them 
had  his  own  sun,  or  his  own  moon,  shining 
upon  him.  Indeed,  "  all  things  are  for  the 
elect's  sake" — life  and  death ;  things  pres- 
ent and  things  to  come, — all  are  theirs,  for 
they  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's. 

6.  But  all  this  is  merely  an  earnest  of 
the  intended  inheritance ; — "the  first  fruits 
of  the  Spirit ;"  for  who  can  tell  what  God 
hath  laid  up  and  prepared  for  them  in 
Heaven  1  Who  can  tell  what  vast  powers 
they  may  possess,  as  superior  perhaps  to 
what  they  now  enjoy,  as  the  talents  of 
angels  are  now  superior  to  those  of  men"? 
Who  can.  tell  what  a  glorious  habitation 
they  shall  occupy  ] — their  "  Father's  man- 
sions" will  be  worthy  of  himself,  and  Je- 
sus Christ,  who  is  gone  to  prepare  them, 
will  come  again  and  receive  his  people  to 
himself,  that  where  he  is,  they  may  be 
also.  Who  can  tell  what  pleasant  employ- 
ments shall  engage  their  improved  and  de- 
lighted spirits !  Who  can  tell  what  blessed 
and  glorious  company  they  shall  keep  ? — 
saints  and  angels  will  certainly  be  their 
associates,  and  "  Christ  himself  shall  be 
with  them ;"  and  they  shall  be  "  for  ever 
with  the  Lord !" 

Such  are  some  of  the  effects  of  the  love 
of  God  to  men  !  But  who  can  possibly  de- 
scribe it  aright  1  A  consideration,  however, 
of  some  of  its  properties  may  a  little  as- 
sist our  conceptions. 

1.  It  is  everlasting — "  I  have  loved  thee 
with  an  everlasting  love."  Jer.  xxxi.  3. 
From  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
God  foresaw  the  apostasy  and  misery  of 
man,  and  determined  to  show  his  love  to 
the  human  race.  The  effects  of  this  love 
were  determined  upon,  and  the  peculiar 
objects  of  it  were  selected.  They  were 
"  chosen  in  Christ  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world,"  that  "  they  should  be  holy,  and 
without  blame,  before  him  in  love ;" — 
"  they  were  predestinated  to  the  adoption 
of  children,  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself, 
according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will, 
to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace,"  so 
St.  Paul  expresses  it  in  Eph.  i.  4,  5,  6. 
How  greatly  does  this  enhance  the  value 
of  the  love  of  God,  and  fill  with  sacred  ad- 
miration and  astonishment  the  hearts  of 
those  in  whom  this  love  is  shed  abroad  by 
the  Holy  Ghost!  they  are  amazed  to  think 
that  the  great  and  glorious  God  should 


358 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


vouchsafe  to  think  of  them ;  of  them,  in- 
significant and  rebellious  creatures,  and 
inscribe  Iheir  imworthy  names  in  the  book 
of  life  ! ! ! 

2.  It  is  free  and  sovereign.  It  is  not 
fixed  on  any  particular  person  on  account 
of  any  foreseen  excellency  and  superiority. 
Whatever  be  excellent  in  any  person,  is 
the  effect  of  this  love,  and  not  its  cause. 
All  men  are  depraved,  polluted  and  un- 
done. God  was  not  bound  to  show  kind- 
ness to  any  one  of  Adam's  fallen  race  ;  but, 
saith  he  (Rom.  ix.  15,)  "  I  will  have  mercy 
on  whom  I  will  have  mercy,  and  I  will 
have  compassion  on  whom  I  will  have 
compassion ;"  and  in  another  place,  he 
saith,  "  I  will  love  them  freely."  llos.  xvi. 
4.  If  one  man  differ  from  another,  it  is 
grace  that  causeth  him  to  differ ;  and, 
therefore,  to  free  grace  is  all  the  glory  to 
be  ascribed,  as  our  Lord  doth:  (Luke  x. 
21,)  "  I  thank  thee.  Father,  that  thou  hast 
hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  the 
prudent,  and  hast  revealed  them  unto 
babes ;  even  so.  Father,  for  so  it  seemed 
good  in  thy  sight." 

3.  The  love  of  God  is  unchangeable. 
The  love  of  mortals  is  liable  to  much  va- 
.riation ;  not  so  the  love  of  God ;  "  he  rests 
in  his  love :" — "  having  loved  his  own,  he 
loves  them  to  the  end."  Their  sense  of  it 
may  vary,  and  God  may  liide  his  face ;  and 
he  will  do  so  "  if  his  children  forsake  his 
ways,  and  decline  from  his  command- 
ments ;"  in  love  to  their  souls,  "  he  will 
visit  their  transgressions  with  the  rod ;"  to 
bring  them  back  again ;  "  but  his  loving- 
kindness  he  will  not  take  away,  nor  suffer 
his  faithfulness  to  fail."  Ps.  Ixxxix.  30. 
No, — "  the  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the 
hills  be  removed;  but  my  kindness  shall 
not  depart  from  thee,  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  that  hath  mercy  on  thee."  Isa. 
liv.  10. 

IMPROVEMENT. 

For  the  practical  improvement  of  this 
■fiubject  we  propose  the  four  following  di- 
rections : — 

1.  Believe  the  love  of  God,  according 
to  what  St.  John  saith  (1  John  iv.  16 :) 
"  We  have  known  and  believed  the  love 
that  God  hath  to  us.  God  is  love."  To 
know  and  to  believe  this,  is  to  know  and 
believe  the  whole  Gospel;  for  this  is  in- 
deed the  substance  of  it.  The  love  of  God 
is  so  exceedingly  great,  that  it  is  said  to 
"  surpass  knowledge  ;"  but  it  does  not  sur- 
pass belief.  We  cannot  fully  cotnprehend 
it,  for  it  is  infinite  ;  but  we  may  believe  it 
•on  the  testimony  of  God  himself;  without 
which,  such  is  its  astonishing  greatness, 
that  it  might  have  seemed  incredible,  but 


resting  on  the  divine  testimony  concerning 
it,  we  may  survey  it  with  delight  and 
pleasure;  "its  breadth  and  length,  and 
depth  and  height,"  that  "  we  may  be  filled 
with  all  the  fullness  of  God." 

2.  Receive  the  love  of  God.  It  is  pro- 
posed to  us  in  the  Gospel  as  the  grand  at- 
traction— that  which  is  calculated  to  draw 
us  away  from  sin  and  folly,  and  to  raise 
our  affections  towards  superior  objects. — 
"  God  commendeth  his  love  towards  us" — 
he  sets  it  before  us,  and  recommends  it  to 
our  notice,  to  raise  our  faith,  our  hope,  our 
admiration,  our  love,  and  our  joy,  by  this 
peculiar  excellency  of  it — that  "  while  we 
were  yet  sinners,''^  he  sent  his  dear  Son 
into  the  world  ;  who  "  gave  himself  a  ran- 
som" for  our  souls.  Surely,  this  should 
draw  our  souls  to  God,  and  caUse  us  im 
stantly,  and  most  thankfully,  to  receive  the  . 
gifts  of  his  love.  Let  us  be  encouraged  to 
come  to  God,  for  God  is  love. 

3.  Return  the  love  of  God — make  a 
suitable  return  for  love  so  vast  and  so  free. 
This  was  the  first  and  great  command, 
"  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and 
with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all  thy  strength ;" 
and  what  can  be  so  powerful  an  induce- 
ment to  this  as  the  astonishing  love  of  God 
to  us  ?  Let  us  say  with  St.  John,  "  We 
love  him,  because  he  first  loved  us ;" — that 
is,  in  consequence  of  his  having  first  loved 
us,  without  which  we  never  should  have 
loved  him ;  and  also,  from  a  view  and 
sense  of  his  having  first  loved  us.  He  is 
altogether  lovely  in  himself,  and  we  are 
under  inexpressible  obligations  to  his  love ; 
let  us  love  him,  therefore,  supremely,  and 
prove  our  love  to  him  by  keeping  his  com- 
mandments. "  If  ye  love  me,"  saith 
Christ,  keep  my  commandments."  We 
cannot  love  him  as  we  ought,  nor  as  he  de- 
serves to  be  loved  ;  but  let  us  lOve  him  as 
we  can,  and  daily  lament  that  we  love 
him  no  better.  Let  us  prefer  his  glory 
above  all  that  is  dear  to  us,  and  be  ready 
to  part  with  all  things  for  his  sake.  Thrice 
did  our  Lord  propose  the  question  to  Peter, 
"  Lovest  thou  me  V  and  tlirice  did  the 
zealous  apostle  declare  his  attachment. 
Our  Savior  then  directed  him  how  to 
demonstrate  his  affection — "Feed  my 
sheep."  In  like  manner,  let  us  evince  the 
sincerity  of  our  regard  to  God,  by  a  ready 
compliance  with  his  whole  will. 

4.  Imitate  the  love  of  God.  Nothing 
can  render  man  so  truly  amiable,  as  to  re- 
semble, in  his  humble  measure,  the  God 
of  love  ;  and  nothing  can  afl^ord  a  brighter 
evidence  of  our  being  the  objects  of  his 
love;  for,  by  this,  said  Christ,  "shall  all 


SERMON  LXXVII. 


359 


men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples — if  ye 
have  love  one  to  another."  This  is  Christ's 
own  commandment, — his  new  command- 
ment; old  indeed  in  substance,  but  new  in 
form,  and  enforced  by  a  new  obligation. 
"  A  new  commandment  give  I  unto  you, 
That  ye  love  one  another.  As  I  have 
loved  you,  that  ye  also  love  one  another." 
John  xiii.  14.  He  has  left  among  us  suit- 
able objects  of  Christian  love — all  his 
members,  and  especially  those  who  need 
our  care.  "  The  poor  ye  have  always  with 
you  ;  but  me  ye  have  not  always ;  and 
whensoever  ye  will  ye  may  do  them  good." 
"  Beloved,  let  us  love  one  another ;  for 
love  is  of  God  :  and  every  one  that  loveth 
is  born  of  God,  and  knoweth  God  ;  he  that 
loveth  not,  knoweth  not  God,  for  God  is 
love."  1  John  iv.  7,  8.  O  let  the  love  of 
God  constrain  us  to  cultivate  every  amia- 
ble temper,  and  to  be  forward  in  every  act 
of  kindness  to  the  bodies  and  souls  of  men, 
and  especially  to  all  the  sons  and  daugh- 
ters of  affliction  ;  for  thus  shall  we  resem- 
ble our  heavenly  Father,  and  our  adorable 
Savior,  who,  when  he  shall  appear  in  his 
glory,  at  his  second  advent,  will  graciously 
accept  and  reward  every  "  labor  of  love," 
saying,  "Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it 
unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren, 
ye  did  it  unto  me."  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of 
my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared 
for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world." 


PRAYER. — 0  Lord  our  God,  how  exrellont 
is  thy  name  in  all  the  earth, — especially  thy 
new,  best  name  of  Love  ;  and  thanks  for  ever 
be  to  thee,  if  we  have  known  and  believed  the 
love  that  thou  hast  unto  us.  God  is  love.  Glory 
be  to  thee  for  this  declaration  of  thy  nature  in 
thy  name.  May  the  Holy  Spirit  shed  abroad  thy 
love  in  our  hearts.  We  are  amazed  at  the  love 
of  God,  in  Christ,  to  sinners  of  mankind !  wc 
survey,  with  astonishment,  the  height,  the  depth, 
the  lenijth,  and  the  breadth  of  this  stupendous 
love,  which  snrpasselh  all  human  conception! 
We  behold,  with  delight,  the  proofs  of  thy  love 
in  the  unspeakable  gift  of  thyonly-begotteii  Son; 
in  the  gift  of  thy  word  ;  in  the  gift  of  thy  Spirit  ; 
in  the  pardon  of  our  sins,  in  all  our  temporal  and 
spirilual  comforts,  and  in  the  promise  and  earnest 
of  eternal  glory.  O  give  us  to  know  that  we  are 
the  object  of  thv  love ;  and  may  we,  in  return, 
love  thee,  our  God  and  Savior,  supremely,  and 
prove  the  sincerity  of  our  love,  by  love  to  thy 
people  and  obedience  to  thy  commandments ;  and 
this  we  beg  for  the  alone  sake  of  Jesus  Christ 
the  righteous.     Amen. 


SERMON  LXXVII. 

THE  FAITHFULNESS  OF  GOD. 

1  Corinthian.s  i.  0.    God  is  faitliful. 

Each  of  the  divine  Perfections  is  neces- 
sary to  the  complete  happiness  of  a  Chris- 


tian ;  not  one  of  thein  can  be  dispensed 
with.  That  God  is  Almighly,  and  Wise, 
and  Holy,  and  Just,  and  Good,  is  the  joy 
of  every  believer's  heart;  but  there  is 
another  perfection,  in  which  the  Christian 
seems  to  be  (if  possible)  still  more  inter- 
ested— that  is,  his  truth,  or  faithful- 
ness :  for  the  life  of  every  real  Christian, 
while  in  this  world,  is  a  life  of  faith ;  and 
as  faith  has  respect  to  the  word  of  God, 
his  faithfulness  to  that  word  must  be  the 
principal  ground  of  his  faith  and  hope,  and 
consequently  of  his  joy,  for  his  joy  and 
peace  tire  "  in  believing."  There  is  no- 
thuig,  therefore,  which  respects  the  divine 
character,  that  is  more  immediately  con- 
nected with  our  Christian  w^alk,  than  the 
veracity  ox  failhfulness  of  God.  The  as- 
sertion of  St.  Paul  in  the  te.xt,  furnishes 
us  with  a  short,  clear,  and  full  proposition, 
which  it  stall  be  our  present  business 
scripturally  to  illustrate,  and  practically  to 
improve. 

God  is  Faithful. 

Truth  is  essential  to  the  very  existence 
of  God. — It  is  as  impossible  to  conceive  of 
a  God  without  truth,  as  of  a  God  without 
power.  Truth  is  therefore  inseparable  from 
his  nature.  The  true  God  is  truth  itself 
He  is  the  first,  chief,  and  greatest  truth, 
and  the  source  of  all  truth ;  so  that  all 
things  are  true  or  false,  as  they  agree  or 
disagree  with  their  original  patterns  Ln  the 
mind  of  God. 

The  value  of  truth  is  acknowledged  by 
mankind  in  general.  Fallen  and  corrupt 
as  men  are,  they  have  not  altogether  lost 
sight  of  the  value  of  truth  :  if  destitute  of 
it  themselves,  still  they  prize  it  in  others. 
If  they  do  not  possess  it,  they  wish  to  be 
thought  to  possess  it.  Hence  no  affront  is 
reckoned  so  great  as  being  called  a  liar;  it 
is  deemed  disgraceful,  and  so  it  ought  to 
be  deemed,  for  this  is  the  character  of  the 
Devil  himself:  "He  is  a  liar,  and  the 
father  of  it."  Most  awfully  do  they  resem- 
ble him,  who  speak  lies;  they  "are  of  their 
father,  the  Devil,  and  the  works  of  their 
father  they  will  do."  But  the  blessed  God 
is  infinitely  true,  and  it  is  absolutely  impos- 
sible for  him  to  lie.  The  hoatliens  them- 
selves (in  civilized  countries)  were  sensi- 
ble of  the  value  of  truth.  One  of  their 
wise  men  said,  that  "  if  God  should  render 
himself  visible  to  men,  he  would  choose 
light  for  his  body,  and  truth  for  his  soul." 
The  Romans  built  a  temple  which  they 
dedicated  to  Truth,  whom  they  called  the 
Sister  of  Justice  ;  and  the  most  solemn 
oaths  were  taken  in  her  name.  Indeed,  an 
oath  is  a  kind  of  sticrifice  offered  to  Trutlu 


360 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


What  reason  thus  approves,  Revelation 
abundantly  confirms  and  ascribes  Truth  to 
God  as  an  essential  perfection  of  liis  nature. 
Even  Balaam,  that  wicked  prophet,  was 
constrained  to  say,  "  God  is  not  a  man  that 
he  should  lie  ;  neither  the  Son  of  man,  that 
he  should  repent"  (or  change  his  mind :) 
"  Hath  he  said,  and  shall  he  not  do  it !  or 
hath  he  spoken,  and  shall  he  not  make  it 
good  ?"  Numb.  xxii.  19.  He  is  called  in 
Scripture  "The  God  of  Truth"— "  The 
Lord  God,  abundant  in  Truth."  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  is  also  called  "  He 
that  is  true" — "  faithful  and  true  :"  and 
the  Holy  Ghost  is  called  "  The  Spirit  of 
Truth."  The  extent  and  glory  of  tliis  per- 
fection is  expressed  in  these  lofty  terms 
(Ps.  xxxvi.  5,)  "  Thy  mercy,  O  Lord,  is  in 
the  heavens ;  and  thy  faithfulness  reacheth 
unto  the  clouds"  (or  skies.) — "  I  will  sing 
of  the  mercies  of  the  Lord  for  ever  :  with 
my  mouth  will  I  make  known  Miy  faithful- 
ness to  all  generations :  I  have  said,  Mercy 
shall  be  built  up  for  ever  ;  thy  faithfulness 
shalt  thou  establish  in  the  very  heavens." 
"  O  Lord  God  of  hosts,  who  is  a  strong 
Lord  like  unto  thee,  or  to  faithfulness 
round  about  thee]"  Ps.  Ixxxix.  1,  2,  8. 
The  heavens  and  the  heavenly  bodies  ex- 
cite our  admiration ;  we  see,  but  cannot 
comprehend  them ;  they  are  above  our 
reach,  and  too  large  for  our  grasp:  but 
they  are  emblems  of  the  power,  the  mercy, 
and  the  truth  of  God :  we  see,  we  admire, 
we  adore  these  divine  perfections ;  but 
finite  minds  can  never  comprehend  them. 

The  excellency  of  the  divine  faithfulness 
will  more  fully  appear,  when  we  perceive 
that  it  results  from,  or  stands  connected 
with,  all  liis  other  perfections. 

1.  It  is  connected  with  his  Power.  Ps. 
cxlvi.  6.  "  He  who  made  heaven  and 
earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  is  therein — He 
keepeth  truth  for  ever."  His  almighty 
power  enables  him,  without  the  possibility 
of  failure,  to  accomplish  all  his  promises 
and  threatenings.  Honest  men,  however 
desirous  of  keeping  their  word,  may  be 
prevented  by  the  unexpected  occurrences 
of  insuperable  difficulties ;  but  the  designs 
of  the  Almighty  cannot  be  frustrated. 
"  With  God  all  things  are  possible."  "  Is 
any  thing  too  hard  for  the  Lord  !"  said  the 
reproving  angel  to  tlie  wife  of  Abraham, 
when  her  faith  once  staggered  at  the  prom- 
ise. Abraham  himself  was  "strong  in 
faith,  giving  glory  to  God" — tlie  glory  of 
his  power  and  his  fidelity  combined,  for 
"  he  was  fully  persuaded  that  what  he  had 
promised,  he  was  able  to  perform."  Rom. 
iv.  21.  In  like  manner,  the  apostle  of  the 
Gentilee  feels  perfect  composure  in  the  pros- 


pect of  martyrdom,  well  knowing  "  whom 
he  had  believed,"  and  being  "  fully  per- 
suaded that  he  was  able  to  keep  that  which 
he  committed  unto  him."  If  Noah  is  to 
be  preserved  amidst  a  drowning  world, 
if  Israel  is  to  be  delivered  from  the  Egyp- 
tian yoke,  or  to  be  sustained  in  a  barren 
wilderness,  or  to  subdue  the  warlike  na- 
tions of  Canaan,  no  obstacles  shall  prevent 
the  promised  events ;  infinite  power  and 
infinite  faithfulness  render  them  perfectly 
certain;  wisdom  prescribes  the  means; 
omnipotence  makes  them  effectual ;  and 
God  is  faithful. 

2.  The  faithfulness  of  God  is  connected 
with  his  holiness ;  indeed  it  is  a  branch  of 
it, — without  which  he  could  not  be  holy. 
"  There  is  no  unrighteousness  in  him." 
"  He  cannot  lie ;  it  is  impossible  for  God 
to  lie."  "  He  is  not  a  man,  that  he  should 
lie."  Lies  are  the  wretched  fi^uit  of  man's 
apostasy — his  loss  of  the  divine  image,  the 
corruption  of  his  once  holy  nature:  but 
God  is  unalterably  holy;  therefore  it  is 
said  (Ps.  Ixxxix.  35,)  "  Once  have  I  sworn 
by  my  holiness  (and  I  will  not  lie  unto  Da- 
vid) his  seed  shall  endure  for  ever,  and  his 
throne  as  the  sun  before  me."  Well,  there- 
fore, might  the  Psalmist  say,  "  God  hath 
spoken  in  his  holiness ;  I  will  rejoice ;"  for 
thus  the  holiness  of  God  is  a  pledge  of  his 
faithfulness. 

3.  7Vz  e  faithfulness  of  God  is  necessary 
from  his  U7ichangeableness.  He  is  the 
only  being  absolutely  and  necessarily  un- 
changeable. Angels  have  changed,  and 
become  devils ;  Man  is  changed,  and  be- 
come a  rebel !  but  "  I  am  the  Lord,"  saith 
he,  "I  change  not;"  and  it  follows,  as 
the  blessed  eflfect  of  his  unchangeableness 
"  therefore,  ye  sons  of  Jacob  are  not  con- 
sumed." Ma),  iii.  6.  Men  frequently 
change  their  mind,  sometimes  from  good 
to  evil,  at  other  thnes  from  evil  to  good  : 
their  second  thoughts  are  best ;  but 
God's  thoughts  can  neither  be  improved 
nor  depraved ;  they  are  originally,  perfect- 
ly, unalterably  good.  It  was  the  pride  of 
the  Medes  and  Persians  that  they  would 
not  alter  their  laws  ;  it  was  on  the  proud 
presumption  that  they  were  so  wisely 
framed  as  to  admit  of  no  improvement ; 
but  such,  indeed,  are  the  laws  and  the 
promises  of  God ;  with  him  is  no  variable- 
ness, nor  shadow  of  turning."  The  prom- 
ises and  vows  of  men  (like  Jephtha's  and 
Herod's)  are  sometimes  unlawful  in  them- 
selves, or  incautiously  made,  so  that  "  there 
may  be  more  honor  in  the  breach,  tlian  in 
the  observance  of  them."  Not  so  the  en- 
gagements of  Heaven ;  they  are  all  the 
product  of  that  holy  and  wise  mind  which 


SERMON  LXXVII. 


301 


cannot  err,  and  need  not  change.  "  He  is 
of  one  mind,  and  wliat  his  soul  desireth, 
liiat  docth  he;  he  performeth  the  thing 
that  is  apix)intcd  for  me."  Job  xxiii.  13, 14. 

4.  Thv  faithfulness  of  God  is  the  re- 
sult of  his  wisdom.  Among  men,  the  non- 
IH^rtbrmance  of  promises  is  fi-equcntly  oc- 
casioned by  circumstances  wliich  Imman 
prudence  could  not  foresee,  nor  provide 
against;  and  therefore  good  men  should 
not  make  promises  hastily,  and  never  with- 
out (at  least  a  menial)  reference  to  St. 
James's  caution, — "  Ye  ought  to  say.  If  the 
I  -ord  will,  we  shall  live,  and  do  this  or  that." 
But  no  provisoes  are  necessary  when  God 
makes  a  promise  ;  he  has  a  perfect  fore- 
knowledge of  every  future  event,  however 
distant ;  he  knows  the  end  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  perceives  the  connexion  of  all 
things,  though  apparently  trifling  and 
casual,  all  whicli,  instead  of  defeating  his 
])urpose,  *sl>all  conspire  to  accomplish  it. 
No  difficulties,  no  disappointments,  can 
occur  to  him  ;  his  instruments  are  always 
at  hand,  and  willingly  or  unwillingly, 
luiowmgly  or  ignorantly,  they  Shall  all 
subserve  his  holy  designs.  This  affords  no 
small  encouragement  to  a  reliance  on  his 
faithfulness. 

5.  The  faithfulness  of  God  may  be  con- 
templated, as  connected  with  his  mercy, 
his  love,  and  his  goodness.  The  royal 
Psalmist  puts  them  together  (Ps.  cxxxviii. 
2.)  "  I  will  praise  thy  name  for  tliy  loving- 
kindness  and  for  thy  truth,  for  thou  hast 
magnified  thy  word  above  all  thy  name." 
His  love  inclines  him  to  make  the  promise, 
and  his  veracity  induces  him  to  fulfil  it: 
and  it  would  be  dishonorable  to  God  to  ad- 
mit for  a  moment,  the  unjust  supposition 
that  he  would  disappoint  the  hope  which 
Ills  promise  had  excited  :  hence  it  is  plead- 
ed (I's.  cxix.  49,)  "Remember  the  word 
unto  thy  servant,  upon  which  tliou  hast 
caused  me  to  hope."  The  word  of  promise 
is  the  ground  of  hope ;  and  it  is  by  the 
grace  of  God  a  believer  is  enabled  to  make 
it  such,  to  depend  upon  it,  and  expect  its 
iulfihncnt:  and  will'  He  wlio  kindled  the 
holy  desire,  and  filled  the  soul  with  hope 
(if  the  i)romiscd  blessing,  disappoint  that 
hope  !  It  is  impossible.  The  Christian  may 
liumbiy,  yet  boldly,  say  with  David,  when 
ho  pleaded  a  divine  promise  (1  Chr.  xvii. 
t2:},)  "  Therefore,  now,  Lord,  let  tlie  thing 
that  thou  hast  spoken  of  concerning  thy 
servant  be  establi.shed  for  ever,  and  do  as 
thou  hast  said.''  Mercy  and  trutli  liave 
met  together,  and  tliey  shall  never  part. 
-Mercy  invites,  and  Trutli  reoei^o.s  the  sin- 
ner. .Merry  makes  tlic  proiirt-e,  and  Trutli 
stands  ready  to  fulfil  it :  and  tl>e  tm'on  of 

2V 


both  shall  call  forth  the  Psalmist's  song — 
"I  will  praise  thee,  O  Lord,  among  the 
people ;  I  will  sing  praises  unto  thee  among 
the  nations :  for  thy  mercy  is  great  above 
the  heavens,  and  thy  trutli  reacheth  unto 
the  skies."  Ps.  cviii.  4,  5. 

6.  Another  consideration  may  confirm 
our  confidence  in  the  faithfulness  of  Gotl. 
— Tlie  promises  are  made  in,  and  to  Christ, 
as  the  head  of  his  church ;  and  faithful- 
ness to  him,  as  well  as  to  us,  insures  their 
fulfilment.  St.  Paul  declares,  in  2  Cor.  i. 
26,  "  All  the  promises  of  God  in  him  are 
Yea,  and  ui  him  Amen,  unto  tlie  glory  of 
God,  by  us."  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Surety 
of  the  new  covenant,  and  he  is  deeply  con- 
cerned in  the  fulfilment  of  the  promises, 
for  they  are  made  to  him,  and  to  his  peo- 
ple, in  and  through  him.  The  persons  who 
shall  finally  be  saved,  are  those  of  whom 
he  says  to  the  Father,  "Thine  they  were, 
and  thou  gavest  them  me ;"  and  again,  "  I 
in  them,  and  they  in  me,  that  they  may  be 
made  perfect  in  one ;"  he  also  says,  "  All 
that  the  Father  giveth  me,  shall  come 
unto  me ;  and  him  that  cometh  unto  me,  I 
will  in  no  wise  Gast  out."  John  vi.  37.  We 
also  read  of  "t^e  hope  of  eternal  life, 
vvhich  God,  who  cannot  lie,  promised  be- 
fore the  world  began."  Titus  i.  2.  Was 
not  this  promise  made  to  the  eternal  Son 
of  God,  and  to  and  for  believers  in  him, 
their  covenant  head,  before  the  earliest 
date  of  time,  and  of  which  he  gave  a  speci- 
men in  the  first  promise  immediately  atlcr 
the  fall  of  man  1  All  the  promises  then 
being  made  to  Christ,  the  Mediator,  re- 
specting both  himself  and  his  people,  sliall 
be  punctually  fulfilled,  "  to  the  praise  of 
the  glory  of  his  grace." 

7.  If  any  further  consideration  be  need- 
ful to  establish  our  faith  in  the  liiithfulncss 
of  God,  let  it  bo  that  wonderiiil  conde- 
scension of  his  grace,  whereby  he  is  pleased 
to  confirm  his  promise  by  an  oath.  In  this 
manner  he  was  pleased  to  stoo})  to  confirm 
the  faith  of  Abraham  when  the  promise  of 
a  numerous  posterity,  so  contrary  to  i Io- 
nian appearances,  was  made  to  him.  So 
St.  Paul  relates  the  matter  (Heb.  vi.  13:) 
"When  God  made  promise  to  Abraliam, 
because  he  could  swear  by  no  greater,  he 
sware  by  himself,"  saying,  "  Surely,  bless- 
ing I  will  bless  thee;"  in  the  book  of 
Genesis  it  is,  "  By  myself  have  I  sworn, 
saith  the  Lord,"  (Gen.  xxii.  16:)  and  in 
like  manner  he  is  pleased  to  deal  with 
Christian  believers,  (Heb.  vi.  17  :)  "  God, 
willing  more  abundantly  to  show  unto  the 
lieirs  of  promise  the  immutaliility  of  his 
counsel,  9onlirmcd  it  by  an  oiilli — that  by 

\lwi)  immutable  things  (in  which  it  was 
31 


362 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


impossible  for  God  to  lie)  we  might  have 
a  strong  consolation,  who  liave  fled  for 
refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set  before 
us" — that  is,  upon  Christ."  In  this  most 
marvellous  manner  does  the  God  of  Truth 
vouchsafe  to  antidote  our  fears,  and  put  our 
unbelief  to  shame ;  by  this  double  secu- 
rity does  he  encourage  our  hope,  and  con- 
strain us  to  say,  as  in  our  text,  "  God  is 
faithful." 

8.  In  the  last  place,  and,  if  possible,  still 
further  to  satisfy  the  most  incredulous 
mind,  let  us  call  in  to  our  aid  the  experi- 
ence of  the  people  of  God  in  all  ages.  And 
here,  what  a  cloud  of  witnesses  might  we 
eummon  to  give  their  evidence  in  support 
of,  what  ought  never  to  have  been  ques- 
tioned— the  faithfulness  of  Jehovah ! 

The  first  promise  that  God  was  pleased 
to  make  to  his  apostate  creature,  related  to 
the  Savior,  who,  under  the  title  of  "  the 
seed  of  the  woman,"  was  to  "  bruise  the 
serpent's  head,"  or,  in  other  words,  to  "  de- 
stroy the  works  of  the  devil."  The  fulfil- 
ment of  this  promise  was  deferred  (we 
must  not  say  delayed)  for  the  long  space 
of  four  thousand  years  ;  and  then,  "  when 
the  fullness  of  the  time  was  come" — the 
proper,  the  appointed  time,  neither  sooner 
nor  later,  "  God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made 
of  a  woman,"  to  be  a  Redeemer.  With 
eager  longings  of  holy  desire,  many  suc- 
cessive generations  looked  forward  to  this 
grand  event;  and  when  the  moment  ar- 
rived, fixed  in  the  divine  decree,  the  Sa- 
vior appeared.  Let  us  remember  that  there 
is  nothing  like  distance  of  time  in  the  mind 
of  God,  between  the  promise  and  its  fulfil- 
ment ;  "  a  thousand  years  with  him  are  as 
one  day,  and  a  single  day  is  as  a  thousand 
years ;"  and  hence  some  events  are  spo- 
ken of  in  the  prophets  as  present,  or  even 
past,  which  are  yet  to  come ;  for  God  knows 
nothing  of  past  or  future,  all  is  one  eternal 
now ;  and  if  he  speak,  it  is  done. 

Was  the  universal  flood  threatened,  and 
was  Noah  with  his  family  to  be  secured  1 
The  event  corresponded  with  the  threat- 
ening, though  120  years  intervened ;  and 
when  that  period  of  *reprieve  expired,  "  in 
the  self-same  day  entered  Noah  into  the 
ark."  The  world  perished ;  Noah  was  pre- 
served ;  and  the  word  of  the  lord,  which 
cannot  fail,  was  accomplished. 

Was  Abraham,  when  a  hundred  years 
of  age,  and  childless,  perhaps  for  fifty  years 
after  liis  marriage,  to  have  one  son,  and 
descending  from  him,  a  vast  posterity  like 
the  stars  of  heaven  for  multitude  1  Every 
thing  like  probability  was  against  such  an 
event;  but  Abrahaiii  had  the  fullest  confi- 
dence in  the  power  and  faitiifulness  of  Je- 


hovah, and  the  promise  was  fulfilled ;  and 
every  Jew  we  see  is  a  witness  of  it. 

Was  Israel,  long  enslaved  and  depress- 
ed, to  be  freed  from  the  Egyptian  yoke  ] 
What  though  Pharaoh  was  proud  and  ob- 
stinate— what  though,  after  a  reluctant  con- 
sent, he  pursued  the  fugitives  with  a  mighty 
army— what  though  rocks  and  mountains 
were  on  either  hand,  and  the  raging  sea 
before  them, — the  promise  could  not  fail ! 
the  sea  retires  at  God's  command ;  it  forms 
a  wall  on  each  side  of  them,  and  they  pass 
through  its  dry  channel  in  perfect  safety ; 
immediately  after  which,  the  waves,  obe- 
dient to  their  Maker,  resume  their  place, 
and  overwhelm,  with  tremendous  destruc- 
tion, the  affrighted  host  of  Egypt.  Thus 
Israel  was  taught  that  "  God  is  faithful." 

Pass  on  with  these  distinguished  people 
into  the  deserts  of  Arabia,  and  rather  than 
the  promise  of  God  shall  fail,  behold  them 
sustained  for  the  greater  part  of  forty 
years,  with  food  daily  rained  down  from 
Heaven,  and  their  thirst  assuaged  with 
water  flowing  from  the  flinty  rock !  But 
how  arfi  they  to  dispossess  seven  mighty 
and  warlike  nations,  whose  fortified  cities 
were  "  walled  up  to  heaven,"  and  in  whose 
eyes  they  thought  "  themselves  like  grass- 
hoppers ■?"  The  terror  of  God  fell  upon 
these  bold  warriors ;  the  walls  of  Jericho 
fell  flat  before  the  Israelites ;  and  the  land 
of  milk  and  honey  became  an  easy  Con- 
quest. The  overflowing  Jordan  recedes, 
and  opens  a  ready  passage  into  the  heart 
of  the  country,  and  then  the  faithfulness 
of  God  is  thus  proclaimed  by  his  honored 
servant  Joshua:  "Ye  know  in  all  your 
hearts,  and  in  all  your  souls,  that  not  one 
thing  hath  failed  of  all  the  good  things 
which  the  Lord  your  God  spake  concern- 
ing you;  all  are  come  to  pass  unto  you, 
and  not  one  thing  hath  failed  thereof" 
Josh,  xxiii.  14.  Surely  all  the  people  would 
say,  "  God  is  faithful"." 

It  would  be  easy  to  follow  the  Scripture 
history,  and  adduce  a  multitude  of  instances 
to  the  same  effect,  but  our  limits  forbid,  and 
these  may  serve  as  a  sufficient  specimen. 
We  proceed  to  a  practical 

IMPROVEMENT. 
1.  From  hence  we  may  learn  the  unrea- 
sonableness and  sinfulness  of  unbelief.  Is 
the  blessed  God  uniformly  faithful  to  his 
word,  whether  of  promise  or  threatening  ? 
Wiiat  then  is  the  crime  of  unbelief,  but 
tlie  denial  of  this — the  denial  of  his  truth 
and  veracity — the  charging  him  with  false- 
liood?  The  "apostle  Jolm,  therefore,  ex- 
pressly says  (1  John  v.  10,)  "  He  that  be- 
licveth  not  God,  hath  made  him  a  liar ;" — 


SERMON  LXXVII. 


363 


lie  wlio  rejects  the  testimony  of  God  in  the 
Gospel,  who  denies  that  "  God  liatli  gi\en 
us  (believers)  eternal  life,  and  that  this  liie 
is  m  his  Son,"  (ver.  11,)  charges  the  truth 
of  God   with  a  falsehood;    and   can  any 
blasphemy  be  more  criminal !  Let  the  ex- 
ample of  the  ancient  Israelites  be  a  warn- 
ing to  the  world ;  for  "  unto  them  was  the 
Gospel  (the  good  news)  proclaimed'' — the 
promise  of  tlie  earthly  Canaan ;    but  not 
giving  credit  to  the  promise,  God  was  of- 
fended, and  "  sware  in  his  wratli  that  they 
should  not  enter  into  his  rest ;"  "  so  then 
we  see  that  they  could  not  enter  in  be- 
cause of  unbelief"     Our  wisdom,  there- 
fore, is  to  profit  by  their  punishment,  and 
to  hear,  with  faith,  the  voice  of  God  in  his 
Gospel,  "  while  it  is  called  To-day ;"  for 
this  is  the  solemn  declaration  of  the  God 
of  truth :  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son, 
hath  everlasting  life ;  and  he  that  believ- 
eth not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life  ;  but  the 
wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him."  John  iii.  36. 
2.  Let  God  be  honored  in  his  faithful- 
ness, by  a  suitable  confidence  in  it.     The 
life  of  a  Christian  is  a  life  of  faith.     God's 
faithfulness,   and  our  faith,   are  relative 
terms.     His  promises  are  the  ground  of 
our  faith.     Faith  has  a  constant  regard  to 
them ;  and  our  expectation  of  their  fulfil- 
ment rests  upon  the  faithfulness  of  God  in 
performing  them,  and   will  generally  be 
proportioned  to  our  belief  of  that  faithful- 
ness. It  is  said  of  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Abra- 
ham, in  reference  to  the  long-promised 
heir,   that  "she  judged  him  faithful  who 
had  promised ;"  that  is,  she  did  so  habitu- 
alli/,  though  her  faith,  like  that  of  most 
believers,   sometimes   fluctuated.      "  She 
judged  him  to  be  faithful,"  and  therefore 
expected  the  promised  blessing.  This,  then, 
is  the  point.     Do  we,  or  do  we  not,  judge 
a  promising  God  to  be  a  faithful  God  !  If 
we  do,  we  shall  experience  some  degree 
of  "joy  and  peace  m  believing :"  if  we  do 
not,  doubts  and  fears  will  burden  our  minds, 
and  cloud  our  prospects.  By  believing  that 
God  is  faithful,  we  shall  obtain  peace,  and 
in  no  other  way.     "  Said  I  not  unto  thee," 
(that  is,  to  Martha,  at  the  grave  of  her 
brother  Lazarus)   "said  I  not  unto  thee, 
that  if  thou  wouldest  believe,  thou  shouldest 
see  the  glory  of  God  !"  And  so  the  Lord 
speaks  to  us — If  thou  canst  credit  my  tes- 
timony, rely  on  my  promises,  and  trust  my 
faithfulness  to  make  them  good  to  thee, 
tiiou  shalt  see  my  glory  ;  thou  shalt  have 
my  peace,  which  passeth  understanding, 


to  keep  thy  heart  and  mind,  while  in  this 
vale  of  tears  ;  and  thou  shalt  hereafler  be 
with  me  where  I  am,  behold  my  glory,  and 
share  in  it  for  ever.  Has  not  each  of  us 
reason  to  say,  "  Lord,  I  believe,  help  thou 
mine  unbelief!" 

Finally,  Let  us,  in  our  humble  measure, 
try  to  imitate  the  blessed  God  in  this  his 
glorious  attribute ;  let  us  be  "  followers 
(imitators)  of  God  as  dear  children  ;"  let 
us  unitate  him  in  faithfulness.  Even  a 
heathen  philosopher  (Pythagoras,)  when 
asked,  "What  makes  men  like  God"!" 
answered,  "  Their  speaking  the  truth." 
Let  not  Christians  be  worse  than  heathens. 
Many,  alas !  called  Christians  are  so  !  The 
wicked  are  in  the  constant  habit  of  lying ; 
"  they  go  astray  as  soon  as  they  be  born, 
speaking  lies,"  (Ps.  Iviii.  3,)  and  in  this 
practice  they  resemble  him  who  is  "the 
father  of  lies;"  and  without  repentance 
and  pardon,  all  "  liars  shall  have  their  part 
in  the  lake  which  burneth  with  fire  and 
brimstone,  which  is  the  second  deatli." 
Rev.  xxi.  8.  But  from  this  vain  and  wick- 
ed conversation  every  true  believer  is  re- 
deemed. God's  children  are  described 
(Isa.  Ixiii.  8,)  as  lovers  of  truth : — "  Sure- 
ly, they  are  my  people,  children  that  will 
not  lie."  Let  this  be  our  character.  Let 
us,  as  directed  by  the  apostle,  "speak 
every  man  truth  with  his  neighbor." 
Above  all,  let  the  faithfulness  of  God  to 
us,  constrain  us  to  be  faithful  to  iiim.  We 
are  engaged  by  baptism,  profession,  and 
self-dedication,  to  be  the  Lord's;.  "  let  us, 
then,  hold  fast  tlie  profession  of  our  faith 
without  wavering ;  for  he  is  faithful  who 
hath  promised." 


PRAYER.— O  God  of  Truth,  thou  art  without 

iniquity  ;  just  and  right  art  thou.  Thou  art  not 
a  man  that  thou  shouldest  lie,  nor  the  Son  of  man, 
that  thou  shouldest  repent.  Hast  thou  said,  and 
shalt  thou  not  do  it  ?  or  ha.st  thou  spoken,  and 
shalt  thou  not  make  it  good  ?  Lord,  we  believe; 
help  thou  our  unbelief!  All  thy  promises  in 
Clirift  are  Yea  and  Amen.  In  all  ages  thy  peo- 
ple have  experienced  the  truth  of  thy  word ; 
they  trusted  in  thee,  and  were  not  ashamed  ;  not 
one  thing  failed  of  all  the  good  things  which 
were  siwken  concerning  them;  all  came  to  pass. 
And  thon,  O  God,  art  unchangeably  the  same; 
we,  therefore,  would  judge  that  thou  art  faithful, 
and  humbly  plead  that  thou  wilt  do  as  thou  hast 
said,  and  fulfil  to  us,  thy  servants,  the  word  on 
which  thou  hast  caused  us  to  hope.  And  to  thee 
shall  be  praise  and  glory  for  thy  truth  and  faith- 
fullness,  through  eternal  ages.    Amen. 


3G4 


VILLAGE  kSERMONS. 


SERMON  LXXVIII. 

GOD,  WITH  ALL  HIS  PERFECTIONS,  THE 
CHRISTIAN'S  GOD. 


Psalin  xlviii.  14. 


For  lliis  God  is  our  God,  for  ever 
and  ever. 


The  glorious  perfections  of  Deity  form 
the  subject  of  the  preceding  discourses ; 
in  which,  atler  an  introductory  discourse 
on  the  importance  of  the  knowledge  of 
(Jod,  we  have  made  a  feeble  attempt  to 
display  the  power,  the  wisdom,  the  holi- 
ness^ the  justice,  the  omnipresence,  the 
patience,  the  sovereignty,  the  goodness, 
the  mercy,  the  love,  and  the  faithfulness 
of  God ;  and  now,  what  remains  but  to 
exult  in  this  glorious  Being,  and  to  say  in 
the  triumphant  language  of  the  Psalmist, 
"This  God  is  our  God,  tor  ever  and  ever!" 

These  words  conclude  a  hymn  of  praise, 
composed,  probably,  on  occasion  of  some  em- 
inent victory  ;  but,  undoubtedly  applicable 
to  the  glories  of  the  Gospel-church.  The 
psalm  begins  with  a  declaration  of  the  great- 
ness of  God,  'as  he  manitested  himself  in 
Sion.  The  situation  of  the  temple,  whicli 
was  remarkably  beautiful,  afforded  a  suita- 
ble emblem  of  the  Christian  church,  in 
vvliich  true  happiness  may  certainly  be 
found ;  there,  the  love  of  God  in  Christ  is 
manifested  and  enjoyed,  and  there  he  pre- 
sides tor  its  infallible  protection  ;  and  the 
Psalmist  concludes  with  the  words  of  our 
te.xt,  exulting  in  such  a  God,  and  in  his 
interest  in  him,  with  the  security  it  affords 
through  life,  to  its  termination.  These 
words  furnish  us  with  a  good  conclusion  to 
these  discourses  on  the  Divine  Perfections, 
and  it  shall  be  our  present  business  to 
prove  that 

It  is  the  unspeakable  privilege  of  be- 
lievers, that  God,  in  Christ,  is  their  own 
Ciod,  and  will  be  so  for  ever. 

A  pious  Jew,  in  ancient  times,  looking 
on  all  the  nations  around  him,  and  behold- 
ing the  heathen  bowing  to  their  pretended 
gods  of  wood  and  stone,  would  pity  their 
stupidity;  but  contemplating  the  God  that 
made  tlie  heavens,  the  God  of  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  tlie  God  of  Israel,  glori- 
ous in  holiness,  venerable  m  praises,  and 
doing  wonders,  would,  with  sacred  joy,  ex- 
claim, "This  God  is  our  God  !" — "great 
is  OUR  God  above  all  gods  !" 

The  believer  in  Christ  enjoys  this  priv- 
ilege also;  for  it  is  the  grand  blessing  of 
the  covenant  of  grace,  as  mentioned  by 
Ht.  Paul,  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  his 
epistle  to  the  Hebrews  (ver.  10 :)  "  This 
is  tlie  covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the 
house    of    Isarel,"    (that    is,    with     the 


church  of  Christ,)  I  will  put  my  laws  in 
their  mind,  and  write  them  on  their  hearts, 
and  /  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall 
be  to  me  a  people." 

A  covenant  is  either  an  agreement  or 
an  appointment.  Covenant,  in  this  place, 
signifies  an  appointment — a  gracious  ap- 
pointment made  by  God  himself,  in  behalf 
of  all  real  Christians ;  the  New  covenant, 
in  distinction  from  the  Old  covenant,  made 
with  the  nation  of  Israel  at  Sinai,  which 
consisted  chiefly  in  precepts,  prohibitions, 
and  emblems  of  future  blessings  to  be 
revealed  in  the  gospel.  This  covenant 
was  given  by  Moses,  "but  grace  and 
truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ."  In  the  new 
covenant,  or  appointment,  we  have  chiefly 
PROMISES — promises  of  all  spiritual  bless- 
ings, in  and  through  Christ  Jesus.  One 
of  these  promises  is  "  They  shall  all  know 
me,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest,"  ver. 
11.  The  importance  of  this  blessmg  was 
shown  in  the  Introductory  Sermon;  and 
the  design  of  all  the  following  discourses 
is  to  promote  the  knowledge  of  God,  in  all 
his  glorious  perfections ;  but  the  chief 
blessing  of  all  is, — "  I  will  be  their  God.'''. 
This  comprehends  all  good  things  :  it  in- ' 
eludes  all  that  can  be  needed  or  desired ; 
yea,  infinitely  more  than  "  we  can  ask  or 
think."  We  justly  admire  the  perfections 
of  God — what  he  is,  in  hiynself ;  but  how 
much  more  admirable  is  it,  to  have  a 
personal  interest  in  him, — to  know  tliat  he 
is  all  this  to,  and  for,  his  people ;  so  that 
they  may  boldly  say,  "This  God  is  our 
God  !" 

But  let  it  be  observed,  that  it  is  only  in, 
and  through  Jesus  Christ,  that  he  be- 
comes our  God.  He  does  not  transact 
with  man  immediately,  but  through  a  Me- 
diator :  "No  man  cometh  to  the  Fatlier 
but  by  him  ;"  and  through  him,  God  tlie 
Father  cometh  to  man.  "  God  was  in 
Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  him- 
self" Hence  the  name  of  the  Savior  is 
"  Immanuel" — that  is,  "  God  with  us." 
As  Immanuel,  he  is  God  in  our  nature; 
God  engaged  in  our  behalf;  and  manifest- 
ed for  our  salvation.  Through  faith  in  his 
blood,  the  sinner  comes  to  God,  and  obtains 
the  pardon  of  all  his  sins,  which  is  another 
blessing  of  the  covenant,  mentioned  in 
ver.  12,  "  I  will  be  merciful  to  their  un- 
righteousness, and  their  sins  and  their  ini- 
(piities  will  r  remember  no  more."  And 
by  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who 
dwells  in  every  believer,  a  separation 
from  the  world  is  effected,  and  a  life  of 
communion  with  God  commenced,  which 
shall  never  end;  according  to  the  promise 
recorded  in  2  Cor.  vi.  Hi,  &-c.  "  God  hath 


SERMON  LXXVIII. 


365 


eaid,  I  will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk  in 
them ;  and  will  be  their  God,  and  they 
shall  be  my  people.  Wherefore,  come  out 
from  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate, 
saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean 
thing ;  and  1  will  receive  you,  and  will  he  a 
father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons 
and  daugliters,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty." 
Truly  hajipy,  then,  are  ail  believers  in 
Christ ;  having  come  to  God,  through 
faith  in  him,  they  arc  divinely  authorized 
to  adopt  the  words  of  the  text,  "  This  God 
is  our  God  !" 

In  ancient  times,  long  before  the  bright- 
er discoveries  of  the  gospel  were  afibrded, 
we  find  some  eminent  believers  distin- 
guished as  having  a  special  interest  in 
God.  Jcliovah,  who,  by  his  sovereign 
grace,  called  Abraham  from  among  the 
idolaters  of  Chaldea,  was  pleased  to  style 
himself  "  the  God  of  Abraham."  .  By  this 
name  lie  made  himself  known  to  Moses  at 
the  burning  bush,  when  he  was  about  to 
deliver  the  posterity  of  Abraham  from 
their  bondage  in  Egypt.  He  called  him- 
self also,  at  the  same  time,  "  the  God  of 
Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob"  (Exod.  iii. 
0;)  and  thus  he  encouraged  the  children 
of  Israel  to  e.xpect  that  the  promises  made 
to  their  fathers  should  certainly  be  ac- 
complished.— In  like  manner.  New  Testa- 
ment believers  are  more  clearly  taught  to 
e.xpect  a  future  and  eternal  inheritance  in 
Heaven ;  "  wherefore,  God  is  not  ashamed 
to  be  called  their  God,  for  he  hath  pre- 
pared for  them  a  city"  (Heb.  xi.  16 :)  as 
if  it  had  been  said,  God  would  be  ashamed 
to  be  called  their  God,  if  nothing  more 
than  the  good  things  of  this  life  were 
given  them ;  especially  as  it  is  the  lot  of 
far  the  greater  part  of  them  to  be  poor  and 
afflicted  in  the  present  world  ;  but,  having 
"  prepared*  for  them  a  city,"  a  glorious 
liabitation,  even  "a  building  of  God,  a 
house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the 
heavens ;  "  he  is  not  ashamed, — he  thinks  it 
no  dishonor  to  be,  and  to  be  called  their 
.  God  and  Father.  "  This,"  saith"he,  as  if 
exulting  in  the  relation,  "  this  is  my  name 
for  ever,  and  this  is  my  memorial  unto  all 
generations."  Exod.  ii.  1.5.  God's  relation 
to  his  people  is  what  he  will  ever  remem- 
ber, let  us  then  never  forget  it;  never 
neglect  to  take  the  comfort,  nor  to  give  him 
the  glory  of  it. — It  is  God's  memorial ;  let 
it  be  ours. 

We  find  Moses,  the  faithful  servant  of 
the  Lord,  glorying  in  his  relation  to  God 
(Exo<l.  XV.  2,)  "  The  Ijord  is  my  strength 
and  my  song,  and  he  is  become  my  salva- 
tion ;  he  is  my  God,  and  I  will  prepare 
ijiin  a  habitation ;  my  father's  God,  and  I 


will  exalt  him."  As  this  was  part  of  the 
song  composed  on  occasion  of  the  Israel- 
ites passmg  through  the  Red  Sea,  Moses 
may  perhaps  allude  to  the  name  of  God, 
as  "  the  God  of  Abraham ;"  such  indeed 
he  proved  himself  to  be,  to  his  posterity. 
Thrice  happy  is  he  who,  celebrating  a  still 
greater  salvation  than  that  of  Israel,  can 
sing — "He  is  my  God,  and  my  father's 
God ;  I  will  exalt  him  !" 

In  the  book  of  Psalms,  we  frequently 
meet  with  this  sweet  appropriation  of  the 
name  of  God.  The  Psalmist  speaks  thus 
— "  Thou  art  my  God,  from  my  mother's 
womb ;" — "  I  trusted  in  thee,  I  said.  Thou 
art  my  God ;" — "  I  will  sing  praise  unto 
tiiee;"— "I  will  extol  thee,  my  God,  O 
King,  and  bless  thy  name  for  ever !" 

Daniel,  also,  had  good  reason  to  own 
his  relation  to  God,  when  the  king,  who 
had  caused  him  to  be  thrown  into  the  den 
of  lions,  asked,  with  a  lamentable  voice, 
"  O  Daniel,  servant  of  tlie  living  God,  is 
thy  God,  whom  thou  servest  continually, 
able  to  deliver  thee  from  the  lions  J"  The 
praying  man  of  God  replied,  "  My  God 
hath  sent  his  angel,  and  hath  shut  the  lion's 
mouth."  Such  was  the  impression  pro- 
duced by  this  exertion  of  divine  power  in 
behalf  of  the  prophet,  that  Darius  re- 
quired that  all  his  subjects  "  should  tremble 
and  fear  before  the  God  of  Daniel." 

We  might  multiply  instances  of  this 
kind  ;  but  let  us  rather  pass  on,  and  show 
more  particularly  that  the  several  attrib- 
utes of  the  blessed  God,  which  have  been 
surveyed  in  the  preceding  sermons,  afford 
abundant  occasion  to  the  believer  to  re- 
joice in  his  relation  to  Jehovah,  and  tri- 
umphantly to  say,  "  This  God  is  my  God  !" 

Our  God  is  Almighty.  Is  any  tiling, 
then,  too  hard  for  him  !  Whatever  lie  hath 
promised  he  is  able  to  perform ;  and  he 
hath  performed  such  wonders  in  the  fulfil- 
ment of  his  promises  to  his  ancient  people 
the  Jews,  and  to  all  his  believing  people 
ever  since,  that  unbelief  may  blush  to  sus- 
pect he  will  ever  fail  to  accomplish  with 
his  hand,  what  lie  hath  spoken  with  his 
mouth.  Remember  his  mighty  works  in 
the  creation  of  the  world  ;  in  the  preser- 
vation and  government  of  the  world  ;  and 
in  his  marvellous  interposition  in  behalf 
of  his  people  :  the  waters  shall  not  drown, 
the  sun  shall  not  set,  the  fire  &hall  not 
burn,  lions  shall  not  devour,  when  he  for- 
bids; and  if  he  give  the  word  of  command, 
bread  sliall  descend  from  Heaven,  water 
shall  flow  from  the  rock,  devouring  birds 
shall  feed  the  prophet,  five  loaves  shall 
satisfy  five  thousand  people,  and  the  dead 
sliall  come  forth  from  their  graves.  What 
31* 


366 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


cannot  he  do  for  his  friends  ]  and  should 
tliey  not  say,  This  God  is  our  God  ;  and, 
If  God  be  tor  us,  who  can  be  against  us  .' 

Our  God  is  wise — he  is  Wisdom.  Wliat 
a  privilege  then  is  it  to  be  under  his  direc- 
tion !  and  this  is  the  privilege  of  his  peo- 
ple, as  it  follows  immediately  after  the 
words  of  our  text — "  He  will  be  our  guide, 
even  unto  death ;"  lie  will  direct  our  steps 
through  this  mazy  wilderness,  nor  forsake 
us  when  we  die,  but  conduct  us  safely 
througli  Jordan  to  the  possession  of  the 
promised  rest.  Well  may  we  "  cast  our 
cares  upon  him,"  if  we  believe  that  "  he 
caret!)  for  us." 

"  Since  all  the  downward  tracts  of  time, 

God's  watchful  eye  isurveys, 
O!  who  so  wise  to  choose  our  lot, 

And  regulate  our  ways  ?" 

Our  God  is  holy  ;  unlike  the  pretended 
deities  of  the  heathen,  who  were  abomi- 
nably impure,  the  patrons  and  patterns-  of 
intanious  vices ;  so  that  we  may  say  with 
exultation,  "Who  is  like  unto  thee,  O 
Lord,  among  the  gods !  who  is  like  unto 
thee,  glorious  in  holiness  T  A  wicked 
man,  wishing  to  indulge  his  suis,  might 
wish  that  God  were  like  himself,  and 
would  wink  at  his  impurity  ;  but  a  Chris- 
tian rejoices  in  the  holiness  of  God ;  it 
keeps  him  low  in  his  own  eyes ;  it  makes 
him  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness ; 
and  encourages  the  hope  that  his  holy  God 
will,  by  all  his  ordinances  and  all  his  dis- 
pensations, make  him  "  a  partaker  of  his 
holiness." 

Our  God  is  just.  Shall  he  not  then  al- 
ways do  right  1  It  is  the  glory  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  that  which  renders  it  peculiarly 
satisfactory  to  the  mind,  that  therein  God 
has  manifested  his  justice  no  less  than  his 
mercy — "  he  is  just,  and  the  justifier  of 
him  that  believeth  in  Jesus."  The  Chris- 
tian, then,  has  nothing  to  dread,  but  every 
thing  to  hope  from  this  attribute.  He  who 
said  to  Abraham,  on  leaving  his  native 
land,  "  I  am  thy  shield,"  said  also,  "  I  am 
thv  exceeding  great  reward."  Nothing 
can  possibly  be  lost  by  adlierence  to  Christ 
and  his  cause ;  God  is  not  unrighteous,  so 
that  he  should  forget  the  work  of  faith  and 
the  labor  of  love ;  he  that  soweth  to  the 
spirit  shall  reap  of  the  spirit;  and  God,  the 
righteous  Judge,  will,  at  tlie  'great  day,  be- 
stow the  crown  of  righteousness  on  every 
one  who  was  faithful  unto  death.  How 
joyfully  shall  every  concpicror,  on  receiv- 
ing that  crown,  exult,  This  righteous  God 
is  my  God ! 

Our  God  is  omnipresent.  Pleasing  re- 
flection to  the  Christian !  Wherever  he  is, 
God  is  there, — in  the  closet,  in  the  church, 


in  the  world ;  at  home,  abroad  ;  by  sea  or 
land ;  amongst  friends  or  foes.  Christians 
or  Infidels ;  in  prosperity  or  in  adversity, 
God  is  there.  The  salutary  thouglit  bri- 
dles the  unruly  tongue,  restrains  the 
rovings  of  the  eye,  r^els  the  intruding 
thoughts  of  sin,  and  quenches  the  fiery 
darts  of  temptation.  It  stills  the  rising 
murmur  of  mipatience,  corrects  the  mis- 
takes of  unbelief,  and  enables  the  soul  to 
endure,  "  as  seeing  him  who  is  invisible." 

Our  God  is  patient.  It  is  well  for  the 
world,  it  is  well  for  us,  that  he  is  so.  It 
was  justly  remarked,  by  an  old  divine,  that 
if  the  most  tender-hearted  man  in  the 
world  were  to  sit  down  on  the  throne  of 
God,  for  a  single  hour,  and  behold,  as  God 
continually  does,  the  provoking  abomina- 
tions committed  by  men  during  that  hour, 
he  would  undoubtedly,  in  the  next,  set  tlie 
world  on  fire  and  destroy  it.  "  But  he  is 
God,  and  not  man,  therefore  we  are  not 
consumed."  Let  us  not  abuse  this  amiable 
perfection  by  continuing  in  sin,  but  rejoice 
that  this  patient  God  is  our  God,  and  learn 
from  him  to  be  patient  too. 

Our  God  is  sovereign  ;  he  doth  as  he 
pleaseth,  among  the  armies  of  heaven,  and 
among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth.  Let 
us  glorify  him  as  such;  even  when  we 
cannot  account  for  his  sovereign  proceed- 
ings. Thus  did  the  apostld'  Paul,  when  he 
had  contemplated  the  calling  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  the  rejection  of  the  Jews,  with 
their  future  restoration — "  O  the  depth  of 
the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  of  the 
knowledge  of  God  !  how  unsearchable  are 
his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding 
out !  And  how  much  reason  has  every  be- 
liever to  admire  the  divine  sovereignty, 
for  to  this  he  ascribes  -his  personal  salva- 
tion. "  By  the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I 
am."  He  alone  "  made  me  to  differ"  from 
the  most  abandoned  wretch  on  earth  ;  O  to 
grace  how  great  a  debtor  am  I !  "  bless 
thou  the  Lord,  O  my  soul ;  and  all  that  is 
within  me,  bless  his  holy  name  I" 

Our  God  is  good,  and  doeth  good.  Well 
may  man  say  so ;  man  so  highly  favored 
in  his  structure,  in  the  powers  of  his  mind, 
in  his  superiority  over  the  creatures,  in  his 
immortality,  and  above  all,  in  his  redemp- 
tion by  the  Son  of  God.  God  is  indeed  in 
a  vast  variety  of  respects  "  good  to  all ;" 
"  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his 
works,"  and  "  the  earth  is  full  of  the  good- 
ness of  the  Lord."  O  that  men,  O  that 
all  men,  would  praise  the  Lord  for  his 
goodness ;  but  let  them  especially  do  so, 
who  have  a  special  interest  in  his  favor ; 
let  them  shout  for  joy,  and  say.  This  good 
God  is  our  God,  for  ever  and  ever ! 


SERMON  LXXVIIl. 


36? 


Our  God  is  merciful. — "  Mercy  be- 
longeth  to  him,"  it  is  his  prerogative,  his 
peculiar  excellency,  one  of  the  brightest 
jewels  of  his  crown ;  it  is  his  delight,  it  is 
his  glory.  Now,  every  believer,  like  con- 
verted Saul  of  Tarsus,  hath  "  obtained 
mercy;"  and  who  can  sufficiently  p««e 
it ! — it  is  great  mercy,  rich  mercy,  free 
mercy,  manifold  mercy,  matchless  mercy, 
infinite  mercy,  yea,  eternal  mercy!  O 
praise  the  Lord,  for  he  is  good;  for  his 
mercy  endureth  for  ever  !  Well  may  the 
pardoned  sinner  cry,  "  Who  is  a  God  like 
unto  thee,  tliat  pardoneth  iniquity,  and 
passeth  by  the  transgression  of  the  rem- 
nant of  his  heritage  !  he  retaineth  not  his 
anger  for  ever,  because  he  delighteth  in 
mercy."     Micah,  vii.  18. 

Our  God  is  love.  This  is  the  most 
amazing  perfection  of  all ;  the  love  of 
such  a  glorious  and  holy  Being,  to  crea- 
tures so  degraded  and  defiled  by  sin  !  Sur- 
veying this,  we  are  astonished ;  and  try, 
but  in  vain,  to  measure  its  vast  dimensions 
— its  breadtli,  its  length,  its  depth,  and  its 
height;  it  surpasses,  by  infinite  degrees, 
the  most  advanced  knowledge  of  saints 
and  angels;  yet,  in  a  sense,  it  is  appre- 
hended, it  is  enjoyed,  it  is  shed  abroad  in 
the  heart  by  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  then  in- 
deed the  Christian  may  triumphantly  cry, 
Tliis  God  is  my  God,  for  ever  and  ever. 

Our  God  is  faithful.  This  crowns 
the  whole.  He  is  faithful  to  his  promises  ; 
and  his  promises  insure  the  final  salvation 
of  every  believing  soul.  He  has  engaged 
never  to  "forsake  the  work  of  his  own 
hands ;"  and,  by  putting  "  his  fear  in  the 
hearts  of  his  people,"  he  has  engaged  that 
"  they  shall  not  forsake  him."  Hence,  our 
text  celebrates  the  permanence  of  the  priv- 
ilege enjoyed — "  this  God  is  our  God — 
FOR  EVER  and  ever" — terms  which  in 
Scripture  always  signify  that  which  is 
positively  eternal.  What  a  portion  then 
is  tliat  of  the  believer !  The  landlord  can- 
not say  of  his  fields.  These  are  mine  for 
ever  and  ever.  The  king  cannot  say  of 
his  crown.  This  is  mine  for  ever  and  ever. 
These  possessions  shall  soon  exchange 
masters ;  these  possessors  shall  soon  muigle 
with  tlie  dust,  and  even  the  graves  they 
shall  occupy,  may  not  long  be  theirs  ;  but 
it  is  the  singular,  the  supreme  happiness 
of  every  Christian  to  say,  or  to  have  a 
right  to  say,  "  This  glorious  God,  with  all 
his  divine  perfections,  is  my  God,  for  ever 
and  ever,  and  even  deatli  itself  shall  not 
separate  me  from  his  love." 
IMPROVEMENT. 

It  may  be  truly  said  of  the  wicked — 
They  have    no    God.     They   may  liave 


wealth,  and  wit,  and  friends ;  but  they  are 
without  God  in  the  world  ;  they  are  there- 
fore miserably  poor,  and  in  the  way  to  be 
miserable  for  ever.  At  present,  you  may 
contrive  to  fill  up  your  fleeting  moments 
with  the  business  and  pleasures  of  a  tran- 
sitory world,  banishing  God  as  far  as  you 
are  able  from  your  thoughts.  Thus  you 
may  live  ;  but  how  will  you  die  ?  for  die 
you  must,  and  may  die  soon  :  and  remem- 
ber that  afler  death  comes  the  judgment. 
At  the  dread  tribunal  of  God,  what  are 
you  to  expect]  From  which  of  his  divine 
perfections  can  you  hope  to  gain  advan- 
tage ?  Perhaps  you  will  say,  From  his 
mercy.  But  know  this,  that  it  is  not  at 
the  bar  of  judgment  that  mercy  is  to  be 
dispensed.  This  is  the  world,  this  is  the 
time,  for  Mercy ;  and  if  not  now  sought, 
through  Jesus  Christ,  it  will  be  refused 
when  sought  hereafter.  O  seek  it  now  ! 
Delay  is  dangerous ;  it  may  be  fatal.  You 
have  not  a  moment  to  lose.  Lament  your 
neglect  of  God  hitherto,  and  cry  with  all 
your  might,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sin- 
ner;" for  how  tremendous  would  be  your 
state,  if  you  should  see  all  the  people  of 
God  around  the  throne,  shouting,  "  This 
God  is  our  God,  for  ever  and  ever,"  while 
you,  justly  banished  to  an  awful  distance, 
and  doomed  to  eternal  darkness,  must  be 
constrained  tp  say,  Alas  !  alas  !  this  God  is 
not  my  God,  nor  will  be  mine  for  ever  and 
ever.  May  divine  grace  prevent  so  horrid 
a  condition ! 

And  now,  methinks,  every  serious  per- 
son present  will  be  putting  this  question  to 
his  own  conscience.  Is  this  blessed  privi- 
lege mine]  May  I  say.  This  God  is  mv 
God] 

I  answer,  Do  you  consider  this  as  the 
most  desirable  of  all  good  things  ] — do  you 
prefer  it,  infinitely  prefer  it]  Compared 
with  this,  do  wealth  and  pleasure,  friends 
and  relations,  the  whole  world,  appear  a 
trifle  ]  Can  you  adopt  tlie  words  of  the 
Psalmist,  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but 
thee,  and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I 
desire  beside  (or  in  comparison  of)  thee  .'" 
If  you  see  the  value  of  having  God  as 
yours,  this  will  be  your  deliberate  language. 

Wishing  tliat  God  may  be  yours,  do  you 
come  to  him,  in  the  only  way  that  you  can 
come,  through  faitli  in  Jesus  Christ .'  and 
thus  coming,  can  you,  and  do  you,  renounce 
the  idol  of  self-righteousness,  accounting 
all  things  but  loss  that  you  may  be  accept- 
ed in  Christ !  Do  you  yirld  yourself  to 
him, — gladly  forsaking  your  vain  compan- 
ions, and  sinful  pleasures,  and  willing  to 
part  with  the  world  for  his  sake] — for  you 
cannot  have  /?/-o  gods ;  you  cannot  serve 


368 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


God  and  Mammon.  Do  you  give  up  soul, 
body,  and  spirit  to  him,  as  your  reasonable 
service,  determined,  by  divine  grace,  to 
serve  him  faithfully,  and  follovv'  him  fully, 
all  your  days  1  to  obey  him  as  your  God  1 
to  submit  to  him  as  your  God  1  to  love  him, 
and  to  glorify  him,  as  your  God '!  If  so,  you 
may  be  permitted  to  say,  and  you  will  say  it 
most  humbly  and  thankfully,  "  This  God  is 
my  God."  Happy  the  man  that  is  in  such  a 
state !  happy  is  he  who  hath  the  Lord  for 
his  God,  whose  hope  the  Lord  is  !  Happy 
Christian,  thou  art  indeed  "  rich,  and  in- 
creased in  goods,  and  standest  in  need  of 
nothing"  more  to  make  thee  happy.  Di- 
vine Power  protects  thee.  Wisdom  guides 
thee.  Holiness  sanctifies  thee,  Justice  se- 
cures thee.  Omnipresence  surrounds  thee, 
Patience  will  not  be  provoked  at  thee. 
Sovereignly  hath  chosen  thee.  Goodness 
enricheth  thee,  Mercy  forgives  thee.  Love 
delights  in  thee,  and  Faithfulness  will 
conduct  thee  safely  to  Heaven,  and  place 
the  crown  of  glory  on  thine  head.  Then, 
amidst  ten  thousand  saints  and  angels, 
thou  shalt  exult  in  the  matchless  privilege, 
and  say,  "  This  God  is  my  God,  and  he  will 
never  cease  to  be  mine  i  This  God  is  my 
God,  for  ever,  and  ever,  and  ever !"  Amen 
and  Amen. 


PRAYER. — Glorious  God,  when  we  contem- 
plate thy  Divine  perfections,  we  are  tilled  witii 
admiration  ;  but  when  we  consider  the  great 
promise  of  the  new  covenant,  that  thou  wilt  be 
our  God,  and  Uiat  we  shall  be  thy  people,  we  are 
beyond  measure  astonished.  And  will  God  in 
very  deed  condescend  to  be  our  God  ?  Wilt  thou 
write  thy  laws  in  our  minds?  wilt  thou  walk  in 
us,  and  dwell  with  us  ?  be  merciful  to  our  un- 
righteousness, and  remember  our  sins  no  more  ? 
O  Lord,  fulfil  to  us  all  these  precious  promises. 
Let  thy  power  protect  us,  thy  wisdom  conduct 
us,  thy  holiness  sanctify  us,  thy  justice  secure  us, 
thy  omnipresence  surround  us,  thy  patience  bear 
with  us,  thy  sovereignly  rule  us,  thy  goodness 
enrich  us,  thy  mercy  forgive  us,  thy  love  delight 
us,  and  thy  faithfulness  crown  the  whole,  in  our 
final  eternal  salvation.  O  God,  what  can  we 
render  unto  thee  for  benefits  so  vast,  so  unspeak- 
able? We  yield  ourselves,  body,  soul,  and  spirit 
to  thee ;  dcsirin?  to  adore,  obey,  and  glorify  thee 
as  our  God,  and  to  say  from  our  hearts.  Whom 
have  we  in  Heaven  but  Ihco,  and  there  is  none 
on  earth  we  desire  besides  ihee ;  this  (iod  is  our 
God  for  ever  and  ever:  thou  wilt  be  our  guide, 
even  unto  death !    Amen  and  Amen. 


SERMON  LXXIX. 

JESUS  CHRIST,  AN  INCOMPARABLE 
TEACHER. 

John  vii.  'l(i.     Never  iiiiiii  spake  like  this  man. 

"  The  tongue  is  a  little  member,  but  it 
boasteth  great  things  ;"  and  indeed,  great 


things  have  been  effected  by  it.  Orators, 
generals,  advocates,  senators,  and  preach- 
ers, have  produced  wonders  by  their 
speeches;  but  the  greatest  and  best  of 
them  all  is  not  to  be  compared  with  him  of 
whom  the  words  of  our  text  were,  in  an 
ecstasy  of  admiration,  spoken. 

The  pharisees  and  chief  priests,  who 
had  determined  to  reject  all  the  evidence 
that  Jesus  gave  of  his  divine  mission, 
alarmed  at  his  growing  popularity,  took 
measures  to  apprehend  and  silence  hint. 
Many  people,  it  appears,  had  already  be- 
lieved on  him,  and  were  suitably  impressed 
with  the  wonders  he  had  wrought,  so  that 
they  openly  said,  "  When  Messias  cometh, 
will  he  do  more  miracles  than  this  man 
hath  donel"  The  rulers  therefore  deter- 
mined upon  making  him  their  prisoner, 
sent  officers  to  take  hun,  aiifl  were  waiting 
with  the  expectation  of  gratifying  their 
malice  by  seeing  him  arraigned  at  their 
bar.  But  how  were  they  disappointed, 
when  the  officers  returned  without  their 
expected  prisoner !  and  when  asked  why 
tliey  had  not  brought  him,  they  answered, 
in  the  words  of  the  text,  Never  man  spake 
like  this  man  .'  What  could  have  beeti 
more  honorable  to  the  character  of  our 
Lord  than  this  report  ]  Plutarch  mentions 
it  as  a  memorable  proof  of  the  extraordi- 
nary eloquence  of  Mark  Antony,  when 
soldiers  were  sent  to  kill  him,  that  ho 
pleaded  for  his  life  in  such  affecting  lan- 
guage, that  he  totally  disarmed  them  of 
their  resolution,  and  melted  them  into 
tears.  But  these  officers  are  vanquished, 
not  by  the  forcible  arguments  of  a  man 
pleading  for  his  life,  but  by  hearing  one  of 
the  ordinary  discourses  of  our  Lord,  not 
particularly  directed  to  them,  but  to  the 
people  at  large,  which  is  a  circumstance 
much  more  remarkable.  They  returned 
to  their  employers  in  amazement,  and 
without  attempting  an  apology  for  their 
failure^  they  broke  out  into  the  pathetic 
language  of  the  text.  Never  man  spake 
like  this  man  ! 

The  observation  they  made  upon  our 
Lord's  discourse  was  certainly  just,  and 
imported  more  than  they  were  aware  of' 
and  what  we  are  better  able  than  tliey 
were  to  express.  They  heard  him  but 
once,  and  that  perhaps  not  for  an  hour:  but 
how  many  of  his  discourses,  committed  to 
writing  by  men  inspired  of  God,  and  hand- 
ed down  to  us,  have  we  read  and  heard  : 
and  if  we  heard  them  with  understanding, 
and  mixed  them  with  fliith,  we  have  miicli 
more  rca^iii  tlinn  they  had  to  say.  Never 
man  spake  Tkc  tliis  man! 

In  order  that  we  may  more  fully  ppr- 


SERMON  LXXIX. 


sm 


ceivc  tiic  reason  of  this,  and  learn  still 
more  highly  to  prize  his  heavenly  teaching, 
let  us  consider  and  illuslrule  the  ibliowuiij- 
observation  : 

.lesus  Ciirist  is  incomparably  the  great- 
est and  best  teacher  the  world  ever  knew. 

It  is  fit  and  becoming,  "that  in  all 
tilings  lie  may  liave  tlie  pre-eminence ;" 
lor  he  is  tlie  first  and  the  last,  the  Al- 
mighty. In  every  character  that  lie  as- 
sumes, which,  for  the  sake  of  our  feeble 
minds,  is  compared  to  something  luinian, 
Jie  discovers  infinite  superiority,  ibr  lie  is 
tlie  source  of  all  tliat  is  excellejit  and  ad- 
mirable in  the  best  of  those  liunian  char- 
acters to  which  he  condescends  to  be  com- 
pared :  and  well  may  it  be  allowed  that  he 
spake  as  never  man  spake,  who  himself 
made  man's  mouth,  endowed  him  with  the 
admirable  faculty  of  speech,  and  wlio  fur- 
nished the  finest  orators  in  the  world  with 
all  their  most  brilliant  talents. 

Is  lie,  for  instance,  a  King  1 — Yes,  he  is 
"  the  King  of  kings,  and  the  Lord  of 
lords,"  and  liis  kingdom  ruleth  over  all ; 
his  reign  is  the  most  pacific ;  his  subjects 
are  the  most  happy ;  his  government  the 
most  equitable ;  his  infkience  the  most  ex- 
tended ;  and  liis  kingdom  that  which  shall 
never  have  an  end. 

Is  he  a  Priest! — Yes;  but  far  greater 
tlian  Aaron.  Jesus  offered  a  sacrifice,  but 
it  w  as  only  once,  it  was  once  for  all ;  a 
sacrifice,  tliat  needed  no  repetition,  like 
tliat  of  ordinary  priests,  but  it  was  at  once 
a  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world,  not  for  Jews  only,  but  for  all  of 
every  country  and  in  every  age  who  shall 
believe  on  him. 

Is  he  a  Prophet  1 — Yes ;  and  such  a  one 
as  tlie  world  never  before  heard.  "  God, 
at  sundry  times  and  in  divers  manners, 
spake  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers  by  the 
ordinary  prophets,"  and  among  them,  we 
highly  venerate  the  names  of  Moses  and 
Abraham,  Isaiah  and  Elijah,  and  John. 
But  a  greater-  than  any  of  these  is  here ; 
and  if  we  regard  this  holy  prophet  aright, 
we  shall  have  good  cause  to  say.  Never 
man  spake  like  this  man  !  And  this  will 
plainly  appear  if  you  consider  three  things. 

The  Mutter — the  Manner — and  the  Ef- 
fect (fhis  Iitstrvctimis. 

Let  us  first  consider  the  Matter  of  his 
instructions. — What  was  it  tliat  he  taught  1 
And  here  we  shall  find  none  of  that 
wretched  trifling,  whicli  distinguished  the 
scribes,  and  pjiarisees,  and  rabliios,  among 
the  Jews,  some  speciim'ns  of  wliicii  our 
Lord  lias  given  in  order  to  expose  them. — 
No,  our  1  bird's  discourses  were  grave,  solid, 
and  of  eternal  moment ;  llir  instance, 
^  Vv 


He  truly  revealed  the  divine  character. 
— He  wlio  w"as  from  eternity  "  in  the  bo- 
som of  the  Father,"  and  iiail  an  intimate 
actpiaiiitance  with  the  whole  mind  and 
will  of  tiod,  "  he  hath  revealed  him ; 
he  hath  manifested  the  divine  irame  and 
nature  to  the  men  who  were  given  him  out 
of  the  world,"  and  qualified  them  to  bu  the 
instructors  of  mankind.  Doubtless  there 
is  more  of  the  true  knowledge  of  Cod  dis- 
played hi  one  single  discourse  of  our  divine 
Redeemer,  than  in  all  the  volumes  com- 
posed by  heathen  sages. 

Again,  He  fully  explaiiied  the  Will  of 
God,  as  revealed,  long  before,  in  the  moral 
law.  In  the  ten  commandments,  we  ha\(? 
the  will  of  God  in  epitome — we  have  "the 
root  of  tlie  matter;"  but  in  the  discoursLS 
of  Christ,  we  have  the  spiritual  meaning  and 
extent  of  the  law — we  have  the  lofty  tree 
witii  all  its  extended  branches.  The  Jews 
had  the  law,  but  it  was  miserably  expounded 
to  them  by  their  teachers,  who  not  only 
dwelt  chiefly  on  its  outward  rites  and  cere- 
monies, neglecting  the  weightier  matters, 
but  by  their  wretclied  traditions  set  aside 
the  design  of  it.  With  what  authority  did 
our  Lord  correct  these  dangerous  mistakes, 
and  point  out  the  true  and  spiritual  mean- 
ing of  the  law,  particularly  in  his  Sermon 
on  the  Mount !  We  find  him  also  insisting 
upon  the  spiritual  nature  of  that  worship 
wliich  God  requires,  and  wliich  alone  he 
will  accept.  He  showed  that  it  was  not 
merely  worshipping  in  the  iioly  place  at 
Jerusalem,  nor  the  mere  use  of  divinely  ap- 
pointed means,  but  that  God,  who  is  a 
Spirit,  must  be  worshipped  in  spirit  and  in 
truth  ;  that  the  washing  of  the  outside  of 
the  cup  and  the  platter  was  of  little  mo- 
ment: he  msisted  upon  the  religion  of  the 
heart;  he  showed  the  necessity  of  private 
prayer,  of  closet  devotion,  and  of  a  purity 
of  motive  in  all  our  religious  actions ;  he 
showed  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  came 
not  with  observation  and  outward  show,  as 
the  Jews  expected,  but  tliat  it  was  of  an 
internal  nature,  and  consisted  in  peace  and 
righteousness  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost; 
he  showed  men  that  love  is  the  very  es- 
sence of  true  religion — love  to  God  and 
love  to  man;  and  how  admirable  were 
our  Lord's  precep'ts  with  regard  to  the  love 
of  our  neighbor!  In  liis  [Jarable  of  the 
good  Samaritan,  he  shows  that  we  ought 
even  to  treat  our  enemies  with  kindness, 
and  melt  them  down  by  acts  of  friendship. 

But  especially  did  the  superiority  of  our 
Lord's  preacliing  appear  in  the  display  ho 
made  of  the  divine  mercy,  of  tlie  love  of  God 
to  sinful  men,  in  the  gift  of  his  only-begot- 
ten Son,  who  came  into  our  world  to  die 


370 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


for  them !  With  what  heart-cheering  words 
did  he  open  his  commission  at  Naz- 
areth, saying  "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is 
upon  me,  because  he  hatli  anointed  me  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  the  poor ;  lie  hath 
sent  me  to  heal  the  broken-hearted,  to 
preach  deliverance  to  the  captives,  and  re- 
covering of  sight  to  the  blind,  to  set  at 
liberty  them  that  are  bruised."  The  proph- 
ets usually  came  to  men  with  heavy 
tidings,  called.  The  burden  of  the  Lord, 
denouncing  curses  upon  the  disobedient ; 
but  our  blessed  Lord  opened  his  mouth 
with  blessings  upon  the  poor,  the  meek, 
the  mourners,  the  pure  in  heart,  and  even 
on  those  who  were  persecuted  for  righte- 
ousness' sake — characters  far  from  being 
generally  deemed  happy :  and  how  divinely 
sweet  and  consolatory  were  the  gracious 
sayings  that  dropped  from  his  lips — such  as 
"  the  Son  of  man  came  to  seek  and  to  save 
that  which  was  lost," — "  the  Son  of  man 
is  not  come  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to 
minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for 
many" — "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  are 
weary  and  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest" — "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come 
unto  me  and  drink." 

Again,  Jesus  unveiled  the  invisible  and 
eternal  world.  Hitherto  little  had  been 
disclosed.  The  patriarchs  indeed  sought  a 
better  country  than  Canaan — a  heavenly 
w  orld,  yet  they  were  not  favored  with  such 
a  discovery  of  its  excellencies  and  glories 
as  was  made  by  the  mouth  of  Jesus,  wlio 
came  down  from  heaven  on  purpose  to  di- 
rect men  thither.  By  him  the  immortality 
of  the  soul  was  fully  and  plainly  asserted. 
"  Fear  not  them,"  said  he,  "  who  can  kill 
the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul ; 
but  rather  fear  him  which  is  able  to  destroy 
both  the  soul  and  body  in  hell."  He  plain- 
ly taught  tiie  nature  of  the  future  world, 
and  the  existence  of  ihe  soul  in  a  separate 
t:tate  from  the  body,  as  when  he  said  to  the 
penitent  thief  on  the  cross,  "This  day 
shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise."  He 
taught  the  final  separation  of  those  char- 
acters who  are  united  in  the  visible  church 
— tlie  wheat  and  the  tares — the  good  and 
bad  fishes — the  wise  and  the  foolish  vir- 
gins, a  separation  of  whom  shall  be  made 
in  the  great  day.     But, 

II.  The  superiority  of  our  Lord's  instruc- 
tion appears  in  the  Manner,  as  well  as  in 
the  matter  of  it. 

He  taught  more  clearly  than  any  one 
who  had  gone  before  him.  The  Gospel 
truths  which  were  revealed  in  the  Old 
Testament  were  described  as  "shadows  of 
good  things  to  come,"  but  the  body  is 
Christ.     The  writings  of  the  prophets  are 


frequently  obscure,  for  they  themselves 
were  imperfectly  acquainted  with  the  im- 
port of  their  own  prophecies;  but  our 
Lord's  teaching  was  like  ii  morning  with- 
out clouds,  like  the  rismg  of  the  sun,  with 
healing  in  his  wings.  The  light  of  the  Gos- 
pel broke  through  the  obscurity  of  the  law. 
How  sweetly  familiar  were  the  instructions 
of  our  Lord  in  parables  !  in  the  manner  of 
fables,  he  conveyed  the  great  truths  of  re- 
ligion— a  pleasing  mode  of  instruction,  well 
adapted  to  both  classes  of  his  hearers ;  for 
the  teachable  easily  perceived  the  drift  of 
his  discourses,  or  if  they  knew  it  not,  they 
humbly  asked  to  be  informed ;  while  those 
proud  opposers,  who  only  sought  to  cavil, 
found  enough  to  become  stumbling-blocks 
to  their  own  ruin.  You  remember  our 
Lord's  parable  of  the  sower,  to  show  the 
different  effects  of  the  preached  word,  and 
his  setting  a  little  child  in  the  midst  of  his 
disciples  to  teach  them  humility. 

Our  Lord's  teaching  was  also  distin- 
guished by  the  mild  and  affectionate  man- 
ner of  it.  Indeed,  he  courts  the  attention 
of  his  disciples  upon  this  ground.  "  Learn 
of  me,"  says  he,  "  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly 
in  heart," — no  forbidding — no  philoeophic 
or'  priestly  haughtiness,  but  waiting  to  be 
gracious,  and  willing  to  diffuse  knowledge ; 
he  was  indulgent  in  all  his  behavior,  even 
to  his  dull  disciples,  and  gentle  to  his  bit- 
terest enemies.  Paul  speaks  of  "  tlie  gen- 
tleness of  Christ,"  and  "the  bowels  of 
Christ."  How  pathetic  were  his  lamenta- 
tions over  Jerusalem !  and  how  charming 
his  farewell  discourse  to  his  disciples  ! 

Again,  our  Lord  tau'glitthe  ^people  faith- 
fully. He  honestly  told  his  disciples  what 
they  were  to  expect  if  they  became  his  fol- 
lowers— that  they  must  deny  themselves, 
and  take  up  their  cross ;  that  they  would  not, 
perhaps  have  accomnjodation  equal  to  the 
foxes  of  the  wilderness,  or  the  birds  of  the 
air ;  but  they  must  look  for  divisions  and 
discord,  and  evil  speaking  ;  yea,  for  death 
itself.  He  also  plainly  forewarned  men  of 
their  danger  ;  he  boldly  exposed  the  igno- 
rance and  hypocrisy  of  the  Pharisees  ;  he 
warned  men  against  them  as  the  blind 
leaders  of  the  blind,  lest  both  should  fall 
into  the  ditch. 

How  zealous  also  was  our  Lord  in  giving 
these  instructions!  he  was  like  a  man  in 
earnest,  who  felt  the  importance  of  what 
he  taught.  "  The  zeal  of  thine  house," 
says  he,  "  hath  eaten  me  up — liath  even 
consumed  me !"  insomuch  that  his  own 
relatives  suspected  his  sanity,  and  inti- 
mated that  he  was  beside  himself. 

Observe  also  how  majestically  he  spoke. 
Never  man  before  could  speak  like  him. 


SERMON  LXXIX. 


371 


Even  the  common  people  observed  that  he 
spoke  witli  autliority,  and  not  as  the 
scribes.  The  dignity  of  his  manner,  and  the 
weight  of  his  discourses,  constrained  his 
hearers  to  say.  Never  man  spake  like  this 
man !  And  this  will  appear  still  more  clearly, 
when  we  consider, 

III.   The  grand  effect  of  his  leaching. 

lie  who  spoke  on  earth  in  this  astonish- 
ing manner,  was  no  less  a  person  than  he 
wiio  said,   at  the  creation  of  the  world, 
"  Let  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light."  j 
Powerful   was   the   effect   of  our   Lord's  j 
word   on   things   inanimate.     When    the  i 
tempestuous  winds  fiercely  raged,  and  the  j 
waves  of  the  sea  threatened   instant  de-  j 
struction,    it   was   only   for   him    to   say,  [ 
"  Peace,  be  still,"  and  there  was  a  great 
cahn. 

Demons,  who  at  that  time  obtained  per- 
mission to  possess  the  bodies  of  men,  and 
grievously  tormented  them,  were  banished 
with  a  single  word,  and  the  poor  demoniacs 
were  found  sitting  at  his  feet  in  their  right 
mind. 

And  with  respect  to  men — what  power 
accompanied  his  words !  Did  he  command 
the  fishermen  of  Galilee  to  forsake  their 
nets  and  their  boats,  or  did  he  command 
the  wealthy  publican  to  leave  the  receipt 
of  custom,  they  instantly  comply,  forsake 
all  iheir  occupations  and  possessions,  and 
immediately  join  his  humble  train.  Did 
atrocious  sinners  mingle  with  the  multi- 
tude who  flocked  to  iiear  him  preach,  one 
word  from  our  Lord,  spoken  to  their  hearts, 
clianged  them  in  a  moment.  She  who  had 
had  been  an  atrocious  sisner,  a  person  of 
notorious  character,  follows  Jesus  even  into 
the  house  of  a  Pharisee,  bedewing  his  feet 
with  the  tears  of  penitence,  and  wiping 
them  with  the  hair  of  her  head  !  Zaccheus, 
before  an  e.xtortioner,  hears  Jesus  invite 
himself  to  his  house,  receives  him  gladly, 
and,  changed  by  his  grace,  immediately  be- 
came another  man.  Who  but  Jesus  could 
have  dared  to  say  to  a  weeping  penitent, 
"  Co  in  peace,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee?" 
Can  any  forgive  sins  but  God  only  1 

And  still  his  word  (and  the  preached 
Gospel  is  his  word)  produces,  by  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  similar  effects.  For 
what  purpose  was  the  Gospel  ordained? 
"  To  open  men's  eyes,  to  turn  them  from 
darkness  to  light,  and  to  translate  them 
from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God,  that 
they  might  receive  an  inheritance  among 
them  that  are  sanctified  by  faith  in  him." 
Our  Lord  declares  what  should  be  the 
grand  effect  and  influence  of  liis  Gospel; 
"  The  hour  cometh,"  eaith  he,  "  and  now 
is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of 


the  Son  of  God,  and  live."  And  thus  it 
proved  to  the  Ephesians ;  they  were  origi- 
nally "dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,"  but 
they  were  "quickened"  by  the  word  of 
the  Lord  Jesus.  So  it  was  witii  the  Co- 
rinthians :  they  had  been  wallowing  in 
every  sort  of  vice,  but  "  they  were  washed, 
they  were  justified,  they  were  sanctified 
in  Christ  Jesus,  called  to  be  saints ;"  thoy 
became  new  creatures — old  tilings  passed 
away — all  became  new. 

St.  Paul,  in  his  first  epistle  to  the  Co- 
rinthians, chapter  the  14th,  verse  the  24lh, 
describes  the  manner  in  which  this  great 
change  was  in  the  primitive  times  fre- 
quently effected.  Speaking  of  the  religious 
assemblies  of  the  first  Christians,  where 
the  word  of  the  Gospel  was  preached — 
"there  cometh  in  one,"  saith  he,  "that 
believeth  not,  or  one  unlearned" — igno- 
rant of  Christ  and  the  Gospel,  and  "  he  is 
convinced  of  all ;  he  is  judged  of  all ;  and 
thus  are  the  secrets  of  his  heart  made 
manifest ;  and  so,  falling  down  on  his  fiice, 
he  will  worship  God,  and  report  that  God 
is  with  you  of  a  truth ;" — the  person  de- 
scribed, came  in,  it  may  be,  as  a  spy,  or 
merely  to  mock  at  what  he  might  hear ; 
but,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the 
word  touches  his  heart;  he  is  convinced 
of  his  sin  and  danger;  he  renounces  his 
former  idolatry ;  becomes  a  spiritual  wor- 
shipper of  the  true  God ;  and  is  convinced, 
from  what  he  feels,  that  the  people,  whom 
before  he  despised,  are  indeed  the  people 
of  God,  and  that  his  presence  is  among 
them. 

The  power  that  produces  this  conviction, 
and  this  mental  revolution,  is  and  must  be 
divine,  and  St.  Paul  ascribes  it  to  the  same 
creative  voice,  which  at  the  beginning 
said,  "  Let  there  be  light,  and  light  there 
was."  Speaking  to  the  same-  church  of 
the  Corinthians  (2d  Epistle,  ch.  4.  ver.-6,) 
he  says,  "  God,  who  commanded  the  light 
to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in 
our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  know- 
ledge of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ."  What  a  grand  idea  does 
this  give  of  the  power  of  divine  grace  on 
the  souls  of  men !  It  is  the  voice  of  him  that 
spake  the  most  glorious  creatures  into  be- 
ing, that  speaks  to  the  heart,  and  bids  the 
light  of  the  Gospel  enter.  It  is  Jesus,  by 
whom  all  things  were  originally  made, 
and  without  whom  nothing  was  made,  who 
is  the  author  of  the  new  creation  in  the 
soul  of  man  :  and,  blessed  be  God,  the 
same  effects  are  still  produced,  though 
rarely  so  suddenly  and  so  visibly,  yet  as 
really  and  truly  by  the  ministry  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ,  of  which,  we  trust,  there 


372 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


are  amongst  us  more  than  a  few  living 
witnesses. 


To  conclude.  What  has  been  said,  may, 
we  trust,  excite  our  admiration,  and  con- 
strain us  to  use  the  language  of  the  text, 
Never  man  spake  like  this  man !  But  this 
is  not  enough ;  let  us  be  anxious  to  hear 
him  ourselves;  each  of  us  for  himself  to 
receive  his  word.  It  will  little  avail  us  to 
know,  tliat  nearly  1800  years  ago  a  distin- 
guished person  spake  as  never  man  spake, 
unless  we  know  that  we  have  heard  his 
voice  and  have  believed  in  his  name.  For, 
be  it  observed,  that  still  Christ  speaketh  to 
us,  according  to  Hebrews  xii.  25,  "  See 
that  ye  refuse  not  him  that  speaketh,  for 
if  they  escaped  not  who  refused  him  that 
spake  on  eartli,  how  much  more  shall  not 
we  escape,  if  we  turn  away  from  him  that 
speaketh  from  heaven,  whose  voice  then 
shook  the  earth?  but  now  he  hath  prom- 
ised, saying,  Yet  once  more  I  shake  not 
the  earth  only,  but  also  the  heavens." 

When  our  Lord  made  his  appearance  on 
earth,  a  voic*  from  heaven  said,  "  This  is 
my  beloved  Son,  hear  ye  him!"  And  again, 
"  This  is  the  Prophet  that  God  promised  to 
raise  up,  hear  him ;  and  it  shall  come  to 
pass,  tliat  if  any  one  will  not  hear  that 
prophet,  he  shall  be  cut  off  from  among 
tiie  people." — Doubtless  Christ  still  speaks 
to  us  by  his  blessed  word ;  let  us  then  be- 
ware '  of  the  sin  and  danger  of  rejecting 
him,  for  as  it  is  written  in  the  12th  chap- 
tor  of  St.  John's  Gospel,  and  the  48th 
verse,  "  He  that  rejectetli  me,  and  receiv- 
eth  not  my  word,  hath  one  that  judgeth 
him ;  tiie  word  that  I  have  spoken,  the 
same  sliall  judge  him  in  the  last  day." 

It  is,  on  tlie  other  liand,  the  distinguish- 
ing character  of  all  true  disciples,  that 
they  afl'ectionately  and  practically  attend 
to  the  voice  of  Christ.  Our  Lord  says,  in 
the  lOth  chapter  of  St.  John's  Gospel, 
verse  27tli,  "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice, 
and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me ;" 
and  in  tlie  3d  and  4th  verses  of  that  chap- 
ter, speaking  of  himself  as  tlic  sheplierd, 
he  says,  "  The  slieop  lioar  his  voice,  and 
lie  gootli  before  them,  and  the  siieep  follow 
liim,  for  they  know  his  voice,  and  a  stran- 
ger tliey  will  not  follow ;"  but  tlioy  follow 
tiie  Ijamb,  whithersoover  he  goeth.  Let 
tis  then,  my  friends,  like  Mary,  whom  he 
so  highly  commended,  take  our  station  at 
Iiis  feet,  and  thus  choose,  like  her,  the 
good  part,  which  sliall  not  be  taken  from 
us ;  :ui(l  should  we  be  tempted  to  with- 
draw from  him,  let  us  still  cleave  to  him 
with  purpose  of  heart,  and  repel  every 
temptation  to  forsake  this  divine  teacher, 


saying  with  Peter,  "  Lord,  to  whom  shall 
we  go,"  (if  we  forsake  thee)  "  for  thou," 
and  thou  only,  "  hast  the  words  of  eternal 
life." 

Finally.  How  glorious  will  be  the  voice 
of  Jesus  at  the  last  day,  wiren  the  Lord 
Jesus  being  revealed  from  heaven,  when 
all  mankind  shall  be  roused  by  his  voice, 
the  voice  of  the  Archangel,  and  the  trump 
of  God,  when  all  that  are  in  their  graves 
shall  hear  his  voice,  and  come  forth,  attend 
his  bar,  and  receive  their  doom !  Then 
may  it  be  our  happiness  to  hear,  from  his 
own  blessed  lips,  that  delightful  sentence. 
Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inlierit 
tlie  kingdom  prepared  for  ybu  from  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world.    Amen. 


PRAYER.— We  praise  thee,  O  Lord,  that  thou 
hast  manifested  thyself  in  Christ,  not  only  that 
our  sins  might  be  forgiven,  but  that  we  might  be 
made  wise  unto  salvation.  To  know  thee,  the 
true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent, 
is  everlasting  hfe.  Thy  works  around  us,  and 
thy  dealing  with  us,  would  leave  ue,  and  all 
mankind,  without  excuse,  for  ignorance  of  thee  ; 
but  we  bless  thee  that  thou  hast  moreover  re- 
vealed thy  will  by  the  prophets  of  old ;  and  in 
the  fullness  of  time,  by  thine  only  Son,  who  alone 
completely  knew  thee,  and  therefore  could  fully 
make  thee  known  to  us.  Accept  our  thanksgiv- 
ings, that  thou  hast  recorded  his  doctrines,  his 
actions,  his  sufferings,  and  his  gloiy,  for  pur  in- 
struction, to  the  end  of 'the  world..  We  praise 
thee,  that  thy  word  is  so  bountifully  put  into  our 
hands,  is  read  and  explained  to  us,  and  is  urged 
upon  our  attention  and  our  affections.  Save  us, 
O  Lord,  from  shutting  our  eyes,  lest  we  should 
see  ;  from  stopping  our  ears,  lest  we  should  hear; 
and  hardening  our  hearts,  lest  we  should  be  con- 
verted, and  thou  shouldst  heal  us !  Grant  us,  O 
Lord,  the  teaching  of  thy  Holy  Spirit,  which  thou 
hast  promised  to  them  who  ask  thee ;  and  work 
in  us,  both  to  will  and  to  do  what  thou  leachest 
us,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus,  to  wliom  be  glory  for 
over.   Amen. 


SERMON  LXXX. 

CHRIST  THE  GREAT  PHYSICIAN. 

Matt.  ix.  12.  Hut  wlien  lie  hcaril  that,  lie  said  unto 
tlirm,  They  th;it  lie  wliole  lined  not  (he  pliysirian, 
hut  they  that  arc  sick. 

The  Scriptures  of  truth  uniformly  re- 
present Jesus  Christ  as  the  supreme  object 
of  every  believer's  love,  as  being  "  pre- 
cious to  everyone  that  believeth" — "tlie 
chief  among  ten  thousand,  and  altogetlier 
lovely."  He  is  described  as  "  the  pearl  of 
great  price,"  1o  obtain  whicli  the  spiritual 
merchant  gladly  parts  with  all  that  he  is 
worth ;  and  St.  Paul  goes  so  far  as  to  say, 
"  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  lot  him  be  accursed."     But,  is  the 


SERMON  LXXX. 


373 


Savior  thus  highly  esteemed  by  all  who 
profess  and  call  tliemselves  Christians?  Is 
the  Gospel  of  his  grace,  his  righteousness, 
his  salvation,  supremely  prized  by  all  who 
are  called  by  his  name!  Alas!  it  is  far 
otherwise.  Like  Gallio  of  old,  many  "care 
for  none  of  these  things ;"  and  others  sat- 
isfy themselves  with  an  occasional  and 
careless  attention  to  them.  Like  Pilate, 
they  "find  no  fault  in  tlie  man,"  but  their 
hearts  are  engaged  in  the  pursuits  and-en- 
joyinents  of.  the  present  world,  and  they 
"mind  only  earthly  things."  IIow  shall 
we  account  for  this]  How  is  it  that  any, 
with  the  Scriptures  in  their  hands,  should 
t!ms  forsake  their  own  mercies,  and  liglitly 
esteem  the  Rock  of  their  salvation  ?  The 
text  resolves  the  difficulty.  Here  we  find 
an  answer — "  The  whole  need  not  a  piiy- 
sician,  but  they  that  are  sick."  It  is  obvi- 
ous to  all,  that  a  man  in  perfect  health, 
wiio  feels  no  pain,  and  is  conscious  of  no 
disease,  will  not  employ  a  physician. 
Wiiatever  reports  he  may  have  heard  re- 
specting him,  or  whatever  opinion  he  may 
entertain  of  his  skill,  he  sees  no  present 
occasion  for  his  assistance :  and  this  was 
the  condition  of  the  Pharisees  while  our 
Lord  was  upon  earth.  He  came  "  to  seek 
and  to  save  that  which  was  lost ;"  and  in 
the  ])ursuit  of  this  benevolent  object,  he 
disdained  not  freely  to  converse  with  pub- 
licans and  sinners:  not  that  he  meant  to 
countenance  their  sins;  no;  he  mingled 
with  them  only  to  reclaim  tiiem,  just  as 
physicians  go  among  the  diseased  merely 
to  ellbct  their  cure.  Cut  this  gave  great 
offence  to  the  proud  Pharisees — men  "  who 
trusted  in  themselves  that  they  were  right- 
eous, and  despised  others."  They  com- 
plained of  his  conduct  to  his  disciples,  say- 
ing, "  Your  master  keeps  company,  and 
eats  and  drinks  with  publicans  and  sin- 
ners;" but  "Wisdom  is  justified  of  her 
children."  Our  Lord,  in  tlie  text,  vindi- 
cates his  own  conduct,  while  he  accounts 
for  that  of  the  Pharisees:  "The  whole 
need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are 
sick."— These  men  are  insensible  of  the 
slate  of  fheir  own  souls,  while  others  wore 
rejo'cing  that  they  had  found  a  remedy. 

The.^e  words  may  teach  us  the  four  fol- 
lowing thiiigs: 

First — Tliat  sin  is  the  disease  of  the 


soul 


Secondly — Jesus  is  the  great  physician. 

Thirdly — Tiiose  who  arc  insensible  of 
their  sins,  neglect  him. 

]'\)urthlv — Those  who  know  their  true 
condition,  arc  very  desirous  of  his  lielp. 

In  the  first  place,  wc  arc  taught  that  sin 
is  the  disease  of  the  soul.     We  brought  it 


into  the  world  with  us,  deriving  it  from 
our  first  parents ;  for  "  by  one  man  sin  en- 
tered mto  the  world,  and  death  by  sin."  It 
is  with  strict  propriety  tlr.it  sin  is  thus  de- 
scribed, for  it  has  just  the  same  efi'ects 
upon  the  soul  that  disease  lias  upon  the 
body.  Sickness  destroys  all  our  powers 
of  action,  and  deprives  us  of  ability  to 
transact  our  affairs,  however  important  and 
urgent  they  may  be:  whatever  dangers 
we  might  avoid,  whatever  advantages  we 
might  obtain,  there  is  a  total  inability  for 
action ;  and  thus  it  is  with  the  soul.  We 
have  before  us  a  vast  eternity,  and  this  is  - 
the  only  season  for  preparation;  it  is  the-, 
seed-time  of  eternity;  we  are  now  called 
upon  to  "  work  out  our  own  salvation  witli 
fear  and  trembling;"  but  while  this' sick- 
ness prevails,  we  have  no  heart  to  engage 
in  thfs  great  work ;  we  cannot  bear  the 
thought  of  necessary  exertion.  Even  the 
ordinary  means  of  grace  are  frequently 
neglected ;  the  Bible,  and  prayer,  and  Sab- 
baths, and  sermons,  are  shunned ;  for  the 
sinner  has  no  heart  to  them.  • 

Sickness  deprives  a  man  of  rest;  he 
cannot  be  composed :  he  feels  a  constant 
uneasiness,  an  insatiable  thirst :  and  thus, 
as  the  Scripture  saith,  "  There  is  no  peace 
to  the  wicked  ;"  he  turns  from  creature  to 
creature,  seeking  rest  and  finding  none ; 
the  world  disappoints  him;  he  meets  with 
repeated  and  perpetual,  difficulties  ;  this 
perhaps  irritates  his  temper,  and  makes 
him  a  burden  to  himself  and  others ;  to 
get  rid  of  his  cares,  he  flies  to  amusements 
and  intemperance ;  but  the  disease,  instead 
of  being  relieved,  is  aggravated,  and  he 
grows  worse  and  worse. 

Disease  frequently  occasions  delirium. 
A  sick  man  knows  not  where  he  is,  or 
what  he  .=ays ;  when  he  is  at  death's  door, 
he  fancies  himself  perfectly  well,  and  if 
not  prevented,  would  be  in  danger  of  de- 
stroying hiuisclf.  Thus  a  man  in  a  state 
of  sin  is  furiously  bent  on  his  own  ruin; 
he  will  not  be  persuaded  there  is  any  dan- 
ger in  his  case ;  and  he  is  very  angry  with 
the  servants  of  Christ  who  would  convince 
him  of  his  error.  Solomon  says,  "  Tiic 
heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  fully  set  to  do 
evil ;  madness  is  in  their  hearts  while  they 
live,  and  atler  that  they  go  to  the  dead." 
How  do  sucli  persons  fondly  imagine  that 
their  hearts  are  good,  even  while  their 
ways  are  perverse  and  desperately  wicked ! 

Sin  deforms  the  body.  "  When  God 
with  rebukes  correcteth  .man  fir  his  ini- 
quity, he  maketh  his  beauty  to  consume 
like  a  moth;" — "He  ciiaugeth  his  coun- 
tenance, and  sendeth  him  away."  The 
finest  face  may  be  soon  disfigured,  and  the 
32 


374 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


most  lovely  person  become  lolhesome ;  but, 
in  the  sight  of  God,  nothing  is  so  beautiful 
as  holiness,  nothing  so  lothesome  as  sin. 

Finally,  disease  is  the  forerunner  of 
death. — Many  diseases  are  mortal  in  their 
tendency,  and  if  not  seasonably  checked, 
will  bring  the  patient  to  the  grave.  Some 
diseases  baffle  the  skill  of  the  ablest  phy- 
sician.— Sin,  which  is  the  disease  of  the 
soul,  is  certainly  mortal,  if  Christ  the  great 
physician  does  not  interpose :  "  Death  was 
the  original  threatening,  to  keep  man  from 
sin."  God  said  to  Adam,  "  In  the  day  that 
thou  eastest"  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  "  thou 
shalt  surely  die ;"  and  die  he  did ;  his  body 
became  mortal ;  and  though  he  had  a  long 
reprieve,  he  returned  at  length  to  the  dust 
from  whence  he  came.  But  he  immedi- 
ately suffered  a  moral  death ;  he  became 
"  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,"  and  liable 
to  tl>e  bitter  pains  of  eternal  death.  And 
thus,-  "by  the  offence  of  one,  judgment 
came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation."  This 
is  our  state :  we  are,  universally,  dead  in 
sin  ;  we  have  bodies  doomed  to  the  grave, 
and  souls  exposed  to  the  just  anger  of  aij 
offended  God.  This  is  indeed  a  miserable 
state ;  but  it  would  be  far  more  so,  if  there 
were  no  remedy.  "  Is  there  then  no  balm 
in  Gilead;  is  there  no  physician  there"?" 
Blessed  be  God,  we  can,  with  confidence, 
say.  There  is  a  physician,  and  he  no  less  a 
person  than  the  Son  of  God ;  and  this  is 
what  we  propose, 

In   the  second  place,  to  notice — That 
Jesus    Christ    is    the    great    Physician. 
There  is  none  upon  earth  equal  to  the 
cure  of  the  souls  of  men,  but  the  Son  of 
God ;  he  pitied  us  in  our  low  estate ;  he 
saw  us  perishing  in  our  sins  and  in  our 
blood  ;  and  he  left  his  throne  of  glory — 
visited  this  sinful  globe — took  our  nature 
into  union  with  his  own;  yea,  he  "him- 
.self  took   upon  him  our   infirmities ;    he 
hath   borne   our   griefs,   and  carried  our 
.sorrows ;  yet  we  did  esteem  him  stricken, 
smitten  of  God,  and  afflicted ;  but  he  was 
wounded  for  our  transgressions ;  he  was 
bruised  for  our  iniquities ;    the   chastise- 
ment of  our  peace  was  upon  him,  and 
with  his  stripes  we  are  healed." — When 
•on  earth  he  gave  many  gracious  specimens 
of  his  power  to  heal  the  souls  of  men,  by 
healing  their  bodies ;   and  such  was  his 
power,  that  "all  manner  of  diseases," — 
"  every  sickness  and  every  disease"  among 
the  people  was  healed ;  yea,  such  was  the 
compassion  of  our  blessed  Lord,  tliat  of 
all    the   numerous   crowds    of   sick    and 
afflicted  people  who  applied  to  him,  not 
one  of  them  was  sent  away  without  relief 
In  the  cure  of  our  souls  two  tilings  are 


necessary :  we  are  guilty,  and  must  be 
justified;  we  are  polluted,  and  must  be 
sanctified  :  he  performs  both  these  parts 
of  our  cure ;  which  is  intimated  by  the 
expression,  that  out  of  his  side  came 
water  and  blood.  See  the  1st  Epistle  of 
John,  5th  chapter,  and  6th  verse,  "  This 
is  he  that  came  by  water  and  blood,  even 
Jesus  Christ;  not  by  water  only,  but  by 
water  and  blood."  So  that  this  may  en- 
courage us  to  apply  to  him,  and  say, 

"  Be  of  sin  the  double  cure — 

"  Cleanse  us  (rem  its  guilt  and  power." 

Seeing,  then,  there  is  such  a  great  and 
able  Physician,  may  we  not  ask,  "  Why"  is 
not  th^  hurt  of  the  daughter  of  my  people 
healed  1"  ,  This  leads  us, 

In  the  third  place,  to  observe  that  men 
generally  are  too  insensible  of  their  sins, 
to  apply^  to  Christ ;  "  the  whole  need 
not  a  physician ;"  it  is  the  worst  symptom 
of  the  disease  of  sin,  that  men  are  totally 
insensible  of  it,  or  think  themselves  so 
slightly  diseased,  that  they  are  in  no  dan- 
ger ;  and,  at  all  events,  that  the  future 
season  will  be  time  enough.  Sin  destroys 
all  our  faculties  ;  it  blinds  the  eyes  of  our 
understanding,  and  deadens  the  feelings 
of  our  hearts ;  the  mind  is  so  'darkened, 
that  it  does  not  behold  sin  as  it  is,  and 
dreadful  mistakes  prevail,  respecting  its 
true  and  dangerous  nature.  Let  us  en- 
deavor to  detect  some  of  these. 

Some  of  these  fatal  mistakes  among 
men  arise  from  ignorance  of  the  holy  law. 
If  sin  be  "  the  transgression  of  the  law," 
we  ought  to  consider,  what  are  the  de- 
mands of  that  law ;  and  we  shall  find  it 
requires  perfect  obedience  to  the  will  of 
God,  and  that,  flowing  from  perfect  love 
to  him ;  it  requires  also  that  we  should 
love  our  neighbor,  in  all  instances,  as  our- 
selves. Now;  while  men  are  ignorant  of 
this  holy  law,  they  discover  no  disease ; 
but  when,  as  in  the  case  of  St.  Paul,  the 
commandment  comes,  with  a  powerful 
conviction  of  its  spiritual  nature,  unsatis- 
fied demands,  and  fearful  curse,  then,  like 
him,  they  are  ready  to  die. 

Another  mistake  respects  the  depravity 
of  our  natures.  Of  this  most  men  are 
ignorant.  "  God  made  man  upright,  but 
he  hath  sought  out  many  inventions." 
Man  is  now  an  apostate  creature,  and  it 
may  be  said  of  him,  in  all  his  faculties,  as 
was  said  of  Israel,  in  all  the  branches  of 
her  civil  and  ecclesiastical .  estate,  "the 
whole  head  is  sick,  the  heart  is  faint." 

Another  dangerous  mistake  respects 
their  opinion  of  their  own  goodness.  How 
many  persons  fancy  they  have  good  hearts, 


SERMON  LXXX. 


375 


good  desires,  good  intentions ;  they  mean, 
they  say,  no  harm,  they  do  none  to  any 
man,  even  while  they  are  living  in  open 
rebellion  against  God,  and  in  the  total 
neglect  both  of  his  law  and  of  his  gospel. 
Thus  it  is  that  men  deceive  themselves ; 
they  are  "  whole"  in  their  own  esteem, 
and  are  angry  with  those  who  would  con- 
vince them  of  their  danger,  though  with 
the  friendly  design  of  their  obtaining  a 
cure.  Others  will  admit  that  all  is  not 
quite  right;  they  cannot  say  they  are  in 
perfect  liealth,  but  they  see  no  occasion  to 
he  alarmed ;  they  are  not  worse  than 
others :  besides,  say  they,  God  is  very 
merciful,  and  he  will  not  deal  with  his 
creatures  severely;  and  if  they  should 
come  short  at  last,  the  merits  of  Christ  will 
make  up  the  deficiency;  besides,  they  de- 
sign to  reform  and  repent,  at  some  future 
period.  Now  all  this  discovers  a  dreadful 
degree  of  ignorance ;  they  are  strangers 
to  themselves,  and  to  the  nature  of  that 
gospel,  which,  take  it  in  which  view  you 
please,  always  supposes  that  man  is  in  a 
fallen,  dangerous  situation.  And  hence  it 
has  justly  been  called  "  the  religion  of  a 
sinner ;"  hence  too  we  find,  that  men  have 
"  followed  after  the  law  of  righteousness, 
but  they  did  not  attain  unto  it:"  the  reason 
was,  "  they  sought  it  not  by  faith,  but  by 
the  works  of  the  law."  Rom.  x. 

Take  a  view  of  the  Gospel  itself  for  a 
few  moments,  and  you  will  see  that  the 
Gospel  supposes  the  condition  of  man  to 
be  not  that  of  one  who  is  whole,  but  who 
is  exceedingly  diseased.  Why  is  the 
love  of  God  in  giving  his  Son  spoken  of  as 
amazing  love,  as  transcending  all  manner 
of  conception  1 — "  God  so  loved  the  world, 
tliat  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son  ;"  and 
for  what  end  ]  That  men  "  might  not 
perish"  as  they  must  have  done  but  for 
this  marvellous  provision  of  love,  but 
"  that  they  might  have  everlasting  life." 
Again,  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ  is  spoken 
of  as  the  most  extraordinary  thing  in  the 
world,  and  as  absolutely  necessary  for  the 
salvation  of  man — that  one  must  die  for 
the  people — "the  just  for  the  unjust." 
Our  case  must  have  been  remediless  with- 
out him,  and  his  death  is  represented  as 
being  the  sole  foundation  of  our  hope ;  so 
that  to  depend  upon  any  thing  else  is,  in 
effect,  to  frustrate  the  grace,  and  to  say 
tliat  "Christ  died  in  vain." — Again,  Take 
a  view  of  the  offices  of  our  dear  Redeemer, 
and  what  do  they  imply  1  Is  he  a  prophet? 
Then  we  were  ignorant  creatures,  and 
needed  his  instructions. — Is  he  a  priest? 
Then  we  were  guilty,  and  wanted  his 
sacrifice. — Is  he  a  king?  Then  we  were 


feeble  and  weak,  and  unable  to  defend  or 
rule  ourselves.  Look  at  all  the  operations 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  they  speak  the 
same  language,  and  while  they  hold  out 
to  us  the  divine  and  only  remedy,  they 
imply  strongly  our  wretched  state.  Now 
all  those  that  are  ignorant  of  this,  neglect 
to  apply  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  but 
some  acquaintance  with  it  is  found  in  all 
those  who  resort  to  him  for  relief — such  as, 
in  our  text,  are  described  as  "  sick."  This 
leads  us, 

In  tlie  fourth  place,  to  observe,  that 
those  who  know  their  true  condition  will 
gladly  apply  to  Jesus  Christ  as  their 
physician.  For  the  eyes  of  their  under- 
standings are  enlightened ;  they  see  the 
law  of  God  in  its  spiritual  nature  and 
extensive  requirements ;  they  perceive  the 
fearful  consequences  of  its  violation,  for 
"  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continucth  not 
in  all  things  that  are  written  in  the  book 
of  the  law  to  do  them."  Furtiier,  their 
heart  is  softened,  the  he^rt  of  stone  is 
taken  away,  and  God  has  given  them  a 
feeling  heart  of- flesh;  the  conscience  is 
quickened  ;  convinced,  it  may  be,  at  first, 
of  some  one  particular  and  flagrant  trans- 
gression ;  but  they  are  led  back  in  painful 
reflection  on  the  whole  of  their  past  lives, 
recollecting  long-forgotten  sins,  and  trac- 
ing them  to  the  sad  source  of  all — Original 
Sin.  Hence  earnest  desires  and  sincere 
prayers  are  ofrered  for  relief.  "  What 
shall  I  do  to  be  saved?"  is  the  anxious  in- 
quiry. "  Behold  he  prayeth  !"  is  tlie  ob- 
servation that  every  one  makes  upon  the 
returning  sinner ;  then,  indeed,  the  soul 
applies  in  earnest  to  the  Gospel  of  the 
grace  of  Jesus,  and  the  Gospel  displays  his 
ability  to  heal ;  it  shows  us  that  Jesus  is 
possessed  of  almighty  power;  it  shows 
that  he  possesses  the  same  power  tliat 
created  and  supports  tlie  world.  The  Gos- 
pel also  displays  tlie  loving  heart  of  the 
compassionate  Redeemer ;  it  records  also 
the  wonderfiil  cures  he  has  already  per- 
formed, and  which  are  left  upon  record  for 
this  reason,  that  in  all  future  ages  great 
sinners  maybe  encouraged  to  repent;  tiien 
the  soul  looks  up  to  him  as  tlic  Israelites 
looked  to  the  brazen  serpent  in  tiie  wilder- 
ness, when  stung  by  the  fiery  serpents, 
and  ready  to  die  of  their  wounds;  and 
whoever  tlius  looks  to  him  shall  be  imme- 
diately healed  ;  persuaded,  fully  persuaded 
both  of  his  power  and  his  grace,  the  soul 
finds  health  restored,  and  peace  aflbrded  to 
his  guilty  conscience. 

I  have  now  represented  the  case  of  all 
my  hearers.     In  one  of  these  two  classes 


376 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


each  of  you  will  be  found.  Is  it  in  tlie 
first!  Arc  you  among  the  whole,  who 
think  they  need  not  a  physician .'  If  so, 
you  arc  under  a  great  mistake,  and  a  very 
dangeroira  mistake ;  which  if  not  rectified, 
will  prove  fatal.  Your  present  views  of 
yourselves  are  at  direct  variance  with  the 
whole  of  the  Bible.  If  you  look  to  the 
law,  that  condemns  you,  because  you  have 
broken  it ;  if  you  look  to  the  gospel,  that 
condemns  you  too,  because  you  disregard 
its  remedy.  Whither  tJien  will  you  look, 
if  neither  the  law  nor  the  gospel  can  afford 
you  relief  J 

You  will  perhaps  say.  Can  I  be  sick 
without  -knowing  it  l  Yes,  you  certainly 
may.  Many  are  so,  even  as  to  their 
bodies :  some  very  dangerous  disease  may 
be  making  a  fatal  progress  before  it  is  dis- 
covered; some  sink  into  a  lethargy,  and 
feel  nothing ;  others  are  delirious ;  and  it 
is  no  uncommon  thing  for  persons  to  be 
seriously  diseased  while  they  imagine  that 
all  is  well,  and  that  there  is  no  danger. 
O,  my  fi-iends,  sin,  as  we  have  already 
shown,  miserably  perverts  the  judgment, 
and  hides  from  men  their  true  condition. 
Sinners  are  frequently  like  many  con- 
sumptive patients,  who  fancy,  to  the  very 
last,  that  they  are  getting  better  and  better, 
when  there  is  but  a  step  between  them  and 
death.  O,  believe  the  divine  testimony. 
The  word  of  God  is  true,  and  shows  you 
your  true  condition ;  and  while  it  points 
out  your  danger,  kindly  directs  you  to  the 
true  remedy.  The  infatuation  of  many 
persons  on  this  point  is  truly  lamentable. 
If  their  bodies  be  disordered  in  the  slightest 
degree,  they  are  sensible  of  it,  and  perhaps 
greatly  alarmed ;  but  their  minds  are  so 
blinded,  their  consciences  are  so  stupified, 
and  they  are  so  deluded  by  the  tempter, 
that  they  will  not  believe,  nor  bear  to  be 
told  of,  their  sickness  and  danger.  May 
God  enlighten  your  minds,  soften  your 
hearts,  and  fi.x  upon  your  consciences  such 
a  deep  and  lasting  conviction  of  your 
malady,  that  you  may  in  good  earnest 
cry,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner !" 

But,  doubtless,  I  speak  to  others  who  are 
convinced  of  their  disease,  and  such  are 
apt  to  be  dejected,  and  tempted  to  despair. 
The  deceiver  says,  There  is  no  help  for 
you  in  God ;  your  case  is  pecul  iar ;  there 
never  was  one  so  bad,  and  it  is  in  vam  for 
you  to  look  for  recovery.  But  observe,  Je- 
sus is  mighty — almighty  to  save.  Mark 
the  words ;  "  Able  to  save  to  the  utter- 
most"— to  the  iiltermost :  and  surely  your 
case  is  not  beyond  tlie  uttermost.  You 
may  object  that  sin  greatly  "  abounds : 


True;  but  grace  shall  '|much  more 
abound  ;"  and  remember,  that  the  Savior 
is'as  willing  as  he  is  able  to  save.  Recol- 
lect the  cures  he  wrought  ujion  earth. 
Numerous  were  the  applications  n)ade  to 
him,  arid,  sometimes,  rather  unseasonably  ; 
but  he  never  rejected  them ;  he  healed  all 
who  applied  to  him.  May  I  not  say,  then, 
"Arise,  for  the  Master  calleth.thee."  You 
may  say,  He  does  not  call  me  by  name. 
Yes,  he  does :  for  is  not  your  name  Sinner! 
That  is  the  name  by  which  you  are  call- 
ed ;  he  calls  you  as  Sinners.  Christ  de- 
clared that  he  came  "to  call,  not  the 
righteous,  but  sinners,  to  repentance" — ■ 
that  "  he  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost.''^  Now  tlii&  is  your  con- 
dition. He  knows  it  is,  and  he  has  made 
you  feel  it;  you  are  therefore  the  very 
person  he  came  on  purpose  to  heal.  But, 
you  are  deeply  dejected  and  broken-heart- 
ed. This  is  your  character ;  well,  "  he 
healeth  the  broken  in  heart,  and  bindeth 
up  their  wounds."  Psalm  cxlvii.  3.  Yea, 
when  he  first  opened  his  commission,  and 
declared  the  design  of  his  coming  into 
the  world,  this  was  declared  to  be  one  of 
the  offices  he  came  to  perform — "  to  bind 
up  the  broken-hearted,  and  to  heal  tlieir 
wounds."  Why  then  should  you  despair  3 
Can  you  doubt  the  virtue  of  the  remeu;'  1 
or  the  love  of  the  physician  1  or  the  sin- 
cerity of  his  ofl^ers  ]  Be  no  more  faithless, 
but  believing.  Take  the  remedy ;  believe 
its  efficacy,  and  give  him  glory. 

Some  of  you  have  received  a  cure. 
Gratefully  ackowledge  it  to  the  glory  of 
his  name.  You  are  not  like  some,  men- 
tioned in  this  chapter,  who  were  prohibited 
from  telling  any  man  of  it.  No,  you  are 
commanded  to  blaze  it  abroad,  and  let  the 
fame  of  Jesus  be  everywhere  known. 
"  Call,  then,  upon  your  soul,  and  all  that  is 
within  you,  to  bless  his  holy  name,  who 
forgiveth  all  thy  iniquities,  who  healeth 
all  thy  diseases,  who  hath  redeemed  thy 
life  from  destruction,  and  crowneth  thee 
with  loving  kindness  and  tender  mercy." 
Let  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  say  so,  who 
have  been  thus  graciously  restored  froin 
the  dreadful  disease  of  sin.  "  O  that  men 
would  praise  the  Lord  for  his  goodness, 
and  for  his  wonderful  works  to  tlie  chil- 
dren of  men."  It  is  generally  necessary  , 
for  a  person  recovering  from  disease  to  be 
very  cautious,  for  fear  of  a  relapse.  You 
live  in  a  contagious  world  :  you  live  in  an 
hospital,  where  all  are  diseased.  Shun 
the  dangers  which  surround  you,  and 
avoid  even  the  appearance  of  evil.  Study 
to    preserve    your  spiritual  health.     Let 


SERMON  LXXXI. 


377 


him  wliosc  euro  has  been  eflected  reincm- 
ber  this — "Watch  and  pray,  lest  thou 
enter  into  temptation." 

Finally,  let  us  looi<  forward  with  joyful 
hope  to  that  happy  world  where  sin  is  not 
known,  or  known  only  by  recollection ; 
where  no  inhabitant  shall  .say,  "I  am 
sick,"  but  where  every  one  may  and  will 
say,  I  was  "  sick,  nigh  unto  death,"  but 
the  Lord  had  mercy  on  me,  and  liealed 
me;  now  to  my  glorious  Healer,  even  to 
"  the  Lamb  in  the  midst  of  the  tlirone,  be 
glory  and  honor,  world  without  end." 
Amen.  * 


PRAYER. — May  we  worship  thee,  O  Lord,  in 
spirit ;  and  rail  upon  thee  in  truth  !  May  we  duly 
reflect  on  our  real  condition  before  thee,  as  pol- 
luted in  our  nature,  depraved  in  our  habits, 
J  guilty  of  wilful  neglect  and  transgression  of  thy 
commands,  fit  only  for  endless  misery,  and  every 
moment  hastening  to  it," unless  thon  preventest 
us  by  thy  grace,  as  revealed  by  Jesus  Christ  to 
the  chief  of  sinners.  Blessed  be  thy  name,  O 
Lord,  who  pardonest  all  our  iniquities,  and  heaU 
est  our  desperate  diseases.  We  have  done  the 
things  that  we  need  not,  and  ought  not  to  have 
done,  and  have  not  done  what  wo  mi^ht,  ami 
ought  to  have  done.  In  us  there  is  no  health  : 
the  head  is  sick,  the  heart  is  faint,  the  body  is 
covered  with  putrefying  sores.  Lord,  save  us  or 
we  perish;  we  all  perish,  now,  and  for  ever! 
Blessed  be  the  Son  of  God,  who,  with  infinite 
wisdom  and  compassion,  came  to  save  ns  when 
lost,  by  taking  on  himself  the  load  of  our  infirm- 
ities; and  bearing,  together  with  these,  the  bur- 
den of  our  sins.  Grant  for  his  sake,  O  our  hea- 
venly Father,  thy  Holy  Spirit  to  enlighten  us, 
lest  we  close  our  eves  m  everlasting  death!  that 
we  may  look  to  Jesus  and  be  healed,  tt)  the 
praise  of  the  glory  of  thy  grace,  world  without 
end.    Amen. 


SERMON  LXXXI. 

FOLLOWING  THE  LORD  FULLY. 

Nunihors  xiv.  24.  But  my  servant  Halrl),  liccaiisi:  hi: 
hail  aniilhiT  spirit  with  him,  .'iml  liath  rnllouiil  nio 
fully,  liim  will  I  bririi;  into  tlio  land  wlitrtunto  hi- 
went,  ami  his  seed  shall  possess  it. 

It  was  well  said  by  the  prophet  Elijali, 
to  the  people  of  Israel,  wlien  they  "  iialtcd 
between  two  opinions,"  "  If  the  Lord  be 
Clod,  follow  him ;  but,  if  Baal,  then  follow 
him ,' '  and  tints  may  we  say  to  persons 
who  are  lukewarm  and  irresolute  in  mat- 
ters of  religion.  If  the  religion  of  the  Gos- 
pel be  true  and  divine,  then  profess  and 
practise  it  with  all  your  heart--;  but,  if  you 
can  prove  it  to  be  false,  thon  abandon  it  al- 
together. We  meet  witli  many  people, 
who  are  so  far  convinced  of  the  necessity 
of  being  religious,  tliat  they  jiay  some  lit- 
tle, cold,  occasional,  external  regard  to  it, 
•>  \' 


while  their  liearts.  arc  dvidcntly  attaclied 
to  sin  and  to  the  world  ;  but  tlicre  are  few, 
we  fear,  comparatively  very  few  indeed, 
who  are  like  Caleb,  one  of  the  princes  of 
Israel,  whose  high  commendation  we  have 
in  the  te.\t,  that  he  followed  the  I,ord 
fully ;  and  great  was  the  honor  that  God 
put  upon  him  for  so  doing. 

When  the  children  of  Israel  had  Heft 
Egypt  a  few  months,  and  had  advanced  to- 
wards the  borders  of  the  promised  land, 
they  desired  INfoses  to  send  spies  into  it,  to 
inquire  whether  its  inhabitants  were  few 
or  many,  strong  or  weak ;  whether  they 
dwelt  in  tents  or  in  fortified  cities,  and 
whether  the  land  was  fertile  or  barren.  — 
This  motion  arose  entirely  from  their  un- 
belief. God,  who  had  brought'  them  out 
of  Egypt  by  a  series  of  miracles,  had  re- 
peatedly declared  that  the  land  flowed  with 
milk  and  honey;  and  he  had  assured  them, 
by  solemn  promises,  that  he  would  put 
them  into  possession  of  it :  what  need  then 
was  there  for  these  inquiries  !  But  God,  to 
punish  them  for  their  unbelief,  permitted 
the  experiment  to  be  made ;  and  what  was 
the  result'!  Ten  out  of  the  twelve  deputed 
surveyors,  returned  and  reported  that  the 
land  was  indeed  admirably  good,  and  they 
produced  fine  specimens  of  its  e.xcellent 
fruits ;  but,  said  they,  the  people  are  very 
numerous,  strong,  and  warlike;  they  dwell 
in  highly  walled  and  well  fortified  cities ; 
and  many  of  the  soldiers  are  so  gigantic  in 
stature,  that  we  seemed  in  their  sight  but 
mere  grasshoppers.  This  evil  report  aug- 
mented their  previous  fears ;  and,  forget- 
ting the  power  and  the  promise  of  God, 
they  mutinied,  and  determined  to  apjioint 
a  captain,  in  opposition  to  Moses,  and  go 
back  again  to  Egypt  and  to  slavery.  Ca- 
leb and  Joshua,  who  were  faithful  to  God, 
in  vain  attempted  to  appt^ase  Hie  ])eop]e, 
by  assuring  them  that  warlike  as  the  na- 
tions were,  God,  "the  only  defence  of  tia- 
tions,  had  forsaken  them, — that  Jehovah 
was  with  Israel,  and  that  they  should  as- 
suredly prevail.  God,  who  is  more  dis- 
pleased with  unbelief  than  with  any  other 
crime,  then  declared  in  his  wrath,  that 
these  rebels  should  never  behold  the  coun- 
try they  had  despised — that  their  carcasses 
should  perish  in  the  wilderness — but,  that 
their  children,  headed  by  Joshua  and  his 
taithfiil  friend,  should  joyfully  possess  the 
promised  land.  "  My  servant  Caleb," 
says  the  te.xt,  "because  he  had  another 
spirit  with  him,  and  Iiath  followed  me  fully, 
will  I  bring  into  tlie  land  vvhereinto  he 
went,  and  his  seed  shall  po.ssess  it." 

Doubtless  these  things  are  written  for 
our  admonition.     The   fate  of  the  rebel- 


378 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


lious  Israelites,  loudly  bids  us  "  fear,  lest 
a  promise  being  left  us  of  entering  into 
his  rest,  any  of  us  should  seem  to  come 
short  of  it;". while  it  also  powerfully  in- 
vites us  to  imitate  the  example  of  the 
pious  Caleb,  that  we  too  may  receive  the 
divine  approbation. 

The  words  of  the  text  afford  us  the 
three  following  observations. 

First.  Real  Christians  are  actuated  by 
a  spirit  different  from  that  of  the  world. — 
■  "  Caleb  had  another  spirit  with  him." 

Secondly.  Those  who  possess  a  right 
spirit,  will  follow  the  Lord  fully  : — and 

Thirdly.  That  those  who  follow  the 
Lord  fully  shall  be  honorably  distiiiguished 
bj  him. 

First.  We  observe  that  real  Christians 
are  actuated  by  a  different  spirit  from  that 
of  the  world.-^The  apostle  Paul,  in  his 
first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  2d  chapter 
and  12th  verse,  distinguishes  between  the 
two  different  spirits  by  which  men  are  ac- 
tuated ;  he  says,  "  Now  we  have  received, 
not  the  spirit  of  the  world,  but  the  Spirit 
which  is  of  God,  that  we  might  know  the 
things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God." 
— Let  us,  in  a  few  particulars,  contrast 
these  opposite  spirits. — The  spirit  of  the 
world  is  a  spirit  of  darkness  and  error  ;  for 
we  are  assured,  in  the  passage  just  re- 
ferred to,  that  "  the  natural  man  receiveth 
not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,"  even 
when  they  are  proposed  to  him ;  and 
though  they  are  a  display  of  the  infinite 
wisdom  of  God,  they  seem  to  him  "  fool- 
ishness ;"  and  while  he  is  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  spirit  of  the  world,  "  he  can- 
not know  them,"  for,  to  know  them  aright 
we  must  have  "  the  Spirit  of  God :"  by  his 
aid  alone  they  are  "  spiritually  discerned  ;" 
and  all  believers  have  the  Spirit  of  God, 
who  is  also  "  the'  Spirit  of  Truth ;"  and 
by  his  teaching  they  "  know  the  things 
which  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God." 
The  spirit  of  the  world  is  a  spirit  of  en- 
mity against  God.  "  The  carnal  mind," 
of  which  the  apostle  speaks — unchanged 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  is  "  enmity  against 
God;"  and  this  enmity  against  God  is 
manifested  both  by  disobedience  to  the  di- 
vine law,  and  contempt  of  the  divine  Gos- 
pel ;  so  that  they  who  are  yet  "  in  the 
flesh,  cannot  please  God,"  and  "  if  any 
man  hatli  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is 
none  of  his:"  but,  if  the  Spirit  of  God, 
which  is  also  the  Spirit  of  love,  dwell  in 
us,  then  are  we  brought  into  a  state  of  re- 
conciliation and  friendship  with  God,  and 
are  enabled  to  walk  with  him  in  love. — 
Again,  the  spirit  of  the  world  is  a  spirit 
of   pride.     Pride    is   natural   to   man — to 


every  man  ;  so  that  every  mortal,  however 
mean,  guilty,  and  condemned  by  the 
broken  law  of  God,  fondly  conceives  that 
he  has  some  excellencies  that  raise  him 
above  others,  and  can  venture  to  boast  of 
his  good  heart  and  of  his  good  works :  but, 
how  contrary  is  this  to  the  humbling  Gos- 
pel of  Jesus !  Our  Lord  himself  says, 
"  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is 
the  kingdom  of  God" — "  when  the  com- 
mandment comes" — when  tlie  law  comes 
to  the  conscience  with  light  and  power,  as 
once  it  did  to  the  heart  of  Saul  the  Phari- 
see, then  pride  receives  a  deadly  blow  ; 
the  rebel  falls  at  the  feet  of  Christ,  and 
cries  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to 
do  ;"  he  receives  the  broken  heart  and  the 
contrite  spirit,  which  in  the  sight  of  God 
are  of  great  price.  Once  more,  the  spirit 
of  the  world  is  an  indolent  spirit,  that  is, 
in  matters  of  religion :  however  diligent  a 
man  may  be  in  the  affairs  of  the  world,  yet 
how  irksome  to  him  is  prayer,  and  other 
religious  duties  !  how  dull  and  tedious  the 
Sabbatli  day !  what  a  neglected  book  is  the 
Bible  !  But,  when  we  have  the  Spirit  of 
God,  we  possess  an  active  spirit,  compared 
in  Scripture  to  "  a  well  of  water — spring- 
ing up  to  everlasting  life,"  and  rendering 
the  exercises  of  pure  religion  natural  and 
pleasant  to  us.  Again,  the  spirit  of  the 
world  is  an  earthly  spirit — so  our  Lord 
testifies  that,  "  that  which  is  born  of  the 
flesh  is  flesh" — it  is  nothing  more — nothing 
better.  While  men  remain  in  a  state  of 
nature,  they  "  love  the  world  and  the 
things  of  the  world  ;"  they  seek  and  de- 
light only  in  carnal  objects  ;  but  if  we 
have  the  Spirit  of  God,  we  "  seek  the 
things  that  are  above,"  and  give  an  habit- 
ual preference  to  them ;  weighing  them  in 
the  balances  of  the  sanctuary,  where  all 
things  else,  compared  with  them,  must  be 
found  wanting.  The  spirit  of  the  world 
is  a  dastardly  spirit.  The  spies  were  ter- 
rified with  the  gigantic  stature  of  the  Ama- 
lekites,  but  they  forgot  the  Almighty  God, 
who  had  delivered  them  out  of  Egypt,  car- 
ried them  through  the  Red  Sea,  sustained 
them  by  miracle  in  the  wilderness,  and 
promised  to  deliver  them  from  all  their  en- 
emies. Thus  natural  men  are  wonderfully 
afraid  of  the  difficulties  of  Religion;  they 
are  extremely  afraid  of  meeting  the  scorn- 
ful smile  of  the  world,  for  "  all  who  will 
live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer,'  at 
least  that  species  of  persecution ;  but,  on 
the  other  hand,  if  we  have  the  Spirit  of 
God,  we  shall  not  be  ashamed  of  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ — of  the  cause  of  Clirist — of 
the  name  of  Christ ;  but  we  shall  deter- 
mine, with  courageous  Paul,  to  glory  and 


SERMON  LXXXI. 


379 


to  glory  in  nothing  else  but  in  the  cross  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  J'inally,  the  spirit 
of  the  world  is  a  spirit  of  unbeliet^— this 
was  the  great  crime  of  the  people  spoken 
of  in  this  chapter;  and  the  Lord  complains, 
in  the  lltli  verse,  "How  long  will  tliis 
people  provoke  me  .'  and  how  long  will  it 
be  ere  they  believe  me,  tor  all  the  signs 
which  1  have  sliown  among  them  !"  And 
alas !  how  slowly  do  men  give  credit  to  the 
God  of  truth  !  How  disposed  are  they  to 
cavil  at  every  peculiar  and  distinguishing 
doctrine  of  grace,  and  to  catch  hold  of 
every  difficulty  and  objection  that  can  be 
started;  while,  perhaps,  they  themselves 
are  slaves  of  their  credulity  as  to  the 
things  of  this  world,  and  can  receive  even 
the  grossest  absurdities ;  but  the  real  Chris- 
tian is  actuated  by  "  the  Spirit  of  truth  ;" 
he  is  "  led  into  all  truth,"  and  the  Spirit  of 
God  in  him  is  "  a  Spirit  of  faith  ;"  he  hears 
the  word,  mixes  faith  with  it,  and  is  profit- 
ed by  it.     But, 

In  the  second  place.  Those  who  possess 
a  right  spirit  will  follow  the  Lord  fully. — 
"  My  servant  Caleb,  because  he  had  an- 
other spirit  with  him,  and  hath  followed 
me  fully.'''' 

To  "  follovij  the  Lord,"  is  a  scriptural 
phrase,  in  allusion  to  the  affairs  of  men, 
and  is  used  to  include  the  whole  of  true 
religion.  Thus,  you  know,  soldiers  follow 
their  leader,  children  follow  their  parents, 
disciples  follow  their  teacher ;  and  follow- 
ing the  Lord  fully,  is  to  be  distinguished 
from  following  hun  ■partially,  as  many  do — 
some  profess  to  approve  of  serious  religion, 
and  perhaps,  "  do  many  things  gladly ;" 
yet  tliey  make  some  reserves  ;  there  are 
some  omissions  which  they  allow ;  some 
indulgences  which  they  retain;  and  they 
are  far  from  being  universal,  or  uniform, 
or  consistent  in  their  religious  services. 
Such  persons  resemble  the  people  we  read 
of  in  the  2d  book  of  Kings,  the  17th  chap- 
ter,^— the  Babylonians  who  were  sent  to 
reside  in  Samaria  ; — "  they  feared  tiie 
Lord,  and  served  their  own  gods,  after  the 
manner  of  the  nations  who  carried  them 
away  from  thence" — "  they  feared  the 
I^rd" — they  thought  he  was  the  God  of 
that  country,  and  that  they  ought  to  show 
some  respect  to  him,  but  at  the  same  time, 
they  retained  a  superior  regard  to  their 
own  false  deities,  whom  they  had  served 
in  Babylon.  Natural  men  resemble  these 
very  much  in  their  religion;  tiiey  pretend 
to  fear  and  serve  God,  but  at  the  same  time 
are  devoted  to  the  service  of  idols;  but 
this  is  a  temper  peculiarly  displeasing  to 
him.  His  language  is,  "  My  son,  give  me 
thine  heart ;"  nor  will  he  be  content  with 


only  a  part  of  that — ho  must  have  the 
whole  lieart.  Hear  how  lie  resented  this 
partial  kind  of  spirit,  in  the  primitive 
church  of  Laodicea,  "  I  would  that  thou 
wert  either  cold  or  hot ;  but  because  thou 
art  lukewsg:ni>  and  neither  cold  nor  hot,  I 
will  utterly  reject  thee."  There  are  many 
who,  at  least  occasionally,  attend  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel ;  they  admire  and 
commend  it ;  and  it  is  to  them,  as  to  some 
of  old,  "  a  very  lovely  song  of  one  that 
hath  a  pleasant  voice,  and  can  play  well 
on  an  instrument ;"  but  it  is  added,  "  they 
hear  thy  words,  but  they  do  tliem  not." 
They  are  pleased  at  church,  and  equally 
pleased  at  the  theatre  and  ball-room.  The 
well-sung  hymn  delights  them  much  ;  but 
they  are  equally  delighted  with  the  song 
of  vanity.  They  are  grave,  and  can  per- 
haps weep  under  a  pathetic  sermon,  and 
they  can  weep  with  equal  devotion  at  a 
tragedy.  They  associate  with  the  pious, 
and  join  with  them  in  their  public  ser- 
vices ;  but  their  dress,  their  manners,  their 
chosen  companions — all  proclaim  that  they 
are  still  "  of  the  world ;"  such  persons,  as- 
suredly, do  not  follow  the  Lord  fully. 

What  is  it  then  fully  to  follow  him  ?  I 
would  express  the  whole,  briefly,  in  a  few 
particulars.  It  is,  I  conceive  to  give  full 
credit  to  the  divine  testimony — To  pay  a 
practical  regard  to  all  the  ordinances  of 
divine  worship — To  aim  at  the  most  per- 
fect obedience  to  the  command  of  God — 
To  seek  the  fullest  enjoyment  of  commu- 
nion witii  him  ;  and.  To  be  zealous  in  pro- 
moting his  cause  in  the  world. 

In  the  first  place,  it  is  to  give  full  credit 
to  the  whole  (not  to  a  part  only)  of  tlie 
divine  testimony :  And  does  not  this 
testimony  deserve  and  demand  it  ?  God  is 
"  a  God  of  truth  ;".  he  cannot  lie ;  he  can- 
not deceive,  or  be  deceived  ;  but  not  to  be- 
lieve wliat  he  speaks,  is  "  to  make  him  a 
liar."  It  is  a  horrid  crime,  surely,  to  dis- 
believe the  testimony  of  the  God  of  truth; 
and  finally  to  do  so,  is  certain  and  ever- 
lasting ruin.  Our  first  mother  disbelieved 
the  divine  testimony,  while  she  gave  credit 
to  the  father  of  lies,  and  thus  she  fell. 
Thus  also  Israel  fell  in  the  wilderness; 
and  thus  their  posterity,  many  ages  after- 
wards, filled  up  the  measure  of  their  in- 
iquities. The  Gospel  is  of  a  simple  nature  ; 
it  demands  "  the  obedience  of  faith,"  for 
"  tliis  is  his  commandment,  That  wc  sliould 
believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ"  (1  John  iii.  23,)  and  it  is  farther 
written,  that  "  he  who  believeth  hath  eter- 
nal life,  and  he  that  believeth  not  is  al- 
ready condemned."  The  Doctrines  are 
divinely  true,  and  are  to  be  implicitly  re- 


380 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


coivcd ;  tlic  Promises  arc  to  be  considered 
as  faitliful,  because  he  is  faithful  who  hath 
made  them  ;  and  we  should  imitate  Abra- 
ham, wJiose  faith  is  peculiarly  celebrated, 
because  he  consulted  not  with  flesh  and 
blood — he  calculated  not  upon  probabili- 
ties, but  fully  believed  that  what  God  had 
promised  he  was  able  to  perform ;  and  if 
we  are  Cliristians  indeed,  we  thus  receive 
the  divine  word ;  we  "  hear  the  voice  of 
the  Son  of  God,"  and  as  the  sheep  of 
Christ,  follow  our  divine  Shepherd,  whith- 
ersoever he  gfoeth. 

Again,  to  follow  the  Lord  fully  includes 
a  regard  to  all  the  Ordinances  of  divine 
appointment.  This  is  the  commendation 
of  Zacharias  and  Elizabeth,  that  they 
"  walked  in  all  the  ordinances  and  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord  blameless" — among 
these  prayer  has  an  eminent  place.  "  Pray- 
ing always,"  says  the  apostle,  "  with  all 
prayer," — private  prayer,  domestic  prayer, 
social  prayer,,  pure  prayer.  Indeed  they 
who  pray  most,  follow  the  Lord  the  most 
fully.  Hearing  the  word  is  also  our 
boundcn  duty,  and  our  delightful  privilege; 
it  is  a  principal  ordinance  of  God,  both  for 
the  conversion  of  sinners  and  the  b'uild- 
itig  up  of  believer.5.  Such  likewise  is  the 
daily  study  of  the  holy  Scriptures.  If  we 
follow  the  Lord  fully,  "  the  word  of  Christ 
will  dwell  in  us  richly,  and  we  shall  medi- 
tate therein  day  and  night.  Give  me  leave 
also  to  say — that  Attendance  on  the  table 
of  the  Lord  belongs  to  the  duty  of  follow- 
ing t!ie  Lord  fully.  Many  humble  Chris- 
tians, it  may  bo,  through  a  gtoundless 
timidity,  too  long  neglect  this  holy  ordi- 
nance ;  but  it  is  bolli  their  fault  and  their 
misfortune;  for  doubtless  they  are  great 
Bu'l'erers  thereby.  Now,  to  follow  the 
Lord _/"»////  in  all  these  .things,  is  to  engage 
in  them  with  regard  to  the  divine  author- 
ity— with  seriousness  and  sincerity,  as  in 
t!ie  presence  of  God,  and  not  occasionally, 
merely  as  humor  and  convenience  may 
dictate;  but  resolutely  and  constantly,  that 
so  we  may,  as  it  were,  "dwell  in  tlie house 
of  the  Lord  all.  the  days  of  our  life." 

Further,  following  the  Lord  fully,  in- 
cludes obedience  to  the  divine  commands. 
— Believers  are  not,  by  the  Gospel,  releas- 
ed from  their  natural  obligations  to  obedi- 
ence;  nothing  can  altor  tlie  right  of  God 
to  co:innaiid.  nor  Ihc  obligation  of  man  to 
obey;  and  there  tore  no  wilful  omission  is 
to  be  pleaded  for :  no  actual  sin  is  to  be 
indulged:  self  must  be  denied  :  the  flesh 
crucified ;  the  world  opposed ;  nor  arc 
we  to  sit  down  contented  with  the  lowest 
degrees  of  .snnctification,  but  rather  to  aim 
at  the  highest. 


Likewise,  with  regard  to  that  fellowship 
and  communion  with  God  wiiich  is  the 
high  privilege  of  the  saints,  we  are  to 
"  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness ;" 
and  to  say  with  the  Psalmist,  "  My  soul 
followeth  hard  after  God;"  and  after  all 
we  must  confess,  with  the  Apostle,  "We 
have  not  yet  attained,  nor  are  we  yet  per- 
fect, but  we  press  forward  towards  the 
mark,  for  the  high  prize  of  our  calling  in 
Christ  Jesus." 

I  only  add  to  this,  Zeal  in  promoting  the 
cause  of  Christ  in  the  world — He  has  a 
cause ;  his  kingdom  is  to  increase  ;  and  this 
is  to  be  eflfected  by  instruments;  toe  are 
"his  instruments,  and  the  present  is  a  spe- 
cial and  favorable  time  for  exertion  ;  there 
are  more  facilities  now,  a;nd  in  this  coun- 
try, than  ever  were  known  before  ;  and 
therefore  they  who  would  follow  the  Lord 
fully,  must  set  their  shoulders  to  the  work, 
and  do  every  thing  in  their  power  to  pro- 
mote the  cause  and  kingdom  of  God  in  this 
wicked  world. 

I  proceed  to  the  last  thing,  which  is. 
That  those  who  follow  the  Lord  fully  shall 
be  honorably  distinguished. 

How  remarkably  favored  was  the  upright 
and  courageous  Caleb  !  The  promise  in 
the  text,  made  to  him,  was  very  remarka- 
ble ;  "  Him  will  I  bring  into  the  land 
whereinto  he  went,  and  his  seed  shall  pos- 
sess it ;"  and  though  the  fulfilment  of  the 
promise  was  delayed  for  forty-five  years, 
yet  the  Lord  preserved  him  in  remarkable 
health  and  strength,  so  that  at  the  age  of 
eighty-five  he  declared  his  health  was  as 
firm  as  it  was  when  he  was  forty,  when  he 
went  fortli  as  a  spy  into  the  land :  and  if 
you  turn  to  the  14th  chapter  of  the  Book 
of  Joshua,  you  will  there  find  that  Caleb 
came  forward  to  Joshua,  the  leader  of  the 
people,  claiming  the  possession  of  the  in- 
heritaace,  "  Behold,  says  he,  the  Lord  hath 
kept  me  alive,  as  he  said,  these  forty  and 
five  years ;  even  since  the  Lord  spake  this 
word  unto  Moses,  while  the  children  of 
Israel  wandered  in  the  wilderness,  and  now, 
lo  T  am  this  day  fourscore  and  five  years  old, 
as  yet  I  am  as  strong  as  I  was  in  tlie  day 
when  Moses  sent  me."  O  wliat  a  distinc- 
tion was  this,  when  among  all  the  peojde 
who  came  out  of  Egypt,  who  were  then 
twenty  years  old,  two  only  reached  the 
place,  and  were  put  in  possession  of  the 
promise,  all  the  rest  (more  than  000,0(H)) 
fell  in  the  wilderness,  through  unbelief 

As  God  distinguished  Caleb,  so  will  he 
distingui.sh  all  those  who  follow  him  fully. 
It  is  said  of  Enoch,  before  his  translation, 
that  he  had  this  testimony,  that  he  pleased 
God :  and  it  ouo-ht  to  be  the  ambition  of 


SERMON  LXXXI. 


381 


every  Christian  thus  to  please  God  by  fol- 
lowing him  fully  as  Enoch  did.  Such  per- 
sons also  frcijuently  receive  the  a])pruba- 
tion  of  men,  of  all  good  men  certainly,  for 
they  must  heartily  approve  of  following- 
God  fully;  but  even  bad  men  will  often 
commend.  Courage  and  consistency  will 
gain  the  approbation  of  the  world,  and  a 
wicked  man  has  been  known  to  say,  "  If 
I  could  believe  as  such  a  one  docs,  I  should 
act  like  him ;  nay,  I  should  surpass  him." 
— There  is  anotlier  advantage,  and  that  is. 
The  approbation  of  conscience.  Happy 
they  who  can  say  with  St.  Paul,  "  Our  re- 
joicing is  this,  the  testimony  of  our  con- 
science, that  in  simplicity  and  godly  sin- 
cerity, we  have  had  our  conversation  in 
the  world."  Another  advantage  is,  that 
many  temptations  are  avoided.  Peter  fol- 
lowed his  master  "  afar  off,"  and  miserably 
fell ; — John  followed  him  closely,  and  he 
stood  his  ground.  Tliey  are  in  the  greatest 
danger  of  falling  by  temptation,  who  keep 
at  the  greatest  distance  from  God.  But, 
after  all — the  great  thing  is, — Eternal  glory 
will  crown  the  whole;  even  as  Caleb  was 
put  into  possession  of  that  rest,  which  from 
the  power  and  faithfulness  of  God  he  ex- 
pected to  enjoy.  Not  that  the  glory  of  hea- 
ven can  in  any  way  be  considered  as  our 
desert,  or  the  wages  of  our  fidelity. — No  ; 
he  that  follows  the  Lord  most  fully,  will  be 
the  most  ready  to  say,  "  I  have  been  an 
unprofitable  servant ;"  yet  the  gracious  re- 
compense to  which  faith  looks  forward, 
shall  unquestionably  be  be^ftowed.  The 
promise  is,  "  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death, 
and  I  will  give  thee  the  crown  of  life." 
No  man  more  than  Paul  ever  magnified 
tlie  grace  of  God ;  and  yet,  looking  for- 
ward to  death,  he  says,  "  I  have  fought  a 
good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course ; 
henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown 
of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the 
righteous  Judge,  shall  give  to  me  at  that 
day,  and  not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all  them 
who  love  his  appearing." — As  Caleb  enter- 
ed the  promi-'^ed  land,  so  shall  the  believer 
enter  the  heavenly  Canaan,  for  not  one 
word  which  a  faithful  God  has  spoken  shall 
fall  to  tiie  ground. 

From  what  has  boon  said,  we  may  learn, 
First,  that  the  true  character  of  every  man 
is  fiilly  known  to  God ;  it  is  recorded  in  the 
Iwok  of  ills  remembrance,  and  it  shall  be 
published  before  an  assembled  world.  It  will 
tlion  appear  whether  we  followed  fi'od  at 
all ;  whether  we  followed  him  partially  ;  or 
whether  we  followed  iiim  fully. 

Perhaps  .some  who  now  hear  me,  follow 
not  tiie  I/)rd  at  all — tliey  are  indeed  fof- 
lowirtg — but  it  is   "the  multitude  to  do 


evil" — it  is  "  the  devices  and  desires  of 
their  own  hearts :"  but  what  said  the  I^rd 
Jesus  when  he  was  upon  earth  .'  '•  He  that 
taketh  not  up  his  cross  and  followeth  after 
me,  is  not  worthy  of  me."  If  we  follow 
not  the  Lord,  yea,  if  we  follow  him  not 
fulhj,  we  have  no  part  nor  lot  'n  the  mat- 
ter ;  and  if  we  follow  him  not,  whither  are 
we  going  1  there  is  but  one  other  way,  and 
that  is  the  broad  way  that  leads  to  death 
and  destruction. — O  sinner,  stop !  stop !  in 
this  thy  way-^for  there  may  be  but  a  step 
between  thee  and  death. — O  turn  again, 
and  God  will  have  mercy  upon  you. 

Others,  perhaps,  follow  the  Lord  only  in 
the  partial  manner  that  has  been  described. 
O  how  dishonorable  this  is  to  God  !  Is  his 
service  then  of  sucli  a  nature  that  he  de- 
serves not  thy  whole  heart  1  Consider  what 
a  loser  you  must  be  by  this  partial  sort  of 
conduct.  How  dubious  must  it  leave  your 
.'^tate !  Is  not  the  state  of  your  minds  such 
tliat  you  cannot  certainly  say  whether  you 
are  following  the  Lord  or  not  1  How  un- 
comfortable is  this  condition  ! — many  per- 
sons have  religion  enough  to  make  them 
miserable,  but  not  enough  to  make  them 
happy. — O  be  persuaded  no  longer  to  act 
this  part,  but  from  this  moment,  resolve,  in 
the  strength  of  divine  grace,  to  give  up 
•your  whole  selves  unto  him — body,  soul, 
and  spirit,  which  is  your  reasonable  service. 

Finally — Let  believers  in  Christ  be  ani- 
mated and  encouraged  by  the  example  of 
Caleb.  When  he  got  possession  of  the 
charming  hill  of  Hebron,  how  delightfully 
would  he  review  the  way  in  which  lie  had 
been  led  through  the  wilderness  !  Did  he 
repent  of  h's  courage  and  perseverance  I 
No ;  he  would  reflect  with  thankfulness  on 
the  power,  goodness,  and  faithfulness  of 
God  !  rejoicing  not  fo  much  in  his  pleasant 
inheritance,  as  in  the  divine  approbation. 
Let  us  then  follow  his  example,  and  cheer- 
fully obey  the  apostolic  exhortation. — 
"  Therefore,  my  beloved  brethren,  be  ye 
stedfast,  unmovable,  always  abounding  in 
the  work  of  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  ye 
know  that  your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the 
Lord." 


PRAYF.R. — Tn  thy  service,  O  liOril,  i.s  perfect 
freedom,  and  by  thy  guidance  alone  we  can  be 
(brected  in  perfect  safety  to  obtain  everlasting 
bliss  and  glory.  We  confes.s,  and  wonld  deeply 
lament,  that  we  have  followed  the  devices  and 
desires  of  our  own  hearts,  instead  of  thy  holy, 
just,  and  pood  commnnds.  Kven  though  vvc 
iiave  professed  to  follow  thee,  how  deficient 
and  inconstant  has  been  onr  obedience  !  Justly 
mayest  thon  reject  our  services,  and  reply  to 
us,  VVlio  hath  rc<iuired  this  at  your  hands? 
But  with  thee,  O  Lord,  is  forgiveness ;  with  thee 
there  is  plenteous  redemption.     May  lite  time 


382 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


past  suffice  for  us  to  have  deceived  ourselves,  by 
pretending  to  serve  thee,  together  with  our  idols 
of  worldly  j)leasure,  interest,  or  honor.  When 
tempted  by  these  to  draw  back  from  following 
thee,  may  we  remember,  that,  he  who  loveth 
the  tilings  of  the  world,  hath  not  the  love  of  God 
in  him.  May  we  fear  to  offend  thee,  and  (ear 
nothing  else.  May  we  love  tliee,  with  all  our 
heart  and  mind  ;  and  so  follow  thee,  as  children 
li^Uovv  their  much-loved  parents.  Thou  art  able 
to  do  f(>r  those  wiio  love  thee,  more  than  we  can 
ask  or  think  ;  and  thou  hast  laid  up  for  all  who 
by  palicnl  continuance   in  well-doing,  seek  for 


t)y  pa 
?lory, 


glory,  honor,  and  immortality,  more  than  ever 
entered  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive.  Grant  us 
thy  Spirit,  to  overcome  the  world,  to  preserve  us 
from  falling,  and  to  present  us  blameless  before 
thee,  through  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord.     Amen. 


SERMON  LXXXII. 

THE  PEARL  OF  GREAT  PRICE. 

Matthew  xiii.  45,  46.  Tlie  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like 
unto  a  mercliant  man  seeking  goodly  pearls,  wbo, 
when  he  had  found  one  pearl  of  great  price,  he 
went  and  sold  all  that  he  had,  and  bought  it. 

The  true  nature  of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion may  be  easily  learned  from  the  para- 
bles of  Christ.  It  was  well  known  that 
whenever  the  Messiah  should  make  his 
appearance,  he  would  set  up  a  new  king- 
dom in  the  world ;  kit  the  nature  of  that 
kingdom  was  miserably  mistaken  by  the 
Jews ;  to  remedy  whose  mistake  our  Lord 
gives  us  many  parables,  especially  in  this 
chapter,  whiclr  plainly  describe  its  true 
nature,  as  a  spiritual  kingdom;  not  one 
that  should  "come  with  observation,"  or 
outward  show  and  splendor,  like  the  king- 
doms of  this  world,  but  which  should  be 
of  an  internal  kind,  and  consist  in  "right- 
eousness, peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost." 

This  parable,  as  well  as  that  which  pre- 
cedes it,  seems  intended  to  point  out  the 
excellency  of  Christ  and  his  great  salva- 
tion, in  the  esteem  of  all  true  Christians. 
In  the  former  parable,  he  is  compared  to 
treasure  hid  in  a  field,  which  a  man  hav- 
ing discovered,  parts  with  all  his  posses- 
sions in  order  to  purchase  the  field,  and  so 
make  the  hidden  treasure  his  own.  In  this 
parable,  our  Savior  is  compared  to  a  pearl, 
extremely  valuable  and  precious,  which  a 
merchant,  who  was  in  quest  of  fine  pearls, 
having  met  with,  sells  all  big  property  in 
order  to  purchase  it. 

We  may  express  the  principal  design 
of  these  words  in  the  following  observa- 
tion. 

Those  persons  who  know  the  value  of 
Christ,  will  prize  an  interest  in  him  above 
all  things. 


The  person  represented  in  this  parable 
as  having  found  a  pearl  of  great  value, 
was  in  quest  of  precious  jewels — a  mer- 
chant— a  dealer  in  jewels — accustomed  to 
travel  from  one  country  to  another,  in 
search  of  such  valuable  articles,  in  order 
to  obtain  wealth  by  their  purchase  and  sale. 
This  fitly  represents  the  man  (indeed  every 
man)  who  is  searching  for  happiness,  good, 
or  pleasure ;  whose  language  is,  "  Who 
will  show  me  any  good  ?"  The  pursuits  of 
men  are  various;  but  their  principal  object 
is  the  same ;  it  is  certainly  happiness — 
happiness  under  some  form  or  other ; 
whether  in  the  pleasures  of  sense,  or  the 
gratification  of  the  mind.  It  is  in  the  low 
and  mean  enjoyment  of  sensual  pleasure 
that  the  bulk  of  mankind  seek  delight — to 
eat,  to  drink,  to  sleep;  to  be  easy,  gay, 
and  merry,  is  all  that  the  multitude  seek. 
Others,  more  refined,  direct  their  attention 
to  arts  or  anns;  they  long  to  shine  in 
courts  or  camps  ;  to  get  a  great  name,  and 
make  a  great  figure  in  the  world,  and  to 
obtain  titles,  and  wealth,  and  distinction. 
These  are  the  pearls  which  worldly  men 
are  seeking  with  great  assiduity  to  pos- 
sess, which  few  are  able  to  obtain,  and 
which,  if  obtained,  are  far  from  making 
the  possessor  happy.  May  I  not  say  that 
Solomon  was  a  merchant  of  this  descrip- 
tion— that  he  sailed  round  the  world  to  ob- 
tain this  jewel — happiness,  and  returned, 
after  a  tedious  voyage,  with  his  vessel 
empty?  Hear  his  own  confession,  as  re- 
corded in  the  first  chapter  of  Ecclesiastes : 
"Vanity  of  vanities,  saith  the  Preacher, 
vanity  of  vanities,  all  is  vanity."  He  tells 
us  what  he  had  tried ;  he  had  tried  mirth, 
and  costly  entertainments,  and  gay  amuse- 
ments, and  after  all,  Vanity  was  the  total 
sum ;  yea,  such  was  his  vexation  too,  in 
consequence  of  repeated  disappointments, 
that  he  says,  "  I  hated  life."  Vexation  at 
his  failure  made  life  a  burden  to  him.  Some 
worldly  men  are  honest  enough  to  make 
the  same  confession,  and  many  of  them  do 
so  when  on  a  dying  bed,  and  in  the  pros- 
pect of  a  vast  eternity ;  and  such  must  all 
men  make  when  they  come  to  die,  who 
have  not  been  happy  enough  to  find  this 
pearl  of  great  price. 

But  we  may  consider,  not  only  the  man 
who  is  in  pursuit  of  worldly  good  as  the 
merchant,  but  those  persons  also  who  are 
religiously  disposed,  who  wish  to  be  vir- 
tuous and  good ;  but  who  as  yet  know  not 
the  Lord,  and  have  never  discovered  from 
the  Gospel  his  inestimable  worth.  Man 
has  been  called,  by  some  philosophers,  "  A 
religious  animal ;"  and  indeed  it  is  won- 
derful to  observe  that  in  almost  all  coun- 


SERMON  LXXXII. 


383 


tries,  some  sense  of  religion  prevails,  some 
adoration  is  paid  to  Deity,  there  is  a  dread 
of  his  anger,  and  a  desire  of  his  favor.  A 
consciousness  of  guilt,  and  an  apprehension 
of  death,  judgment,  and  eternity,  strength- 
ened by  the  customs  of  their  forefathers, 
the  laws  of  tlieir  country,  and  the  exam- 
ple of  the  multitude,  induce  those  who  are 
not  atheistical  or  brutish  to  perform  some 
religious  ceremonies,  in  hope  of  the  divine 
favor,  and  frequently  to  obtain  the  ap- 
plause of  their  fellow-men. 

But  it  is  truly  pitiable  to  think  liow 
many,  "being  ignorant  of  God's  riglite- 
ousness,  go  about,"  as  St.  Paul  said  to  the 
Jews,  "to  establish  their  own  righteous- 
ness, not  submitting  to  the  righteousness 
of  God,"  as  revealed  in  the  Gospel.  Many 
will  repeat  a  prodigious  number  of  pray- 
ers; keep  many  fasts;  submit  to  irksome 
penances;  shut  themselves  up  for  life  in 
monasteries  and  nunneries;  and  others  will 
go  tedious  pilgrimages  for  hundreds  of 
miles ;  yea,  some  will  undergo  bodily  tor- 
ments, and  death  itself,  to  secure  eternal 
happiness.  And  this  is  the  language  of 
the  person  introduced  by  the  prophet  Mi- 
cah,  (chapter  vi.  6,)  "  Wherewith  shall  I 
come  before  the  Lord,  and  bow  myself  be- 
fore the  high  God?  shall  I  come  before 
him  with  burnt-offerings,  with  calves  of  a 
year  ■old  ?  will  the  Lord  be  pleased  with 
thousands  of  rams,  or  with  ten  thousands 
of  rivers  of  oil !  shall  I  give  my  first-born 
for  my  transgression,  the  fruit  of  my  body 
for  the  sin  of  my  soul  1"  Here  is  a  person 
represented  as  bidding  high  indeed  for  eter- 
nal life,  and  willing  to  obtain  it  at  the 
greatest  expense, — but  it  is  the  language 
of  one  who  as  yet  is  ignorant  of  Christ. 
And  how  many  persons,  among  ourselves, 
for  want  of  better  information,  profess  a 
cold  and  comfortless  religion — a  system  of 
painful  restraints,  and  drudgery  in  duties; 
having  no  settled  peace  nor  joy,  but  serv- 
ing God  with  the  spirit  of  a  slave !  But  if 
it  please  him  to  bring  the  inquirer,  by  the 
Gospel,  to  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ, 
as  an  all-sufficient  Savior,  full  of  grace  and 
truth ;  wlio,  by  his  obedience  and  liis  suf- 
ferings, has  brought  in  an  everlasting 
righteousness,  by  which  every  believer  is 
fully  and  for  ever  justified, — and  if  brought 
to  see  that  all  the  blessings  of  his  great 
salvation  are  perfectly  free,  "  without 
money  and  without  price" — without  any 
meritorious  qualifications  whatever — then 
is  he  like  the  merchant  in  the  text,  who, 
in  tlie  course  of  his  journeys  and  inquiries, 
meets  at  last  with  a  jewel  of  such  extra- 
ordinary magnitude,  beauty,  and  perfec- 
tion, as  infinitely  to  exceed  all  he  had  ever 


seen,  or  heard  of  before ;  and  finding  that 
it  is  possible  to  make  it  his  own,  and  that, 
by  making  it  his  own,  he  will  insure  an 
immense  fortune,  he  is  glad  to  obtain  it  by 
any  means;  most  willingly  he  parts  with 
all  he  has,  well  knowing  it  is  worth  more 
than  all^  and  that  by  the  loss  of  all,  he 
shall  become  an  unspeakable  gainer. 

By  this  striking  similitude,  our  Lord 
here  represents  the  true  convert,  the  real 
Christian.  He  discovers,  by  the  teaching 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  use  of  the  Gos- 
pel, that  Jesus  Christ  is  truly  excellent — 
superlatively  excellent ;  he  feels  a  vehe- 
ment desire  to  be  interested  in  him,  and  is 
ready,  willingly,  yea,  most  gladly,  to  part 
with  every  thing  for  his  sake.  You  will 
clearly  see  how  wisely  he  thinks  and  acts, 
if  you  will  consider  for  a  moment  wherein 
this  superior  excellency  of  Christ  consists. 

Consider  liis  personal  dignity  and  glory. 
"  Who  is  he,  that  we  may  believe  in  him?" 
his  name  is  "  hnmanuel,"  "  God  with  us." 
He  is  the  Son  of  God ;  the  only-begotten 
of  the  Father ;  "  the  brightness  of  the  Fa- 
ther's glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his 
person ;" 

"All  human  beauties — all  divine, 
In  our  Beloved  meet  and  shine." 

In  him  are  combined  all  the  glorious 
perfections  of  Deity,  and  all  the  unsullied 
excellencies  of  humanity.  "  Great,"  in- 
deed, and  without  controversy, — "  Great  is 
this  mystery  of  godliness — God  was  mani- 
fest in  the  flesh."  And,  beholding  his  glory, 
the  believer  maxwell  exclaim  with  Thomas, 
"  My  Lord  !  and  my  God  !" 

Behold  him  in  the  character  of  Media- 
tor; one,  the  only  one,  qualified  to  inter- 
pose between  parties  so  remote  from  each 
other,  as  the  holy  Jehovah  and  guilty  men. 
He  is  fully  qualified,  inclined,  and  author- 
ized, to  make  up  the  breach.  Yea,  he  has 
actually  made  reconciliation  for  iniquity, 
by  the  sacrifice  of  himself;  for  with  his 
righteousness  God  is  well  pleased ;  and 
through  him  pardon  and  eternal  life  are 
freely  proclaimed,  and  the  chief  of  sinners 
are  invited  to  receive  them. 

Consider,  likewise,  the  gracious  offices 
and  characters  which  he  sustains,  and 
which  render  him  precisely  what  we  want 
to  make  us  happy.  We  are  ignorant;  he 
is  the  great  Instructor;  "he  tcacheth  to 
profit,"  and  "none  teacheth  like  him." 
We  are  guilty;  his  blood  cleanseth  us  from 
all  sin ;  and  washed  in  that  blessed  foun- 
tain, we  are  "  whiter  than  snow."  We 
are  rebellious  creatures;  he  brings  us 
back  to  God,  makes  us  willing  in  the  day 
of  his  power,  and  we  become  his  humble 
and  faithful  subjects.     He  is  a  prince,  to 


384 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


govern  and  protect  us  from  all  our  crafty 
and  poworftil  enemies,  who  lie  in  wait  to 
destroy.  We  need  a  Friend — Jesus  is  that 
friend — a  friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a 
brotlier,  whose  compassion  and  fidelity  ren- 
der him  the  best  friend  we  can  possibly 
find.  We  want  a  Counsellor : — He  is  our 
advocate,  and  will  be  our  guide  in  every 
difficulty — for  he  has  promised,  that  if  we 
acknowledge  him  in  all  our  ways,  he  will 
direct  our  paths.  We  are  diseased,  and 
ready  to  die.  He  is  the  great  Physician, 
who  is  ready  and  able  to  restore  us  to 
health.  We  are  poor — He  "  counsels  us 
to  buy  gold  of  him,"  and  then  are  we  rich 
indeed,  rich  towards  God,  and  rich  for 
ever. 

Jewels  are  prized  by  vain  mortals  as 
ornaments.  Wearing  them  is  a  mark  of 
distinction ;  for  inferior  people  cannot  ob- 
tain them  ;  and  thus  the  wearer  excites 
notice  and  admiration  in  the  gay  circles 
of  the  great.  This  may  be  thought  a 
pitiable  weakness ;  when  poor  vain  mor- 
tals value  themselves  on  a  profusion  of 
sparkling  stones — but  he  who  possesses  the 
pearl  of  great  price  is  fine  indeed ;  he 
that  "puts  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ" 
surpasses  an  angel  in  splendor ;  like  the 
church,  in  the  vision  of  St.  John,  he  may 
be  said  to  be  "  clothed  with  the  sun  ;"  and 
those  become  honorable — for  "to  them 
that  believe  he  is  precious,"  or,  "  an 
honor."  Dignified  indeed,  beyond  ex- 
pression, is  he  who  possesses  this  pearl  of 
great  price. 

In  the  days  of  supeastition,  precious 
stones  were  worn  as  amulets,  or  charms, 
to  protect  the  wearer  from  divers  diseases 
and  mischiefs.  We  know  of  no  such  vir- 
tue in  earthly  jewels ;  but  we  assert  that 
Christ  is  the  true  Amulet;  and  if  we 
"  bear  about  the  body  the  dying  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,"  nothing  shall  by  any  means 
hurt  us ; 

"  We  shall  be  safe ; 

For  God  displays 
Superior  power, 

And  guardian  grace." 

Now,  if  Jesus  Christ  possesses  all  these 
excellencies,  (and  the  one  half  has  not 
been  told  you)  and  if  the  soul  that  obtains 
an  interest  in  him  will  be  thus  benefited, 
it  is  no  wonder  that  the  Wise  merchant, 
discovering  his  inestimable  worth,  should 
be  willing  to  sell  all  that  he  hath,  for  his 
sake. 

He  is  found  :  and  blessed  is  he  who  has 
found  him.  In  the  parable  of  "  the  trea- 
sure," which  precedes  our  text,  it  is  repre- 
sented as  "  hid  in  a  field  ;"  not  obvious  to 
the  eye  of  the   careless  and   inattentive 


traveller :  and  pearls  are  generally  pro- 
cured from  the  bottom  of  the  ocean ;  so 
that  he  who  finds  the  one  must  dig  for  it ; 
and  he  who  gets  the  other  must  dive  for 
them.  The  blessings  of  salvation  escape 
ihe  notice  of  the  careless  and  carnal ;  but 
"  he  that  seeks  shall  find." — Here,  then,  in 
the  word  of  the  gospel,  is  this  mighty 
treasure  to  be  found.  It  is  the  busmess 
of  the  mmister  of  the  Gospel  to  display 
this  treasure,  to  proclaim  its  value,  and  to 
invite  his  hearers  instantly  to  seek  it ;  but 
it  is  the  office  of  the  Holy  Spirit  alone,  to 
lead  the  seeking  soul  to  obtain  the  prize  ; 
it  is  his  gracious  business  to  glorify  Christ, 
and  this  he  does  by  "  taking  of  the  things 
of  Clirist,  and  showing  them  to  men." 

When  this  discovery  is  once  made,  then 
holy  and  earnest  desires  will  rise  in  the 
sou],  or  rather  this  desire — this  one  desire, 
swallowing  up,  as  it  were,  all  the  rest ;  so 
that  he,  who  once  was  used  to  say,  "  Who 
will  show  me  any  good  V  now  cries, 
"  Lord,  lift  thou  up  the  light  of  thy 
countenance  upon  me."  He  who  once 
was  used  to  sa)^,  "  I  see  no  form  nor  come- 
liness in  him,  wherefore  I  should  desire 
him,"  now  exclaims,  ."  He  is  the  chief 
among  ten  thousand,  and  altogether  love- 
ly." He,  who  when  formerly  invited  to 
the  gospel  feast,  "  desired  to  be  excused," 
now  "  hungers  and  thirsts  after  righteous- 
ness." "  Yea,  doubtless,"  says  the  be- 
liever, with  holy  Paul,  "  I  count  all  things 
but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord ;  and  count 
tiiem  (all  things)  but  dung,  that  I  may 
win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him." 

Thou,  O  Christ,  art  all  I  want, 
More  than  all  in  thee  I  find. 

But  how  is  this  pearl  to  be  obtained  ? 
It  is  to  be  bought, — "  he  goes  and  sells  all 
that  he  has,  and  buys  it."  We  are  not  to 
strain  tlie  metaphor,  as  if  it  were  to  imply 
that,  by  any  valuable  consideration  what- 
ever, we  can  merit  this  inestimable  trea- 
sure; the  meaning  is,  that  the  Christian 
gives  such  a  hearty  and  decided  preference 
to  Christ,  above  all  worldly  things  what- 
ever, as  to  be  willing,  if  need  be,  to  part 
with  them  all,  should  they  stand  in  the  way 
of  obtaining  his  grace,  his  righteousness, 
and  his  salvation.  And,  indeed,  to  say  tiie 
truth,  there  are  some  things  which  must 
be  parted  with.  That  good  opinion,  for 
instance,  of  ourselves,  which  we  are  too 
apt  to  entertain ;  that  dependence  we  are 
prone  to  place  upon  a  religious  education, 
upon  freedom  from  gross  vices,  upon  our 
goodness,  virtue,  sincerity,  charity — all 
iiuist  be  parted  with.     Our  own  rigljte- 


SERMON  IJvXXII. 


285 


ousness  must  be  accounted  as  filthy  rags, 
if  we  would  wear  the  righteousness  of 
Jesus  Clirist.  Sinful  indulgences,  of  what- 
ever description  they  may  be,  must  also  be 
given  up.  This  splendid  jewel  would  look 
ill  upon  him,  who  is  covered  with  the  de- 
formity of  sinful  practices  ;  and  however 
dear  these  indulgences  may  be,  and  though 
the  parting  with  tiiem  may  be  painful,  as 
tiie  plucking  out  the  rigiit  ej-e,  or  cutting 
ort"  the  riglit  iiand,  it  must  be  done.  We 
must  "  crucify  the  flesh,  with  its  affections 
and  lusts ;"  and  those  who  are  Christ's  are 
willmg  so  to  do. 

Reputation  nmst  not  seldom  be  forfeited, 
consequence    of   our    attachment    to 


spoiling  of  their  goods,   knowing  that  in 
heaven  they  had  a  better  and  a  more  ea- 


rn 


Christ,  his  cause  and  his  people.  If  we 
cleave  to  Christ  as  we  ought,  we  must 
separate  ourselves  from  the  world  ;  and  if 
we  do  so,  we  shall  fincAy  experience  the 
truth  of  our  Lord's  saying,  John  xv.  18,  19. 
"  If  the  world  hate  you,  ye  know  that  it 
hated  me  before  it  hated  you.  If  ye  were 
of  the  world,  the  world  would  love  his 
own :  but  because  ye  are  not  of  the  world, 
but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world, 
tliercfore  the  world  hateth  you."— Protect- 
ed, as  we  happily  are  by  the  laws  of  our 
country,  from  the  hand  of  violence  on  ac- 
count of  our  religion ;  yet,  there  is  no 
power  upon  earth  that  can  screen  us  from 
the  reproach  of  the  cross.  Men  will 
"speak  evil  of  us;"  but  let  it  be  '■'^ falsely, 
and  for  Christ's  sake." 

And  shall  we  not  be  willing  to  bear  re- 
proacii  for  him  who  "  made  himself  of  no 
reputation,"  for  us  ■?  Shall  we  not  readily 
j)art  with  our  reputation  and  "  follow  him 
without  the  camp,  bearing  his  reproach  ! 
Fear  it  not ;  it  should  rather  be  esteemed  a 
jewel  that  adorns  us.  The  cross  of  Jesus 
is  our  best  ornament ;  God  forbid  we  should 
glory  in  any  tiling  except  in  that  cross. 

In  the  times  of  persecution,  not  char- 
acter only,  but  liberty,  and  life  itself  were 
forfeited.  Our  Lord  most  candidly  told 
his  disciples,  upon  what  terms  they  must 
become  sucli, — that  they  must  be  willing 
to  part  with  father  and  mother,  wife  and 
children,  liouscs  and  lands,  and  to  be  hated 
and  persecuted  by  all ;  and  to  take  up  their 
cross  and  follow  him,  or  else  they  could 
not  be  hifi  disciples.  Nor  did  they  think 
the  purchase  too  dear.  Did  they  refuse 
the  terms!  By  no  means.  Like  Moses 
of  old,  they  "  esteemed  the  reproncli  of 
Christ,  greater  riciies  than  all  the  treasures 
of  Egypt."  'J'hc  Apostles  of  our  Lord, 
when  evil  entreated,  "departed  from  the 
council,  rejoiciug  that  tliey  were  counted 
worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  the  name  of 
Christ ;"  and  "  they  took  joyfully  tiie 
2  Y 


during  substance." 


IMPROVEME.N'J'. 
To  conclude — You  have  heard  the 
character  of  the  wise  merchant,  and  do 
you  approve  of  it !  Did  he  not  act  judici- 
ously .'  Is  not  gain  the  proper  object  of  a 
tradesman  !  and  who  blames  a  man  for 
making  a  good  bargain! — Now,  say.  Is 
this  your  character  !  What  is  your  chief 
object — the  object  of  your  warmest  de- 
sires !  and  that  for  which  you  are  ready 
to  part  with  all!  Is  it  the  World  !  Alas  I 
it  is  vain  !  Make  it  not  your  portion  ;  it 
will  deceive  and  disappoint  you.  Even 
now,  it  does  not  alibrd  you  satisfaction  ; 
but  think,  O  tliink,  of  the  solemnities  of  a 
dying  hour.  Think  of  that  awful  period, 
wiien  you  shall  stand  before  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Christ. — I  ask.  What  then  will 
profit  you  !  v.-hat  but  Christ  1  Then,  every 
soul  will  be  ready  to  say  with  the  Martyr, 
"  None  but  Christ,  none  but  Christ."  I  de- 
mand, Why  do  you  not  say  so  now  ? — 
Why  should  not  that  now  be  the  language 
of  your  hearts ;  not  waiting  till  the 
horrors  of  death  and  the  dread  of  judgment 
shall  extort  it !  O  let  me  entreat  you  now, 
even  now,  to  turn  away  your  eyes  from 
beholding  vanity,  and  such  will  all  terres- 
trial o^ects  prove.  Behold  this  great  and 
glorioS  object,  Jesus,  with  his  great  and 
eternal  salvation,  is  set  before  you.  How 
are  you  disposed  towards  it !  Perhaps  .this 
may  be  the  last  time  that  ever  this  gra- 
cious Savior  may  be  thus  presented  to  you, 
or  that  you  may  be  affectionately  invited 
to  regard  and  receive  him.  If  you  reject 
him  now,  perhaps  he  will  be  for  ever  re- 
jected. How  then  will  you  decide  ?  Do 
you  esteem  him  or  not  1  Methinks,  angels 
pause  to  witness  your  answer,  and  report 
it  in  heaven.  Be  persuaded  to  take  the 
advice  of  Jesus — especially  you  who  are 
young — "  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  his  righteousness,  and  all  other  things, 
(needful  for  life  and  for  godliness)  shall  be 
added  unto  you." 

It  may  be  that  you  are  seeking;  and 
perhaps-,  you  may  be  seeking  in  sorrow : 
but,  fear  not,  the  Lord  hath  said,  "  He 
that  asketh  receiveth,  and  he  that  seeketh 
findeth,"  and  the  wise  man,  to  whom  I  be- 
fore referred,  who  not  only  knew  the 
vanity  of  the  world,  but  also  the  excellen- 
cy of  true  wisdom,  sjiys,  "  If  thou  criest 
after  knowledge,  and  liflest  up  thy  voice 
for  imderstanding ;  if  thou  seekest  her  as 
silver,  and  searchest  for  her  as  for  hid 
treasures;  then  shall  thou  understand  the 
33 


386 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


fear  of  the  Lord,  and  find  the  knowledge 
of  God." — The  Lord  giveth  wisdom,  he  has 
promised  to  give  it  to  them  who  ask  it,  and 
that  liberally.  And  are  you  really  willing 
to  part  with  any  thing,  to  part  with  every 
thing,  that  stands  in  the  way  of  your  en- 
joyment of  Christ  ?  If  you  were  suffered 
to  retain  only  one  thing  in  the  world, 
what  would  that  one  thing  be  ?  I  can  rea- 
dily answer  for  every  true  believer — It 
would  be  Christ.  Let  every  thing  else  go, 
he  would  say,  give  me  Christ,  and  that  is 
enough. 

But  perhaps  you  are  discouraged  at  the 
terms  proposed.  The  text  directs  you  to 
make  a  purchase ;  and  when  you  contem- 
plate the  infinite  value  of  the  pearl  in 
question,  you  say,  I  can  offer  nothing  in 
the  least  degree  valuable.  I  have  nothing. 
I  am  nothing.  I  can  do  nothing.  How 
can  I  presume  to  purchase  the  pearl  of 
great  price  J  You  say  truly.  You  have 
indeed,  as  was  before  observed,  no  valua- 
ble consideration  to  offer.  But  let  not  tliis 
discourage  you.  In  another  Scripture,  re- 
sembling this,  wherein  the  blessings  of  the 
Gospel  are  compared  to  food  and  drink  of 
the  richest  quality,  and  sinners  are  invited 
to  come  and  purchase  them,  the  terms  run 
thus — "  And  he  that  hath  no  money ;  come 
ye ;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk,  with- 
out money,  and  without  price"  Isaiah  Iv. 
1.  which  is  as  much  as  to  say.  Ye  shall  be 
welcome  to  these  great  benefits,  though 
utterly  unworthy  of  them.  Accept  them 
as  God's  free  gifts,  and  be  content  to  be 
for  ever  indebted  to  grace — only  saying, 
"Thanks  be  to  God  for  his  unspeakable 
gift!" 

Finally — How  rich  and  how  happy  is 
the  believer  in  Jesus! — We  congratulate 
our  friends  when  they  have  made  a  pros- 
perous voyage  ;  or  when,  in  the  course  of 
providence,  an  addition  is  made  to  their 
wealth ;  but  O  how  much  rather  is  a  child 
of  God  to  be  congratulated ! — "  I  know 
thy  poverty,"  said  Jesus  Christ  to  the 
Church  of  Smyrna,  "  I  know  thy  poverty, 
but  thou  art  rich;" — they  were  poor  in 
this  world,  but  they  were  rich  in  faith ; 
rich  towards  God ;  and  if  thus  rich  noto, 
how  will  the  glorified  believer  be  enrich- 
ed !  this  jewel  will  retain  its  value  and  its 
lustre  beyond  the  grave,  and  will  enrich 
and  adorn  the  soul  for  ever  and  ever ;  yea 
a  brilliant  crown  of  glory  awaits  every 
believer  in  Jesus.  God  grant  that  this 
may  be  our  final  happiness,  through  Jesus 
Christ     Amen. 


Lord,  that  thou  hast  so  loved  our  world  as  to 
send  into  it  thine  only-begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believelh  on  him  should  not  perish,  but 
should  have  everlasting  life.  With  him  thou 
freely  givest  to  us  all  things  richly  to  enjoy.  On 
them  who  walli  uprightly,  thou  bestowest,  lor 
his  sake,  grace  and  glory ;  and  withholdest  from 
them  nothing  that  is  good.  While  many  say, 
Wlio  will  show  us  any  good  ?  O  Lord,  lift  up 
thou  the  light  of  thy  countenance  upon  us.  That 
shall  rejoice  us  more  than  all  increase  of  earthly 
enjoyments.  May  we  then  pass  on  toward  the 
mark  to  obtain  the  prize  of  our  high  calling  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus.  May  we  lay  aside  every 
encumbrance,  and  our  most  easily  besetting  sins, 
that  we  may  persevere  in  our  race,  looking  unto 
Jesus,  who  for  the  joy  set  before  him,  endured 
the  pain  and  the  disgrace  of  the  cross.  May  we 
choose  for  our  portion  that  inestimable  treasure, 
which  every  one  that  seeketh  findeth,  and  which 
alone  can  insure  to  us  everlasting  satisfaction. 
May  we  count  all  things  loss  for  Christ;  that 
living  and  dying  he  may  be  our  gain ;  our  life, 
our  peace,  our  joy  i^peakable,  even  now ;  and 
our  glory  for  ever.    Amen. 


PRAYER.— Thanks   be  to  God   for  the    un- 
speakable gift  of  salvation.'    We  bless  thee,  O 


SERMON  LXXXIII. 

SINNERS  ARE  SELF-DESTROYERS,  BUT 
SALVATION  IS  OF  GOD. 

Hob.  xiii.  9.    O  Israel,  thou  hast  destroyed  thyself, 
but  in  me  is  thine  help. 

"  Whatever  was  written  aforetime  was 
written  for  our  learning."  Those  things, 
especially,  which  were  written  to  the 
Jews,  are  full  of  instruction  to  us.  The 
literal  meaning  of  the  words  is  this — "  Is- 
rael," that  is  to  say,  the  ten  tribes,  exclu- 
sive of  Judah  and  Benjamin,  were  awfully 
prone  to  idolatry,  and  it  proved  their  de- 
struction. In  the  16th  v^rse  of  this  chap- 
ter it  is  said,  "  Samaria  shall  become  deso- 
late, for  she  hath  rebelled  against  her  God ; 
they  shall  fall  by  the  sword,  their  infants 
shall  be  dashed  in  pieces."  Notwithstand- 
ing which,  God  was  pleased  to  promise 
that  he  would  be  "  their  help ;"  and  in  the 
words  which  follow  our  text  he  says,  "  I 
will  be  thy  king." — God  hitnself  would 
graciously  reside  in  the  midst  of  them,  to 
rule  and  to  save  them. 

It  may  appear  to  us  very  strange,  that  a 
people  so  singularly  favored  of  God  as  Is- 
rael was,  should  be  so  prone  to  depart  from 
him — that  a  people  so  signalized  by  mer- 
cies, who  were  brought  forth  out  of  Egypt, 
sustained  in  the  wilderness,  and  introduced 
into  the  promised  land,  by  a  series  of  mi- 
racles, that  they,  of  all  people  on  the  earth, 
should  forsake  tlie  God  of  their  mercies, 
and  fall  into  abominable  idolatries !  But 
alas  !  in  tliis  they  were  but  a  picture  of 
fallen  nature  in  general ;  indeed  we  may 
say,  a  picture  of  ourselves,  who  have  re- 


SERMON  LXXXIII. 


387 


ceived  so  much  from  God  and  yet  made 
so  ungenerous  a  return.  The  words  of  the 
text  are  directed  to  us;  it  may  be  said  to 
every  one  of  us — "  Sinner,  thou  hast  de- 
stroyed thyself;"  but,  for  thy  consolation 
hear  this,  "  In  me  is  thy  help  found." 
These  words  may  be  said  to  include  both 
law  and  Gospel;  they  describe  the  sad 
condition  of  man  as  a  fallen  sinner,  and 
yet  they  open  to  him  the  door  of  iiope. 

From  these  words  I  shall  show, 

First,  That  sin  is  a  most  destructive  evil. 

Secondly,  That  every  sinner  is  a  self- 
destroyer. 

And  Thirdly,  That  there  is  help  and 
salvation  in  Jesus  Christ,  even  for  self-de- 
stroying sinners.  "  O  Israel,  thou  hast 
destroyed  thyself,  but  in  me  is  thine 
help.". 

In  the  first  place  we  shall  show  that  sin 
is  a  most  destructive  evil ;  and  if  men 
were  convinced  of  this,  the  great  point  in 
religion  would  be  gained  :  but  men's  per- 
sistence in  sfn ;  their  false  peace ;  and 
their  neglect  of  the  Gospel,  all  prove  they 
are  not  convinced  of  this;  and  we  our- 
selves, in  fact,  seem  to  be  but  half  con- 
vinced. 

To  prevent  the  impression  of  this  awful 
truth — that  sin  is  a  destructive  evil — Satan 
interposes  with  his  first  lie — "  Ye  shall  not 
surely  die,"  said  he  to  our  first  mother, 
though  God  had  said,  "In  tlie  day  thou 
eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die  ;"  and 
in  the  same  way,  Satan  has  ever  maintain- 
ed his  destructive  system;  it  is  by  this 
means,  chiefly,  that  he  has  "deceived  the 
whole  world."  We  are  likewise  cautioned 
against  "the  deceitfulness  of  sin;"  and 
we  are  told  that  "  the  heart  of  man  is  de- 
ceitful above  all  things,  and  desperately 
wicked."  O  wlien  these  three  notorious 
deceivers  meet  together,  woe  be  to  man — 
a  deceitful  heart,  deceitful  sin,  and  a  de- 
ceitful devil,  aided  by  the  general  opinion 
and  practice  of  a  deceitful  world  in  every 
successive  age !  Transgressors  think  it 
very  hard  that  their  beloved  pursuits 
should  lie  deemed  so  dangerous  and  de- 
structive ;  but  we  appeal  to  "  the  word 
and  to  the  testimony."  The  same  word 
which  assures  you  that  there  is  a  God,  that 
you  have  an  immortal  soul,  that  it  is  ap- 
pointed for  men  to  die  and  come  to  judg- 
ment, that  there  is  a  future  resurrection, 
tiiat  there  is  a  heaven  and  a  hell;  the 
same  word  assures  you  that  sin  is  a  most 
destructive  evil.  What  was  it  but  sin 
that  destroyed  the  happiness  of  angels  in 
heaven — transformed  them  into  infernal 
demons,  and  rendered  them  miserable  for 
ever!    What  was  it  that  destroyed  the 


hai>()iness  of  our  first  parents  in  the  garden 
of  Paradise  !  Why  did  God  drive  them 
out !  What  destroyed  the  image  of  God  in 
human  nature  !  for  man  was  made  in  the 
image  of  God ;  but  what  is  he  now  1  an 
awful  mixture  of  the  brute  and  the  fiend. 
Now  we  find  darkness  instead  of  know- 
ledge, depravity  instead  of  holiness,  guilt 
instead  of  righteousness. 

Turn  your  eyes  to  the  surface  of  the 
earth.  What  destroyed  its  original  fer- 
tility, and  made  it  productive  of  "  thorns 
and  of  thistles?"  The  ground  was  "cursed 
for.  man's  sake,"  because  he  was  a  sinner. 
What  has  destroyed  tlie  general  tranquil- 
lity of  man  1  It  was  sio  that  opened  the 
door  to  millions  of  evils.  The  poor  babe 
enters  weeping  into  the  world,  while  it 
risks  the  life  of"  its  mother !  What  legions 
of  fierce  and  lothesome  diseases  assail  us 
in  every  stage  of  life — in  infancy,  in 
youth,  and  in  old  age  !  Behold  the  youth 
carried  headlong  by  his  tumultuous  pas- 
sions into  vice,  extravagance,  and  destruc- 
tion. See  then  the  man  in  middle  age, 
strug-gling  with  labor,  poverty,  care,  vexa- 
tion, and  disappointment ;  and  then  behold 
age,  bending  under  the  weight  of  infirmi- 
ties, and  saying,  "  Thou  art  righteous,  O 
God,  but '  thou  writest  bitter  things  against 
me,  and  makest  me  to  possess  the  sins  of 
my  youth."  ' 

Sin  is  the  grand  disturber  of  the  world. 
It  is  sin  that  disturbs  the  conscience,  that 
disturbs  families,  churches,  cities,  and  na- 
tions. None  will  deny  that  it  has  destroyed 
millions  of  millions  of  the  human  race, 
sweeping  away,  once  in  about  every  thirty 
years,  all  its  numerous  inhabitants,  "  for 
dust  we  are,  and  to  dust  we  must  all  re- 
turn." What  vast  multitudes  die  in  their 
infancy  !  What  multitudes  are  cut  oif  by 
intemperance  !  How  many  have  perished 
by  bloody  persecutions !  and  still  more  by 
direful  wars !  What  myriads  have  been 
drowned  in  the  seas,  or  consumed  by  light- 
ning, or  swallowed  up,  by  hundreds  and 
thousands  at  a  time,  by  fearful  earth- 
quakes !  and  O  that  this,  awful  as  it  is, 
were  the  worst !  but  still  further  destruc- 
tion awaits  the  impenitent,  and  without  an 
interest  in  the  great  .salvation  of  Christ, 
the  snid  as  well  as  the  body  must  be 
destroyed — not,  indeed,  by  annihilation, 
which  the  wicked  would  earnestly  desire, 
but  by  "a  second  death" — an  eternal  ban- 
ishment from  the  presence  of  God.  Fear 
him,  then,  who  can  not  only  "  killthe  body, 
but  who  is  able  to  cast  both  body  and  soul 
into  hell."  Yes,  sin  is  indeed  destructive. 
"  The  wages  of  sin  is  deatli,"  and,  as  St 
James  saith,  "  When  lust  hath  conceived, 


liSS 


VJl.LACE  SERMONS. 


it  bringetli  tbrlli  sin ;  and  sin,  when  it  is 
finished,  briiigeth  forth  death.''^  Hear  also 
what  the  holy  law  of  God  denounces 
against  every  transgressor :  "  Cursed  is 
every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them." 
This  then  is  the  state  of  tlie  case,  and  is  it 
not  most  true  that  sin  is  a  destructive  evil  ? 
O  Israel,  tliat  tliou  hast  destroyed  thyself! 
and  this  will  appear  more  plainly  by 
showing, 

In  the  second  place,  that 

Sinners  are  self-destroyers.     "  O  Israel, 
thou  hast  destroyed  ihr/self." 

What  is  more  sliocking  than  for  persons, 
renouncing  that  .natural  self-love  which 
rules  all  mankind,  to  prepare  for  their  own 
destruction  the  fatal  bowl,  the  knife  or  the 
pistol,  or  the  halter,  or  to  plunge  into  a 
watery  grave?  Here  we  pity,  while  we 
blame  ;  and  yet  all  wilful  sinners  are  act- 
ing the  same  desperate  part;  they  are  de- 
slroying  themselves,  and  yet  they  are  not 
aware  of  it ;  and  if  they  are  at  all  appre- 
hensive of  their  errors,  they  are  apt  to 
throw  the  blame  on  others,  yea,  even  upon 
the  blessed  God  himself  Against  this 
presumption  the  Apostle  James  cautions 
u  5,  "  Let  no  man  say  when  he  is  tempted,  I 
am  tempted  of  God — God  temptetli  no 
man ;  but  every  man  is  tempted  when  he 
is  drawn  aside  of  his  own  lust."  Sinners, 
altliongh  they  are  self-destroyers,  alwaj^s 
endeavor  to  tln-ovv  off  the  blame  from  them- 
selves upon  others.  Our  first  parent  wish- 
ed to  trans.^er  the  blame  from  himself,  and 
therefore  said,  "The  woman  whom  thou 
gavest  to  be  with  me,  she  gave  me  of  the 
tree  and  I  did  eat."  She  also,  as  unwill- 
ing to  bear  the  blame,  said,  "  The  serpent 
beguiled  me,  and  I  did  eat."  Thus  also 
it  is  that  sinners  blame  their  passions,  and 
charge  their  vices  upon  their  constitutions, 
or  upon  their  companions,  or  upon 'their 
situations  in  life,  and  sometimes  upon 
Satan :  but  unless  the  tempter  had  found  a 
proneness  in  us  to  sin,  all  his  temptations 
would  be  fruitless,  as  they  were  when  they 
were  exercised  upon  the  Lord  of  life  and 
glory.  Alas !  all  the  sins  we  commit  flow 
from  our  own  polluted  hearts.  So  our 
TiOrd  says,  in  tiie  15th  chapter  of  the  Gos- 
pel by  St.  Matthew,  "Those  thing.?  which 
proceed  out  of  tlie  mouth,  come  forth  from 
the  heart,  and  those  are  the  things  which 
defile  the  man."  It  will  be  found  there- 
fore, that  the  blame  is  all  our  own  ;  that 
tliere  is  an  ob.stinate  persistence  in  sin 
against  the  remonstrances  of  conscience, 
and  the  admonitions  of  God.  Thus,  of 
old,  he  spake  unto  the  house  of  Israel,  "As 
I  live,"  aaith  the  Lord,  "I  have  no  pleasure 


in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  but  tliat  the 
wicked  turn  from  his  way  and  live.  Turn 
ye,  turn  ye  from  your  evil  ways,  for  why 
will  ye  die,  O  house  of  Israel  ?"  This  ex- 
postulation plainly  throws  the  guilt  upon 
man,  as  his  own  destroyer ;  why  will  ye 
die,  O  house  of  Israeli — it  arises  from  the 
wilful  obstinacy  and  hardness  of  the  hu- 
man heart.  The  prophet  also  charges  the 
Jews  with  a  wilful  resistance  to  the  Gos- 
pel, "they  shut  their  eyes  that  they  might 
not  see  ;  they  stopped  their  ears"  that  they 
might  not  hear  ;"  and  our  blessed  Lord 
says  expressly  to  the  unbelieving  Jews, 
"  Ye  will  not  come  unto  me,  that  ye  might 
have  life ;"  and  in  our  Lord's  admirable 
discourse  with  Nicodemus,  as  recorded  in 
the  3d  chapter  of  St.  John,  it  is  expressly 
said,  "  He  that  believeth  on  him  is  not  fjon- 
demned,  but  he  that  believeth  not  is  con- 
demned already,  because  he  hath  not  be- 
lieved in  the  name  of  the  only-begotten 
Son  of  God,"  and  "this  is  the  condemna- 
tion, that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  and 
that  men  have  loved  darkness  rather  than 
light,  because  their  deeds  are  evil  ;  for 
every  one  that  doth  evil,  hateth  the  light, 
neither  cometh  to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds 
should  be  reproved." 

True  penitents  will  readily  confess  this ; 
they  will  take  shame  to  themselves ;  and 
say  with  the  Royal  Penitent,  "Against 
thee,  thee  only  have  I  sinned  and  done 
this  evil  in  thy  siglit."  Yes,  real  Chris- 
tians, under  their  deepest  afflictions,  will 
adopt  this  language,  "  Shall  a  living  man 
complain, — a  man  for  the  punishment  of 
his  sins  V  And,  depend  upon  it,  whatever 
excuses  men  now  make,  the  time  will 
come  when  "  every  mouth  shall  be  stopped, 
and  all  the  world  be  found  (and  confess 
themselves)  guilty  before  God."  "  The 
books  will  be  opened,"  and  a  clear  impar- 
tial statement  made,  and  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God  will  be  apparent  to  all ; 
it  will  then  appear  that  the  way  of  sin  was 
chosen  ;  that  it  was  preferred,  and  that 
wilful  unbelief  prevailed.  Sinners  know 
what  frequently  passes  in  their  own  minds 
concerning  this  :  they  put  a  force  upon 
themselves,  and  stifle  all  convictions ;  re- 
solving, whatever  the  consequences  may 
be,  that  they  will  proceed.  Sinners  are 
self-deatroyers — but  we  go  on. 

In  the  third  and  last  place,  to  show  that 

There  is  salvation  in  Jesus  Christ,  even 
for  self-destroying  sinners. 

O  what  news,  what,  good  news,  wnat 
unexpected  news,  do  we  find  in  this  third 
part  of  our  subject !  "  O  Israel,  thou  hast 
dostroj'ed  thyself," — and  what  might  be 
expected  to  ibllow  1 — You  must  take  the 


SEHMON  LXXXIII. 


389 


consequences — it  is  the  fruit  of  your  own 
doings — but,  instead  of  this,  God  has  been 
graciously  pleased  to  say,  "  In  me  is  thme 
help  found."  Thus,  in  another  place, 
where  we  have  a  long  and  a  black  cata- 
logue of  the  sins  of  Israel^where  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  are  called  upon  to 
witness  their  iniquity,  yet  it  is  followed  up 
with  this  encouraging  language — "  Come 
now,  and  let  us  reason  together,"  saith  the 
Lord,  "  though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they 
shall  be  as  wiiite  as  snow,  though  they  be 
red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as  w«»ol." 

The  help — the  salvation  .which  sinners 
stand  in  need  of,  can  only  come  from  God. 
"  Shame  and  confiision  of  face  belong  unto 
us," — but  it  is  added,  (O  blessed  addition  !) 
— "  To  the  Lord  our  God  belong  mercies 
and  forgiveness,  though  we  have  rebelled 
against  him."  The  truth  is,  man  neither 
wants  this  help,  nor  could  procure  it  if  he 
di^.  Man  does  not  want  it ;  he  sees  little 
or  no  need  of  pardon ;  he  justifies  his  of- 
fences, in  part,  and  is  inattentive  to  that 
Gospel  which  proclaims  redemption.  And 
as  to  another  great  branch  of  it,  the  sanc- 
tification  of  our  nature, — he  not  only  does 
not  desire  it,  but  he  dreads  it ;  he  has  no 
sort  of  wish  for  it,  and  the  name  of  a  Saint 
is,  in  his  opinion,  nearly  the  same  as  that 
of  an  hypocrite,  or  a  fanatic. 

But  if  men  really  desired  it,  how  could 
they  obtain  it  ■?  Who  could  have  devised 
that  wonderful  plan  of  redemption  which 
is  laid  before  us  in  the  Gospel  !  Wlio 
could  have  made  atonement  for  the  sins  of 
the  world  !  Who  could  have  cleansed  the 
foul  hearts  of  men,  and  made  them  new  1 
Who  could  have  procured  a  good  title  to 
endless  glory  ?  As  well  might  a  sinner 
create  a  new  sun,  a  new  moon,  or  a  new 
world,  as  bring  about  the  least  part  of  tiiis 
great  salvation.  But  God  says,  "  In  me  is 
thy  help  found."  Mercy,  unsought  as  well 
as  undeserved,  first  moved  his  gracious 
heart:  "lie  remembered  us  in  our  low 
estate,  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever." 
Hence  that  marvellous,  that  unparalleled, 
that  unspeakable  gift, — God's  own  dear 
Son,  incarnate  in  our  nature.  "  Help  was 
laid  upon  him,  who  came,  not  to  condemn 
the  world,  but  that  the  world  tiirough  him 
might  be  saved.  In  the  89th  Psalm  he 
says,  "  I  have  laid  help  upon  one  that  is 
mighty,  whom  I  have  chosen  from  among 
the  people."  It  pleased  God  to  punish  the 
sin  of  man  in  the  person  of  his  Son.  "  He 
was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  v/as 
bruised  for  our  ini(iuities,  the  chastisement 
of  our  peace  was  upon  him,  and  with  his 
stripes  we  are  liealed."  "He  died,  the 
just  for  the  unjust ;"  ho  bore  the  curse  to 


remove  it  from  us ;  he  was  "  made  sin  for 
us,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  in  him," — through  him  there 
is  pardon  for  sins  of  the  deepest  dye.  Yes, 
if  any  one  sinner  had  as  much  guilt  as 
usually  falls  to  the  lot  of  a  thousand,  there 
is  pardon  even  for  such  an  one,  if  he  come 
to  God  through  Jesus  Christ.  In  order  to 
encourage  the  chief  of  sinners,  we  find 
examples  held  forth,  such  as  that  of  the 
Apostle  Paul  in  the  1st  Epistle  to  Timothy, 
i.  15.  "  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Je- 
sus came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  of 
whom  I  am  the  chief;  howbeit,  for  this 
cau^e  I  obtained  mercy,  that  in  me  first, 
Jesus  Christ  might  show  forth  all  long- 
suffering,  for  a  pattern  to  them  which 
should  hereafter  believe  on  him  to  life 
everlasting." 

Yes ;  there  is  sufficient  help,  for  every 
purpose  of  our  salvation,  not  only  for  the 
pardon  of  tiie  greatest  sinners,  but  grace 
that  can  conquer  the  most  obdurate  hearts, 
even  those  that  are  as  hard  as  adamant 
God  will  "take  away  the  heart  of  stone, 
and  give  a  heart  of  flesh."  Powerful  lusts, 
though  deeply  fixed  in  our  very  nature, 
may  be  rooted  up  by  the  grace  of  Christ ; 
even  confirmed  habits  of  sin  may  be  de- 
stroyed. Although  the  "  Ethiopian  cannot 
change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots," 
yet  those  who  have  Jong  been  in  the  habit 
of  doing  evil,  may  learn  to  do  well.  God 
can  raise  up  children  to  Abraham,  out  of 
the  very  stones ;  and  the  power  which  ef- 
fects this  is  compared  to  that  which  eflfect- 
ed  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  body  of 
Christ  from  the  grave. 

The  same  grace  is  sufficient  to  preserve 
ths  soul  in  the  midst  of  the  strongest 
temptations.  lie  is  able  to  keep  his  peo- 
ple unhurt  in  the  most  dangerous  circum- 
stances, even  as  the  three  confessors  re- 
mained unsinged  in  the  burning  fiery  fur- 
nace ;  or  as  Jonah  was  ke])t  alive  for  three 
days  and  three  nights  in  the  belly  of  the 
fish.  We  daily  witness  the  miracles  of 
divine  grace,  as  marvellous  as  if  a  stone 
were  suspended  in  the  air,  or  a  spark  kept 
alive  in  tlie  ocean.  We  are  "  kept  by  the 
power  of  God,  through  faith  unto  salva- 
tion." 

Thus  we  see  that  sin  is  a  most  destruc- 
tive evil — that  every  sinner  is  a  self-de- 
stroyer,— and  that  there  is  help  and  salva- 
tion in  Christ  even  for  the  self-destroying 
sinner. 

IMPROVEMENT. 

From  the  whole,  let  us  learn,  First,  to 
think  rightlv  of  sin.   Here  is  the  soul-ruin- 

3a* 


390 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


ing  mistake  of  men.  They  are  not  told, 
or  will  not  believe,  that  sin  is  of  a  destruc- 
tive nature.  Beware  of  slight  lliouglits  of 
sin.  Sin  is  no  trifle.  They  are  "fools 
only  who  make  a  mock  at  sin."  "  Be  not 
deceived  ;  God  is  not  mocked ;  for  whatso- 
ever a  man  sovveth  that  shall  he  also  reap." 
"  Let  no  man  deceive  you  with  vain  words ; 
for  because  of  these  things  cometh  the 
wrath  of  God  upon  the  children  of  disobe- 
dience." Listen  not,  my  friends — you  es- 
pecially who  are  young,  listen  not  to  your 
deluded  companions,  who  would  persuade 
you  that  there  is  no  danger.  Thus  Satan 
deceived  our  first  mother,  and  ruined  the 
world.  Beware,  lest  it  ruin  you.  I  entreat 
you  to  believe  God,  and  disbelieve  the  ene- 
my ;  yea,  I  may  say,  believe  your  ears  ;  be- 
lieve your  eyes;  believe  your  feelings;  sure- 
ly you  may  believe  when  you  see  around 
you  so  many  horrid  effects  of  sin,  and  hear, 
as  it  were,  the  groans  of  the  damned,  all 
uniting  to  say — Depend  upon  it,  sin  is  a 
destructive  evil.  In  the  parable  of  the 
rich  man  and  Lazarus,  (Luke  xvi.  19,  &c.) 
the  former,  who,  after  a  worldly  life  of 
self-indulgence,  is  represented  as  lifting 
up  his  eyes  in  torments,  and  in  vain  re- 
questing the  momentary  relief  of  a  drop  of 
water  to  cool  his  tongue,  requests  that  a 
messenger  may  be  sent  to  his  father's 
house,  to  testify  to  his  surviving  brethren, 
lest  they  also  come  into  the  same  place 
of  torment.  What  was  the  testimony  he 
wished  to  be  made  to  them  ]  Was  it  not 
this — that  sin  indulged,  destroys  the  soul  'i 
— that  sinners  are,  as  has  been,  self-de- 
stroyers !  But  in  vain  did  he  request  that 
such  a  message  might  be  sent.  It  was 
needless.  The  same  testimony  had  been 
made  by  Moses  and  the  prophets,  whom  he 
and  they  refused  to  hear.  The  same  testi- 
mony is  now  made  to  you.  O  hear  it,  re- 
ceive it,  and  act  accordingly. 

But  there  is  another,  a  superadded  evil ; 
sometliing,  if  possible,  more  destructive 
than  sin  itself— I  mean  unbelief — a  rejec- 
tion of  the  Gospel,  which  will  prove  more 
fatal  than  all  other  sins ;  for,  as  we  have 
already  said  from  God's  word,  "  This  is  the 
condemnation,  that  light  is  come  into  the 
world,  and  men  have  loved  darkness  rather 
tlian  light."  How  then  "  shall  we  escape, 
if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation  ]"  That  is 
a  question  which  is  not  answered  ;  it  is  a 
question  that  cannot  be  answered ;  it  is  a 
question  that  is  not  intended  to  be  answer- 
ed ;  "  How  can  we  escape,  if  we  neglect 
so  great  salvation?" 

How  earnestly,  then,  should  every  sin- 
ner cry  to  the  Lord  for  help !  He  says, 
"In  me  is  thy  help."  In  me.     In  me  only. 


I  am  the  God  of  salvation.  In  vain  shall  it 
be  looked  for  anywhere  else.  But  in  me 
you  may  find  it.  In  me,  who  was  justly 
offended,  but  am  now  reconciled  through 
the  blood  of  my  Son.  I  was  angry,  but  my 
anger  is  turned  away.  Now  I  wait  to  be 
gracious.  Ask  and  ye  shall  receive,  seek 
and  ye  shall  find :  knock,  and  the  door  of 
mercy  shall  fly  open.  Then  shall  you  say 
and  sing,  "  Behold,  God  is  my  salvation ;  1 
will  trust  and  not  be  afraid ;  for  the  Lord 
Jehovah  is  my  strength  and  my  song ;  he 
also  lias  become  my  salvation." 

So  ready  is  the  Lord  to  bestow  this  bless- 
ing, that  he  would  have  the  good  news  of 
it  published  to  every  creature ;  he  is  so 
ready  to  bestow  it,  even  upon  the  worst  of 
sinners,  that  when  he  ordered  his  apostles 
to  go  into  all  the  world,  he  bid  them  begin 
at  Jerusalem  ;  that  those  persons  who  had 
embrued  their  hands  in  his  blood,  should  be 
the  first  to  receive  the  advantage  of  the 
shedding  of  that  blood  for  the  pardon  of 
their  sins.  It  has  been  said  that  "  Now  is 
the  accepted  time,"  but  you  cannot  be  sure 
that  it  will  ever  be  said  so  again ;  you  can- 
not be  sure  that  you  shall  ever  have  an  op- 
portunity after  the  present,  of  hearing  this 
good  news.  I  entreat  you  then  to  hear  his 
voice  while  it  is  called  to-day.  Retire  to 
your  closets  this  very  evening,  you  who 
have  neglected  it  before :  pour  out  your 
hearts  before  God,  and  seek  an  interest  in 
this  great  salvation. 

Finally,  We  learn  from  what  has  been 
said,  that  grace  must  have  the  whole  glory 
of  our  salvation.  We  can  destroy  ourselves, 
but  we  cannot  save  ourselves ;  God  says, 
"In  me  is  thy  help  found."  Salvation  is 
invented,  procured,  bestowed,  and  applied 
by  God  himself;  and  every  believer  will 
gladly  ascribe  the  praise  to  him.  The  lan- 
guage of  his  heart  will  be,  "  Not  unto  us, 
O  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  to  thy  name  be 
all  the  glory."  Grace  first  contrived  the 
plan  ;  grace  begins  the  work ;  grace  carries 
on  the  work  ;  grace  will  crown  the  work ; 
and  when  the  top-stone  shall  be  laid,  it  will 
be  with  shoutings,  crying  Grace !  Grace  ! 
unto  it.  Amen. 

Lord,  we  confess  our  numerous  faults. 
How  great  our  guilt  has  been! 

Foolish  and  vain  were  all  our  thoughts, 
And  all  our  lives  were  sin. 

But  O,  my  soul,  for  ever  praise. 

For  ever  love  his  name. 
Who  turn  thy  feel  from  dangerous  ways 

Of  folly,  sin,  and  shame. 

'Tis  not  by  works  of  righteousness 
Which  our  own  hands  have  done  ; 

But  we  are  sav'd  by  sovereign  grace 
Abounding  through  his  Son. 


SERMON  LXXXIV. 


391 


Tis  from  the  mercy  of  our  God 

That  all  our  hopes  begin ; 
'Tis  by  the  water  and  the  blood 

Our  souls  are  wash'd  from  sin. 

'Tis  through  ihe  purchase  of  his' death, 

Who  hung  upon  the  tree, 
The  Spirit  is  sent  down  to  breathe 

On  such  dry  bones  as  we. 

Rais'd  from  the  dead,  we  live  anew ; 

And,  justify'd  by  grace. 
We  shall  appear  in  glory  too. 

And  see  our  Father's  face. 


PKAYER.— Thy  word,  O  Lord,  is  truth.  Just 
and  holy  are  lliy  ways,  thou  King  of  Saints. 
Awful  is  our  condition  ih  thy  sight:  may  it  be 
duly  so  in  ours  !  We  are  ail  lost  creatures.  Natu- 
rally at  enmity  with  thee ;  noihing  but  a  convic- 
tion of  our  desperate  state  can  excite  us  to  seek 
thy  mercy,  or  to  submit  to  thy  righteousness.  Sin 
halh  been  our  choice,  and  its  end  can  only  be 
our  destruction.  Helpless  in  ourselves,  hopeless 
from  others,  unless  thou  help  us,  Almighty  God, 
we  must  eternally  perish.  But  in  thee  is  our  help, 
for  thou  art  light  and  love.  Thou  hast  provided 
salvation  for  every  one'who  seeks  to  be  gracious- 
ly received,  and  freely  loved  by  thee.  Thou  art 
in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  to  thyself,  not  im- 
puting to  us  our  aggravated  guilt ;  but  sending 
thy  messengers  to  instruct  us  in  Christ's  stead, 
that  we  would  be  reconciled  to  thee.  Lord,  we 
believe  ;  help  thou  our  unbelief,  and  glorify  thy 
grace  in  us  the  chief  of  sinners,  by  granting  us 
\hy  Holy  Spirit,  for  Christ's  sake;  to  whom  be 
everlasting  praise  and  glory.    Amen. 


SERMON  LXXXIV. 

ONESIMUS;   OR,   THE   PROFITABLE 
SERVANT. 

[adapted  particularly  to  servants.] 

Epistle  of  St.  Paul  to  Philemon,  ver.  10,  11.  I  be- 
seech thee  for  my  son  Onesimus,  whom  I  have 
begotten  in  my  bonds ;  which  in  time  past  was  to 
thee  unprofitable,  but  now,  profitable  to  thcc  and 
to  me. 

This  is  a  short  epistle,  written  by  the 
apostle  Paul,  to  his  Christian  friend  Phile- 
mon, who  resided  at  Colosse  ;  it  was  writ- 
ten in  behalf  of  Onesimus,  who  had  been 
a  slave,  belonging  to  Philemon.  It  appears 
that  Onesimus  had  robbed  his  master,  and 
then  ran  away  from  him  to  escape  justice ; 
he  rambled  to  Rome,  where  the  apostle  Paul 
was  then  a  prisoner,  and  by  some  means  or 
other  he  went  to  hear  him  preach,  probably 
in  his  own  hired  house :  here  he  was  con- 
verted to  God,  and  became  a  new  man ;  the 
apostle  became  acquainted  with  him,  and 
Onesimus  was  much  attached  to  him.  The 
apostle  felt  himself  interested  in  his  wel- 
fare ;  he  found  him  very  useful  to  him  as  a 
servant;  but  as  lie  belonged  to  another,  he 
would  not  retain  him  witliout  his  consent, 
but  sent  him  back  to  his  master  whom  he 


had  wronged ;  and  in  order  to  secure  a  fa- 
vorable reception,  sent  with  him  this  letter, 
which  competent  judges  consider  as  a  per- 
fect example  of  good  letter-writing:  as 
containing  the  most  lively  sentiments  both 
of  humanity  and  generosity  ;  and  discov- 
ering inimitable  dexterity  and  address, 
insomuch  that  it  is  preferred  to  a  letter 
of  a  similar  kind,  written  by  the  learned 
Pliny,  who  was  so  famous  for  epistolary 
writing.  A  letter  from  such  a  man  as 
the  holy  and  venerable  ajiostle  Paul,  whose 
heart  was  so  full  of  Christian  piety,  may 
be  expected,  though  written  on  a  tempo- 
ral atfair,  to  contain  evangelical  senti- 
ments of  the  most  useful  kind ;  and  ac- 
cordingly we  find  in  it  mucli  matter  of 
the  most  edifying  nature.  We  shall,  in 
the  consideration  of  it,  attend  to  two 
things. 

The  character  of  Onesimus  before  his 
conversion ;  and 

The  great  change  that  was  wrought  in 
him  by  the  grace  of  God,  with  the  evi- 
dences thereof 

Let  us  first  consider  the  character  of 
Onesimus  before  his  conversion. 

It  appears  from  this  epistle  that  he  was 
a  slave — a  servant  of  the  lowest  descrip- 
tion, one  who  was  bought  with  money,  and 
entirely  at  the  disposal  of  his  master.  This 
was  allowed  by  the  law  of  Moses  ;  and  we 
here  see  a  good  man  having  a  servant  of 
this  description  in  his  house.  No  doubt  he 
was  treated,  not  with  rigor  and  severity, 
but  with  Christian  kindness  and  compas- 
sion ;  nevertheless  slavery  seems  to  be  in- 
compatible with  the  genius  of  the  Gospel 
of  Christ ;  and  does  not  accord  with  that 
excellent  rule,  commonly  called  "  The 
golden  rule." — "  Whatever  ye  would  that 
others  should  do  unto  yon,  do  ye  even  the 
same  to  them."  Being  converted  to  God, 
the  apostle  reque^^^ts  Philemon  to  receive 
him  again  into  his  family  and  service. 

But  Onesimus  had  not  only  been  a  ser- 
vant, but  "  an  unprofitable  servant ;  in 
times  past  unprofitable" — that  is,  a  worth- 
less and  injurious  fellow,  alluding  to  his 
name  Onesimus,  which  signifies  ;jro/(V«6/r: 
but  the  apostle  intimates  how  inconsistent 
his  character  had  been  with  his  name  ; 
and,  indeed,  there  is  too  often  a  sad  disa- 
greement between  a  person's  name  and 
character.  How  many  are  called  by  the 
honorable  appellation  of  Christians,  who 
are  really  a  disgrace  to  their  profession  ! 
which  reminds  us  of  what  was  once  said 
by  Alexander  the  Great,  to  a  private  sol- 
dier in  his  army,  who  was  a  worthless 
man,  and  a  coward  :  he  ordered  him  eitiicr 
to  change  his  name,  or  become  a  better 


392 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


soldier :  and  thus  it  might  be  said  to  many 
wiio  are  called  Christians.  It  is  doubtless 
the  duty  of  servants  to  endeavor  to  render 
themselves  profilable  to  their  employers. 
This  man,  in  his  unconverted  state,  was 
unpl-ofitable ;  but  now  he  had  become  a 
profitable  man.  All  servants  should  en- 
deavor, by  honesty,  frugality,  and  dili- 
gence, to  seek  the  welfare  of  the  family 
in  wliich  they  live ;  and  surely  tliis  man 
was  under  double  obligations  to  have  done 
so,  for  he  had  a  very  good  master ;  the 
apostle  speaks  very  highly  of  him ;  he 
calls  him,  in  the  first  verse,  "  Our  dearly 
beloved  and  fellow-laborer;"  he  speaks  in 
the  second  verse  of  liis  having  "a  church 
in  his  house" — that  is,  the  little  society  of 
the  faithful,  who  lived  at  Colosse,  assem- 
bled for  worship  in  his  habitation ;  and 
probably  the  first  Christian  churches  used 
to  assemble  in  like  manner  in  private 
houses.  And  in  the  sixth  and  seventh 
verses  we  find  there  were  many  good 
thmgs  in  him  to  be  acknowledged,  and 
particularly  "  that  the  bowels  of  the  saints 
were  refreshed  by  him  ;  so  that  he  appears 
to  have  been  a  man  of  eminent  piety ; 
and  was  it  not  a  great  privilege  for  Onesi- 
mus  to  live  in  such  a  family  as  this  1  But 
alas !  he  had  neglected  and  abused  these 
privileges :  and  let  it  be  observed,  that  the 
faults  of  bad  servants  are  double  faults 
when  they  live  in  good  families ;  it  makes 
their  guilt  so  much  the  greater ;  for  how 
inconsistent  is  their  vicious  conduct  with 
the  order  of  a  pious  house,  in  which  the 
Scriptures  are  daily  read,  and  prayers  and 
praises  offered  up  to  God !  O  let  servants 
in  pious  families  reflect  upon  the  privi- 
leges they  enjoy,  and  remember  they  must 
one  day  give  an  account  to  God  how  they 
have  improved  or  abused  them.  Gladly 
attend,  if  you  live  in  a  pious  house,  gladly 
attend  to  the  worship  of  God,  and  do  not 
think  it  a  hardship ;  do  not  indulge  sleep, 
when  the  Scriptures  are  read,  or  prayer  is 
presented  to  God.  And  let  not  servants 
think  themselves  excused  from  private 
prayer,  because  they  join,  at  least  in  ap- 
pearance, in  family  prayer ;  rather  let  it 
be  the  means  of  teaching  them  how  to 
pray,  and  of  stirrmg  them  up  to  pray  in 
private  for  themselves. 

Further,  It  appears  that  Onesimus  was 
a  dishonest  servant ;  probably  he  had  acted 
the  part  of  the  thief  The  apostle  says  in 
the  eighth  verse,  "If  he  hath  wronged 
thee,  or  oweth  t!iee  auglst,  put  that  to  my 
account."  There  is  little  doubt,  though  it 
is  thus  mildly  expressed,  that  he  had  been 
a  dishonest  man,  and  had  fled  from  justice : 


but  "  if  he  oweth  thee  aught,"  says  the 
apostle,  "put  it  to  my  account" — '' impule 
it  to  me,"  (which,  by  the  way,  gives  us  a 
just  notion  of  the  meaning  of  the  phrase 
"  imputed'  righteousness" — for  it  is  the 
same  word  that  is  used  in  Rom.  iv.  16. 
"As  David  also  describeth  both  the  blessed- 
ness of  the  man  unto  whom  God  impuleth 
righteousness  without  works,"  and  in 
otiier  verses  to  the  same  import.)  Alas ! 
how  much  dishonesty  is  committed  in  the 
common  concerns  of  life;  in  the  coiJuct 
of  trade  and  business ;  hi  the  behavior  of 
masters  and  servants !  As  to  the  latter,' 
how  few  make  conscience  of  wasting  their 
master's  property,  neglecting  his  business, 
idling  away  their  time,  which  is  a  real 
theft,  though  not  usually  punished  by  hu- 
man laws,  but  which  will  not  escape  the 
righteous  judgment  of  God.  But  Chris- 
tian servants  are  charged  to  conduct  them- 
selves in  a  very  diiferent  manner,  and  es- 
pecially "  not  as  eye-sercnnts"  who  do  no- 
thing well  but  when  tiiey  are  watched ; 
but  performing  every  branch  of  tlieir  duty 
"  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  as  unto  men." 

Further,  This  man  was  a  fugitive,  a  run- 
away servant ;  he  deserts  the  business  and 
house  of  his  master,  which  was  itself  a 
robbery,  for  he  was  not  at  iiis  own  dispo- 
sal, his  person  being  the  property  of  Phile- 
mon :  but  guilt  generally  excites  fear.  So 
our  first  parents,  when  they  sinned  against 
God,  strove  to  hide  themselves  from  his 
presence  among  the  trees  of  the  garden  : 
but  who  can  flee  from  God  ?  "  Whither 
shall  we  go  from  his  presence  ?"  "  There 
is  no  darkness,  neither  shadow  of  death, 
where  the  workers  of  iniquit}'^  may  hide 
themselves."  Besides,  "God  will  bring 
every  secret  thing  into  judgment;  w'hether 
it  be  good  or  whether  it  be  bad."  TJien, 
if  not  before,  will  that  Scripture  be  veri- 
fied, "  Be  sure  your  sin  will  find  you  out." 
Onesimus,  in  his  rambles,  comes  to  Rome, 
which  was  a  very  great  city;  and  like 
great  cities  in  general,  the  very  sink  of 
iniquity.  Great  offenders  often  flee  to 
similar  places,  to  hide  themselves  amidst 
tlie  multitude  of  a  populous  city.  Of,  hav- 
ing lost  character  and  employment,  he 
might  have  gone  thither  for  the  purpose 
of  committing  further  depredations.  And 
here,  we  might  have  expected  him  to  have 
become  worse  and  worse ;  but,  "  God's 
thoughts  are  not  as  our  thoughts !"  God 
was  pleased  to  overrule  his  crime,  an(^  liis 
coming  thither,  as  the  means  of  liis  being 
converted  to  God.  And  this  is  the  second 
thing  we  are  to  consider. 

Let  us  now  attend  to  the  great  change 


SERMON  LXXXIV. 


303 


that  was  wrought  by  the  grace  of  God  on 
the  heart  of  Onesirnus,  and  tlic  evidences 
that  were  given  of  that  change. 

The  apostle  Paul  was  then  a  prisoner  in 
Rome.  Having  appealed  to  Cajsar,  from 
the  Jews,  he  was  brought,  after  very  great 
perils  and  difficulties,  to  that  immense 
city ;  and  there,  the  Lord  so  interposed  in 
liis  favor,  that  he  continued  two  whole 
years,  and  was  permitted  to  preach  in  his 
own  liired  house,  to  all  those  wlio  chose  to 
r(>i)air  to.  it:  and  there,  though  he  was  pre- 
vented from  going  on  with  his  beloved 
work  of  spreading  the  Gospel  in  new 
places,  and  travelling  from  one  country  to 
another  for  that  purpose,  yet  he  was  per- 
mitted to  write  those  admirabJc  epistles  to 
the  Ephesians,  to  the  Colossians,  to  the 
I'hilippians,  and  others;  so  that  though 
there  were  some  hundred  sermons  pre- 
vented by  his  imprisonment,  yet  there  have 
been  millions  edilied  by  his  writings. — 
There  is  not  a  sabbath-day  passes — there 
is  hardly  a  sermon  that  is  preached  through- 
out the  Christian  world — there  is  hardly  a 
congregation  convened  at  any  time,  that 
does  not  derive  great  advantage  from  the 
writings  of  that  holy  man  of  God.  We 
have  reason  to  admire  the  grace  of  God 
thus  overruling  the  wickedness  of  men. 
Nor  was  he  useless  in  that  great  city;  he 
was  not  useless  in  preaching ;  there  were 
Christians  in  Rome,  to  be  sure,  before  Paul 
went  there;  but  probably  they  were  greatly 
revived,  and  multiplied  too,  by  liis  .i)reach- 
ing ;  for  he  says,  in  the  close  of  one  of  liis 
epistles,  "All  the  saints  salute  you,  chiefly 
tliose  that  are  of  Cccsar''s  hoiisehohl." — 
Into  the  liouse  of  AVro,  the  cruel  tyrant, 
the  grace  of  God  found  its  way,  and  had 
its  due  cilect  upon  those  who  were  living 
in  the  midst  of  wickedness.  Onesimus 
came  to  hear  him.  What  could  induce 
such  a  man  as  Onesimus  to  go  to  Paul's 
house  to  hear  him "!  Perhaps  curiosity. 
Curiosity  has  brought  many  a  man  to  hear 
the  Gospel;  and  though 'it  be  a  poor  un- 
wortiiy  motive,-  God  has  overruled  it  for 
good.  So  Zacchcus  climbed  the  sycamore- 
tree,  for  no  better  purpose  than  to  see 
wiiat  sort  of  a  per-^^on  Jesus  was ;  but  the 
Lord,  that  very  day,  brought  salvation  to 
liis  house  and  to  his  heart.  Thus  it  was 
with  Onesimus.  Perhaps  some  acquaint- 
ance might  have  invited  him  to  go  to  hear 
— one  who  had  met  with  profit  under  Paul's 
prcachinir ;  and  it  is  very  commendable  for 
persons  who  have  found  benefit  from  the 
word,  to  invite  their  friends  to  come  and 
hoar  it  also.  Many  have  been  converted 
to  (iod  by  this  means.  It  is  not  improba- 
ble that  Onesimus  might  have  heard  the 
2  Z 


Apostle  Paul  preach  at  liis  niaster's  house ; 
he  had  perhaps  iieard  his  doctrine  and  wit- 
nessed his  behavior,  he  hud  probably  listen- 
ed to  his  converc^ation  ;  und  there  is  some- 
thing so  attractive  in  the  truth,  in  holi- 
ness, and  in  zeal  for  God,  that  some  per- 
sons, though  wicked,  cannot  help  feeling 
a  reverence  for  it;  yea,  there  is  something 
in  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  so  much 
superior  to  any  other  preaching,  that  some 
who  do  not  understand  or  believe  it,  feel 
an  attachment  to  it,  and  hear  it  almost 
against  their  will.  May  it  please  God  to 
visit  such  with  its  power !  This  is  the  case 
with  many  servants  who  have  attended  the 
Gospel  because  their  masters  or  mistresses 
did  so,  and  could  scarcely  forsake  it  after- 
wards, though  they  knew  not  why. 

This  man,  however,  was  "  born  of  God;" 
the  Apostle  says  of  him,  ver.  10,  "  Whom 
I  liave  begotten  in  my  bonds ;"  he  also 
calls  him  his  son,  "  my  son  Onesimus." — 
This  mode  of  expression  is  common  in 
Scripture.  It  is  said  in  James  i.  18,  "  God, 
of  his  own  will,  begat  us  with  the  word 
of  truth,  that  we  should  be  a  kind  of  first- 
fruits  of  his  creatures;"  and  the  Apostle 
Paul  says  the  same  to  the  Corinthians, 
"  In  Christ  Jesus  I  have  begotten  you 
through  the  Gospel."  In  all  ages  God  has 
employed  the  preaching  of  liis  Gospel  as 
the  principal,  though  not  the  only  means 
of  flie  conversion  of  sinners ;  the  preach- 
ing of  the  cross  is  "  the  power  of  God  to 
salvation."  "  The  weapons  of  our  war- 
fare," says  the  Apostle,  "  are  not  carnal, 
but  they  are  mighty  through  God,  to  the 
pulling  down  of  the  strong  holds  of  the 
devil."  Now,  this  man  renounces  the  hid- 
den things  of  dishonesty,  and  he  shows, 
by  sufficient  and  satisfactory  evidence,  that 
he  has  become  a  new  creature.  Let  us 
inquire  a  little  into  this  evidence. 

Paul,  we  see,  had  the  fullest  satisfaction 
in  him;  he  speaks  with  the  greatest  cer- 
tainty concerning  him ;  and  scruples  not 
to  recommend  him  in  the  warmest  manner. 
Ill  the  first  place,  as  an  evidence  tliat  he 
was  really  changed,  we  mention  his  con- 
fession of  his  former  wickedness :  for 
doubtless  ho  did  make  confession  of  it ;  or 
how  did  the  apostle  come  to  know  it !  He 
knew  nothing  of  this  man;  he  had  never 
seen  him  in  this  great  city ;  but  grace  al- 
ways humbles  the  subject  of  it;  it  always 
leads  him  to  an  acknowledgment  of  sin. 
It  is  likely  that  this  man  had  come  forward 
and  made  himself  known  to  the  apostle. 
Methinks  I  see  him,  with  a  b.ashful  coun- 
tenance, approaching  this  man  of  God, 
saying,  '*  Perhaps,  Sir,  you  do  not  know 
me ;  but  I  remember  you  when  you  was  at 


394 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


Colosse,  at  my  master's  house.  I  had  a 
good  master,  Sir,  Onesimus,  your  friend  ; 
but  I  liave  been  a  bad  servant.  I  have 
wronged  him,  and  tied  liither  :  but  by  the 
grace  of  God,  through  your  preaching,  I 
have  been  broyglit  to  repentance ;  and 
have  come  to  break  my  mind  to  you,  and 
to  take  your  advice." — My  brethren,  it 
would  be  a  great  consolation  to  the  minis- 
ters of  the  Gospel,  if  persons  who  have  re- 
ceived benefit  from  theil*  preaching,  would 
make  it  known  to  them  ;  it  would  render 
them  more  happy  and  more  useful,  if  they 
knew  in  what  manner  their  preaching  had 
been  blessed. 

Another  evidence  of  his  conversion  was 
his  willingness  to  return  to  his  master,  for 
no  doubt  he  was  perfectly  willing  to  do  so, 
and  Paul  did  not  write  to  this  effect  with- 
out his  consent;  he  was  willing  to  go 
back,  and  humble  himself  before  his  mas- 
ter, whom  he  knew,  being  a  good  man, 
would  be  glad  to  receive  him,  if  he  had 
evidence  of  his  being  changed,  which  evi- 
dence he  would  have  by  this  admirable 
letter  of  the  Apostle  Paul.  No  doubt, 
true  penitence  is  always  accompanied  with 
a  desire  to  make  restitution.  If  a  man  has 
wronged  another,  true  penitence  will  make 
him  wish  to  undo  the  evil  he  has  done,  as 
much  as  possible :  and  in  matters  of  dis- 
honesty, I  should  think  little  of  any  man's 
religion,  or  pretended  repentance,  who  did 
not  find  some  means  to  make  restitution. 
This  is  doubtless  the  duty  of  every  man, 
and  if  the  party  wronged  is  deceased, 
then  to  his  family  :  or  if  that  be  not  pos- 
sible, then  it  should  be  made  to  God  and 
the  poor. 

But  the  Apostle  says  he  had  been  "  un- 
profitable', but  now  he  is  profitable  both  to 
thee  and  to  me."  Pious  servants  will 
make  themselves  profitable ;  and  let  that 
pretended  piety  be  deemed  good  for  no- 
thing, and  mere  hypocrisy,  that  does  not 
lead  servants  to  be  good  servants,  in  tlie 
family  where  they  live, — honest,  obliging, 
industrious;  then  they  will  be  profitable: 
for  a  good  servant  is  a  great  blessing  to  a 
family,  and  a  bad  servant  is  a  real  curse. 
Now  also  lie  had  become  profitable  to  the 
Apostle ;  perhaps  his  love  to  the  servant 
of  Christ,  from  whom  he  had  derived  so 
great  a  benefit,  induced  him  to  offer  his 
service  to  this  poor  prisoner  of  the  Lord, 
to  do  h's  errands,  and  serve  him  in  every 
possible  way ;  and  Christians  will  esteem 
it  their  privilege  to  show  respect  and  af- 
fection to  those  ministers  from  whom  they 
have  derived  spiritual  advantage. 

Further.  Observe  the  Apostle's  great 
regard  for  this  man.     He   calls  him  his 


"  Son," — he  calls  him  his  "  Brother  be- 
loved,"— he  calls  hun  his  "  Bowels."  All 
these  epithets  are  expressions  of  Christian 
love  and  kindness  to  a  child  of  God.  This 
shows  us,  likewise,  that  in  spiritual  con- 
cerns, God  is  no  respecter  of  persons.  "  In 
Christ  Jesus  there  is  neither  male  nor  fe- 
male, bond  nor  free," — there  were  great 
distinctions  of  this  sort  under  the  Old  Tes- 
tament dispensation,  but  not  now ;  Christ 
is  "  all  and  in  all,"  nor  was  the  humble 
condition  or  poverty  of  this  man  any  reason 
for  the  Apostle's  thinking  the  less  of  him. 
"  Hearken  (says  St.  James)  my  beloved 
brethren,  hath  not  God  chosen  the  poor  of 
this  world,  rich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of  the 
kingdom  which  he  hath  promised  to  them 
that  love  him'!" — Oh  how  valuable  is  the 
acquisition  of  one  immortal  soul ! — What 
is  Onesimus  1  A  slave  ! — a  dishonest  slave ! 
— a  runaway  slave  ! — bufno  sooner  is  he  a 
partaker  of  the  grace  of  God,  than  he  is 
"a  brother  beloved;"  yea,  the  Apostle 
speaks  of  him  as  "  his  own  bowels," — so 
tender  is  the  regard  he  feels  for  this  man. 
Hence  the  conversion  of  one  soul,  of  what- 
ever degree  the  person  is — the  conversion 
of  one  soul  is  an  event  of  great  importance, 
in  the  eye  of  faith,  to  the  man  who  looks 
forward  to  an  eternity  of  existence  in  hea- 
ven— the  conversion  of  one  soul  is  a  mat- 
ter of  much  greater  importance  than  the 
revolution  of  a  kingdom  or  of  an  empire  ' 
And  see  how  the  grace  of  God  oblite- 
rates, and  blots  out  former  offences !  Paul 
seems  almost  to  have  forgotten  what  the 
man  was — he  looks  at  what  he  is, — a  bro- 
ther beloved  in  Christ  Jesus ;  and  this  is 
agreeable  to  the  genius  of  the  Gospel. 
"What  think  ye'!  says  Christ,  if  a  man 
have  an  hundred  sheep,  and  one  of  them 
be  gone  astray,  does  he  "not  leave  the 
ninety  and  nine,  and  go  into  the  moun- 
tains, and  seek  that  which  has  gone  astray ! 
and,  is  there  not  joy  in  heaven  over  one 
sinner  that  repenteth  ■!  and  if  there  be  joy 
in  heaven,  shall  there  not  also  be  joy  on 
carlh  .?"  God,  of  his  infinite  mercy,  passes 
by  and  forgets  all  the  offences  of  those 
who  believe  in  his  dear  Son  ;  it  is  a  branch 
of  the  covenant  of  grace,  "  their  sins  and 
their  iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more ;" 
and  as  it  is  expressed  in  one  of  the  Pro- 
phets, in  Ezekiel,  xviii,  21.  "  If  the  ^vick- 
ed  turn  from  all  the  sins  that  he  liath  com- 
mitted, and  keep  my  statutes,  and  do  that 
which  is  lawful  and  right,  he  shall  not 
die ;  he  shall  surely  live  :  all  his  transgres- 
sions that  he  hath  committed,  they  shall 
not  be  mentioned  to  him."  And  here  also 
Paul  gives  us  a  striking  example  of  bro- 
therly love.  Dearly  as  he  loved  Onesimus, 


SERMON  LX^vXIV. 


395 


jiow  a  converted  man,  and  very  useful  to 
him,  he  will  not  retain  him;  he  is  the 
property  of  Philemon,  and  therefore  he 
parts  with  liim  ;  and  not  only  so,  but  he 
sends  a  letter,  containing  all  the  argu- 
ments that  ingenuity  could  devise,  ui  order 
to  serve  tliis  man,  and  to  secure  for  him  a 
kind  reception.  He  restores  hun  to  his 
master,  assured  that  by  the  grace  of  God 
he  will  become  a  truly  valuable  servant. 

Now  to  conclude.  Let  us,  in  the  first 
place,  admire  the  wise  providence  of  God, 
in  overruling  all  human  events,  and  some- 
times even  the  sins  and  follies  of  men,  for 
their  everlasting  advantage.  God  per- 
mitted this  njan  Onesimus  to  do  what  he 
did ;  he  permitted  him  to  run  away  to 
Rome,  and  there  the  grace  of  God  found 
liim  out — so  Joseph  was  sold  into  Egypt ; 
it  was  a  vile  transaction  ;  but  after  many 
remarkable  events,  when  Joseph  made 
liimself  known  to  Jiis  brethren,  and  when 
they  were  troubled  at  his  presence,  Joseph 
.  said  to  them,  "  Come  near  to  me,  I  pray 
yoU:  and  they  came  near  him,  and  he  said, 
'  I  am  Joseph  your  brother,  whom  ye  sold 
into  Egypt !  Now  therefore  be  not  grieved, 
nor  angry  with  yourselves,  that  ye  sold 
me  hither ;  for  God  sent  me  before  you  to 
preserve  life,  to  preserve  your  posterity  in 
tlie  earth,  and  to  save  your  lives  by  a  great 
deliverance ;  so  now,  it  was  not  you  that 
sent  me  hither,  but  God :'  O  what  benefits 
did  they  ultimately  derive  from  this  act  to 
tiieir  brotlier  !  and  thus  it  often  happens, 
in  the  mysterious  proceedings  of  divine 
Providence,  causing  the  wrath  and  even 
the  guilt  of  man  to  praise  him." 

But  again,  Let  us  adore  the  riches  of 
sovereign  and  almighty  grace,  as  manifest- 
ed in  this  man.  Surely  it  must  be  admitted 
that  iiere  was  a  man  "  saved  by  grace.'''' 
By  what  else  could  he  be  saved?  and  it 
might  truly  be  said  of  him  that  "  wliere 
sin  abounded,  grace  did  much  more 
abound."  O  how  remarkable  is  the  event, 
when  you  reflect  both  on  the  jireacher  and 
the  convert !  Who  was  the  preacher  ? 
Once  a  persecutor  of  the  saints :  and  wlio 
was  the  convert"?    A  converted  thief! 

See  also  the  genuine  effects  of  true 
grace  !  This  man,  who  had  been  unprofit- 
able, yea,  more  than  unprofitable,  this  man, 
wholiad  been  extremely  injurious,  becomes, 
not  only  a  partaker  of  mercy  for  himself, 
but  he  becomes  a  useful  man  to  others;  he 
was  useful  to  Paul,  and  no  doubt  he  was 
useful  afterwards  to  his  old  master  Piiile- 
mon ;  and  perhaps  many  in  the  town  would 
near  of  it,  and  be  induced  to  say,  "  What  a 
marvellous  change  is  wrought  in  this  man  ! 
rfow  did  it  come  about  ?"  Some  think  that 
Onesimus  himself  afterwards   became  a 


minister  of  the  Gospel.  O  what  a  blessed 
Alteration  grace  makes,  and  if  it  produce 
a  change  in  a  man's  heart,  it  will  certainly 
produce  a  change  in  his  conduct  also. 

Further,  let  pious  persons  from  hence 
derive  encouragement  as  to  their  ungodly 
relations  and  friends.  It  may  be  that 
while  I  have  been  speaking  of  Onesimus, 
your  thoughts  have  been  travelling  to  some 
spot  or  other,  where  your  relations  live, 
with  regard  to  whoui  you  have  reason  to 
entertain  fear  as  to  their  eternal  state. 
Think  then  of  Onesimus,  and  oficr  up  in- 
cessant prayer  to  God  tor  them,  for  nothing 
is  too  hard  tor  the  Lord :  none-  are  beyond 
the  reach  of  divine  grace. 

Finally — Let  tliis  subject  recommend  to 
all  men  the  use  of  the  means  of  grace. 
Let  it  recommend  the  hearing  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  Christ.  How  did  all  this  change 
happen  1  It  was  doubtless  by  the  special 
grace  and  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  but 
then  it  was  through  the  instrumentality  of 
the  word.  We  should  therefore  be  encour- 
aged to  bring  all  we  can  to  hear  the  word 
of  God ;  and  let  nothing  be  done  to  dis- 
courage the  worst  of  men  from  coming  to 
hear  it,  even  such  as  show  that  they  hale 
and  despise  it :  yet  let  them  attend.  Who 
can  tell  what  God  may  effect  by  the  teach- 
ing of  his  Holy  Spirit  ?  What  is  the  lan- 
guage of  wisdom  ?  "  Blessed  is  the  man 
tliat  heareth  me,  watching  daily  at  my 
gates,  waiting  at  the  posts  of  my  doors." 
Yet  let  none  presume  upon  future  times 
and  opportunities,  these  we  cannot  com- 
mand ;  but  this  we  know  that  "  now  is  the 
acceptable  time,  now  is  the  day  of  salva- 
tion." 


PRAYER.— To  Ihce,  our  Lord,  vvc  are,  nnd 
must  ever  be,  unprofitable  servants.  By  us  thou 
canst  gain  noiliing ;  we  receive  every  iHing  from 
thee.  What  can  our  utmost  love  and  zeal  ren- 
der to  thee,  that  is  not  our  duty  as  thy  dependent 
creatures  ?  But,  alas !  instead  of  being  faithful, 
we  have  been  slothful  servants  ;  nay,  instead  of 
servants,  we  have  been  rebels  and  traitors  against 
thee.  And  will  iliou  receive  such  wretches  into 
thy  family  ?  Canst  thou  accept  ns.  not  as  servants, 
but  ns  children,  and  as  heirs  ?  Yes,  as  joint  heirs 
with  Jesus  Christ !  So  unsearchable  is  thy  grace 
in  him,  that  thou  wouldest  not  be  faithiiil  and 
jtist  to  thy  word,  didst  thou  not  forgive  them 
w  ho  confess  their  sins  heSore  thee.  O  cleanse  us, 
then,  from  all  inirighteousness ! — (U  us  for  thy 
holy  service,  and  vouchsafe  to  employ  us  in  it. 
Impart  the  Spirit  of  ihy  Son  to  our  hearts,  that 
we  may  cry  Abba,  Father!  Against  thee  we 
have  rebelled  :  to  others  we  have  been  injurious : 
henceforth,  O  Lord,  may  we  be  devoted  to  thy 
praise,  who  callest  us  from  darkness  to  marvel- 
lous light ;  nnd  may  we  (irove  our  gratitude  for 
thine  unmerited  and  aboundiisg  mercy,  by  aim- 
ing to  i)e  profitable  to  others,  and  especially  to 
the  household  of  Christ.  To  him  be  glory  for 
ever     Amen. 


396 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


SERMON  LXXXV. 

SUPERABOUNDING  GRACE. 

Romans,  v.  20,  (latti-r  part.)   Where  Sin  abounded, 
Grace  did  mucli  more  abound. 

Sin  and  Grace  are  t\vo  of  the  most 
comprehensive  words  m  our  language. 
Hell  and  heaven  are  connected  with  these 
two  things,  as  Cause  and  Effect.  Sin 
leads  only  to  hell,  and  grace  alone  can 
lead  to  heaven : — surely,  then,  it  becomes 
us  to  be  well  acquainted  with  the  nature 
of  sin,  which  is  the  spring  of  misery,  and 
with  grace,  which  is  the  fountain  of  eter- 
nal life.  Much  is  said  of  both  these  in  a 
masterly  manner,  by  tJie  Apostle  of  the 
Gentiles  in  his  admirable  epistle  to  the 
Romans,  and  especially  in  this  chapter. 
To  e.xalt  Christ,  was  his  constant  aim,  and 
he  makes  a  beautiful  comparison,  or  rather 
a  contrast,  between  the  flret  and  the 
second  Adam  ;  wherein  he  proves  that  the 
grace  of  Christ  was  more  powerful  to 
save  than  the  sin  of  Adam  was  to  destroy ; 
and  he  sums  up  the  whole  in  the  words  of 
our  text. 

Tiicss  words  naturallv  divide  them- 
selves  into  two  parts. 

The  awful  abounding  of  sin,  and 

The  sui)orabounding  of  grace. 

Let  us  lirst  attend  to  the  awful  abound- 
ing of  sin ;  and  here  allow  me  to  premise 
that  this  is  a  subject  upon  which  we  ought 
to  enter  with  soleuni  awe ;  all  the  evils  that 
we  feel,  or  fear,  proceed  from  sin.  If  pain 
and  sorrow,  death  and  the  grave,  hell  and 
everlasting  burnings,  are  awful,  then  must 
sin  be  deemed  a  horrible  evil,  for  sin  is  the 
source  from  which  they  all  proceed :  and 
let  rae  remind  you  that  this  is  a  subject  in 
which  every  one  of  you  is  concerned ;  be- 
cause all  are  sinners,  wiiether  they  know 
it  or  not,  and  our  sins  will  prove  our  ruin, 
if  grace  prevent  it  not,  if  this  grace  do 
not  abound  above  and  beyond  all  our  sins. 

What  is  sin!  Foav  it  may  be  feared 
have  right  notions  of  it.  To  swear,  and 
be  drunken,  to  rob,  or  to  murder,  is  allow- 
ed by  all  nien  to  be  sinful ;  that  which 
ruins  a  man's  reputation,  or  injures  society, 
is  allowed  to  be  evil ;  but  much  tliat  is 
deemed  innocent  by  man,  is  abominable  in 
the  sight  of  God.  Sin  cannot  be  rightly 
knov/n,  but  by  an  acquaintance  with  the 
holy  law  of  God,  for  "  sin  is  the  trans- 
gression of  the  law,  it  is  disobedience  to 
that  authority,  which  cannot  be  disputed  : 
and  if  no  evil  were  to  arise  from  sin  by 
way  of  punishment  in  the  present  world, 
or  in  tliat  which  is  1o  conio,  still  sin  would 
be  a  detostnble  evil.     Yes,  persons  may 


think  that  some  sins  are  but  trivial  evils,. 
Such,  they  may  suppose,  was  eating  of  the 
forbidden  fruit ;  and  what  was  the  evil  of 
that  sin,  but  disobedience  against  God,  a 
defying  the  divine  authority '!  and  that  is 
the  real  evil  of  sin  which  true  penitents 
will  always  readily  acknowledge,  as  a 
great  transgressor  once  did,  when  he  said, 
"Against  thee,  tliee  only  have  I  sinned, 
and  done  this  evil  in  thy  sight."  Sin  is  an 
evil  not  only  because  it  is  injurious  to 
society,  but  because  it  is  an  act  of  rebellion 
against  God :  it  is  undermining  the  divine 
government ;  and  therefore  it  cannot  but 
be  hateful  to  Him,  whose  law  is  holy,  and 
just  and  good."  We  must  therefore  be 
somewhat  acquainted  with  the  divine  law, 
if  we  would  entertain  just  notions  of  sin. 
St.  Paul  says  that  "  he  was  alive,  without 
the  law,  once ;"  that  is,  when  he  was  a 
proud  self-righteous  Pharisee,  but,  "  when 
the  commandment  came," — when  he  un- 
derstood the  purity  and  spirituality  of  the 
law,  he  perceived,  that  he  was  a  notorious 
and  guilty  sinner,  condemned  by  the  law 
of  God.  Indeed,  this  holy  law  condemns 
all  men ;  for  "  whatever  the  law  saith  it 
saith  to  them  that  are  under  the  law,  that 
every  mouth  may  be  stopped,  and  all  tlie 
world  may  become  guilty  before  God,"  and 
the  law  thus  understood  will  plainly  show 
how  awfully  sin  abounds.  Let  us  con- 
sider this  in  a  few  particulars — "  sin 
abounds." 

This  appears  in  the  first  place  from  its 
extensive  prevalence.  It  is  not  a  local  evil 
like  many  natural  evils,  confined  to  one 
place,  or  limited  to  one  age ;  but,  it  is  an 
universal  mischief;  from  the  beginning 
until  now,  it  has  continued  in  its  full 
force ;  and  wherever  human  beings  have 
been  discovered,  there  it  has  been  found 
that  sin  has  reigned.  The  Apostle  has 
shown,  us  in  the  first  and  second  chapters 
of  this  masterly  epistle,  that  the  wliole 
world  is  in  a  state  of  condemnation ;  it  is 
a  rebellious  universe,  the  whole  species  is 
up  in  arms  against  God.  However  men 
may  differ  in  their  customs  and  manners, 
— men  who  never  heard  of  each  other, 
you  will  find,  wherever  you  go,  that  sin 
reigns. 

This  appears  also  from  the  immense 
number  of  sins  that  are  constantly  com- 
mitted. If  we  include,  as  we  ought,  our 
sins  of  omission,  and  our  sins  of  thought, 
— who  can  enumerate  his  errors !  With 
regard  to  the  dispositions  of  our  minds,-- — 
we  are  commanded  to  love  God  with  all 
our  heart,  and  soul,  and  strength;  and  if 
wo  fall  short  of  this,  then  we  are  trans- 
gressors.    How  many  thousands  of  sins 


SEPa\iON  LXXXV. 


397 


are  committed  in  the  imagination,  from 
which  perhaps  no  external  act  proceeds ; 
"  but  the  iniayinations  of  tJie  tlKiuylits  of 
men's  liearts  are  only  evil,  continually. 
Con.  vi.  5.  From  tlio  tirst  dawn  of  reason, 
through  infancy jChildhood,  youth,  and  riper 
y^ars,  even  to  the  end  of  human  life,  we 
uro  ottendmnr  ajjainst  God.  We  behold 
the  workinjrs  of  sin,  envy,  pride,  and  rage, 
even  in  little  infants.  In  tliort,  \vc  "are 
estranged  from  tlie  womb,  we  go  astray  as 
s<x)n  as  we  be  born,  speaking  lies;"  if 
these  evils  be  continued  for  forty,  fifty, 
sixty,  or  seventy  years,  how  are  our  ^ins 
multiplied  !  We  may  weH  say,  "  Innu- 
merable evils  have  compassed  us  about ; 
our  uiiquities  have  taken  hold  upon  us,  so 
that  we  are  not  able  to  look  up;  they  are 
more  than  the  liairs  of  our  head ;  there- 
fore our  hearts  fail  us."     Psalm  xl.  12. 

Consider,  further,  the  eagerness  with 
which  men  sin ;  the  earnestness  with 
which  they  commit  transgression.  There 
is  sin  in  our  nature ;  tlie  seeds  of  sin  are 
in  our  constitution ;  but  how  are  our  ini- 
quities cultivated  by  art !  they  become,  as 
it  were,  a  trade  ;  "  the  hearts  of  the  sons 
of  men  are  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil ;" 
the  Scriptures  represent  men  to  be  sinning 
"  as  with  a  cart-rope  ;"  "  with  both  hands 
earnestly ;"  and  what  plans  are  formed 
for  the  execution  of  it !  "  man  drinketh  in 
iniquity  like  water,"  and  some  "sell  them- 
selves to  do  evil."  Their  language  is, 
"  Let  us  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry,  tor  to- 
morrow we  die,"  and  tlieir  sole  object  is 
"  to  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh." 

In  some  seasons  and  in  some  places,  ini- 
quity unusually  abounds ;  and  persons 
arrive  at  a  certain  pitch  of  wickedness, 
beyond  which  God  will  not  sufler  them  to 
go.  Thus  it  was  with  the  Canaanites, 
and  the  Amorites;  with  Sodom  and  Go- 
morrah ;  and  with  the  Jews  also ;  they 
"  fill  up  the  measure  of  their  iniquities," 
till  there  be  no  remedy. 

Consider  also,  the  aboundings  of  sin  in 
the  aggravations  of  them.  Some  sins  are 
extremely  heinous  in  themselues;  others 
are  aggravated  by  the  circumstances  under 
which  they.are  committed ;  thus,  no  doubt, 
Judas,  with  tlie  knowledge  he  possessed, 
was  far  more  criminal  than  Pilate.  When 
sins  are  committed  against  knowledge, 
then  are  they  aggravated.  All  sinners 
are  "  without  excuse,"  but  some  are  more 
inexcusable  than  others :  and  how  great 
must  imr  sins  be,  considering  the  light  and 
knowledge  wo  have  in  this  land  of  Bibles, 
and  where  there  are  so  many  godly  minis- 
ters, who,  like  faithful  watchmen,  cry 
aloud,  and  pomt  out  to  sinners  their  dan- 


ger !  Religious  education  tends  greatly  to 
aggravate  the  .sins  of  those  who  continue 
in  them ;  the  sins  of  such  persons  are  not 
like  the  sins  of  others  wlio  have  lived  all 
their  days  in  careless,  ungodly  families; 
but,  where  the  worship  of  God  is  main- 
tained, day  by  day,  and  instruction  afforded 
by  pious  parents,  those  who  continue  in 
iniquity,  abusing  such  advantages,  are  sin- 
ners of  the  deepest  dye.  And  when  sins 
are  committed  against  the  special  goodness 
and  mercy  of  Gotl,  they  are  also  greatly 
aggravated.  This  is  the  condition  of 
many  to  wJiom  Gocl  may  say  as  to  the 
Jews  of  old,  "Hear  O  heaven,  and  give 
eai-  O  earth,  for  I  have  nourished  and 
brought  up  children,  and  they  have  re- 
belled against  me."  God  is  good  to  all, — 
"  the  earth  is  full  of  the  riches  of  his 
goodness ;  he  opens  his  hand,  and  su]jplies 
the  want  of  every  living  thing :"  but,  O 
how  is  all  this  goodness  of  God  abused  ! 
Let  us  consider  what  God  has  done  for  us, 
in  making  us  rational  creatures,  capable 
of  knowing  and  serving  him  :  he  has  fur- 
nished us  with  all  the  members  of  body,  and 
'  all  the  powers  of  the  mind  ;  has  spread 
our  table,  and  filled  our  cup,  and  rendered 
the  whole  creation  tributary  to  our  com- 
fort ;  he  has  indulged  us  with  a  thousand 
delights;  the  clear  shining  of  the  sun ;  the 
pleasing  light  of  the  moon ;  the  charming 
songs  of  the  birds ;  the  sweet  fragrance 
of  the  flowers;  the  higher  pleasures  of 
domestic  life, — the  attention  and  affections 
of  our  dear  relations.  lie  has  also  grant- 
ed us  time  and  space  for  repentance  ;  we 
have  received  many  faithful  warnings, 
many  kind  invitations  ;  we  have  repeated- 
ly felt  conviction  of  our  sin  and  misery, 
with  which  we  have  trifled ;  we  have 
made  many  resolutions  of  amendment  in 
times  of  sickness,  which  we  have  as  fre- 
quently broken ;  we  have  escaped  dangers 
by  land  and  by  water ;  we  have  had  many 
admonitions  by  the  death  of  friend.'',  and 
yet,  perhaps,  we  are  continuing  in  sin  to 
the  present  moment.  O  how  does  sin 
abound  ! 

Sin  will  appear  to  abound,  if  you  advert 
to  the  calamitous  effects  which  it  has  pro- 
duced. The  great  and  blessed  God  would 
not  suffer  his  creatures  to  endure  so  much 
misery  as  tliey  do,  if  he  were  not  greatly 
displeased  by  their  sins.  The  earth  is 
cursed  for  man's  sake ;  thorns  and  thistles 
it  spontaneously  produces ;  but  bread  must 
be  produced  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow. 
How  many  are  doomed  to  severe  labor  in 
the  fields  and  in  the  mines  !  The  mariner 
who  plows  the  boisterous  ocean ;  the 
wretched  slave  who  foils  in  the  burning 

31  ^ 


398 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


field ;  all  the  labors  and  all  the  miseries  of 
man  prove  tliat  he  is  a  sinful  creature. 
Obi^erve  the  disorder  of  the  elements;  tJie 
horrid  gUire  of  liglitning ;  the  terrific  peals 
of  thunder;  the  deluges  of  water;  the 
sickening  heat  of  sultry  climes ;  the  de- 
structive winds;  and  tlie tremendous  earth- 
quake. Must  not  sin  iiave  abounded,  to 
occasion  these  abounding  mischiefs?   ' 

The  prudence  of  man  in  framing  human 
laws  is  another  proof  of  the  same  truth. 
Why  are  bonds  and  oaths  necessary  in  our 
affairs]  Why  must  we  have  locks,  and 
bolts,  and  bars  to  our  habitations  ]  Why 
must  we  have  judges  and  magistrates, 
prisons  and  gibbets  ]  The  reason  is  that 
sin  so  much  abounds. 

Recollect  also  the  numerous  and  painful 
diseases  which  invade  the  human  frame  ; 
visit  hospitals,  sick  chambers,  madhouses, 
and  other  receptacles  of  human  misery ; 
and  behold  in  them  all  a  convincing  proof 
that  man  has  sinned,  and  that  God  is  angry. 
Yea,  brethren,  look  a  Httle  farther,  and 
contemplate  the  end  of  all  men.  There 
you  have  the  strongest  proof  imaginable 
of  the  evil  of  sin ;  it  has  brought  death 
into  the  world  ;  "  it  is  appointed  to  all  men 
•once  to  die ;  the  bod 3'^  must  see  corruption  ; 
must  return  to  the  earth  from  whence  it 
•was  taken."    O  then  how  does  sin  abound  ! 

Before  we  proceed  to  the  second  part  of 
the  subject,  let  us  make  a  pause.  Let  us 
not  dismiss  this  serious  topic  without  feel- 
ing its  weight ;  let  us  be  concerned  to 
know  this  humbling  truth,  and  to  know  it 
for  ourselves  ;  let  the  general  doctrine 
come  home  to  our  hearts  with  the  message 
of  Nathan—"  Thou  art  the  man  !"  Surely, 
if  we  admit  the  truth  of  the  Scriptures,  we 
must  confess  tliat  w'e  are  miserable  sinners, 
and  that,  in  our  own  case,  sin  has  indeed 
abounded.  This  disposition  of  mind  is 
pleasing  to  God,  fir  to  this  man,  he  has 
promised  to  look,  "  even  to  him  who  is  of 
an  humble  and  contrite  spirit,  who  trembles 
at  his  word."  Blessed  is  the  man  that  is 
"  poor  in  spirit,"  who  mourneth  for  his  sin. 
Fools  only  make  a  mock  of  sin,  but  those 
who  are  truly  wise,  have  a  most  humbling 
sensibility  of  their  abounding  transgres- 
sions and  unworthiness. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  the  second  part 
of  our  subject.  We  have  seen,  (shall  we 
say  we  have  felt  ?)  that  sin  abounds :  let 
us  now  contemplate  the  superaboundings 
of  grace.  Grace  is  a  term  but  little  known 
and  rarely  mentioned  except  in  a  way  of 
contempt.  "  Grace"  signifies  "  the  free 
favor  of  God"  towards  sinful  and  undeserv- 
ing creatures ;  and  it  stands  opposed,  in 
Scripture,  to  tlie  merit  or  wages  of  works 


performed,  as  in  Ephes.  ii.  8,  9.  "  By 
grace  are  ye  saved — not  of  works,  lest  any 
man  should  boast."  It  is  carefully  disim- 
guishcd  from  that  which  might  be  thought 
meritorious,  as  in  Rom.  vi.  23.  "  The 
wages  of  sin  is  death  ;  but  the  gift  of  God 
is  eternal  life,  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord."  The  doctrine  of  human  merit  is 
indeed  flattering  to  the  pride  of  man ;  but 
it  is  totally  contrary  to  the  grand  princi- 
ple of  the  Gospel,  which  forbids  all  flesh 
to  glory  before  God,  and  to  ascribe  the 
whole  of  salvation  to  pure  unmerited 
mercy. 

In  the  whole  business  of  salvation,  from 
first  to  last,  grace  abounds.  It  originates 
in  the  heart  of  God,  who  pitied  us  in  our 
low  estate ;  and  devised  a  plan  of  salvation, 
to  us  perfectly  easy,  to  himself  highly  hon- 
orable. It  was  God,  wlio,  unasked,  pre- 
sented to  the  world  that  "  unspeakable 
gift,"  hife  only-begotten  Son,  in  human  na- 
ture ;  "  for  God  so  loved  the  \vorld,  that  he 
gave  his  only-begotten  Son."  "  Herein  is 
love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he 
loved  us,  and  sent  liis  Son  to  be  the  pro- 
pitiation for  our  sins."  Grace  is  charm- 
ingly displayed  in  the  glorious  person,  and 
the  perfect  work  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  "  Ye 
know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
that,  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  our  sakes 
he  became  poor,  that  we  through  his  pov- 
erty might  be  rich ;"  and  because  we, 
whom  he  designed  to  save,  were  partakers 
of  flesh  and  blood,  he  partook  of  the  same 
nature,  and  submitted  to  the  deepest  hu- 
miliation on  our  behalf.  "The  fo.xes," 
said  he,  "  have  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the 
air  have  nests,  but  the  Son  of  man  hath 
not  where  to  lay  his  head."  Such  was  his 
grace,  that  he  patiently  endured  the  con- 
tradiction of  sinners  against  himself;  and 
suffered,  in  a  manner,  which  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  describe.  Who  can  conceive  what 
were  the  agonies  of  his  holy  soul,  when  he 
sweat,  as  it  were  great  drops  of  blood  fall- 
ing to  the  ground  1  or,  when  bleeding  to 
death  on  Uie  cross,  he  exclaimed,  "My 
God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me !" 
In  this  obedience  unto  death,  of  Christ, 
consisted  that  righteousness,  by  which  all 
believers  are  justified ;  and  which,  in  the 
19th  verse  of  this  chapter,  is  opposed  to 
the  disobedience  of  Adam,  in  whom  we 
fell.  "  For  as  by  one  man's  disobedience 
many  were  made  sinners  ;  so  by  the  obe- 
dience of  one  shall  many  be  made  right- 
eous." 

Thus  grace  may  be  said  to  abound  in 
the  Gospel  of  Christ,  which,  on  that  ac-" 
count,  is  itself  called' "  the  grace  of  God." 
St.   Paul,   writing  to  Titus,  says,  ♦'  the 


SERIMON  LXXXV. 


S99 


grace 


of  God  that  bringeth  salvation — 
teachetli  us  to  live  soberly,"  &c. — doubt- 
less, he  means  that  we  are  so  instructed 
by  the  Gospel.  And  in  another  place, 
writing  to  the  Corinthians,  he  says,  "  We 
beseech  yt)u,  tiiat  ye  receive  not  the  grace 
of  God  in  vain," — that  is,  that  ye  neglect 
not  to  accept,  and  improve  by  the  Gospel 
preacbed  to  you.  And  well  may  the  Gos- 
pel bear  this  name,  for  it  is  the  principal 
design  of  God  in  the  Gospel  to  display  this 
wonderftil  grace,  and  to  siiow  how  richly 
it  alxiiinds  in  the  salvation  of  sinners  : 
every  page  is  full  of  it ;  nor  does  that  de- 
serve the  name  of  Gospel  in  which  it  does 
not  obviously  abound. 

Farther.  Grace  exceedingly  abounds  in 
the  free  and  full  justification  of  the  sinner, 
who  believes.  St.  Paul,  describing  his 
own  case  in  the  first  epistle  to  Timothy, 
chapter  the  first,  and  the  fourteenth  verse, 
says,— after  mentioning  his  former  deprav- 
ity and  guilt,  "  the  grace  of  our  Lord  was 
exceeding  abundant,  with  faith  and  love 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  He  was  sur- 
prised and  astonished  when  he  reflected  on 
the  free  favor  of  God,  bestowed  upon  so 
great  a  transgressor.  And  in  the  last  verse 
of  this  chapter,  wishing  to  extol  the  grace 
of  God  as  highly  as  possible,  he  says,  "  that, . 
as  sin  reigned  unto  death,  even  so  might 
grace  reign,  through  righteousness,  unto 
eternal  life,  by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 

Here  he  compares  grace  to  a  mighty 
monarch — Grace  reigns,  presides,  and 
governs  with  majestic  superiority,  in  the 
grand  affair  of  human  salvation,  worthy  of 
the  highest  lienors. 

One  idea  more  is  necessary ;  it  is  not 
only  said  that  "  grace  abounds,"  but  that  it 
"  much  more  abounds."  We  have  en- 
deavored to  show  that  sin  does  awfully 
abound  ;  but  the  apostle  says,  that  though 
sin  does  aboimd,  yet  grace  does  "  much 
more  abound  :"  and  he  not  only  speaks  of 
a  likeness  between  fhe  first  and  second 
Adam,  but  he  also  speaks  of  that  which  is 
not  alike,  verse  Ki.  "  But  not  as  the  of- 
fence, so  also  is  the  free  gift :  for  if  through 
the  ofience  of  one  many  be  dead ;  mucli 
more,  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  gift  by 
grace,  hath  abounded  unto  many :  and  not 
as  it  was  by  one  that  sinned,  so  the  gift : 
for  the  judgment  was  by  one  to  condemna- 
tion, but  the  free  gifl  is  of  many  offences 
unto  justification :"  the  meaning  of  which 
seems  to  be  that  we  derive  more  from 
Christ  than  we  lost  in  Adam.  No  doubt, 
tlie  condition  to  which  God  will  finally 
raise  his  saints  m  tlic  heaveidy  world,  will 
be  far  superior  to  that  wiiich  man  enjoyed 
in  his  original  state  ;  and  the  soul,  clothed 


with  the  righteousness  of  God  our  Savior, 
will  shine  with  greater  lustre  than  Adam 
ever  did  in  his  own  primitive  righteous- 
ness. 

"  Clothed  in  this  roI)c,  how  bright  I  shine  ! 

"  Angels  might  envy  such  a  dross. 
"Angels  have  not  a  robe  like  mine — 

"  'I'he  robe  of  Jesus'  righteousness ! 

"  It  doth  not  yet  appear,  what  we  shall 
be  ;  but  we  know  that  when  the  Savior  shall 
appear,  we  shall  be  like  him  ;"  we  shall  be 
made  kings  and  priests  unto  God  ;  we  shall 
be  rai.-ed  to  a  state  of  dignity  and  glory, 
sitting  down  with  Christ  himself  upon  his 
throne  of  glory.  "Such  honor  will  have 
all  his  saints!"  And  thus  it  will  nppear,  in" 
a  manner  we  cannot  yet  fully  couiprehend, 
that  "where  sin  abounded,  the  grace  of 
God  doth  much  more  abound." 

IMPROVEMENT. 

To  conclude — Let  us  diligently  study 
the  doctrine  of  grace.  "  It  is  a  gooil  thing 
that  the  heart  be  established  in  grace" — 
in  the  doctrine  of  grace  :  for  true  religion 
does  not  consist  in  outward  ceremonies, 
even  those  of  God's  appointuient ;  it  is 
something  infinitely  superior.  Let  us 
therefore  "  grow  in  grace,  and  in  the 
knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesi'is 
Christ ;"  this  will  be  found  the  best,  the 
most  useful,  and  the  most  delightful  kind  of 
knowledge  ;  and  those  who  .have  acquired 
it,  will  say  with  the  Apostle,  "Yea  doubt- 
less, and  I  count  all  things  but  loss,  for  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
Jesus  ray  Lord,  for  whom  I  have  suliered 
the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do  count  them 
but  dung  that  I  may  win  Christ  and  be 
found  in  him." 

Let  us  be  concerned,  above  all  things,  to 
be  partakers  of  this  grace.  Be  not  content 
to  hear  of  it,  as  persons  unconcrned,  but 
seek  to  be  personally  partakers  of  it.  Shall 
we  neglect  it !  Shall  we  sutler  any  of  the 
concerns  of  this  life,  however  pressing,  or 
any  of  its  enjoyments,  however  pleasing,  to 
divert  our  souls  from  this  greatest  of  all 
concerns  1  God  forbid  ! 

"  It  were  contemning 

'•  With  impious  sell-suflicient  arrogance, 
"  The  bounty  of  our  God,  not  to  acocpl 
"  With  every  mark  of  honor — such  a  gift !" 

Awfully,  indeed,  are  they  mistaken  who 
would  substitute  any  thing  in  its  stead  ;  or 
put  their  own  works  of  righteousness  in 
the  place  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 
And  what  will  poor  sinners  do  at  the  last 
day  without  this  grace]  O  consider,  that 
death  is  at  hand,  and  what  an  awfiil  thing 
will  it  be  to  die  without  the  grace  of  God. 
Your  sins,  alas  !  have  abounded,  and  will 


400 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


not  deserved  punisliment  also  abound  !  It 
will,  unless  tiiis  grace  shall  siipcrabound. 
Seek  it  then  by  earnest  prayer,  "seek  and 
ye  shall  find." 

What  a  source  is  here  of  consolation, 
even  for  the  chief  of  sinners !  Docs  guilt 
oppress  your  conscience,  and  fears  alarm 
your  souls !  Are  you  saying — "  You  know 
not  what  a  sinner  I  have  been — singular 
— excessive  in  sinning."  It  may  be  so.  I 
know  tiiat  you  cannot  overrate  your  sins, 
but  mark  the  encouraging  words  of  our 
text — "  Where  sin  abounds,  grace  doth 
much  more  abound :"  and  wliy  should  it 
not  be  so  in  your  case  1 

What  abundant  cause  is  here  for  praise 
— ardent,  constant  praise  !  If  Abraham,  at 
a  distance,  saw  the  day  of  Christ  and  was 
glad,  how  much  more  cause  have  you,  be- 
liever, who  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is 
actually  gracious,  to  rejoice  in  his  salva- 
tion !  Adopt  then  the  prophet's  language 
of  exultation.  Isaiah  Ixi.  10.  "  I  will  great- 
ly rejoice  in  the  Lord,  my  soul  shall  be 
joyful  in  my  God ;  for  he  hath  clothed  me 
with  the  garments  of  salvation,  he  hath 
covered  me  with  tjie  robe  of  righteousness." 

Finally.  This  subject  furnishes  us  with 
a  mighty  incentive  to  holiness.  "  Shall  we 
continue  in  sin,  that  grace  may  abound  !" 
The  Apostle  offers  this  query,  because  he 
knew  that  this  objection  would  be  started, 
but  he  replies,  "  God  forbid !  how  shall  we 
that  are  dead  to  sin,  live  any  longer  there- 
in." Rather,  let  grace  constrain  us,  cheer- 
fully and  sincerely,  to  devote  ourselves, 
body,  soul,  and  spirit,  to  the  honor  and 
glory  of  the  God  of  all  grace,  which  is,  in- 
deed, "  our  reasonable  service." 

PRAYER. — Amidst  abounding  sin,  how  could 
we,  O  Lord,  presume  to  call  upon  thee,  if  thy 
word  did  not  assure  us  that  thy  grace  still  more 
abounds.  To  sin  alone  we  can  attribute  Ihjs  evils 
under  which  all  creation  groans.  Thou  hast 
warned  us  also  of  a  world,  in  which  sin  abounds 
unspeakably  more  than  in  this : — a  world,  where 
grace  is  not  proclaimed  as  it  is  to  us.  Blessed  be 
thy  name,  that  we  are  yet  exhorted  to  flee  from 
that  state  of  wrath  to  which  every  sin  we  commit 
brings  us  nearer.  May  we  flee  before  it  is  too 
late,  to  lay  hold  for  hope  on  the  refuge  that  is  set 
before  us  by  the  Gospel  of  our  gracious  Redeem- 
er! We  praise  thee,  that  thou  hast  laid  our  help 
on  one  who  is  mightier  to  save  than  all  our  ene- 
mies are  to  destroy.  When  our  first  parents  in- 
volved all  their  posterity  in  corruption  and  death, 
thou,  O  God,  and  Savior,  tookest  on  thyself  our 
redemption.  Thou  savest  us,  not  only  from  our 
natural  pollutiou,  but  from  all  our  acquired  de- 
pravity,— all  the  guilt  of  our  inimberless  and  ag- 
gravated ofllences.  Thou  restorest  us  from  .the 
grave,  not  to  an  earthly  Paradise,  but  to  a  hea- 
venly and  unchangeable  inheritance!  Blessing, 
honor,  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him  thai  silielh 
upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  forev<jr  and 
ever!  Amen. 


SERMON  LXXXVL 

JERUSALEM  LAMENTED. 

Luke,  xix.  4],  42.  Ami  when  he  was  come  near,  ho 
hi-lielil  ilif!  city  and  wept  over  it,  suying,  W  thoii 
hadst  known,  even  thiiu,  at  least  in  this  thy  day, 
the  tliinus  which  belong  nnto  thy  peace!  but  now 
tii(3y  are  hid  from  thine  eyes. 

Jesus  Christ  had  a  tender  heart.  Com- 
passion to  the  miserable  was  the  leading 
feature  of  his  character.  At  all  times,  we 
observe  this  in  his  conduct  towards  |he 
children  of  sorrow ;  this  was  his  prevailing- 
disposition ;  he  was  himself"  a  man  of  sor- 
rows," and  he  had  always  an  ear  to  listen 
to  the  tale  of  woe,  a  heart  to  feel  for  the 
afliicted,  and  a  hand  to  afford  them  relief. 
But  the  display  of  his  compassion,  at  the 
time  referred  to  in  the  text,  deserves  par- 
.ticular  attention  ;  for  what  were  his  cir- 
cumstances, when  he  thus  wept,  and  ut- 
tered these  pathetic  words'!  It  was  at  the 
only  season  of  his  sojourning  here  upon 
earth,  that  we  behold  him  enjoying  any 
kind  of  triumph :  he  was  approaching  Je- 
rusalem for  the  last  time,  wli^n  a  vast  mul- 
titude of  people,  perhaps  more  than  a  mil- 
lion, were  in  that  great  city ;  numbers  of 
whom  had  come  from  Galilee,  and  other 
parts  of  the  country,  to  celebrate  the  feast 
of  the  passover.  Having  heard  that  he  was 
about  to  enter  the  metropolis,  in  a  more 
public  manner  than  he  ever  did  before, 
they  were  overjoyed  with  the  thought  of 
seeing  him,  hearing  him,  and  beholding  his 
miracles :  so  that,  in  great  multitudes,  they 
went  forth  to  meet  him.  This  more  than 
usual  curiosity  was  excited  by  a  miracle 
which  he  had  recently  performed :  he  had 
raised  Lazarus,  his  friend,  from  the  dead, 
at  a  little  town  not  far  from  Jerusalem  : — 
there  were  many  respectable  witnesses  of 
the  fact;  it  was  noised  about  the  country, 
and  great  multitudes  had  been  induced  to 
believe  upon  him,  as  it  is  said,  in  the  12tii 
chapter  of  St.  John,  "  Because  that  by  rea- 
son of  him  many  of  the  Jews  went  away 
and  believed  on  .Tesus  ;  and  on  the  ne.xt  day 
much  people  that  were  come  to  the  feast, 
when  they  heard  that  Jesus  was  coming  to 
Jerusalem,  took  branches  of  palm-trees,  and" 
went  forth  to  meet  him,  and  cried  Ilosanna  I 
Blessed  is  the  King  of  Israel  that  coincth 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  And  as  you  see 
in  the  3Tth  verse  of  this  chapter,  •'  when 
he  was  come  nigh,  even  at  the  descent  of 
the  Mount  of  Olives,  the  whole  multitude 
of  the  disciples  began  to  rejoice,  and  praise 
God  with  a  loud  voice,  for  all  the  mighty 
works  that  they  had  seen." 

The  acclamations  of  the  multilude,  how- 
ever, did  not  elate  him;  "he  knew  what 


SERMON  LXXXVL 


401 


was  in  man,"  and  he  foresaw  that  many  of 
tlie  multitude  who  were  now  crying  "  Ho- 
yanua,"  would  as  loudly  cry,  "  Crucify  him, 
crucify  liiui."  Let  {is  also  beware  of  placing 
inucii  confidence   upon  human  applause; 
for  a  very  little  matter  will  turn  the  scale 
of  public  opinion,  and  the  warm  friend  of 
ti)-day  may   be    tlie    bitter  enemy  of  to- 
morrow. Other  thoughts  occupied  the  holy, 
tlic   benevolent  mind  of  Jc.-^us.     From  a 
small  distance,  he  commanded  a  view  of 
this  great  city ;  great  in  extent,  population, 
and  magnificence;  great  especially  on  ac- 
count of  the  sumptuous  temple  that  was 
there  erected ;  and,  although  the  Savior 
had  already  suffered  many  hardships  from 
tlie   inhabitants   of  Jerusalem,    and   well 
knew  that  he  should  suffer  still  more  in  a 
few  days ;  yet,  such  was  his  divine  benevo- 
lence and  compassion,  that,  forgetting  him- 
self, he  bitterly  wept  at  tlie  foresight  of 
those  dire  and  unparalleled  calamities  which 
he  knew  would,  in  a  few  years,  befall  that 
guilty  and  devoted  city  ;  for,  as  he  says  in 
the  4yd  verse,  "  the  days  shall  come  upon 
thee  that  thine  enemies  shall  cast  a  trench 
about  thee,  and  compass  thee  round,  and 
keep  tliee  in  on  every  side  ;  and  shall  lay 
thee  even  with  the  ground,  and  thy  chil- 
dren with  thee."  All  this  actually  came  to 
pass ;  and  the  Romans,  who  besieged  Je- 
rusalem, thought  it  necessary  to  build  a 
wall,  extending  nearly  five  miles,  entirely 
round  the  city,  to  prevent  its  inhabitants 
from  escaping;  and  by  r«ducing  them  to 
tamine,   and  other  means,  bringing  upon 
thcin  irretrievable  ruin,  so  that  in  a  course 
of  time,  more  than  a  million  of  Jews  were 
put   to  death:  eleven   thousand   of  them 
were  crucified,  and  they  only  stopped  cru- 
cifying them  because  no  more  wood  could 
be  procured  to  make  crosses;  while  many 
of  those  who  were  not  put  to  deatli  were 
sold  at  a  penny  a  man.    Our  ].ord  foresaw 
all   this,  and   he  wept.     But  doubtless  he 
looked  further  than  to  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem  ;  he  looked  forward  to  the  eter- 
nal state  of  the  multitude.     Probably,  far 
the  greatest  part  of  tliis  midtitude,  "  died 
in  their  sins ;"  and  he  al^o  looked  to  the 
future  consequences  of  this  destruction 
and  consequent  dispersion  of  the  nation; 
he  foresaw  wiiat  would  befall  the  devoted 
race  of  Judah  for  1800  years;  during  which, 
the  fiir  greater  part  have  died  in  ignorance 
and  sin.     Well   might  ho,   who   foresaw 
all  this,  weep^i  he  wept,  amidst  his  own 
meek   triumphs;  far  more  concerned  for 
others  than  liimself ;  and  notwithstanding 
the  foresight  of  his  own  approaching  suf- 
ferings, as  he  artcrwarrls  said  lo  some  of 
the  women  who  lamented  his  fate,  "  Weep 
S  A 


not  for  me,  but  weep  for  yourselves  and  for 
your  children." 

Now  the  case  of  Jerusalem  speaks  aloud 
to  us.  There  are  things  which  belong  to 
our  peace ;  there  is  a  limited  season  in 
which  we  may  acquire  the  knowledge  of 
these  things;  and  there  is  a  worse  de- 
struction than  that  of  the  Jews  awaiting 
us,  if  we  finally  disregard  them.  These 
are  the  three  parts  of  our  intended  dis- 
course. 

First.  There  are  some  things  which 
are  absolutely  necessary  to  be  known,  in 
order  to  our  eternal  peace,  "  if  thou  hadst 
known  the  things  which  belong  to  thy 
peace." 

"  That  the  soul  be  without  knowledge," 
said  the  most  knowing  of  mankind,  "  is 
not  good  ;"  for,  indeed,  "  it  is  eternal  life 
to  know  God,  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ." 
What  are  the  things  that  must  needs  be 
known  .'  They  are  "the  things  of  the  Gos- 
pel ;"  "  the  things  of  God ;"  "  the  things 
of  the  Spirit  of  God," — so  they  are  de- 
nominated in  Scripture.  These  were  the 
things  which  Christ  and  his  apostles  had 
set  before  the  Jews :  and  these  are  the 
things  wiiich  the  great  God  now  sets  before 
us;  especially,  the  things  which  relate^- to 
the  salvation  of  our  souls  by  Jesus  Christ* 
It  is  necessary  to  know  the  doctrine  of  the 
Gospel,  the  power  of  the  Gospel,  and  the 
practice  of  the  Gospel. — But  to  mention  a 
very  few  particulars. 

It  is  necessary  that  we  should  know  our 
real  state  and  condition  as  sinners;  as  be- 
ing apostate,  depraved,  polluted,  and  help- 
less creatures.  Great  is  the  value  and 
utility  of  self-knowledge,  especially  in  re- 
ligion. To  know  ourselves  aright,  we  must 
know  that' we  are  "  by  nature,  children  of 
wrath ;"  for  "  the  whole  need  not  a  phy- 
sician, but  they  that  are  sick."  We  must 
be  convinced  of  our  actual  guilt,  and  that 
we  are  under  the  curse  of  the  broken  law ; 
for  "  it  is  written — Cursed  is  every  one, 
that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which  are 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them." 
We  must  so  know  these  things  that  "  our 
mouth  must  be  stopped,  and  we  must  be- 
come confessedly  guilty  before  God  ;"  we 
must  know  that  "the  wages  of  sin  is 
death  ;"  we  must  not  plead  for  sin  as  many 
do,  for  "  the  end  of  these  things  is  death." 
We  must  know  our  own  helplessness,  or 
inability,  by  any  thing  within  our  own 
power,  to  relieve  ourselves;  for  "we  have 
destroyed  ourselves,  and  our  help  is  found 
in  God  alone."  This  doctrine  of  Scripture 
we  must  understand  as  applied  to  our- 
selves ;  and  we  must  be  sincerely  and  ha- 
bitually concerned  to  be  delivered  from 
34* 


402 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


this  state.  This  must  be  the  grand  desire 
of  our  souls, — the  "  one  thing  needful," — 
so  as  to  induce  us,  from  the  heart,  to  cry, 
"  God  be  merciful  to  us  sinners."  It  is 
necessary  to  our  true  and  spiritual  peace, 
that  our  natural  and  carnal  peace  should 
be  disturbed;  that  the  security  we  feel 
through  ignorance  should  be  terminated  ; 
for  "  wliile  the  strong  man  armed  keepeth 
the  house,  and  all  things  remain  in  peace," 
we  seelc  not  the  salvation  that  is  from 
above;  but  this  peace  being  happily  dis- 
turbed, we  are  glad  to  seek  peace  from  an- 
other quarter. 

Besides  this,  we  must  have  an  acquamt- 
ance  with  tlie  Gospel  of  Christ,  as  aiford- 
ing  us  the  only,  and  the  all-sufficient 
remedy — we  must  be  acquainted  with  the 
Gospel  in  order  to  know  the  way  of  peace 
with  God,  and  safety  to  the  soul ;  and  this 
is  abundantly  revealed  in  the  Gospel. 
Christ  alone  is  our  peace-maker;  he  has 
"  made  peace  by  the  blood  of  his  cross ;" 
"  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world 
to  himself,  not  imputing  to  them  their  ini- 
quities." Jesus  having  been  "  made  sin 
for  us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  who  be- 
lieve might  be  made  the  righteousness  of 
God  in  him ;"  and,  as  St.  Paul  tells  us  in 
the  5th  of  Romans,  and  at  the  beginning, 
it  is  by  "  being  justified  through  faith,  that 
we  come  into  a  state  of  peace  with  God," 
"  we  have  access," — free  admission  and 
introduction  into  an  excellent  and  perma- 
nent state  of  full  acceptance  with  God,  as 
persons  acquitted  of  every  charge,  and 
brought  into  a  condition  of  safety  and 
honor,  so  that  we  may  "  rejoice  in  hope  of 
the  glory  of  God."  These  are  some  of 
the  things  that  belong  to  your  peace,  and 
things  that  must  be  known. 

Secondly.  There  is  a  certain,  limited 
season,  in  which  the  knowledge  of  these 
things  may  be  acquired.  Our  Lord  says, 
in  the  text,  "  If  thou  hadst  known,  even 
in  this  thy  daij."  The  Jews  had  their 
day;  their  season  of  visitation  ;  for,  "at 
sundry  times,  and  in  divers  manners,  did 
God  speak  unto  them  by  the  prophets ;  and 
latterly,  he  spoke  unto  them  by  his  Son 
from  heaven."  "  If  thou  hadst  known," 
says  the  Lord,  "  even  thoii,  Jernstdem !  O 
highly  favored  place,  distinguished  as  it 
was  above  all  the  cities  upon  the  earth," 
— if  thou  hadst  known — and  may  not  this 
be  applied  to  our  case,  as  a  nation  singu- 
larly favored  of  God,  with  tlie  means  of 
religious  light  and  information!  May  it 
not  be  said  to  many  a  person  here  present, 
"If  Ihon  hadt^t  known  1"  May  it  not  be 
eaid  to  those  wlio  have  liad  a  religious  edu- 
cation— who  have  had  opportunities,  from 


their  childhood,  to  become  acquainted  with 
the  things  that  belong  to  their  peace — "  If 
thou  hadst  known  V  Surely,  to  such,  they 
should  be  known,  at  least,  now,  "  after  so 
long  a  time."  Now,  if  not  before ;  at  least, 
now ! 

The  Jews  had  long  enjoyed  the  means 
of  grace ;  but  the  season  of  visitation  was 
then  drawing  to  a  close — about  forty  years, 
and  there  would  be  a  complete  end.  They 
had  treated  the  Gospel  with  contempt, 
and,  as  our  Lord  declared,  "  they  should  go 
their  way,  and  should  seek  him,  but  they 
should  not  find  him." 

But  we  may  apply  the  term  "  day,"  to 
peculiar  and  favorable  seasons — "  If  thou 
hadst  known,  in  this  thy  day." 

In  the  first  place,  life,  generally,  may 
be  called  "  a  day  ;"  mdeed  it  is  but  a  day ; 
a  short  day,  and  a  winter's  day;  but  it 
ought  to  be  a  working  day — "  If  thou  hadst 
known  in  this  thy  day."  "  Are  there  not 
twelve  hours  in  which  men  should  work  V 
how  is  it  then  that  some  continue  "  idle 
all  the  day  long,"  when  this  is  the  great 
business  of  life — "  the  one  thing  needful !" 
It  is  said,  by  the  wise  man,  most  emphati- 
cally, "  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  that  is  wis- 
dom ;  and,  to  depart  from  evil,  is  under- 
standing :"  and  Solomon,  at  the  close  of 
his  book  of  Wisdom,  having  solemnly  and 
repeatedly  declared  the  vanity  of  the 
world,  says,  "  Let  us  hear  the  conclusion 
of  the  whole  matter ;  fear  God  and  keep 
his  commandments,  for  this  is  the  whole 
duty  of  man," — the  whole  of  man  (for  the 
word  duty  is  supplied)  this  is  the  great 
concern ;  the  interest,  business,  and  life  of 
man. 

1  may  say  likewise  that  Youth  is  the 
season  in  which  it  is  peculiarly  proper  to 
attend  to  the  things  which  belong  to  our 
peace ;  "  Remember  thy  Creator  in  the 
days  of  thy  youth."  What  can  be  more 
reasonable  and  proper  tlian  that  the  first 
and  chief  of  all  objects,  should  have  the 
first  and  chief  regard ;  and  doubtless  the 
season  of  youth  is  the  most  suitable  and 
friendly  for  this  purpose.  There  are  in- 
firmities and  hindrances  which  occur  to 
the  aged,  who  are  constrained  to  say  of 
their  latter  days,  "  there  is  no  pleasure  in 
them."  O  young  people,  consider,  I  be- 
seech you,  these  words  of  Christ  as  ad- 
dressed to  you, — if  thou  hadst  known  even 
that,  in  this  thy  day — the  day  of  youth, 
and  health,  and  activity,  IvVese  important 
things. 

Further,  let  me  observe  that  the  Sab- 
bath is  a  very  proper  and  favorable  season 
for  attending  to  these  great  concerns.  On 
tliis  Iioly  day,  persons  have  not  the  same 


SERMON  I.XXXVI. 


403 


excuses  as  on  other  days.  There  is  no 
pressure  of  tliose  worldly  affairs  which 
must  be  regarded  on  other  days :  but  the 
"  things  that  belong  to  our  peace"  arc,  if  I 
may  so  say,  "  the  order  of  the  day,"  and 
nothing  ouglit  to  interfere  with  them  ;  es- 
pecially when  they  are  presented  to  our 
ininds  by  the  preaching  of  tlie  Gospel, 
'i'hey  are  then  brought,  as  it  were,  before 
our  eyes,  so  that  as  the  Scripture  speaks, 
we  need  not  say.  Who  shall  ascend  into 
heaven  to  bring  them  down,  or  who  shall 
(live  into  the  deep  to  fetch  them  up  !  ''The 
word  is  nigh  thee  ;  it  is  in  thy  mouth,  and 
in  thy  heart,  even  the  word  of  faith  which 
we  preach."  Let  the  hearer  of  the  Gos- 
pel know  this,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
brought  near  up  to  him.  God,  angels,  and 
devils  too,  observe  what  attention  we  .pay 
to  the  heavenly  message,  and  what  effects 
are  produced  by  it.  Angels  gladly  carry 
the  news  of  good  impressions ;  and  upon 
the  conversion  of  sinners  they  gladden 
heaven  with  the  tidings;  and  if  angels 
could  weep,  (as  the  Lord  of  angels  did)  it 
would  be  at  the  folly  and  madness  of  sinful 
men  disregarding  the  proposals  of  salva- 
tion. This  time  of  hearing  is  an  important 
time, — more  important  than  many  appre- 
hend. To  many  a  person  it  may  seem  a 
matter  of  indifference  whether  he  hears 
the  word  seriously  and  attentively,  or  suf- 
fer his  imagination  to  rove  ;  but  certain  it 
is,  that  by  every  sermon  a  man  hears,  he 
is  taking  a  step  nearer  to  heaven  or  nearer 
to  hell ;  he  is  either  receiving  a  benefit  to 
his  soul,  or  he  is  hardening  his  heart. 

May  not  these  words  be  emphatically 
addressed  to  the  aged,  "  at  least  in  this 
your  day  1"  Verily  it  may  be  said  to  the 
aged  people,  "  Now,  or  never ;"  hear  ye 
the  word  of  God,  lest  ye  should  die  in  your 
sins.  ' 

Thirdly  and  lastly.  It  is  a  matter  of 
grievous  lamentation  when  this  opportu- 
nity is  lost. 

Our  Lord  when  he  thought  of  it  wept ; 
he  wept  when  he  uttered  these  words, 
•'  If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou — but 
now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes."  The 
calamities  of  the  Jews,  which  he  clearly 
foresaw,  were  extremely  great ;  they  were 
unparalleled  in  the  history  of  nations;  the 
world,  with  all  its  troubles,  never  saw  the 
like  before,  nor  ever  will  again  ;  the  dis- 
cord, the  malice,  the  famine,  the  disease, 
the  self-murders,  the  burnings  of  houses, 
and  falling  of  buildings,  the  death  of  mul- 
titudes— all  contributed  to  form  that  sum 
of  unspeakable  calamity  which  our  Lord 
foresaw,  and  tlie  prospect  of  which  made 
him  weep.     But  fearful  as  this  destruction 


was,  yet  the  misery  of  damned  souls  in 
hell  will  be  far  greater ;  yea,  the  sufferings 
of  each  individual  soul  will,  at  some  future 
period,  have  been  greater  than   the  sum 
total  of  all  the  sufferings,  endured  by  the 
hundreds  of  thousands  who  perished  in  Je- 
rusalem ! — O  think  of  eternity ;  think  of 
thousands  and  thousands  of  years  past,  and 
thousands  and  thousands  more  to  be  added 
to  their  number ;  yea,  millions  of  ages, — 
as  many  millions  of  ages  as  there  have 
been  drops  of  rain  from  the  beginning  of 
the  Creation ;  as  many  millions  of  ages  as 
there  have  been  leaves  upon  all  the  trees, 
or  sands  upon  the  sea  shore; — and  sup- 
posing all  these  to  have  come,  and  to  be 
past — yet,  eternal  ages  more  are  still  to 
succeed.   The  capacious  mind  of  Him  who 
was  himself,  from  eternity,  could  not  but 
weep  when  he  contemplated  these  distant 
objects  ;  and,  surely  our  hearts  must  be  as 
hard  as  stones,  if  we  can  think  of  them 
without  feeling  compassion  both  for  our- 
selves and  for  others. 

But  when  may  it  be  said  that  these 
tilings  are  hid  from  men's  eyes? 

In  the  first  place,  when  the  means  of 
grace  are  removed.  The  Lord  threatened 
the  church  of  Ephesus,  when  she  left  her 
first  love,  that  "  the  candlestick  (or  lamp) 
should  be  removed  out  of  its  place ;"  the 
lamp  signified  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel 
in  the  church.  Wlien  tlie  Lord  removes 
the  preaching  of  his  Gospel  from  a  par- 
ticular place,  in  town  or  country,  it  is  an 
awful  event.  How  often  has  it  happened 
in  such  cases,  that  a  faithful  minister  has 
been  succeeded  by  a  poor  blind  guide  ! 
thus  also  it  frequently  happens,  in  the 
course  of  human  affairs,  that  persons  have 
been  removed  from  places  where  they  heard 
the  Gospel  faithfully  preached,  to  situations 
where  it  was  not  to  be  heard.  There 
are  many  servants  who  hear  the  word  in 
consequence  of  their  living  in  pious  fami- 
lies ;  but  by  and  by  they  are  removed,  and 
eitlier  attend  no  place  of  worship  at  all,  or 
if  they  do,  hear  notliing  but  error :  then, 
alas !  are  these  things  hid  from  their  eyes. 
Many  there  are,  who,  having  no  love  for 
the  Gospel,  make  no  scruple  of  removing, 
for  tiie  sake  of  convenience,  to  situations 
where  the  Gospel  is  not  preached,  and 
then  these  things  by  their  own  negligence 
are  hidden  from  their  eyes.  And,  in  large 
congregations,  perhaps  a  Sabbath  does  not 
pass,  on  which  some  persons  are  hearing 
the  truth  for  the  last  time;  so  that,  though 
they  may  perhaps  live  many  years  after, 
yet  they  hear  the  Gospel  no  more  !  It  is  an 
awful  thought  to  ministers,  and  ought  lo 
be  so  to  all  their  hearers. 


404 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


Again,  these  things  may  be  said  to  be 
hidden  from  men's  eyes  when  the  heart 
becomes  hard  and  insensible ;  and  this  is 
no  uncommon  thing.  "  Take  heed,"  said 
the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  "lest  your 
hearts  be  hardened,  through  tlie  deceitful- 
fulness  of  sin."  Many  hearers  of  the  word 
become  "Sermon-proof"  They  have  heard 
the  solemn  truths  of  the  Scripture  so  fre- 
quently, and  to  so  little  purpose,  that,  at 
length,  they  make  no  impression  at  all. 
We  rarely  hear  of  the  conversion  of  per- 
sons at  an  advanced  period  of  life,  who 
have  long  heard  the  Gospel  in  vain.  Yet, 
this  is  not  impossible,  for  nothing  is  "  too 
hard  for  the  Lord."  Habits  of  sin  dread- 
fully harden.  When  conscience  has  long 
remonstrated  in  vain,  it  ceases  to  remon- 
strate ;  and  an  offended  God,  whose  pa- 
tience is  wearied  out,  may  justly  say  to 
the  confirmed  sinner,  as  to  Ephraim  of  old 
— "Ephraim  is  joined  to  idols — let  him 
alone !" 

Above  all,  it  may  be  truly  said,  and  with 
an  awful  emphasis,  that  these  things  are 
hid  from  men's  eyes,  when  life  is  closed — 
Qlosed,  alas,  before  the  great  business  of 
life  is  finished,  or  even  begun ;  and,  O  how 
soon,  and,  sometimes,  how  suddenly  does 
life  close !  for,  "  what  is  it  but  a  vapor, 
that  appearetli  for  a  little  time,  and  then 
vanisheth  away."  How  many  instances 
are  there  of  persons  suddenly  removed, 
some,  it  may  be,  sitting  at  the  table,  others 
walking  in  the  streets,  and  others  while 
lying  on  their  beds,  who  retired  to  rest  in 
usual  liealtli!  And  what  security  have 
you  or  I,  that  this  may  not  be  the  case 
with  us]  And  should  not  sudden  death 
prove  our  lot,  how  often  does  it  happen 
that  the  body  is  visited  with  such  distract-- 
ing  pains,  as  entirely  to  prevent  any  seri- 
ous thoughts !  How  often  does  fever  al- 
most totally  incapacitate  the  mind  for  re- 
flection !  Restlessness,  attention  to  medi- 
c  ne,  to  sleep,  and  so  on,  so  occupy  the 
mind,  that  after  all,  death  comes  at  an  un- 
expected moment ;  and  when  death  closes 
the  scene,  then  are  these  things  hid,  for 
ever  hid  from  our  eyes.  Upon  sucli  occa- 
sions, no  doubt  pious  relations  would  weep, 
as  Christ  wept  upon  this  occasion;  and 
how  bitter  must  be  such  sorrow  !  O  thou, 
my  wife,  my  husband,  my  child!  hadst 
thou  but  known  the  things  that  belonged 
to  thy  peace !  but,  I  fear,  that  now  they 
are  hidden  for  ever  from  thine  eyes.  This 
is  the  bitterness  of  sorrow — the  very  "gall 
of  bitterness."  But  when  a  relation  or  a 
friend  dies  "in  the  Lord,"  we  feel  imme- 
dirttft  ronsolation,  assured  that  our  loss  is 
his  eternal  gain ; — I  am  mourning,  birt  he 


is  rejoicing.  On  the  contrary,  if  there  be 
reason  to  fear  the  worst,  ministers  too  must 
bitterly  lament,  and  say,  "We  have  all 
the  day  long  stretched  out  our  hands  to  a 
ganisaying  people."  "  Who  hath  believed 
our  report,  and  to  whom  is  the  arm  of  the 
liOrd  revealed  !"  But,  if  others  lament  this 
catastrophe,  how  must  the  lost  soul  her- 
self lament  it !  this  will  be  the  very  em- 
phasis of  suffering  in  the  eternal  world  ! 
O  fool  that  I  was,  how  did  I  spend  my 
time "!  What  was  I  doing  all  the  days  of 
my  life  ?  How  came  I  to  neglect  my  Bi- 
ble 1  How  could  I  shut  my  ears  to  the  calls 
of  ministers  and  friends !  What  wretched 
trifling  will  this  life  appear  when  the  busi- 
ness of  life  was  wholly  neglected,  and  the 
amusements  of  sense  occupied  my  time ! 
Many  a  soul  will  say — "  O  had  I  spent  my 
time  in  reading  my  Bible  and  in  prayer, 
instead  of  spending  it  in  vain  conversa- 
tion, amusements,  and  dress,  I  might  have 
avoided  this  misery ;  but  now,  these  thuigs 
are  hid  from  my  eyes." 

Thus  I  have  endeavored  to  show  you ; 
1.  That  there  are  things  which  belong  to 
our  peace ;  2.  That  there  is  a  limited  time 
in  which  the  knowledge  of  these  things 
may  be  acquired  ;  and  3.  That  it  is  a  mat- 
ter of  deep  lamentation  when  they  are 
neglected,  and  are  hid  for  ever  from  men's 
eyes. 

To  conclude.  As  these  are  things  ne- 
cessary to  be  known,  let  none  then  plead 
for  ignorance,  or  foolishly  pretend  that  they 
know  enough  already.  This  is  the  lan- 
guage of  many,  but  it  is  a  sure  proof  that 
as  yet  they  know  nothing  as  they  ought. 
If  there  are  things  that  belong  to  our 
peace,  and  they  must  be  known,  do  we 
apply  our  hearts  to  wisdom  ?  Do  we  know 
them  1 — especially  our  state  by  nature,  and 
the  means  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ? 
Is  there  a  limited  time  in  which  they  must 
be  known!  O  then  seize  the  golden  op- 
portunity. Why  should  not  men  be  as  wise 
for  eternity,  as  for  time! — for  their  souls 
as  well  as  for  their  bodies !  In  tlie  man- 
agement of  human  affairs,  we  seek  to  im- 
prove the  proper  season.  The  liusband- 
man  does  this,  the  mechanic,  the  trades- 
man, the  merchant,  have  all  their  proper 
seasons,  and  they  attend  to  business,  if  they 
are  wise  men,  at  those  proper  seasons.  O 
let  us  do  so,  in  those  things  that  belong  to 
our  peace ;  let  us  not  neglect  the  Bible,  or 
the  means  of  grace,  or  prayer.  We  have 
now  another  Sabbath  evening  to  spend ; 
lot  us  spend  it  profitably ;  let  not  these 
golden  hours  be  lost  in  folly,  but,  while  it 
is  called  to-day,  let  us  hear  the  voice  of 
the  Son  of  God,  and  live. 


SERMON  LXXXVII. 


405 


Finally.  Let  those  rejoice  and  be  thank- 
ful, who  have  attended  to  these  things,  so 
that  the  great  atfair  is  settled ;  the  great 
business  of  life  is  accomplished !  O  give 
praise  to  CJod  for  his  goodness.  Uj^n  such 
an  occasion,  Christ  rejoiced,  and  said, 
"  Father,  1  thank  thee.  Lord  of  heaven 
and  earth,  that  though  tJiese  things  are 
hidden  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  tiiey 
are  revealed  unto  babes,  even  so,  Father, 
for  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight;"  let  us 
praise  God  for  his  special,  distinguishmg 
grace,  and  give  him  glory,  now,  and  for 
evermore.    Amen. 


PRAYER. — How  merciful,  O  Lord,  are  the 
most  awful  warnings  of  thy  judgments!  The 
tears  of  Jesus  over  impenitent  Jerusalem,  demon- 
strate thy  pity  toward  self-destroying  sinners. 
When  the  Heathen  JNinevites  relented  at  thy 
tlireatenings,  thou  sparedst  them.  Had  the  Jews 
repented  when  Jesus  wept,  what  joy  had  there 
been  in  Heaven !  From  the  woes  to  which  their 
hardness  of  heart  exposed  them,  may  we  learn 
wisdom  unto  salvation !  O  that  the  things  which 
make  for  our  peace,  that  have  been  addressed  to 
our  understandings,  may  not  now  be  shut  out 
I'rom  our  hearts,  by  unbelief,  world ly-minded- 
ness,  or  sell-conceit.  Thou  art  still  calling  Jews 
to  repentance  ; — thou  art  bringing  idolatrous  bar- 
barians to  know  and  love  ihee.  From  the  east 
and  the  west,  from  the  north  and  the  south,  mul- 
titudes press  into  thy  kingdom.  Let  us  not  still 
refuse  or  delay  to  enter  while  there  is  room,  lest 
it  be  worse  for  us  than  for  Heathens  or  for  Jews. 
Now  to  him  who  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost 
all  that  come  to  God  by  him,  seeing  he  ever  liv- 
eth  to  make  intercession  for  them,  be  everlasting 
praise!  Amen. 


SERMON  LXXXVIL 

THE  ATTRACTION  OF  THE  CROSS. 

John  xii.  32.    And  I,  if  T  bo  litled  up  from  tho  eaitli, 
will  draw  all  men  unto  nie. 

The  sufferings  of  our  blessed  Lord  had 
this  peculiarity  in  them, — they  were  all 
e.xactly  foreseen.  In  great  mercy  God 
jiides  from  us  the  particular  trials  we  sliall 
hereafter  endure.  He  knows  our  infirmi- 
ties, and  tiiat  the  foresight  of  future  ca- 
lamities would  not  only  deprive  us  of  pres- 
ent enjoyment,  but  prevent  our  activity 
and  usefulness  in  the  world.  But  the  Lord 
.(csus  Christ  (tiie  speaker  in  oin-  text)  had 
an  e.xact  foreknowledge  of  all  the  suffer- 
ings he  was  to  endure;  and  lie  often  droj)- 
ped  a  hint  concerning  them  to  his  disci- 
pics,  though  tiiey  knew  not  well  what  he 
meant.  To  Nicodemus  he  liad  long  before 
said,  "  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in 
the  wilderness,  so  shall  the  Son  of  Man  be 
lifted  up ;"  and  when  he  was  journeying 


to  Jerusalem,  for  the  last  time,  he  said  to 
his  disciples,  "  Behold,  we  go  up  to  Jeru- 
salem, and  the  Son  of  Man  shalO^e  deliv- 
ered unto  the  chief  priests  aiia  to  the 
scribes,  and  they  shall  condemn  him  to 
death,  and  shall  deliver  him  to  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  they  shall  mock  him,  and  scourge 
him,  and  spit  upon  him,  and  shall  kill  him, 
and  the  third  day  he  shall  rise  again."  Yet, 
with  all  these  sufferings  full  in  view,  he 
was  vigorous  and  active  in  all  the  work 
which  the  Father  Ijpid  given  him  to  do,  and 
never  shrunk  fromiiis  arduous  undertaking, 
though  he  knew  that  suffering  and  death 
were  at  hand.  Homer  e.xalts  the  charac- 
ter of  his  hero  Achilles,  because,  when 
going  forth  to  the  Trojan  war,  he  knew 
he  should  fall  in  the  conflict.  Far  greater 
was  the  fortitude  of  our  Divine  Savior, 
who  had  in  certain  prospect,  sufferings  in- 
finitely greater ;  so  that  it  was  truly  said 
by  our  British  poet,  that 

"  This  was  compassion  like  a  God, 
That  when  the  Savior  knew 

The  price  of  pardon  was  his  blood, 
His  pity  ne'er  withdrew." 

These  words  of  our  text  are  spoken  on 
a  memorable  occasion.  Some  pious  stran- 
gers coming  to  Jerusalem,  expressed  to 
his  disciples  a  wish  to  be  introduced  to 
him ;  "  they  desired  to  see  Jesus."  Our 
Lord  rejoiced,  because  it  was  a  prelude  to 
the  introduction  of  us  poor  Gentiles  into 
his  church ;  but  before  this  could  take 
place,  he  must  die ;  for  as  a  grain  of 
wheat  must  first  perish  in  the  earth,  before 
it  is  productive  of  fruit,  so  must  Jesus 
become  a  sacrifice  for  sin  by  his  death, 
that  those  who  believe  in  him  may  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  And 
then  observe  in  our  text  the  hajipy  effect. 
He,  the  blessed  Redeem6r,  having  been 
lifted  up  upon  the  cross,  exalted  to  glory, 
and  exhibited  in  the  Gospel,  lie  sliall  prove 
the  grand  attractive,  the  heavenly  load- 
stone; he  shall,  by  the  preaching  of  his 
Gospel,  and  by  the  influence  of  his  Spirit, 
draw  to  himself,  in  faitli,  and  love,  and 
obedience,  "  all  men,"  tliat  is,  all  true 
Christians,  in  every  country,  and  in  every 
age.  Yes,  millions  of  millions  of  immor- 
tal souls,  saved  from  sin  and  hell,  and  the 
grave,  shall  forsake  all  and  cleave  to  liim, 
so  tliat  nothing  shall  bo  able  to  separate 
them  from  the  love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus. 

From  these  pleasing  and  instructive 
words,  we  shall  take  occasion  to  consider, 

First.  "  The  elevation  of  the  blessed 
Jesus  upon  the  cross ;" — "  the  Son  of  man 
shall  be  lifted  up." 

Secondly.  The  attractive  effect  of  that 
elevation ;  "  I  will  draw  all  men  unto  me." 


40G 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


We  are  first  to  consider  the  elevation 
of  the  blessed  Jesus  upon  the  cross ;  for 
this  is,  doubtless,  intended,  as  appears  flom 
tlie  words  immediately  following'  the  text 
— "this  he  spake,  signifying  what  death 
he  should  die." 

And  here  let  us  reflect  botli  upon  the 
mailer  of  fad  itself;  and  upon  the  great 
design  of  it.  The  matter  of  fact  itself  is 
deeply  interesting  and  aflfecting.  Behold 
the  Hufferer !  He  is  no  ordinary  person. 
He  is  a  great ;  He  is  an  innocent ;  He  is  a 
benevolent;  yea.  He  is  a  divine  person. 
The  sufferings  of  the  great  and  noble,  of 
princes  and  kings,  usually  excite  peculiar 
interest.  When  did  ever  such  a  glorious 
person  suffer  !  "  They  killed  the  prince  of 
life;"  "  they  crucified  the  Lord  of  glory  :" 
and,  if  a  person,  innocent,  as  well  as  ex- 
alted, expire  like  a  criminal,  what  sympa- 
thy is  excited !  Never  was  there  so  inno- 
cent a  sufferer  as  the  Lord  Jesus ;  it  never 
could  be  said  of  any  other,  "he  did  no 
sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in  his  mouth ;" 
for  lie  was  the  holy  "  Lamb  of  God,  with- 
out blemish  and  without  spot."  If  a  per- 
son of  unusual  benevolence  suffer,  every 
heart  throbs  with  sorrow,  if  not  with  in- 
dignation ;  but  never  was  there  a  suflTerer 
so  benevolent  as  Jesus  ;  his  heart  was  all 
goodness  and  tenderness,.and  he  had  spent 
all  his  time  and  his  strength  in  going 
about  to  do  good.  O,  if  all  the  objects  of 
his  tender  compassion  had  been  collected 
.around  his  cross,  what  an  affecting  group 
•would  they  have  formed !  If  all  the  per- 
sons whose  eyes  he  had  opened,  whose 
ears  he  had  unstopped,  whose  limbs  he 
had  restored,  whose  diseases  he  had  heal- 
ed, whose  sorrows  he  had  assuaged, — had 
they  all  been  gathered  around  the  tree, 
what  a  numerous  body  would  they  have 
been !  and  would  they  not  have  been 
ready  to  exclaim,  He  must  not  die ;  or,  if 
lie  must  die,  let  us  die  with  him  :  but  the 
bulk  of  the  spectators  was  very  differently 
affected.  Filled  witli  rage,  they  added 
insult  to  cruelty,  and  they  took  a  savage 
idelight  in  his  shame  and  torment.  His 
glory  was  indeed  veiled,  and  to  the  eyes 
of  sense  he  appeared  a  forlorn  aud  desert- 
ed malefactor ;  yet  amidst  all  his  suffer- 
ings, there  were  some  enlightened  persons 
who  "beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of 
the  only-begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of 
grace  and  truth."  Yea,  the  more  thought- 
ful among  the  multitude  were  deeply  af- 
fected with  the  awful  prodigies  which 
attended  his  crucifixion;  and  were  con- 
strained to  say,  "  Surely  this  was  the  Son 
of  God !" 

Contemplate  his  sufl^erings,  and  say  if 


ever  there  were  "any  sorrow  like  unto 
his  sorrow."  He  was  indeed  "  a  man  of 
sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief;"  but 
the  keenest  sufferings  were  reserved  to 
the  last.  When  "  his  hour"  was  approach- 
ing, hear  what  he  says,  "  Now  is  my  soul 
troubled,  and  what  shall  I  say  ?  Shall  I  say. 
Father,  save  me  from  this  hourl"  No;  he 
would  not  say  that,  because  it  was  for  that 
very  purpose  that  he  was  come  into  the 
world. 

Consider  the  agonies  of  his  soul  in  the 
garden  of  Gethsemane.  Think  of  them, 
you  who  have  pleasant  gardens ;  while 
you  tread  on  the  smooth  walks,  behold  the 
beautiful  flowers,  and  inhale  their  various 
sweets — think  of  the  Lord  of  life  and 
glory,  in  tliat  garden  where,  to  expiate 
the  sins  which  first  commenced  in  Eden, 
"  he  was  sorrowful  and  very  heavy ;"  he 
was  "  sorrowful  even  unto  death."  The 
agony  of  his  soul  forced  great  drops  of 
blood  from  every  pore  of  his  body.  Be- 
hold him  prostrate  on  the  cold  ground,  em- 
bracing, as  it  were,  the  dust  for  us,  who 
are  sinful  dust  and  ashes,  that  he  might 
raise  us  to  mansions,  above  the  stars. 
Hear  his  doleful  cries.  He  had  been  ac- 
customed to  suffer,  but  not  to  complain : 
but  now,  he  could  no  more  be  silent. 
"  My  soul,  said  he,  is  exceeding  sorrowful 
even  unto  death.  Abba,  Father ;  all  things 
are  possible  with  thee.  O  my  Father,  if 
this  cup  may  not  pass  from  me,  except  I 
drink  it,  thy  will  be  done :  and  again, 
being  in  an  agony,  he  prayed  the  more 
earnestly,"  "  pouring  out  strong  cries  and 
tears  to  him  who  was  able  to  save  him 
from  death." 

At  length  the  traitor  arrives,  at  the  head 
of  an  armed  banditti :  the  hypocritical 
Judas  betrays  him.  Jesus  speaks,  and  his 
adversaries  fall,  like  dead  men,  to  the 
ground ;  they  rise  and  renew  the  assault ; 
he  submits  and  is  bound  ;  he  is  carried 
away  like  a  criminal.  O  what  sorrows 
succeeded  throughout  that  tedious  night ! 
while  he  was  hurried  from  place  to  place 
— to  the  house  of  Caiaphas,  of  pilate,  of 
Herod,  and  Pilate  again.  He  was  falsely 
accused,  and  cruelly  condemned.  O  what 
base  falsehoods,  what  gross  injustice  ! 
Smitten  upon  the  cheek — spit  upon — 
crowned  with  sharp  thorns — and  severely 
scourged  in  the  Roman  manner.  See  him, 
bearing,  weary  and  spent,  the  heavy  cross 
upon  his  bleeding  shoulders  !  He  is 
stretched,  at  length,  upon  the  accursed 
tree ;  his  hands  and  feet  nailed  to  it  with 
large  spikes ;  from  thence  suspended, 
bleeding  and  agonizing,  for  several  hours; 
exposed  to  the  insults  and  mockery  of  an 


SERMON  LXXXVII. 


407 


enraged  multitude !  In  the  mean  time, 
there  were  sufferings  far  more  severe  than 
any  that  could  be  inflicted  upon  his  body 
by  the  hands  of  wicked  men — agonies 
that  excruciated  his  whole  soul !  Who 
can  explain  the  meaning  of  those  mysteri- 
ous words — "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast 
thou  forsaken  me  !"  Yet,  amidst  all  this 
scene  of  woe,  Heaven  appears  to  commise- 
rate. The  sun,  as  if  ashamed  of  the  atro- 
cious deed,  withdrew  its  light,  and  the 
rocks,  less  insensible  tiian  the  hearts  of 
men,  were  cleft  asunder;  the  solid  earth 
itself  was  convulsed ;  and  the  graves,  as 
if  conscious  tliey  could  not  long  retain 
their  prey,  were  seen  to  open,  ready  to 
resign  it.  Such  are  the  outlines  of  the 
history  itself  when  the  glorious  sufferer 
was  lifted  up  on  tlie  cross. 

But  what  could  be  the  design  of  all  this] 
Is  there  not  something  greatly  mysterious 
in  it,  that  such  a  person  should  suffer,  and 
suffer  in  such  a  manner]  The  Gospel 
affords  a  key  to  the  whole.  It  tells  us  that 
"  God  so  loved  the  ^j'orld,  that  he  gave  his 
only-begotten  Son ;"  it  tells  us  that  one 
man  must  die  for  the  people,  "  the  just  for 
the  unjust ;"  that,  if  man  be  pardoned,  a 
satisfaction  must  be  made ;  and  who  could 
make  it  but  the  Son  of  God  himself]  For 
this  purpose  he  voluntarily  engaged.  "  Lo, 
I  come,  in  the  volume  of  the  book  it  is 
written  of  me."  "  The  Son  of  man  is 
come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was 
lost."  The  sacrifice  is  made.  "  It  is 
finished,"  said  the  expiring  Savior :  and  it 
is  accepted,  for,  lo,  he  rises  from  the  dead 
and  ascends  into  heaven.  God  is  well, 
pleased  ;  so  pleased,  that  he  commands 
this  Gospel  of  his  dear  Son  to  be  made 
knoXvn  to  the  whole  world;  he  commis- 
sions his  servants  to  go  and  proclaim  it  to 
every  creature  under  heaven ;  he  fur- 
nishes them  witli  miraculous  powers,  to 
enable  lliem  to  do  it.  They  proclaim 
"  peace  by  Jesiis  Christ,"  wherever  they 
go,  and  invite  the  greatest  sinners  to  come 
to  God  through  him ;  assuring  them  that 
"  whosoever  cometh  to  the  Father  by  him, 
shall  not  be  cast  out,"  but  be  accepted,  par- 
doned, and  saved.  Thus  it  was  that  "  he 
was  lifted  up,"  and  by  this  elevation  he 
draws  men  unto  him — which  is 

The  second  ihinc;  we  were  to  contem- 
plate. "  If  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  I 
will  draw  all  men  unto  me."  To  the  car- 
nal eye  there  Was  nothing  at  all  attractive 
in  the  original  spectacle.  Men  saw  no- 
thing at  Calvary  but  ignominy,  and  suffer- 
ing and  disgrace ;  and,  notwithstanding 
the  miracles  witli  which  the  first  Gospel 
ministers  proclaimed  the  word,  how  was  it 


received]  To  the  Jews  it  was  a  stum- 
bling-block ;  to  the  Greeks  it  was  foolish- 
ness. Men,  in  general,  saw  no  beauty  nor 
glory  in  a  crucified  Savior ;  they  were 
rather  disgusted,  and  rejected  the  counsel 
of  God  against  themselves.  Nevertheless, 
the  cross  of  Christ  is  that  grand  engine 
which  God  himself  hath  planted,  and  by 
which  he  will  effectually  draw  millions  of 
souls  to  himself,  even  all  whom  he  hath 
ordained  to  everlasting  life ;  and  "  I,  if  I 
be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all 
men  unto  me."  Not,  indeed,  all  individ- 
uals ;  for  all  are  not  drawn :  but  all  sorts 
of  men  ;  and  in  all  ages ;  and  in  all  coun- 
tries, whithersoever  his  Gospel  is  carried. 
"  I  will  draw  all  men  unto  me." 

This  expression  reminds  us  of  our  dis- 
tance and  alienation  from  the  great  and 
blessed  God.  We  are  far  from  God ;  but 
we  are  not  at  all  inclined  to  return  to  him; 
there  is  an  aversion  of  heart;  "the  carnal 
mind,"  sad  to  say,  "  is  enmity  against 
God  ;"  and  the  language  of  it  is,  even  to 
the  blessed  God  himself,  "  Depart  from  us, 
for  we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy 
ways."  And  from  this  dangerous  distance, 
we  never  can  be  restored,  but  by  the  spe- 
cial grace  of  God.  So  our  Lord  speaks  in 
the  sixth  chapter  of  this  Gospel,  in  the  44th 
verse,  "  No  man  can  come  unto  me,  except 
the  Father,  which  hath  sent  me,  draw  him ; 
and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day." 
And,  in  another  place,  he  says,  "  Ye  will 
not  come  unto  me,  that  ye  may  have  life." 
The  fact  is,  they  cannot,  because  \heywill 
not ;  the  fault  is  in  the  will ;  and  this  is 
extremely  criminal  ;  it  is  a  desperate 
criminality  of  heart  that  keeps  men  at  a 
distance  from  God,  and  keeps  them  from 
him,  when  there  is  such  an  attractive  spec 
tacle  as  this  exhibited  to  tjieir  view. 

Farther,  the  expression  "  drawing,"  de- 
notes the  sweet,  persuasive,  and  powerful 
manner,  in  which  souls  are  brought  to 
Christ.  It  is  expressed  in  similar  pJirase- 
ology  by  the  prophet  Hosea ;  "  I  drew  them 
with  tlie  cords  of  a  man,  and  with  the 
bands  of  love."  To  an  enlightened  mind, 
and  to  a  renewed  heart,  nothing  can  appear 
so  rational,  so  desirable,  so  beneficial,  so 
delightful,  as  a  compliance  with  the  com- 
mands of  the  Gospel.  In  the  common  oc- 
currences of  human  life,  men  are  attracted 
by  interest  or  by  pleasure ;  they  are  very 
ready  to  embrace  measures  tiiat  promise 
them  safety  and  profit;  and  should  it  not 
be  so  in  religion  too]  The  first  attractive 
in  religion  is  Safety.  In  imminent  dan- 
ger, men  oatch  eagerly  at  the  first  means 
of  deliverance.  If  a  house  be  on  fire,  how 
gladly  will  the  inhabitant  adopt  the  readi    ' 


408 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


est  means  of  escape  !  If  a  person  be  in 
danger  of  drowning,  he  will  eagerly  catch 
fast  hold  of  any  thing  that  is  at  hand,  and 
never  quit  his  grasp,  but  with  safety,  or 
with  death.  If  the  body  be  dangerously 
diseased,  how  welcome  is  skilful  advice, 
and  potent  medicines  !  for  "  all  that  a  man 
hath  he  will  give  for  his  life:"  and,  should 
men  give  less  for  their  souls'?  No,  not 
when  they  are  brought  in  earnest  to  cry 
"  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  !"  and  when 
that  cry  is  heard  in  heaven,  ready  is  the 
answer  that  is  given,  "  Believe  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved." 
Christ,  the  great  Deliverer,  is  at  hand,  able 
and  ready  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  who 
come  unto  God  by  him. 

This  was  strikingly  illustrated  by  our 
blessed  Lord  when  he  conferred  with  Nic- 
odemus,  and  said  (in  the  third  of  John  and 
14th  verse,)  "  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  ser- 
pent in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the 
Son  of  man  be  lifted  up,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life."  The  Israelites, 
stung  with  fiery  serpents,  were  in  immi- 
nent danger  of  death.  They  were  told, 
that  safety,  and  health,  and  life  might  be 
obtained,  by  one  look  at  the  appointed  ob- 
ject They  looked  and  lived.  In  like 
manner,  the  convinced  sinner  gladly  turns 
to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  is  invited  so 
to  do,  and  he  is  always  welcome  when  he 
applies ;  nor  shall  any  one  look  to  the  Sa- 
vior in  vain. 

Again,  not  only  safety,  but  Pleasure  is 
a  powerful  attractive.  The  love  of  plea- 
sore  is  universal.  Every  person  born  into 
the  world  possesses  it;  but,  alas!  it  is  the 
love  of  sinful  pleasures  that  proves  the 
ruin  of  all  mankind ;  but,  in  the  Gospel, 
there  are  offered  to  us  pleasures  that  are 
pure,  that  are  cheap,  that  are  lasting; 
"  Wisdom's  ways  are  pleasantness ;  all  her 
paths  are  peace ;"  even  "  the  peace  that 
passeth  all  understanding" — "  the  joy  that 
is  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory, — the 
hope  that  maketh  not  ashamed."  These 
are  freely  offered  to  us  in  the  Gospel ;  the 
delights  of  communion  with  God,  the  plea- 
sures of  reading  his  word,  attending  his 
house  and  ordinances,  and  enjoying  com- 
munion with  his  people.  These,  and 
many,  many  more  pleasures,  are  offered 
to  us  ;  and  these  are  strongly  attractive  to 
all  those  who  are  taught  of  God. 

There  is  also  something  that  is  sweetly 
attractive  in  the  condescension  and  benev- 
olence of  our  superiors.  When  persons 
far  above  us  in  rank,  show  a  disinterested 
Concern  for  our  welfare,  and  are  willing  to 
•  take  pains,  and  deny  themselves,  to  con- 


fer a  favor  upon  us,  it  powerfully  attracts 
the  soul,  and  e.xcites  grateful  feelings  in 
every  generous  mind.  And  thus  also  it  is 
in  religion.  Behold  an  instance  of  it  in 
the  woman,  of  whom  you  read  in  the  sev- 
enth chapter  of  St.  Luke,  who  followed 
our  Lord  to  the  house  of  the  Pharisee ; 
and  there  we  find,  she  plentifully  watered 
the  feet  of  our  blessed  Lord  with  the  tears 
of  penitence  and  gratitude  ;  she  also 
anointed  them  with  rich  and  odoriferous 
ointment,  attracting  the  notice  of  all  who 
were  in  the  house,  and  exciting  the  resent- 
ment of  the  proud,  self-righteous  Pharisee : 
but  our  blessed  Lord  vindicates  and  com-  i 
mends  her  conduct,  and  says,  "  I  say  unto 
thee,  her  sins,  which  are  many,  are  for- 
given, for  she  loved  much."  This  it  is, 
that  accounts  for  the  active  services  and 
energies  of  the  ministers  of  God,  in  all 
ages,  who  most  gladly  spend  and  are  spent 
in  the  service,  and  for  the  glory  of  their 
divine  Lord.  When  St.  Paul  speaks  of 
his  own  labors  and  sufferings,  with  those 
also  of  his  companions,  he  says,  "  We  are 
troubled  on  every  side ;  we  are  perplexed ; 
we  are  persecuted;  we  are  delivered  to 
death  for  Jesus'  sake."  Yet  all  this  was 
cahnly  endured  and  joyfully  suffered  !  And 
why  was  all  tliis?  How  could  it  be  ac- 
counted for?  He  tells  us,  "the  love  of 
Christ  constraineth  us ;  for  we  thus  judge, 
that  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead  ; 
and  it  was  for  this  end,  that  we  should  not 
hereafter  live  to  ourselves,  but  to  him  who 
died  for  us  and  rose  again." 

And  here,  likewise,  is  the  centre  of 
Christian  communion.  This  accounts  for 
that  harmony  and  concord,  which,  in  the 
greatest  and  best  respects,  is  found,  among 
all  the  followers  of  Christ,  however  varied 
their  denominations  may  be,  because  it  is 
one  and  the  same  great  object  that  has 
attracted  them  all,  and  brought  them  all  to- 
gether. "  When  Shiloh  comes,"  said  the 
people,  "  to  him  shall  the  gathering  of  the 
people  be.  He  is  the  root  of  Jesse,  and 
to  him  shall  the  Gentiles  be  assembled  ;" 
yea,  according  to  the  promise,  "  He  shall 
gather  together  in  one,  all  things  in  hea- 
ven and  in  earth." 

Here,  then,  is  a  brief  summary  of  the 
religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  Christ  lifted  up, 
upon  the  cross,  as  our  atoning  sacrifice  ; 
and  the  blessed  effects  of  this,  upon  the 
hearts  of  all  believers — "  If  I  be  lifted  up 
from  the  earth,  I  will  draw  all  men  unto 
me." 

Now  let  us  inquire,  What  do  we  know 
of  this  attraction  1  Let  me  entreat  every 
one  of  you  to  ask  the  question.  I  have 
heard  of  this  attraction  ;  what  do  I  know 


SERMON  LXXXVIII. 


409 


of  it .'  Am  I  one  of  those  so  drawn  ]  All 
men  are  drawn  by  something  apparently 
jj-ood — by  pleasure  or  by  interest,  or  by 
wisdom,  but  ciiieriy  by  the  world  ;  this  is 
the  n-roat  maji^net ;  there  are  few  compar- 
atively that  are  drawn  to  Christ,  but  mul- 
titudes nve  drawn  aVvay  from  liiiij  ;  and  for 
what !  for  what,  I  ask,  do  you  neglect  Je- 
sus ?  Think,  O  tlihik  in  tune,  how  much 
you  will  hereafter  need  him ;  anticipate 
tlie  solemn  hour,  when  you  must  die ;  nor 
tiiink  it  a  melancholy  business  to  antici- 
pate ft,  for  it  will  come,  it  will  surely 
come  ;  and  unless  you  have  been  drawn  to 
Jesus,  how  awful  will  that  hour  be  !  When 
flesh  and  heart  are  failing,  what  will  you 
do  witliout  Christ  ?  You  may  do  without 
him  now ;  in  the  midst  of  your  worldly 
engagements  and  pleasures,  you  may  con- 
trive to  fill  up  your  time,  thoughtless  of 
Christ  and  salvation ;  but  what  will  you  do 
when  you  come  to  die  !  What  will  you 
do  when  you  are  called  to  stand  at  the  bar 
of  God  !  If  he  be  not  your  friend,  better 
had  it  been  for  you  that  you  liad  never 
l)con  born.  Turn  away  your  eyes  then 
from  beholding  vanity.  Turn  them  to  the 
blessed  Jesus :  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of 
God,"  who  is  now  evidently  set  before 
you,  as  a  crucified  Savior.  At  this  mo- 
ment his  language  is,  "  Look  unto  me,"  and 
ye  shall  be  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth." 
I  would  now  say,  What -a  glorious  ob- 
ject is  a  crucified  Savior  !  Let  mistaken 
men,  let  sensualists,  let  rationalists,  pour 
contempt  upon  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  but  here  will  our  hearts  fix,  nor 
sliall  conspiring  worlds  be  able  to  drive  us 
thence.  Here  will  we  live  ;  here  will  we 
die.  It  is  here  we  find  every  religious 
advantage — every  thing  we  can  desire. 
Do  we  want  pardon  ?  He  who  hung  on 
the  cross  is  "  e.xalted  to  be  a  Prince  and  a 
Savior,  to  give  repentance  to  Israel  and 
remission  of  sins."  Do  we  Vv'ant  peace  ? 
Jjike  them  of  old,  we  "  look  unto  him,  and, 
are  lightened."  Do  we  wish  to  feel  godly 
sorrow  in  our  hearts  !  "  We  look  to  liim 
who  was  pierced,  and  we  mourn ;  we  ab- 
hor ourselves,  and  repent  in  dust  and 
ashes."  Do  we  desire  victorj'  over  sin! 
Only  he  who  died  Jbr  sin,  can  strengthen 
us  to  die  lo  it;  and  "he  will  subdue  our 
iniriuities."  One  look  at  Jesus  will  prove, 
as  one  said,  "  both  law  and  gospel  to  us." 
Do  we  want  iieavcn  itself,  or  hope  for  hap- 
[liness  !  There,  even  there,  will  Jesus  be 
the  grand  attractive  object ;  and  the  es- 
sence of  the  heavenly  glory  will  consist  in 
"  soe-ng  him  as  he  is ;"  in  seeing  "  the 
f/and)  that  once  was  slain,"  but  v.lio  is  now 
"the  Lamb  in  the  midst  of  tlie  throne  ;"  and 
,'}  B 


there  shall  we  be  with  him,  whore  he  is, 
and  behold  his  glory.  Well  then  may  we 
most  cordially  unite  with  the  Apostle  of 
tiie  Gentiles,  and  say,  "  God  forbid  that  we 
should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  To  whom,  with  the  Fatiier 
and  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  glory  everlasting. 
Amen. 


PRAYER. — O  Lord,  how  justly,  ere  now, 
rniglitest  thou  have  driven  each  of  us  to  that 
everlasting  punishment  which  ihou  preparedst 
for  Satan  and  his  angels!  Yet  still  thou  art 
drawing  us  by  the  liands  of  affection  to  serve 
thee.  Thy  tender  mercy,  whicli  is  over  all  thy 
works,  still  invites  all  mankind  to  seek  thee,  if 
haply  they  may  find  thee,  even  without  the 
guidance  of  thy  word.  With  us,  all  thy  dealings 
liave  been  suited  to  draw  us  to  thyself;  but,  above 
air,  thy  Gospel,  in  which  Jesus  is  set  forth  to  us 
as  su.'fering  ibr  our  sins,  rising  again  for  our 
justification,  and  ascending  to  thy  right  hand, 
that  he  might  bestow  on  men  the  best  gifts,  even 
repentance  and  remission  of  sins.  Herein  indeed 
is  love,  that  he  died  for  us  as  sinners,  as  enemies, 
not  as  friends  of  God.  How  dreadful  must  be  our 
s'.ale,  Uiat  nothing  less  could  redeem  us  than  the 
precious  bloodof  Christ !  May  his  love  constrain 
us,  who,  when  all  were  dead,  submitted  to  death 
for  all,  that  they  who  live  might  not  live  to  them- 
selves; but  to  him  who  died  for  them  and  rose 
again.  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to 
receive  blessing  and  glory !    Amen. 


SERMON  LXXXVIII. 

BAPl'ISM  NOT  REGENERATION. 

Jolni  i.  13.  Whicli  were  BORN  not  of  blood,  nor  of 
tiie  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but 
of  GOD. 

One  of  the  most  plain  and  important 
doctrines  revealed  in  the  word  of  God  is 
that  of  the  guilt}'  and  dangerous  state  of 
man  as  a  fallen  creature.  The  testimony 
of  the  Scripture  is,  that  "  by  one  man  sin 
entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin  ;" 
that  "the  whole  world  is  guilty  before 
God;"  that  "the  whole  world  lieth  in 
wickedness,"  those  only  excepted  wJio  are 
"  born  of  God." — This  is  tlie  true  state  of 
man  ;  of  every  man,  by  nature  :  but  God, 
of  his  infinite  mercy,  "  remembered  us  in 
our  low  estate;"  and  devised  means  for 
our  de\iverance.  He  determined  to  send 
both  his  Son  and  his  Spirit  into  the 
world.  "  He  so  loved  the  world,  that  he 
gave  his  only-begotten  Son,  to  be  a  propi- 
tiation for  our  sins;"  he  also  gave  his 
Holy  Spirit  for  the  purpose  of  changing 
our  natural  dispositions,  enablmg  us  to 
"die  unto  sin,  and  live  unto  righteous- 
ness," that  so  we  m.1y  servo  him  in  titis 
world,  and  "  be  made  meet  for  the  inheiit- 
95 


410 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


ance  of  the  saints  in  light."  Both  these 
gifts  are  equally  requisite: — the  former 
respects  justification  ;  the  latter  respects 
sanctification,  or  the  habit  and  disposition 
of  our  souls  towards  him. 

This  change,  in  Scripture,  is  represent- 
ed as  a  very  great  change ;  not  a  partial, 
but  a  universal  change ;  not  merely  exter- 
nal, but  an  internal  change.  It  is  such 
a  change  as  is  properly  called  "a  new 
birth" — a  resurrection  from  the  dead — a 
new  creation.  The  term  whereby  it  is 
usually  described  in  Scripture  is  Regenera- 
tion, or  the  New  Birth. 

One  of  the  most  memorable  passages 
in  which  this  doctrine  is  maintained,  is  in 
the  third  chapter  of  St.  John's  Gospel ; 
where  we  read  of  a  conversation  between 
our  blessed  Savior,  and  Nicodemus,  a 
ruler  of  the  Jews.  In  that  discourse,  the 
nature  of  the  change  is  explained ;  the 
necessity  of  it  insisted  upon ;  and  the  ob- 
jections to  it  are  answered ;  and  while 
the  world  endures,  this  passage  will  con- 
tinue to  be  an  impregnable  fortress,  in 
which  this  grand  truth  will  be  preserved. 
From  this  Scripture  it  appears  that  reli- 
gion is  a  supernatural  change  of  the 
heart  of  man  ;  or,  as  it  is  most  strikingly 
expressed  in  the  words  of  our  text,  a  being 
born  of  God. 

But  at  various  times  certain  divines 
have  maintained  that  regeneration  is 
merely  baptism  with  water ;  that  every 
person  duly  baptized  is  born  again;  and 
that  no  other  regeneration  is  to  be  expect- 
ed in  this  world. 

One  of  these  divines  expresses  himself 
■  in  the  following  manner :  "  Those  who 
are  baptized  are  immediately  translated 
from  the  curse  of  Adam,  to  the  grace  of 
Christ.  The  original  guilt  which  they 
brought  into  the  world  is  mystically  wash- 
ed away,  and  they  receive  the  forgiveness 
of  all  the  sins  they  may  themselves  have 
committed  :  they  become  reconciled  to 
God,  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
heirs  of  eternal  happiness.  They  acquire 
a  new  name,  a  new  hope,  a  new  faith,  a 
new  rule." 

The  same  author  further  says,  that  "  all 
those  expressions — regeneration — born  of 
water  and  of  the  Spirit — begotten  again 
to  a  lively  hope — born  again  not  of  cor- 
ruptible seed,  &LC. — all  relate  to  the  sim- 
ple act,  once  performed  on  every  indivi- 
dual." 

And  again,  "  the  word  Regeneration  is 
in  the  Scripture  solely  and  exclusively 
applied  to  the  one  immediate  effect  of 
Baptism  once  administered,  and  is  never 
used  synonymously  to  the  repentance  or 


reformation  of  Christians,  or  to  express 
any  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  the 
human  mind  subsequent  to  baptism." 

Another  divine  has  more  recently  pub- 
lished in  the  form  of  a  cheap  tract,  which 
has  been  widely  circulated  with  the  sanc- 
tion of  eminent  names,  sentiments  of  the 
same  description. 

This  author  says,  that  in  baptism  a 
supernatural  grace  is  conferred — a  new 
principle  put  into  us — a  new  prmciple  of 
life  and  action,  even  the  Spirit  of  grace — 
the  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  which  makes 
us  heirs  of  salvation,  and  entitles  us  to 
eternal  life ;  and  this,  he  adds,  "  extends 
to  every  one,  to  whom  baptism  is  rightly 
administered — that  to  deny  this,  is  to  deny 
its  sacramental  character — is  heresy — is, 
in  some  sense,  doing  despite  to  the  Spirit 
of  grace"— and  that,  "no  other  regenera- 
tion is  possible  in  this  world." 

These  sentiments,  I  conceive,  are  ex- 
tremely erroneous,  and  highly  dangerous 
to  the  souls  of  men ;  leading  them  to  rest 
in  "a  form  of  godliness,"  and  keeping 
them  from  seeking  those  influences  of  the 
Holy  Gliost  to  which,  in  Scripture,  every 
thing  that  is  truly  good  in  experience  and 
practice  is  ascribed.  It  appears,  therefore, 
to  me,  that  a  serious  consideration  of  the 
text,  will  tend  to  expose  the  fallacy  of  the 
opinions  just  stated;  and  show  that  the 
change  we  plead  for  is  something  more, 
somethiiig  far  greater,  than  baptism  by 
water. 

From  this  text,  I  make  tliis  simple  ob- 
servation, that 

All  real  Christians  are  born  of  God. 

This  agrees  with  what  our  Lord  says  in 
his  discourse  with  Nicodemus,  in  the  third 
chapter  of  John's  Gospel,  the  third  and 
following  verses,  "Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  horn  again, 
he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  In 
the  margin  it  is,  ^'■born  from  above.'"' 
And  in  the  fifth  verse  our  Lord  says,  in 
answer  to  the  objection  of  Nicodemus, 
"  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee.  Except  a 
man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit, 
he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 
What  is  meant  by  being  "  born  of  water 
and  of  the  Spirit,"  I  shall  explain  by  and 
by :  but  our  Lord  chiefly  insists  upon  being 
"  born  of  the  Spirit."  In  the  8th  verse,  he 
says  "  the  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth, 
and  thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but 
canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  and 
whither  it  goeth ;  so  is  every  one  that  is 
born  of  the  Spirit."  We  cannot  doubt, 
I  tliink,  that  being  "  born  of  the  Spirit" 
means  the  same  as  being  "  born  of  God" 
the    text.     It   is   a  birth,   spiritual. 


m 


SERMON  LXXXVIII. 


411 


heavenly,  and  divine  in  its  nature  ;  and  is 
carefully  distinguished,  in  the  words  of 
the  text,  from  every  other  kind  of  birth. 

The  apostle  in  the  text  affirms  that  all 
believers  are  born,  "  not  of  blood  ;" 
"  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh  ;"  "  nor  of 
the  will  of  man"  but,  of  God.  " Not  of 
blood  ;"  by  which  I  apprehend,  is  meant  not 
by  a  natural  descent  from  Abraham,  in 
which  the  Jews  trusted  and  boasted  ;  and 
in  which  St.  Paul  once  trusted — when  he 
was  in  a  natural  state,  while  neither  they 
nor  he  resembled  their  ancestor,  nor 
"  walked  in  the  steps  of  his  faith."  Nor 
is  this  birth  to  be  ascribed  to  "  the  blood 
of  circumcision,"  on  which  also  the  Jews 
placed  much  dependence  ;  just  as  nominal 
Christians  now  do  upon  baptism,  not  re- 
garding the  circumcision  of  the  heart ; 
and  of  this  the  apostle  speaks  decidedly 
in  the  second  chapter  of  his  epistle  to  the 
Romans,  "  for  he  is  not  a  Jew,  which  is 
one  outwardly  ;  neither  is  that  circumci- 
sion, which  is  outward,  in  the  flesh  :  but 
he  is  a  Jew,  which  is  one  inwardly,  and 
circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart ;  in  the 
spirit  and  not  in  the  letter,  wliose  praise  is 
not  of  men  but  of  God."  May  this  pas- 
sage be  seriously  considered  by  those  who 
believe  that  external  baptism  is  enough, 
and  that  the  internal  baptism  of  the  Spirit 
is  unnecessary. 

Again,  it  is  said,  "  not  of  the  flesh" — 
this  inward  and  spiritual  change  is  not 
derived  from  our  natural  parents ;  is  not 
to  be  ascribed  to  their  piety,  their  prayers, 
their  good  advice,  or  good  wishes  for  their 
offspring,  for  all  these,  alas!  too  frequently 
fail.  Nor  is  it  to  be  ascribed  to  the  virtue 
of  any  ceremonial  observances,  which  are 
sometimes  called  flesh,  even  the  appoint- 
ments of  God,  of  an  external  kind,  when 
depended  upon  to  the  neglect  of  their 
spiritual  design.  St.  Paul  alludes  to 
these,  when  he  speaks  of  "  confidence  in 
the  flesh,"  which  he  once  had,  when  he 
was  in  a  natural  state.  (Phil.  3.) 

It  is  further  said  in  our  text,  "  not  of  the 
will  of  man ;" — not  from  any  innate  prin- 
ciple of  man  ;  not  from  any  goodness  of 
our  own  hearts,  nor  from  the  eloquence  of 
man  ;  the  most  powerful  arguments  of  the 
most  holy  and  zealous  ministers  of  the  Gos- 
pel may  be  unavailing;  they  may  be  "  in- 
structors," but  without  the  Spirit  of  God, 
they  cannot  be  "  fathers"  in  Christ.  Paul 
may  plant,  and  ApoUos  water,  but  the  in- 
crease is  of  God. 

Having  stated,  then,  that  it  is  not  of 
blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of 
the  will  of  man  ;  he  affirms  that  it  is  "  of 
God ;"  he  ascribes  tliis  new  nature  to  the 


will  and  power  of  God.  It  is  of  his  own 
free,  sovereign  will,  as  St.  James  expresses 
it.  (ch.  i.  18.)  "  Of  his  own  will,  begat 
he  us,  with  the  word  of  truth  ;  that  we 
should  be  a  kind  of  first  fruits  of  his  crea- 
tures." 

And  the  expression,  "  born  of  God," 
certainly  denotes  the  holy  eflect  of  this 
spiritual  change;  for  to  be  "  born  of  God" 
must  signify,  being  made  the  "  partaker 
of  a  divine  nature."  As  children  partake 
of  the  same  nature  with  their  parents,  so 
he  that  is  born  of.  God  must  be  a  partaker 
of  "  a  divine  nature/'  as  it  is  affirmed  by 
St.  Peter,  (2  Pet.  i.  4.) — "  Whereby  are 
given  unto  us  great  and  precious  promises, 
that  by  these  we  might  be  partaker  of  the 
divine  nature,  having  escaped  the  corrup- 
tion that  is  in  the  world  through  lust." 
Surely,  all  this  must  denote  something  far 
more  and  greater  than  baptism. 

We  shall  now  produce  from  Scripture, 
certain  effects  of  this  divine  birth,  and 
then  let  it  be  fairly  examined  whether  they 
are  always  found  in  persons  who  have  been 
baptized. 

In  the  first  place.  All  those  who  are  born 
of  God  have  received  Christ. 

The  text  refers  to  such  persons  in  the 
twelfth  verse  of  this  chapter — "  to  as  many 
as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to 
become  the  sons  of  God — even  to  them 
that  believe  on  his  name."  Here  it  is  af- 
firmed that  all  who  are  born  of  God,  re- 
ceive Jesus  Christ:  and  it  is  as  much  the 
character  of  believers  now,  to  receive  Je- 
sus Christ,  as  it  was  then.  He  is  set  be- 
fore us  in  the  Gospel ;  he  is  exhibited,  pro- 
posed, and  tendered  to  us,  as  an  all-suffi- 
cient Savior,  who,  by  his  obedience  unto 
death,  has  brought  in  everlasting  righteous- 
ness. And  in  Romans,  v.  11,  we  are  said 
"  to  rejoice  in  God,  through  our  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ,  by  whom  we  have  received  the 
atonement."  Believing  in  Jesus  is  an  evi- 
dence of  being  born  of  God,  as  also  saith 
the  apostle  John,  "  Whosoever  believeth 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  is  born  of  God." 
Now  can  all  this  be  said  of  every  baptized 
person  1  Do  not  many  such  persons  reject, 
not  receive,  Christ?  Do  not  many  sub- 
stitute their  own  merits,  in  the  room  of 
the  righteousness  of  Christ ;  not  submit- 
ting to  his  righteousness  ?  Do  they  not 
refuse  to  submit  to  his  instructions  as  tlie 
great  Teacher,  preferring  the  dictates  of 
their  own  judgment  and  the  opinions  of  a 
mistaken  world  1  and  do  not  the  unholy 
lives  of  many  declare  that  they  reject  him 
as  a  king,  and  will  not  suffer  hun  to  reign 
over  them'? 

Secondly.     It  is  affirmed  in  1  John,  iii. 


412 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


9,  that  "  whosoever  is  born  of  God,  doth 
not  commit  sin,  for  his  seed  remaineth  in 
him,  and  lie  cannot  sin,  because  he  is  born 
of  God" — tliat  is,  because  lie  partakes  of  a 
divine  nature  by  means  of  his  new  birth. 
By  '■'■committing  sin,"  we  are  to  under- 
stand living-  habitually  in  sin  ;  for  '*  there 
is  not  a  just  man  upon  earth  that  doeth 
good  and  sinneth  not:"  but  believers  do 
not  make,  as  it  were,  a  trade  of  sin ;  or 
live  in  the  wilful  habitual  practice  of  it, 
being  "  born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed, 
but  of  incorruptible,  by.  the  word  of  God 
which  liveth  and  abideth  for  ever.''  1  Pet. 
i.  23. 

But  can  it  be  said  of  the  bulk  of  pro- 
fessing Christians — of  baptized  persons — 
that  tiiey  "  do  not  commit  sin  ?"  We  are 
constrained  to  believe  the  contrary. 

Thirdly.  It  is  testified  by  the  apostle 
John,  (1  Eph.  V.  4.)  that  all  "  who  are  born 
of  God,  overcome  the  world."  And  in  an- 
other place  it  is  written — "  This  is  the  vic- 
tory that  overcometh  the  world,  even  your 
faitJi."  Believers,  that  is,  persons  born  of 
God,  arc  enabled  to  conquer  the  pleasures 
and  allurements  of  this  world  ;  faith  real- 
izes the  great  invisibles  of  oterr.ity,  so 
tiiat  tiie  moat  splendid  things  of  time  ap- 
pear like  the  baubles  and  toys  of  children. 
So  Moses,  when  he  might  have  commanded 
the  honors  and  jtleasures  of  the  Egyptian 
court,  renounced  them  all,  and  chose  "  ra- 
ther to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of 
God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for 
a  season ;"  like  the  apostle  Paul,  who  said, 
"  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in 
the  cross  of  our  J,ord  Jesus  Christ;  by 
whom  the  world  is  crucified  unto  me,  and 
I  unto  the  world.'.'  Nor  can  the  frowns  of 
the  world  appal  the  true  believer.  It  is  a 
certain  truth  that  "  all  who  live  godly  in 
Christ  Jesus,  shall  sufier  persecution."  In 
most  ages  of  the  churcli,  the  people  of  God 
have  been  called  to  endure  fines,  imprison- 
ment, racks,  torture,  and  flames,  for  the 
sake  of  Jesus  Christ;  but  still  they  were 
made  more  than  conquerors  through  him 
that  loved  them. 

But  is  this  the  character  of  all  baptized 
Christians!  Do  we  not  si:'o  them  throng- 
ing the  broad  rosd  that  leads  to  destruction '! 
Has  their  baptism  changed  the  disposition 
of  their  hearts,  so  that  tliey  do  not  love 
the  world,  nor  the  things  of  the  world  ] 
Are  they  not  profane,  drunken,  and  lewd, 
lovers  of  pleasure  more  than  lovers  of  God? 
Once  more,  fourthly.  That  the  great 
change  of  which  wc  speak,  the  new  birth, 
is  somewhat  infinitely  superior  to  baptism, 
appears  from  its  being  always  represented 
in  Scripture  as  effertcdby  (he  speeinl  power 


of  God,  particularly  in  Eph.  i.  18 — 20. 
St.  Paul,  writing  to  the  Christians  at 
Ephesus,  compares  the  power  of  divine 
grace  which  had  changed  their  hearts,  to 
the  "  mighty  power  exerted  on  the  body 
of  Christ  when  he  was  raised  from  the 
dead.  It  is  therefore  called,  a  resurrection, 
as  well  as  a  regeneration.  "  You  hath  he 
quickened,"  says  the  Apostle  to  the  Ephe- 
sians,  "  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins,"  And,  in  another  place,  it  is  said, 
"  The  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son 
of  God,  and  they  that  hear  shall  live." 
Sometimes  it  is  termed,  "  A  creation," 
which  must  doubtless  be  the  work, of  God ; 
as  St.  Paul  speaks,  "  In  Christ  Jesus,  nei- 
ther circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  nor 
uncircumcision,  but  a  new  creature,"  or 
"  a  new  creation :"  and  the  same  senti- 
ment is  expressed  by  "  taking  away  the 
heart  of  stone,  and  giving  a  heart  of  flesh." 
But  is  it  possible  that  the  application  of 
water  to  the  body  should  produce  such  a 
change?  Do  we  not  see  multitudes  of 
baptized  persons,  who  have  not  had  the 
heart  of  stone  removed  ?  Is  it  not  evident, 
then,  that  to  be  "  born  of  God,"  or,  to  be 
"  a  new  creature,"  must  signify  something 
more  and  greater  than  to  be  baptized  witli 
water  1 

I  shall  now.  make  ah  observation  or  two, 
and  then  hasten  to  a  conclusion.  It  is 
pleaded  by  the  advocates  for  baptismal  re- 
generation, that  our  Lord  says,  John  iii.  5, 
"Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  thee.  Except 
a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit, 
he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 
It  should  be  noticed,  that  when  our  Lord 
uttered  these  words,  baptism,  as  a  Chris- 
tian ordinance,  had  not  been  instituted, 
though  the  baptism  of  John  was  generally 
practised ;  but  it  is  not  likely  that  our 
Lord  would  insist  in  this  solemn  manner 
on  the  absolute  necessity  of  baptism,  when 
as  yet  it  was  not  ordained  by  Christ  him- 
self. The  most  natural  interpretation  of 
being  "  born  of  lonter  and  of  tlie  Spirit  is, 
that  the  grace  of  God  purifies  the  soul,  as 
water  cleanses  the  body.  In  like  manner 
it  was  predicted  of  Christ,  ''  he  shall  bap- 
tize you  witii  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with 
fire ;"  that  is,  the  grace  of  God,  the  Spirit, 
shall  operate  on  your  souls  like  fire,  con- 
suming the  dross  of  corruption  in  your 
natures.  Besides,  there  is  no  more  reason 
to  suppose  that  baptism  is  always  accom- 
panied by  the  regenerating  influence  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  than  that  in  the  Lord's 
Supper  every  communicant  is  made  a  par- 
taker of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  to 
his  spiritual  nourishment  and  growth  in 
ffiace ;  doubtless  it  is  too  often  received 


SERMON  LXXXVIII. 


413 


in  an  unworthy,  and  therefore  fruitless 
manner. 

Besides,  if  persons  will  maintain,  as  the 
authors  I  have  alluded  to  do,  tliat  being 
born  of  water  and  of  tlie  Spirit  necessa- 
rily signifies  baptism — what  will  be  the 
consefiuence  ?  I  conceive,  nothuig  less  than 
tiie  eternal  damnation  of  every  one  that  is 
not  baptized  ;  for  Christ  solemnly  declares, 
that  Except  a  man  be  born  ac^ain,  he  can- 
not enter  into  the  kinadom  of  God  ;  and 
if  baptism  be  regeneration,  then  it  follows, 
tliat  if  a  person  be  not  l)ai)tized,  he  cannot 
be  saved.  But  who  will  venture  to  assert 
this?  If  children,  for  instance,  are  not  bap- 
tized, it  is  generally  occasioned  by  the 
neglect  of  their  parents;  and  will  any  per- 
son dare  to  assert  that  children  shall  be 
condemned  for  this  fault  of  their  parents  ! 

Besides,  there  is  a  great  numberof  pious 
.persons,  who  conscientiously  reject  infant 
baptism,  and  tliink  that  none  but  adults 
ought  to  be  baptized :  nevertheless,  their 
own  baptism  is  deferred,  perhaps  from  an 
"unfounded  fear  that  they  are  not  proper 
subjects  of  baptism ;  in  the  same  manner 
as  many  abstain  from  the  Lord's  table ;  but 
shall  they  therefore  be  condemned?  and 
would  it  not  be  uncharitable  in  the  extreme 
to  say  they  are  not  born  of  God,  but  are 
the  children  of  the  devil,  because  water 
has  not  been  applied  to  them  ?  There  is 
another  class  of  Christians,  who  reject 
baptism  altogetiier,  and  the  Lord's  Supper 
too  ;  I  do  not  plead  for  such  an  opinion,  or 
practice ;  but  must  tliey  therefore  be  doom- 
ed to  destruction  ?  They  must,  if  baptism 
be  regeneration ;  for,  on  that  principle,  the 
unbaptized  are  unregenerated,  and  the  un- 
regenerate  cannot  be  saved. 

Another  text  is  pressed  into  this  service. 
We  are  referred  to  Titus,  iii.  5,  where  we 
read  of  "  the  washing  of  regeneration, 
and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost:"  and 
some  maintain,  that  baptism  is  here  intend- 
ed, and  that  it  is  the  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost;  especially,  say  tliey,  as  the  word 
tvcshimr  may  be  rendered  favcr ;  but  it  is 
by  no  means  certain  that  here  is  any  allu- 
sion at  all  to  baptism  ;  and  if  there  be  any 
allusion  to  the  laver  used  by  the  Jewish 
priests,  it  is  merely  to  show,  that  as  water 
purifies  the  bo<ly,  so  tlie  Spirit  of  Christ 
jnirifies  the  soul.  The  latter  sentence, 
"  tlic  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  is  ex- 
planatory of  the  former,  and  tlie  plain 
meaning  is,  "according  to  iiis  mercy  he 
saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration 
— even  tlie  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

Antiquity  is  also  pleaded  for  tiie  pur- 
pose of  proving  that  baptism  is  regenera- 
tion.    It  is  freely  admitted,  that  .some  of 


the  early  writers,  called  the  Fathers,  in 
the  second  and  following  centuries,  did 
speak  in  this  manner.  But  tliis  may  be 
readily  accounted  for.  Such  w-as  the  state 
of  the  world  at  that  time,  and  such  the 
danger  of  making  a  public  profession  of 
Christianity,  that  it  was  charitably  con- 
cluded that  all  adult  persons,  coming  for- 
ward by  baptism  to  profess  themselves 
Christians,  were  sincere,  and  therefore  it 
was  presumed  that  the  baptized  were  re- 
generated, and  this  led  them  to  call  the 
si^n  by  the  name  of  the  thing  signified  ; 
baptism  being  an  outward  and  visible  sign 
of  that  inward  and  spiritual  grace. 

In  like  manner  many  of  the  ancient 
writers  call  baptism,  illuminalion ;  and 
baptized  persons,  the  illuminated  ;  not  that 
they  supposed  the  minds  of  men  to  be  illu- 
minated, by  the  rite  of  baptism  ;  but  they 
charitably  concluded  tliat  tlie  baptized 
were  illuminated.  But  all  this  does  not 
make  it  necessary  to  suppose  that  baptism 
and  regeneration  are  the  same  thing.  The 
fact  is,  they  called  the  sign  by  the  name 
of  the  thing  signified,  and  the  conse- 
quence has  been  injurious. 

We  also  freely  admit,  that  in  an  exter- 
nal and  ecclesiastical  sense,  baptized  per- 
sons may  be  said  to  be  regenerate.  Con- 
verts from  the  Heathen,  the  Jewish,  and 
the  Mahometan  world,  are,  by  baptism, 
Christianized,  or,  as  it  is  vulgarly  called, 
christened,  regularly  devoted  to  Christ — 
they  assume  a  Christian  profession  ;  they 
are  "  baptized  unto  Christ,"  as  Israel  was 
"  baptized  unto  Moses  in  the  cloud  and  by 
the  sea."  But  it  is  dangerous  in  the  ex- 
treme, to  maintain,  that  no  other  regene- 
ration is  necessary  than  that  which  is  ex- 
ternal in  baptism  ;  it  remains  to  baptized, 
as  well  as  to  unbaptized  persons,  an  un- 
changeable and  solemn  trutli,  "  Ye  must 
be  born  again." 

I  shall  close  this  discourse  with  a  pas- 
sage from  Dr.  Doddridge,  in  his  sermons 
upon  regeneration,  which  is  worthy  of  the 
most  serious  consideration  :  "And  though 
persons  are  taught  to  speak  of  their  state, 
in  consequence  of  baptism,  in  very  high, 
and,  I  fear,  dangerous  terms,  yet  when 
good  men  come  to  explain  tiiose  terms,  it 
evidently  appears  that  many,  of  whom 
they  are  used,,  are  so  in  a  state  of  salva- 
tion, as  to  be  daily  obnoxious  to  damna- 
tion— so  the  cliililren  qf  God,  as  also  to  be 
children  of  the  devil — and  so  inlieritors  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  as  to  be  children 
of  wrath  and  on  the  brink  of  hell." 

Let  us  beware,  then,  of  depending  upon 
our  baptism,  without  being  made  spiritu- 
ally "new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus."  To 

;i5* 


414 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


me,  and  to  many  persons,  this  appears  to 
be  a  dangerous  doctrine ;  and  though  it 
should  be  publicly  pleaded  for  by  men  of 
great  learning,  eminent  station,  and  circu- 
lated through  the  country  by  high  authori- 
•  ty,  yet  I  must  deem  it  my  duty,  as  one, 
though  one  of  the  most  unworthy,  of  the 
watchmen  in  Israel,  to  cry  aloud  and 
sound  the  alarm  when  the  souls  of  men 
are  endangered  by  a  destructive  error.  It 
matters  not  by  what  names,  ancient  or 
modern,  error  is  maintained  and  sanction- 
ed, we  must  and  do  refer  to  "  the  law  and 
to  the  testimony ;"  and  if  m.en  speak  not 
according  to  these,  it  is  because  "  there  is 
no  truth  in  them." 

Let  us,  my  brethren,  seriously  inquire, 
each  for  himself.  Am  I  born  of  God  1  and 
the  answer  does  not  seem  to  be  difficult. 
We  quoted  several  passages  of  Scripture, 
in  which  the  Apostle  tells  us  what  are  the 
characters  of  persons  who  are  born  of 
God  ;  they  are  persons  who  have  "  receiv- 
ed Christ,"  who  "  do  not  coimnit  sin,"  and 
who  have  "  overcome  the  world."  By  these 
marks  we  may  know  whether  we  are  born 
of  God  or  not. 

And  let  us,  if  born  of  God,  render  it 
manifest  in  the  whole  of  our  character  and 
conduct.  Let  us  consider  what  dispositions 
of  mind,  and  what  kind  of  behavior  may 
be  expected  from  persons  of  such  high 
birth.  Let  us  "be  blameless  and  harm- 
less, the  sons  of  God,  without  rebuke,  in 
-the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse  na- 
tion, among  whom  we  are  to  shine  as 
lights  in  the  world."  Let  us  be  "  follow- 
ers, or  imitators,  of  God  as  dear  children." 

Finally,  Let  us  recollect  what  future 
and  eternal  blessings  appertain  to  us  as 
children  of  God.  If  we  are  born  of  God, 
we  are  the  children  of  God  ;  and  "  if  chil- 
dren, then  heirs ;  heirs  of  God,  and  joint- 
heirs  with  Jesus  Christ ;"  to  whom,  with 
the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  ever- 
lasting praises.     Amen. 


PRAYER. — Accept  our  thanks,  O  Lord,  that 
•we  have  been  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
ther, and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost !  We 
praise  thee  for  this  solemn  pledge  oi  our  instruc- 
tions in  all  these  things  that  thou  hast  command- 
ed, and  for  every  advantage  we  have  enjoyed  in 
connexion  with  so  great  a  privilege.  We  thank 
thee  for  every  outward  sign  and'  memorial  of  thy 
grace  to  polluted  and  guilty  creatures !  Pardon 
our  unprofitableness  and  unfaithfulness  in  the 
use  of  them!  Preserve  us  from  abusing  Ihem  to 
the  neglect,  and  even  to  the  denial,  of  those  spir- 
itual benefit.^,  to  tlip  pursuit  of  which  they  in- 
crease our  (ihligiirion.  Having  been  cleansed 
with  vvaler,  in  thy  sacred  name,  may  we  the 
more  earnestly  seek  fiir  ihal  purity  of  mind,  with- 
out which   none  can  see  God !    Create  in  us  a 


clean  heart,  O  God  ! — renew  a  right  spirit  within 
us ;  and  to  thee,  the  only  true  God,  Father,  Son, 
and  Spirit,  be  the  glory  lor  ever.    Amen. 


SERMON  LXXXIX. 

INVOCATION  OF  CHRIST. 

Romans  x.  13.    For  whosoever  shall  call  upon  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  shall  be  saved. 

The  Jews  were  for  many  ages  the  pe- 
culiar people  of  God.  The  introduction 
of  the  Gentiles  into  the  church,  was  a 
mystery  which  had  been  hidden  from  the 
world ;  and  therefore  when  that  great 
event  took  place,  it  was  difficult  to  recon- 
cile the  Jewish  Christians  to  it.  The  apos- 
tles themselves,  who  were  Jews,  were  not 
forward  to  obey  their  Master's  command 
— "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  Gospel  in  every  nation,  and  to  every 
creature."  God  led  them  to  it,  as  it  were, 
by  miracles  ;  and  the  apostles  found  it  ne- 
cessary to  quote  passages  from  those  proph-  • 
ets  who  had  predicted  this  event ;  and  to 
show  the  Jews  how  they  were  then  fulfill- 
ing. Of  this  nature  and  design  are  the 
words  of  our  text,  which  are  quoted  from 
the  prophecy  of  Joel,  (ch.  ii.  32.)  which 
Scripture  was  a  prediction  of  the  pouring 
out  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost, and  is  so  applied  by  St.  Peter,  in 
tliQ  second  chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles.  The  words  of  our  text  are, 
"  Whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  shall  be  saved  :"  in  the  prophet 
Joel,  it  is,  "  Whosoever  shall  call  upon  the 
name  of  Jehovah  shall  be  saved."  Doubt- 
less, Jesus  Christ  is  the  person  intended 
in  the  text,  as  all  the  verses  connected 
with  it  clearly  show  :  and,  if  so,  this  pas- 
sage of  Scripture,  like  many  others,  proves 
that  Jehovah,  the  name  of  the  divine  es- 
sence, is  applicable  to  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  affords,  among  many  others, 
an  unanswerable  proof  of  his  divinity. 

For  the  illustration  and  profitable  use 
of  these  words,  I  shall. 

First,  Make  a  few  observations  upon 
them ;  and. 

Secondly,  Show  more  particularly  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  properly  an  object  of  reli- 
gious worship. 

In  the  first  place  we  shall  make  a  few 
observations  on  the  words  of  the  text — 
"  Whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  shall  be  saved." 

1.  Salvation  is  the  grand  concern  of  an 
awakened  sinner.  It  is  the  grand  concern 
of  him  who  "  calls  upon  the  name  of  the 


SERMON  LXXXIX. 


415 


Lord,"  as  the  words  "shall  be  saved," 
plainly  show.  This  was  the  object  the 
apostle  had  in  view,  as  you  find  in  the  first 
verse  of  this  chapter — "  Brethren,  my 
heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  Israel 
is,  that  they  might  be  saved  ;"  and  in  the 
ninth  verse,  "  If  thou  shalt  confess  with 
thy  mouth  tlie  Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt  be- 
lieve in  thine  heart  that  God  hath  raised 
him  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved." 
Salvation  is  deliverance — deliverance  from 
imminent  danger,  the  danger  of  God's 
eternal  wralli — the  "  wrath  to  come,"  and 
whicli  will  ever  remain,  "  the  wrath  to 
come."  The  person  who  calls  upon  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  is  one  who  has  been 
convinced  that  he  has  broken  the  holy  law 
of  God,  and  incurred  its  dreadful  penalty, 
which  is  eternal  death ;  he  is  afraid  of 
God's  judgments ;  and  well  he  may ;  for 
"  it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands 
of  the  living  God."  Hence  he  an.xiously 
looks  out  for  help  ;  his  inquiry  is,  "  What 
shall  I  do  to  be  saved  !"  Ask  yourselves, 
my  friends,  whether  you  have  been 
brought  into  this  state  !  and  whether  you 
have  thus  called  upon  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  from  a  sense  of  danger  ]  You  know 
in  what  manner  the  Scriptures  represent 
the  condition  of  the  sinner — sometimes  it 
is  that  of  a  guilty  and  condemned  crimi- 
nal, in  danger  of  punishment ;  sometimes 
it  is  that  of  a  sick  man  ready  to  die,  under 
the  power  of  disease  ;  sometimes  it  is  that 
of  a  sheep,  which  has  strayed  from  the 
fold,  and  is  in  danger  of  being  devoured 
by  wild  beasts.  Indeed,  every  expression 
of  danger  is  employed,  in  the  illustration 
of  the  case  of  a  sinner  |  and  we  should 
all  be  concerned  to  know  that  this  is  our 
condition,  that  so  we  maybe  induced  to 
call  upon  tiie  name  of  the  Lord. 

2.  Calling  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord 
is  an  expression  of  faith  in  the  heart. 

No  one  calls,  on  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
till  he  is  persuaded  that  the  Lord  can  help 
him,  in  his  particular  case ;  and  this  is  evi- 
dent from  the  fourteenth  verse  of  this 
chapter ;  "  How  then  shall  they  call  upon 
him,  in  whom  they  have  not  believed" — 
believed  in  what  1  That  which  is  called, 
in  the  eighth  verse,  "  the  word  of  faith, 
whicli  we  preach ;"  the  word  of  the  Gos- 
pel, which  a  man  "  believeth  with  his 
heart  unto  righteousness  ;"  for  "  faith 
Cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the 
word  of  God" — believing  the  testimony 
and  promise  of  God  in  the  Gosjjel  is  sup- 
posed in  this  case ;  and  the  apostle  partic- 
ularly refers  to  believing,  in  tlie  heart,  the 
resurrection  of  Christ.  In  the  ninth  vor.se, 
it  is  said,  "If  thou  shalt  confess  with  thy 


mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in 
thine  heart  that  God  hath  raised  him  from 
the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved  :"  because 
the  resurrection  of  Christ  is  the  great 
proof  of  his  ability  to  save,  and  that  he  is 
accepted  of  the  Father,  in  the  character 
of  a  Savior :  for,  as  the  apostle  elsewhere 
argues,  "if  Christ  be  not  risen,  then  is 
your  faith  vain  ;  ye  are  yet  in  your  sins." 
And  in  another  place,  "  if  Christ  be  not 
risen,  then  is  our  preaching  vain,  and  your 
faith  is  also  in  vain."  But  Jesus  was  both 
"  delivered  for  our  oflences,  and  raised 
again  for  our  justification ;"  so  that  we 
may  join  in  the  language  of  the  apostle 
Peter,  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who,  according  to 
his  abundant  mercy,  hath  begotten  us 
again  into  a  lively  hope,  by  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Jesus'  Christ  from  the  dead." 

3.  Again.  You  will  find  this  calling 
upon  the  Lord,  is  accompanied  with  con- 
fession :  "  With  the  heart  man  believeth 
unto  righteousness,  and  with  the  mouth 
confession  is  made  unto  salvation ;"  there 
is  a  confession  suitable  to  all  Christians,  in 
their  joining  some  Christian  society,  in 
order  to  partake  of  divine  ordinances  ;  for 
though  no  particular  form  of  doing  this  is 

■  specified  in  the  Scriptures,  yet  almost  all 
churches  require  some  open  ptofession  of 
faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Clirist ;  and  doubt- 
less our  Lord  himself  requires  it,  for  he  has 
said,  Matthew,  x.  "Whosoever  shall  con- 
fess me  before  men,  him  also  will  I  con-, 
fess  before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven  ; 
but  whosoever  shall  deny  me  before  men, 
him  will  I  also  deny  before  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven." 

4.  But  the  t':;xt  has  certainly  a  particu- 
lar reference  to  prayer — calling  on  the 
name  of  the  Lord  in  prayer,  and  this  ne- 
cessarily supposes  a  belief  that  he  is  able 
to  hear  and  to  answer  prayer ;  wliich  he 
could  not  be,  if  he  were  a  mere  man,  e.x- 
isting  only  in  one  place,  and  able  to  attend 
to  one  petition  only  at  a  time,  and  that 
where  he  is  corporally  present:  whereas 
Jesus  says,  for  the  comfort  of  his  followers, 
"  where  two  or  three  are  met  together  in 
my  name,  there  am  I,  in  the  midst  of 
them."  Calling  upon  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  includes  a  personal  application  to 
Jesus  for  salvation  ;  renouncing  all  de- 
pendence upon  our  own  righteousness.  It 
is  the  reverse  of  that  for  which  the  Apos- 
tle so  much  blames  his  countrymen  in  the 
third  verse  of  tiiis  chapter ;  "  for  they,  be- 
ing ignorant  of  God's  righteousness,  and 
going  about  to  establish  their  own  right- 
eousne&s,  have  not  .submitted  themselves 
unto  the  righteousness  of  God."     Calling 


416 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


on  the  Lord  implies  a  submission  to  the 
righteousness  of  the  Lord,  and  he  who 
thus  calls,  must  believe  that  "  tliere  is  no 
name  under  heaven,  given  among  men, 
whereby  we  can  be  saved,  but  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus." 

I  proceed  now,  in  the  second  place,  more 
particularly  to  show  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
properly  an  object  of  religious  worsliip. 

Indeed,  this  is  already  sufficiently  proved, 
for  reliance  upon  Christ,  and  calling  upon 
him  as  a  Savior,  are  the  highest  acts  of 
worship  we  can  perform ;  and  it  would  be 
the  height  of  folly  to  suppose  that,  if,  he 
were  not  God,  he  could  save  all  the  mil- 
lions of  sinners,  who  in  all  ages  and  coun- 
tries should  call  uposi  him.  But  that  Christ 
is  an  object  of  religious  worship  not  only 
to  men  but  to  superior  beings,  appears  from 
Heb.  i.  6,  where  Jehovah  skjs,  "  Let  all 
the  angels  of  God  worship  liim ;"  and  so 
we  find  in  the  visions  of  St.  John,  Rev.  v. 
11 — 13.  "  I  heard  the  voice  of  many  an- 
gels round  about  the  throne,  and  the 
beasts,  and  the  elders,  and  tlie  number  of 
them  was  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand, 
and  thousands  of  thousands,  proclaiming 
with  a  loud  voice,  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches, 
and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor,  an(R 
glory,  and  blessing." 

It  is  evident  from  several  parts  of  the 
New  Testament,  that  it  was  the  character, 
the  distinguishing  character,  of  the  first 
.Christians,  that  tliey  "  called  upon  Christ." 
In  the  11th  and  12th  verses  of  this  chap- 
ter, it  is  said,  "  whosoever  believeth  on 
him,  shall  not  be  ashamed  ;  for  there  is  no 
difference  between  the  Jew  and  the 
Greek ;  for  the  same  Lord  oyer  all,  is  rich 
unto  all  them  that  call  upon  him ;"  which 
supposes  that  all  persons  of  this  descrip- 
tion, all  who  are  real  •believers,  do  call 
upon  him  ;  for,  in  order  to  show  there  is 
no  difference  between  Jew  and  Greek,  he 
says  "  the  same  Lord  over  all,  is  rich  unto 
all  that  call  upon  him.  He  is  the  Lord 
both  of  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  he  is  rich 
unto  all  who  call  upon  liim.  This  supposes 
that  all  the  saints  do  call  upon  him ;  and 
he  is  rich,  inexhaustible  in  the  riches  of 
his  merit  and  mercy,  and  exceedingly 
bounteous  in  his  saving  blessings  to  all 
sorts  of  persons,  of  whatever  rank  or  na- 
tion— to  all  and  every  one  who  invokes 
and  worships  him  as  a  divine  Savior. 

If  we  look  into  tlie  history  of  the  prim- 
itive Church,  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
we  find  this  was  their  character,  they  call- 
ed upon  the  name  of  the  Lord.  For  in- 
stance, in  the  9th  cliaptor  of  tlie  Acts,  and 
the  13th  and  14th  verses,  Ananias  says, 


concerning  Saul  of  Tarsus,  who  was  just 
come  to  Damascus,  "  Lord,  I  have  heard 
by  many  of  this  man,  how  much  evil  he 
hatli  done  to  thy  Saints  at  Jerusalem ;  and 
here  he  hath  authority  from  the  chief 
priests,  to  bind  all  that  call  on  thy  namey 
It  is  evident  that  all  real  Christians, '  or 
Saints,  were  persons  who  "  called  upon  the 
name  of  the  Lord.  See  likewise  the 
twenty-first  verse,  "all  that  heard  him," 
that  is,  converted  Saul,  "  were  amazed, 
and  said,  "  Is  not  this  he  that  destroyed 
them  which  called  on  this  name  in  Jerusa- 
lem V  And  in  the  first  epistle  of  St.  Paul 
to  the  Corinthians,  first  chapter  and  second 
verse,  the  apostle  gives  this  description  of 
Christians  "  unto  the  Church  of  Christ 
which  is  at  Corinth,  to  them  that  are  sanc- 
tified in  Christ  Jesus,  called  to  be  saints ; 
with  all,  that  in  every  place  call  upon  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  both 
theirs  and  ours."  Notliing  can  be  more 
clear  than  that  this  was  the  character  of 
the  first  Christians,  that  they  called  upon 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  our  common 
Lord,  whom  we,  and  all  true  Christians 
join  in  acknowledging  and  adoring  as  their" 
Lord  and  ours. 

Once  more,  we  find  a  similar  expression 
in  the  twenty-second  of  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,  and  the  sixteenth  verse ;  there 
it  is  said  to  one,  '.'  Why  tarriest  thou  1 
arise  and  be  baptized,  and  wash  away  thy 
sins,  callins;  on  the  name  of  the  Lord." 
Here  "  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord," 
is  united  with  baptism,  which  is  certainly 
a  solemn  act  of  religious  worship ;  and  it 
is  performed  in  the  name  of  Christ,  equal- 
ly as  in  the  name  of  the  "  Father  and  of 
the  Holy  Spirit."'  The  commission  is, 
"Go  ye  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations, 
baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
Baptism  is  an  ordinance  of  consecration, 
or  dedication  to  the  service,  of  whom? 
The  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  as  one  God  ; 
and  I  know  not  whether  this  may  be  the 
meaning  of  what  we  read  of,  in  a  very 
early  part  of  the  sacred  Scriptures,  namely 
in  the  days  of  Enos,  the  son  of  Seth. 
"Then  men  began  to  call  on  the  name  of 
the  Lord,"  Gen.  iv.  Various  views  have 
been  given  of  that  Scripture,  but "  the  name 
of  the  Lord"  is  very  frequently  a  title 
given  to  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment ;  and  calling  upon  the  name  of  tlie 
Lord,  may  bear  the  same  meaning  there, 
that  it  afterwards  had  ;  distinguishing  be- 
tween true  believers  in  the  Son  of  God, 
and  those  who  rejected  him. 

Of  a  similar  nature  is  the  apostolic  form 
of  benediction  generally  used  in  Christian 


SERMON  LXXXIX. 


417 


churches,  when  tlie  public  service  is  con- 
cluded— "  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  tlic  love  of  God,  and  the  couuuu- 
nion  of  the  Holy  Ghost  be  with  you" — and 
it  is  remarkable  that,  in  some  of  these  ben- 
edictions, the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  stands 
lirst;  not  to  denote  superiority;  but  cer- 
tainly, in  the  position  of  the  sentence,  can- 
not denote  inferiority;  and  the  order  is 
changed  in  different  places,  perhaps  to 
show  that  these  Three  are  indeed  One. 
Tlic  grand  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  inclu- 
ding the  divinity  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
whatever  may  be  the  eJibrts  of  adversa- 
ries, will  never  be  bujiisl)cd  from  tiie 
C'hurch,  while  these  scriptural  forms  are 
retained  in  it. 

And  not  only  so,  but  we  have  instances 
of  pious  individuals  calling-  upon  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  most  peculiar  and 
trying  circumstances.  For  instance,  the 
first  Christian  Martyr,  Stephen.  (Acts, 
vii.  59.)  While  they  were  stoning  Ste- 
plien,  he  was  calling  upon  God,  or  in- 
voking, and  saying,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive 
my  spirit."  Who  but  God  can  receive, 
and  preserve  the  departing  spirit  of  a 
saint !  and  it  is  observable  that  these  are 
the  same  ^vords,-or  nearly  the  same  words, 
which  our  blessed  Lord  addressed  to  his 
Father  in  his  last  moments  upon  the  cross : 
so  that  this  petition  of  Stephen  ascribes 
the  same  power  and  grace  to  the  Son,  that 
the  Son  of  God  himself  ascribed  to  the 
Father. 

The  Apostle  Paul  likewise  speaks  of 
iiimself,  as  paying  this  honor  to  the  Son. 
2  Cor.  xii.  8,  9. — when  he  was  earnestly 
desirous  of  the  removal  of  that  thorn  in 
the  flesh,  which  he  thought  might  hinder 
his  usefulness — "  For  this  thing,  I  besought 
the  Lord  tin-ice,  that  it  might  depart  from 
me;  and  lie  said  unto  me,  My  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee,  for  my  strength  is  made 
perfect  in  weakness;  most  gladly  there- 
fore will  I  rather  glory  in  mine  infirmities, 
that  the  power  of  Christ  may  rest  upon 
me."  Jesus  Christ  is,  doubtless,  that  J^ord 
upon  wliom  he  called,  and  from  whom  he 
received  this  answer. 

I  will  mention  one  more  instance,  that 
of  the  Apostle  Thomas,  after  that  fit  of  un- 
belief, as  I  may  call  it,  when  he  declared 
he  would  never  believe  the  resurrection 
of  Christ  without  ocular  demonstration  of 
it :  but,  when  he  was  convinced,  "  Thomas 
said  unto  him.  My  l^ord  and  my  God." 
Some  would  evade  tiie  force  of  this  argu- 
ment, by  .«aying,  it  was  only  an  exclama- 
tion, occasioned  by  sudden  surprise  ;  but  I 
apprehend  tlie  apostles  were  not  accus- 
tomed to  this  proiknilv  of  language;  they 
3C 


were  not  used  to  express  themselves  vainly 
and  lightly,  in  taking  into  their  lips  the 
sacred  name  of  God.  It  was  t!:erefbre  not 
a  profane  exclamation,  but  a  solemn  invo- 
cation ;  and  it  was  as  much  as  to  say,  Thou 
art  my  Lord  and  my  God  ;  though  I  did 
doubt  of  it,  I  now  am  perfectly  convinced. 
1  shall  only  add,  that  the  Apostle  John 
recommends  this  worship  of  Christ,  in  his 
first  epistle,  chap.  v.  verses  13  and  14, 
"These  things  have  I  written  unto  you 
that  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Son  of 
God,  that  ye  may  know  that  ye  have  eter- 
nal life,  and  that  ye  may  believe  on  the 
name  ,of  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  this  is  the 
confidence  that  we  have  in  Him,  That,  if 
we  ask  any  thing  according  to  his  will,  he 
heareth  us  :  and  if  we  know  that  he  hear 
us,  whatsoever  we  ask,  we  know  we  have 
the  petitions  that  we  desired  of  him." 
Now  it  is  observable,  that,  in  the  same  epis- 
tle, chap.  iii.  ver.  22,  the  same  mode  of 
expression  is  used  with  reference  to  God 
the  Father,  "  Whatsoever  we  ask,  we  re- 
ceive of  him."  Surely  then,  this  af!brds  a 
proof  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  proper- 
ly the  object  of  divine  worship. 
■  That  these  were  the  views  of  the  primi- 
tive Christians,  will  be  made  to  appear, 
from  several  instances  recorded  in  eccle- 
siastical history,  a  few  of  which  shall  be 
mentioned.* 

Ignatius,  of  Antioch,  who  suffered  for 
the  faith,  about  the  year  117,  and  who  had 
conversed  with  some  of  the  apostles,  thus 
begins  one  of  his  epistles  ; — "  I  glorify  Je- 
sus Christ  our  God,  who  hath  given  unto 
you  this  wisdom." 

Again,  Polycarp  of  Smyrna,  another 
martyr,  who  suffered  in  the  year  167,  said, 
"  The  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  Christ  himself  the  eternal  High 
Priest,  the  Son  of  God,  build  you  up  in 
faith,  and  truth,  and  in  all  meekness,  to  live 
without  anger,"  &c.  and  when  he  was 
brought  to  the  stake,  he  concluded  his  last 
prayer  with  this  doxology  to  the  Trinity, 
"  I  bless  thee,  I  praise  thee,  I  glorify  Ujeo 
for  all  things,  together  with  the  etermH 
and  heavenly  Jesus  Christ,  thy  beloved 
Son,  with  whom,  unto  thee,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  be  glory,  both  now  and  for  ever, 
world  without  end  ;"  which  doxology 
seems  to  have  been  common  in  Christian 
churches,  from  that  time  to  this. 

There  was  another  eminent  man  named 
Justin  Martyr,  who  flourished  about  the 
middle  of  the  second  century ;  he  uses 
these  words,  "  We  worship  and  adore  the 

*  See  a  Sermon  by  bishop  Home,  on  Romans, 
X.  13.  vol.  V.  p.  189. 


418 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


God  of  righteousness,  and  his  Son,  and  the 
holy  Spirit  of  prophecy."  Yet,  a  little 
after,  he  tells  the  emperor,  "  We  liold  it 
unlawful  to  worship  any  but  God  alone." 

Again,  in  the  Dioclesian  persecution, 
Eusebius  the  historian  says,  "  that  the  in- 
habitants of  a  city  in  Phrygia,  men, 
women,  and  children,  while  assembled  in 
the  cliurch,  were  surprised  by  their  ene- 
mies, and  burnt  calling  upon  Christ,  God 
over  all." 

.To  which  I  shall  only  add,  it  is  well 
known  that  Pliny  the  historian,  writing  to 
the  emperor  concerning  the  Christians, 
mentions  it  as  a  common  custom  among 
them,  to  meet,  on  a  certain  day,  before  it 
was  light,  and  sing  a  hymn  to  Christ  as 
God.  The  testimonies  fully  prove  that 
Jesus  Christ  was  considered  by  the  first 
Christians,  as  a  proper  object  of  religious 
adoration ;  or,  according  to  the  words  of 
our  text,  that  "  they  called  upon  the  name 
of  the  Lord." 

IMPROVEMENT. 

Is  calling  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
the  practice  of  real  Christians — have  we 
then  done  it  ]  Do  we  know  any  thing  of 
thus  calling  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  1 
Some  perhaps  call  upon  the  name  of  the 
Lord  in  a  light,  trifling,  and  profane  way ; 
this,  alas !  is  to  call  down  condemnation  on 
their  own  souls ;  and  it  is  very  shocking 
to  hear  men,  and  women  too,  in  the  street, 
exclaiming,  "  O  Christ !"  But  it  is  a  bless- 
ed prayer,  "O  Christ,  hear  us  and  help 
us  !"  Or,  as  it  is  expressed  in  the  Litany 
of  the  Established  Church,  "  Son  of  God 
we  beseech  thee  to  hear  us ;  O  Lamb  of 
God,  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world ;  have  mercy  upon  us — O  Christ 
hear  us — Christ  have  mercy  upon  us :"  and 
what  an  encouragement  does  this  text 
afford  us  when  calling  upon  him  !  It  is  a 
positive  promise,  like  that  well-known 
Scripture — "  Him  that  cometh  unto  me,  I 
will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 

With  what  confidence  may  we  call  upon 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  seeing  that  he  is 
the  Almighty  God !  We  may  derive  much 
encouragement  from  the  success  of  those 
who,  when  our  Lord  was  upon  earth,  called 
upon  him  for  various  purposes.  Let  me  re- 
mind you  of  a  few  instances.  You  recol- 
lect the  poor  miserable  leper  (Matt.  viii.  2.) 
who  fell  down  before  him  and  said,  "  Lord, 
if  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make  me  clean." 
The  gracious  answer  of  our  Lord  was,  "  I 
will,  be  thou  clean."  When  the  centurion 
applied  to  Jesus  in  behalf  of  his  servant, 
who  was  sick  of  the  palsy  and  grievously 
tormented,  he   immediately  said,  "  I  will 


come  and  heal  him."     When  a  certain 
ruler  worshipped    him,    and    said,   "My 
daughter  is  even  now  dead ;  but  come  and 
lay  thine  hand   upon  her,  and   she  shall 
live ;"  Jesus  heard,  and  it  was  done.  Again, 
a  poor  woman,  who  had  been  long  diseased, 
touches  tlie  hem  of  his  garment ;  her  heart 
called  upon  him,  though  her  lips  were  si- 
lent ;  the  cure  was  granted,  and  "  she  was 
made  whole  from  tliat  hour."     Two  blind 
men  cried  aloud, "  Thou  Son  of  David,  have 
mercy  on  us,"  and  their  eyes  were  opened. 
The  friends  of  a  dumb  man  cried  to  him 
for  help,  and  the  dumb  spake.   Peter,  sink- 
ing into  the  sea,  cried,  "  Lord  !  save  me. 
I  perish !"      The    compassionate    Savior 
caught  him,  and  saved  him.     When  the 
Canaanitish  woman  cried,  "  Have  mercy 
upon  me,  thou  Son  of  David,  my  daughter 
is  grievously  vexed  with  a  devil ;"  Jesus 
heard,  and  replied,    "  O  woman,  great  is 
thy  faith;  be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou 
wilt."     Time  would  fail  us  to  recount  all 
the  instances  of  success,  which  attended 
those  who  cried  to  the  Lord  for  temporal 
benefits ;  and  can  we  suppose  the  compas- 
sionate heart  of  Jesus  will  feel  less  for  us, 
when  we  call  upon  him  for  the  salvation 
of  our  immortal  souls  ]   One  instance  more 
must  be  mentioned.     When  he  was  hang- 
ing upon  the  cross,  between  two  malefac- 
tors, and  when  there  seemed  to  be  the  least 
encouragement  to  call  upon  him  as  a  Sa- 
vior, one  of  the  sufferers,  whose  heart  God ' 
had  touched  with  compunction,  called  upon 
him,  and  said,  "  Lord,  remember  me  when 
thou  comest  into  thy  kingdom  ;"  he  called 
not  upon  him  in  vain ;  Christ  immediately 
and  graciously  answered,  "  This  day  shalt 
thou  be  with  me  in  paradise."     O,  then, 
with  what  confidence  may  we  call  upon 
him,  and  rely  upon  him ;  and  unite  with 
the  apostle  in  saying,  "  I  know  whom  I 
have  believed,  and  I  am  persuaded  tliat  he 
is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  commit- 
ted unto  him  against  that  day."     Each  of 
us  has  an  immortal  soul ;  what  have  we 
done  with  it?  To  whom  was  it  offered? 
How  was  it  employed  ?  In  the  service  of 
Christ,  or  of  Satan  ?  Have  we  committed 
it  to  Christ  for  salvation  ?  He  will  receive 
it ;  he  will  keep  it :  he  will  be  faithful  to 
his  trust.     Well,  then,  let  each  of  us  re- 
solve— "  I  will  call  upon  him,  as  long  as  I 
live." 

Now  unto  him,  with  tlie  Father,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  one  God  of  our  salvation, 
be  glory  in  all  the  churches ;  now  and  for 
evermore.     Amen. 


PRAYER — O    Lord,   who    didst    vouchsafe, 
ihongh  God  over  all,  blessed  for  evermore,  to 


SERMON  XC. 


419 


manifest  thyself  in  our  nature,  we  would  (all- 
U|K)ii  tliy  name,  at  once  with  reverenteaiui  god- 
ly liar,  and  willi  holy  boldness  and  love.  VVilh 
them  who  had  not  seen  thee,  may  we  love  ihee ; 
— widi  ihein  who  no  longer  saw  lliee,  may  we 
rejoice  in  thee,  with  joy  unspealvahle  and  full  of 
glory.  Though  we  cannot,  like  the  (irst  disci- 
jiles,  inquire  of  thee,  as  our  Teacher,  whatever 
we  desire  to  know,  or  ask  thee  in  person  for  what 
we  need,  thou  hastassured  us,  with  them,  ihal 
whatsoever  we  ask  the  Fatlicr,  in  thy  name,  tiiou 
wilt  bestow!  Thou  sympathizest  still  vvitii  our  iu- 
hrinities,  thou  knovvesc  all  our  temptations; — 
ever  be  with  us,  O  Lord,  and  bring  us,  ieeble  and 
worthless  as  we  are,  to  see  and  to  partake  of  thy 
glory.  May  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  the  love  of  God,  and  the  communion  of  the 
J  loly  Spirit,  be  with  us,  and  with  all  who,  in  every 
place,  call  u|xjn  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  the 
Lord,  both  theirs  and  ours '.    Amen. 


SERMON  XC. 

THE  SPIRITUAL  RESURRECTION. 

Jolui  V.  2o.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  yoir,  The  hour 
is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear 
the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God :  and  they  that  hear 
shall  live. 

What  is  true  religion  1  This  is  a  ques- 
tion, in  the  decision  of  which  every  per- 
son is  deeply  interested.  True  religion  is 
more  than  a  form  of  sound  words ;  more 
than  a  Scriptural  mode  of  worsliip  and  dis- 
cipline ;  more  than  a  course  of  decent  and 
respectable  morals.  What  more  ■?  Accord- 
ing to  our  text,  it  is  a  life — a  new  Spiritual 
Ufa — tlie  life  of  God  in  the  soul  of  man ; 
a  spark,  as  it  were  of  the  divine  nature — 
a  birth  derived  from  the  Spirit  of  God. 

Thus  speaks  my  text.  The  words  before 
us  are  full  of  majesty ;  they  are  the  words 
of  the  Son  of  God,  who  "  spake  as  never 
man  spake ;"  and  tliey  were  spoken  in 
vindication  of  his  character  and  mission 
against  tlie  cavils  of  the  Jews.  He  had 
performed  a  great  miracle  at  the  pool  of 
Bethesda ;  he  liad  healed,  m  a  moment, 
a  poor  man,  who  had  been  a  cripple  almost 
forty  years:  but  the  Jews,  instead  of  being 
thereby  convinced  that  he  was  the  true 
Messiaii,  opposed  and  persecuted  him. 
But  he  asserts  his  power  to  perform  the 
same  divine  actions  as  his  Fatlier  ;  and  lie 
claims  tlie  same  divine  honors.  Now  one 
of  the  most  glorious  displays  of  the  divine 
power  is  the  resurrection  of  tlie  dead  ; 
and  "  as  tlie  Fatlier  raiseth  the  dead  and 
quickeneth  them,  even  so  the  Son  (piicken- 
eth  whom  he  will."  This  power,  he  de- 
clares in  our  text,  shall  accompany  his 
word  ;  and  ho  introduces  the  declaration 
with  his  usual  solemnity,  "Verily,  verily, 
I  say  unto  you.  The  hour  is  coming,  and 


now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice 
of  the  Son  of  God."  There  is  a  two-fold 
resurrection  spoken  of  in  this  chapter,  of 
both  of  which  Christ  is  the  author ;  the 
first  is  a  spiritual  resurrection,  or  the  re- 
newal of  the  souls  of  men  who  are  dead 
in  sins ;  and  the  other  is  a  corporeal  re- 
surrection :  or  raising  up  the  dead  bodies 
of  men  from  the  grave.  The  first  is 
spoken  of  in  tiie  text ;  the  other  is  assert- 
ed in  the  28th  and  29th  verses  of  this 
chapter :  "  Marvel  not  at  this,  for  the  hour 
is  comuig,  in  which  all  that  are  in  the 
grave  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come 
forth  ;  tiiey  that  have  done  good,  unto  the 
resurrection  of  life  ;  and  they  that  have 
done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  damna- 
tion." Of  the  spiritual  resurrection,  in- 
tended in  the  text,  he  says,  not  only  the 
hour  cometh,  but  it  now  is  :  and  doubtless 
divine  power  attended  the  discourse  of 
which  our  text  is  a  part ;  and  God  grant 
that  the  same  power  may  now  attend  his 
word,  that  some  here  present  may,  at  this 
hour,  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God 
and  live. 

Here  let  us  notice  the  four  following 
particulars. 

First.  The  condition  of  all  natural  men 
— they  are  "  dead." 

Secondly.  The  description  of  the  Gos- 
pel— it  is  "  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God." 

Thirdly.  The  application  of  tliis  with 
divine  power — "  the  dead  shall  hear  the 
voice  of  the  Son  of  God  ;"  and. 

Lastly.  The  happy  effect  of  all  this — 
"  and  they  that  hear  shall  live." 

First.  Let  us  notice  the  condition  of 
all  natural  men,  as  here  described  , 
"  the  dead  shall  hear."  Nothing,  my 
friends,  is  of  greater  importance  in  practi- 
cal religion,  than  to  be  well  acquainted 
with  our  true  state  and  condition,  as  fallen 
creatures,  as  tiie  children  of  Adam,  in 
whom  we  all  fell  from  his  original  state, 
the  state  in  which  he  was  created.  Upon 
thi.s,  therefore,  the  Scripture  frequently 
insists;  and  to  render  us  the  better  ac- 
quainted with  it,  it  is  illustrated  by  many 
similitudes.  Here  it  is  representod  as  a 
state  (f  death ;  not  that  of  the  body, 
though  that  will  assuredly  follow,  as  the 
wages  of  sin ;  but  that  state  of  the  soul, 
even  in  a  living  person,  which  unhappily 
resembles  death.  Thus  St.  Paul,  when  he 
congratulates  the  Epht,sian  Christians  on 
their  conversion,  refers  to  their  former 
condition  before  conversion.  (Ephes.  ii.  1.) 
He  says,  "  You  hath  he  quickened,  who 
were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins ;"  and 
the  same  apostle,  speaking  of  a  person 
living  in  sin,  (1  Tim.  v.  6.)  expressly  says, 


420 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


"  She  that  liveth  in  pleasure,  (luxuriously 
and  carnally  devoted  to  sensual  passions) 
is  dead  whilst  she  liveth." 

The  propriety  of  this  similitude  will 
appear,  if  you  recollect  the  following 
particulars.  The  dead  are  in  a  state  of 
perfect  ignorance:  whatever  is  passing 
in  the  world,  even  among  those  who  were 
their  nearest  and  dearest  relations  and 
friends,  they  know  it  not.  Whatever  im- 
provements are  making  in  science  ;  what- 
ever revolutions  take  place  upon  earth, 
they  know  them  not.  And  is  not  the  state 
of  every  natural  man,  a  state  of  ignorance] 
Yes  ;  "  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  neither  can  he 
know  them,"  while  remaining  in  tliat 
state,  for  "  they  must  be  spiritually  dis- 
cerned." The  dead  are  totally  inactive. 
As  the  tree  falls  so  it  lies :  and  thus  it  is 
with  dead  souls,  the  eye  is  closed  to  all 
the  glorious  objects  of  the  Gospel.  The 
ear  is  shut  against  all  the  charming  sounds 
of  grace.  Not  a  breath  of  prayer  ascends 
to  God.  Not  a  step  is  moved  towards  the 
heavenly  world. 

Death  is  a  state  of  deformity.  The 
once  beautiful  countenance  is  bereft  of  all 
its  charms,  and  becomes  shocking  and 
ghastly.  Abraham  says,  of  his  beloved 
Sarah,  "  Bury  my  dead  out  of  my  sight." 
And  has  not  sin  despoiled  man  of  his 
original  beauty ;  for  once  he  was  beautiful 
indeed ;  bearing  the  glorious  resemblance 
of  his  great  and  holy  Maker ;  but  now, 
the  holy  God  turns  away  with  disgust 
from  the  sinner,  for  "  He  is  of  purer  eyes 
than  to  behold  iniquity." 

Putrefaction  soon  follows  after  death ; 
for  "  all  flesh  is  grass,  and  the  goodliness 
thereof  as  the  flower  of  the  field." — More 
odious  to  the  infinitely  holy  God  is  iniquity, 
obscenity,  profaneness,  and  every  other 
vice,  than  the  putrefying  carcass  to  the 
living  mortals,  for  "  the  tliroat  of  the  wick- 
ed"— his  abominable  language,  is  more 
noisome  to  God  tlian  an  open  sepulchre. 

There  is  yet  anotlior  respect  in  which 
man  may  be  said  to  be  dead, — he  is  in  a 
state  of  condemnation,  like  a  man  under 
sentence  of  death,  and  wlio  is  therefore 
said  to  be  "  dead  i.i  law,"  though  the 
sentence  be  not  yet  executed.  Every 
man  is  a  sinner,  and  because  he  is  a  sin- 
ner he  stands  condemned  by  the  holy  law 
of  God ;  as  it  is  written,  "  Cursed  is  every 
one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do 
them,"  and  unless  sucli  a  person  be  re- 
lieved from  that  state  by  the  Gospel,  the 
"  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him."  Believ- 
ers   are,    indeed,    Justified  ;    thoy    have 


"  passed  from  death  unto  life,"  but  before 
a  man  believes  in  Christ,  and  so  takes  the 
benefit  of  the  heavenly  act  of  grace,  he 
continues  "  in  his  sin,"  and  "  the  wrath  of 
God  abides  upon  him ;  and  not  only  so, 
but  living  under  the  Gospel,  his  unbelief 
creates  an  additional  and  worse  offence, 
and  exposes  him  to  additional  penalties ; 
for  "  he  that  believeth  not  is  condemned 
already  ;  and  condemned  chiefly  because 
he  believeth  not  in  the  name  of  the  only- 
begotten  Son  of  God."  But  let  us  pro- 
ceed, 

In  the  second  place,  to  consider  that  de- 
scription of  the  Gospel  which  is  given  us 
in  the  text — "  The  dead  shall  hear" — hear 
what  ?— "  The  voice  of  the  Son  of  God," 
and  that  voice  is  no  other  than  the  word 
of  Christ,  in  and  by  the  Gospel. 

It  is  generally  understood  that,  at  the 
great  day,  the  Son  of  God  will  descend 
from  heaven  in  great  glory,  and  then,  ac- 
cording to  the  twenty-eighth  verse  of  this 
chapter,  "  all  that  are  in  their  graves  shall 
hear  his  voice  and  come  forth."  We 
conceive,  as  we  ought,  very  highly  of  that 
majestic  voice,  accompanied,  as  it  will  be, 
with  the  exertion  of  power  truly  Al- 
mighty ;  when  all  the  countless  millions 
of  the  dead,  long  before  mingled  with  the 
dust,  shall  reassume  the  human  form,  and, 
reanimated  with  the  human  spirit,  shall 
ascend 'to  stand  at  the  tribunal  of  Christ. 
To  this  is  compared,  in  our  text,  the  voice 
of  the  Son  of  God  in  the  Gospel.  How 
great  and  glorious  then  is  that  Gospel, 
which  is  "  the  power  of  God  unto  salva- 
tion !"  for,  observe,  it  is  the  same  voice 
which  shall  hereafter  raise  the  dead  bodies 
of  men  from  the  grave,  which  now  raises 
the  dead  soul  fi'om  its  state  of  nature  and 
sin. 

Our  blessed  Lord  once  resided  on  our 
earth;  he  travelled  about  Judea  and  Gali- 
lee, preaching  the  kingdom  of  God  from 
city  to  citj',  from  town  to  town,  from 
village  to  village  ;  in  the  temple,  in  the 
synagogue,  on  the  mountains,  in  ships — 
wherever  he  had  an  opportunity — wherever 
an  audience  could  be  collected:  but  he 
has  long  since  left  our  world,  and  transfer- 
red this  work  to  other  and  meaner  hands. 
The  apostles  were  his  first  messengers; 
and  when  their  labors  were  finished,  the 
great  work  devolved  on  the  ordinary 
pastors  and  teachers  of  the  churches. 
Preaching  the  Gofjpel  is  a  divine  ordinance, 
to  be  continued  to  the  end  of  time :  and  those 
whom  he  has  qualified  for  it,  and  called  to 
it,  he  will  bless  in  the  discliarge  of  their 
duty;  according  to  his  gracious  promise, 
"  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto 


SERMON  XC. 


421 


the  end  of  the  world."  liCt  every  divine 
truth,  then,  though  declared  by  the  lips  of 
fallible  men ;  men  of  like  passions  with 
yourselves,  be  received,  not  as  the  word 
of  man,  but,  as  it  is  in  truth,  tlic  word  of 
God  :  (1  Thcss.  ii.  liJ.)  and  let  the  apos- 
tolic admonition  be  duly  regarded,  "  See 
that  ye  refuse  not  him  wlio  speaketh  from 
heaven;"  for  the  Gospel,  though  it  may 
be  uttered  by  fallible  lips,  is  a  record  or 
testimony,  from  heaven,  witnessed  by  the 
Fatlicr,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost ; 
(1  John,  V.  10.)  and  it  is  at  our  peril  that 
we  neglect  it. 

Consider  also  the  inestimable  value  of 
this  word.  It  clearly  wi/brms  us,  concern- 
ing the  great  things  which  belong  to  our 
peace  ;  and  "  the  entrance  of  this  word" 
into  the  mind  "giveth  light;  it  giveth 
imdersfanding  to  the  simple."  This  word 
likewise  faithfully  warns  us ;  it  kindly 
sets  before  us  the  dreadful  danger  that 
awaits  the  impenitent  sinner ;  according 
to  that  which  was  stated  to  be  the  proper 
business  of  the  prophet  of  old,  when  God 
said  to  him,  (Ezek.  iii.  17,  and  18,)  "  Son 
of  man,  I  have  made  thee  a  watchman 
unto  the  house  of  Israel ;  therefore  hear 
the  word  at  my  mouth,  and  give  them 
warning  from  me :  when  I  say  unto  the 
wicked,  Thou  shalt  surely  die,  and  thou 
givest  him  not  warning,  nor  speakest  to 
warn  the  wicked  from  his  wicked  way,  to 
save  his  life,  the  same  wicked  man  shall 
die  in  bis  iniquity,  but  his  blood  will  I  re- 
quire at  tliine  hand."  The  apostle  Paul 
felt  the  force  of  this  admonition  ;  and  he 
told  the  Ephesian  elders,  when  he  was 
taking  leave  of  them,  (Acts,  20,)  that  he 
was  "  pure  from  the  blood  of  all  men,  for 
he  had  not  shunned  to  declare  unto  them 
tlie  whole  counsel  of  God" — that  "  he  had 
not  ceased,  by  the  space  of  throe  years,  to 
warn  and  beseech  every  one  of  tliem,  night 
and  day,,  with  tears."  Undoubtedly,  the 
same  is  still  the  duty  of  every  minister  of 
the  Gospel. 

In  tliis  word  also,  he  affectionately  in- 
vites us.  He  bids  us  "seek  him,  while  he 
may  be  found  ;"  he  assures  us,  tiiat  if  "  the 
wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  tiie  unright- 
eous man  his  thoughts,  the  Lord  will  liave 
mercy  upon  him,  and  abundantly  pardon." 
All  tilings  needful  for  the  salvation  of 
man,  being  prepared  and  proiwscd,  he  in- 
vites all,  even  those  who  are  to  be  found 
in  "  the  highways  and  hedges,"  to  come 
and  ])artnke  of  the  Gospel  feast,  "  all  things 
being  ready :" — yea,  he  says,  "  Come  unto 
me  all  ye  that  are  weary  and  heavy  laden, 
and  I  will  give  you  rest." 

In   this  word  also,  he  graciously  and 


faithfully  promises  a  ready  welcome ;  yea", 
he  says,  (and  what  more  could  we  have 
wished  him  to  say,)  "  Him  that  cometh 
unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  VVc 
are. 

In  the  third  place,  to  consider  the  appli- 
cation of  this  word  to  the  heart,  with  di- 
vine power — "the  dead  shall  hear  the 
voice  of  the  Son  of  God."  The  dea.d  hear? 
This  is  an  extraordinary  thing  indeed  ! — 
The  dead  hear  ?  How  can  this  be  !  No 
human  sounds  ;  not  the  shrill  blast  of  the 
trumpet,  nor  the  horrible  roar  of  the  can- 
non, nor  the  tremendous  peal  of  thunder, 
can  affect  the  ear  of  the  dead  :  yet."  the 
dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of 
God,"  for  that  which  is  impossible  to  men, 
is  easy  to  God. 

On  one  memorable  occasion,  our  blessed 
Lord  visited  the  grave  of  his  friend  Laza- 
rus ;  and  when,  amidst  a  numerous  com- 
pany, surrounding  the  tomb,  "  Jesus  cried 
with  a  loud  voice,  Lazarus  come  forth :" 
behold,  with  astonishment,  "  he  that  was 
dead,  came  forth."  This  is  amazing !  Laz- 
arus hears  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,, 
and  lives  ;  he  comes  forth,  and  entertains 
the  Savior  in  his  house.  It  is  doubtless  in 
allusion  to  such  an  effect  of  divine  power 
as  this,  on  a  dead  body,  that  our  Lord 
speaks  of  the  resurrection  of  a  dead  soul ; 
and  does  it  not  plainly  intimate  tliat  no- 
thing less  than  such  a  power  is  sufficient 
for  this  purpose  ] — If  we  know  the  Scrip- 
tures ;  if  we  know  ourselves,  we  shall  rea- 
dily admit  that  men  are  so  profoundly  and 
wilfully  ignorant ;  and  oftentimes  so  hard- 
ened in  their  feelings  ;  so  wedded  to  the 
world  ;  so  full  of  enmity  against  God  and 
religion  ;  that  nothing  less  than  almighty 
power  can  effect  the  change  here  de- 
scribes,— "  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice 
of  the  Son  of  God." 

In  this -case,  the  person  feels,  for  the 
first  time,  a  disposition  to  hear  and  regard 
the  word  of  life,  however  strong  his  preju- 
dices might  have  been  before.  It  is  said 
of  Lydia,  who  was  converted  to  God  at 
Philippi,  that  "  tlie  Lord  opened  her  heart, 
so  that  she  attended  to  the  things  which 
were  spoken  of  Paul."  Had  not  the  Lord 
opened  her  heart,  she  would  not  have  at- 
tended to  them :  for  it  is  marvellous  that 
the  word  of  God  is  not  heard  even  where 
it  is  spoken ;  and  were  you  to  go  from  pew 
to  pew,  in  our  places  of  worship,  you 
would  find  very  few  who  heard  it  with  at- 
tention, and  fewer  still,  with  understand- 
ing. The  birds  of  the  air  take  up  the  seed 
as  soon  as  it  is  sown — it  has  no  abiding  in 
the  heart  of  man — And  thus  many  persons 
attend  to  hear  sermons,  who  never  do 

36 


422 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


liear.  O  what  sin  is  committed  in  all  our 
places  of  worship  while  the  sermon  is 
preachinof ! 

Others  are  attentive,  in  some  degree ; 
yet  they  do  not  understand  what  they 
jiear:  but  when  the  Lord  speaks  to  the 
heart,  he  causes  his  voice  to  be  distin- 
guished, and  his  people  know  the  meaning 
of  it ;  as  the  apostle  speaks  of  the  Thes- 
salonians,  that  "  they  received  the  word, 
not  as  the  word  of  man,  but  as  it  is,  in 
truth,  the  word  of  God."  And  here  is  the 
difference  between  carnal  and  spiritual 
hearers ;  the  carnal  hearers  go  to  hear  the 
man ;  the  spiritual  hearers  go  to  hear 
Christ,  through  the  man  ;  their  language 
is — "  Speak,  Lord,  for  thy  servant  hear- 
etli." 

When  the  word  is  heard  to  purpose,  it 
'is  heard  with  faith.  The  word  never 
profits,  unless  it  be  "mixed  with  faith." 
(Heb.  ii.)  It  is  received  as  the  testimony 
of  God,  divinely  and  infallibly  true  ;  and 
he  who  hears  it  as  .the  voice  of  the  Son 
of  God,  affixes  his  seal  to  it,  and  thereby 
declares  his  belief  that  God  is  true. 

And  if  the  word  be  thus  mixed  with 
faith,  it  will  also  be  "  received  with  love,''^ 
with  cordial  esteem  and  aftection.  "As 
new-born  babes,"  the  children  of  God  im- 
bibe "the  milk  of  the  word  ;"  and  each  of 
them  can  truly  say,  "  How  sweet  are  thy 
words  to  my  taste  !  they  are  sweeter  than 
honey  and  the  honey-comb."  "  O  how 
love  I  thy  law  !" 

Once  more — He  who  hears  th'e  voice  of 
the  Son  of  God  in  his  word,  will  hear  it 
obediently.  When  Saul  of  Tarsus  first 
heard  this  voice,  and  knew  whose  voice  it 
was,  he  very  properly  said,  "  Lord,  what 
wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  3"  Such  will  be 
the  language  of  every  true  believer;  there 
will  be  a  cordial  approbation  of  the  divine 
commandments,  as  "  holy,  just,  and  good," 
and  he  will  say,  with  sincerity,  "Loi'd 
have  mercy  upon  me,  and  write  all  these 
thy  laws  upon  my  heart,  I  beseech  thee." 

I  proceed  now  to  the  last  particular  be- 
fore us,  and  that  is,  the  happy  effect  of  all 
this ;  "  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of 
the  Son  of  God,  and  they  that  hear  shall 
live.^'  As  Lazarus  lived,  from  the  moment 
that  Christ  uttered  his  voice,  and  said 
-"  Lazarus  come  forth,"  so  sinners,  having 
heard  the  quickening  voice  of  Christ  in 
the  Gospel,  commence  a  new  and  spiritual 
life,  which  shall  never  cease,  but  shall  is- 
sue in  life  eternal.  We  said,  at  the  be- 
ginning of  this  discourse,  that  religion  is 
a  Life ;  there  is  a  new  principle  implanted 
in  the  souls  of  men  ;  a  principle  of  motion, 
of  perception,  of  enjoyment ;  something 


that  is  active  and  permanent  in  its  nature; 
according  to  another  figure  of  speech,  used 
for  the  same  purpose  by  our  Lord,  in  his 
discourse  with  the  woman  of  Samaria ; 
"Whosoever  drinketh  of  this  water  shall 
thirst  again  ;  but  whosoever  drinketh  of 
the  water  that  I  shall  give  him,  shall 
never  thirst ;  but  the  water  that  I  shall 
give  him  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water,, 
springing  up  into  everlasting  life." — Here 
is  the  abiding,  active  principle ;  that  which 
we  call  life,  and  in  which  there  is  a  gradu- 
al progression  ;  the  babe,  the  young  man, 
and  the  father  in  Christ. 

The  word  of  Christ  is  the  instrument 
of  regeneration  ;  "  Of  his  own  will,"  says 
St.  James,  "  he  begat  us  with  the  word  of 
truth ;"  and  hence  we  are  said  to  be  "  born 
of  God." 

All  such  persons  are  said  to  Kve,  ac- 
cording to  the  24th  verse,  "  He  that  hear- 
eth  my  word,  and  believeth  on  him  that 
sent  me,  hath  everlasting  life ;  he  shall 
not  come  into  condemnation,  but  is  passed 
from  death  unto  life."  We  read  also  in 
the  fifth  chapter  to  the  Romans,  of  "  Jus- 
tification unto  life."  The  believer  is 
brought  into  a  new  state  ;  and  "  the  law 
of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus,"  makes 
him  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death. 

It  is  also  a  life  of  Comfort,  to  which  we 
are  called,  for,  being  "justified  by  faith, 
we  have  peace  with  God,  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  There  is  satisfaction  and 
pleasure  in  the  word,  and  ways,  and  peo- 
ple of  God.  Believers  delight  in  his  ser- 
vice, and  find  a  day  in  his  courts,  better 
than  a  thousand :  they  had  rather  be  door- 
keepers in  the  house  of  God,  than  dwell 
in  the  tents  of  wickedness. 

Further,  it  is  a  life  of  Holiness.  Those 
who  live,  "  live  to  the  Lord."  They  are 
"alive  to  God,  through  Jesus  Christ;" 
they  are  "  redeerned  to  God  ;"  they  are  no 
longer  the  servants  of  sin ;  they  no  longer 
live  to  themselves,  but  to  the  Lord  ;  his 
will  being  their  rule,  his  honor  the  great 
end  of  all  their  actions  ;  and  then 

A  life  of  Glory  shall  crown  the  whole. 
This  is  God's  great  object ;  and  therefore 
the  believer  is  said  already  to  "  have  evQr- 
lastmg  life."  The  title  to  it  he  possesses 
in  Christ  Jesus,  and  the  first  fruits  of  it 
are  received  in  the  graces  and  influences 
of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Thus  we  have  endeavored  to  show  the 
condition  of  all  natural  men :  they  are 
dead ;  in  the  description  of  the  Gospel,  it  is 
the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  the  applica- 
tion of  this  with  power,  the  dead  shall 
hear ;  and  the  happy  eflecta  of  the  whole, 
they  that  hear  shall  live. 


SERMON  XCI. 


423 


CONCLUSION. 
How  wonderful  is  the  condescension  of 
Christ !  He  speaks,  he  speaks  even  to 
dead  sinners. — To  us,  even  to  us,  "  is  the 
word  of  this  salvation  sent !"  and  O  what 
importance  does  this  give  to  the  preaching 
of  the  Gospel,  to  the  reading  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  to  all  divine  ordinances  !  It  is 
the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God.  We  should 
remember,  whenever  we  attend  them,  that 
we  are  all  present  before  God  ;  we  come 
to  hear  tlie  voice  of  tlie  Son  of  God.  And 
O  let  us  take  care  that  we  liearken  to  this 
voice.  Does  he  speak,  and  shall  we  not 
hoar  ?  Shall  we  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the 
calls  and  entreaties  of  the  Savior  ?  Be- 
hold, says  he,  "I  stand  at  the  door  and 
knock ;  if  any.  man  hear  my  voice,  and 
open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and 
sup  witii  him,  and  he  with  me."  Doubt- 
less it  is  the  character  of  all  true  Chris- 
tians, that  tliey  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son 
of  God.  Beware,  then,  of  neglecting  or 
refusing  to  liear  him  ;  for  it  is  written, 
"  If  any  man  will  not  hear  this  prophet, 
he  shall  be  cut  oft*  from  among  the  peo- 
ple ;"  and  if  any  finally  refuse  to  hearken 
to  him,  how  awful  will  be  his  condition 
another  day !  Then  will  he  sa,y,  "  Ye 
have  set  at  naught  all  my  counsel,  and 
would  none  of  my  reproof;  therefore,  I 
also  will  laugh  at  your-  calamity ;  I  will 
mock  when  your  fear  cometh."  But  if, 
through  Grace,  we  have  been  enabled,  as 
some  of  us  doubtless  have  been,  to  hear 
his  gracious  voice,  let  us,  with  joy,  receive 
and  rely  upon  the  assurance  he  gives  us  in 
the  text,  that  we  shall  live, — "  he  that 
heareth  shall  live  !"  May  this  be  our  hap- 
piness, through  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 


PJRAYER.— Thou  knowest,  O  Lord,  what  is 
in  man  ! — tliou  gavest  him  not  only  animal,  but 
spiritual  life ; — but  lie  forfeited  txjth  ;  and  lost 
the  knowledge  of  that  good  which  thou  hadst 
conferred  upon  him,  rather  than  abstain  from  the 
knowledge  of  evil,  which  thou  hadst  forbidden 
to  him ;  but  while  our  fir&t  parents,  and  all  their 
posterity,  thus  became  dead  to  thee,  how  greatly 
liast  thou  magiiiliwl  ihy  grace,  through  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Light  and  the  Life  of  men!  We  con- 
fess, and  wo  deplore,  ihat  although  alive  to  our 
sensual  appetites  and  worldly  interests,  w-e  are 
naturally  dead  lo  thee,  our  only  source  of  safety 
and  happiness.  If  alive  to  the  terrors  of  thy 
wmth,  we  are  si  ill  deail  lo  the  attractions  of  thy 
love,  till  thou  impartest  thy  Holy  Spirit  to  enlight- 
en our  minds  to  discern  ihy  glory  and  thy  grace. 
Draw  us,  O  hcaveidy  Father,  by  tliy  jutfgments 
and  thy  mercies,  till,  convinced  of  our  death-like 
stale,  we  may  hearken  lo  the  gracious  voice  of 
thy  Son,  and  live — not  to  ourselves,  but  to  him  ; 
so,  when  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his 
voice,  and  come  (brih,  may  we  rise,  not  as  .some, 
lo  shame  and  everlasting  cotilempt, — but  lo  over- 
lasting  lite,  through  Jesus  Christ!    Amen. 


SERINION  XCI. 

THE  PRACTICAL  KNOWLEDGE  OF 
CHRIST. 

Ephcsians,  iv.  20,  21,  But  ye  liavo  not  so  learned 
Christ;  if  so  be  that  ye  have  hc.ini  liim,  and 
have  been  taught  by  hiiu,  as  llie  trutli  is  in  Jesus. 

TirE  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  provides  the 
only  efficacious  remedy  for  all- the  diseases 
of  the  moral  world — the  only  effectual  re- 
lief to  fallen,  guilty,  dyuig  man.  We 
have,  at  all  times,  occasion  to  blusli  for  the 
vices  of  mankind,  and  especially  for  those 
of  our  native  country  ;  bgt,  bad  as  things 
are,  tliey  would  be  infinitely  worse  if  tlie 
influences  of  the  Gospel  were  withdrawn ; 
if  tlie  doctrines  of  Christ  were  not 
preached  ;  if  Christian  examples  .were  not 
exhibited.  Multitudes  among  us,  who  are 
not  real  and  spiritual  Christians,  happily 
differ  much  from  men  in  a  heathen  state ; 
from  such  men  as  are  described  by  St. 
Paul  in  the  verses  preceding  oijr  text. 
Exhorting  believers  to  a  holy  conduct,  he 
says,  verse  17,  "This  I  say  therefore,  and 
testify  in  the  I^rd,  that  ye  lienceforth 
walk  not  as  other  Gentiles  walk,  in  tlie 
vanity  of  their  mind,"  &c.  &.c.  Such  is 
the  faithful  but  melancholy  picture  which, . 
from  having  resided  two  years  at  Ephesus, 
he  was  enabled  fi'om  his  personal  know- 
ledge to  draw ;  but  the  Gospel  of  Cliritt, 
preached  by  himself  and  others,  had  pro- 
duced in  many  persons  a  happy  change. 
Many,  who  were  once  in  total  darkness, 
had  been  savingly  enlightened  ;  many, 
who  had  been  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins,  had  been  spiritually  quickened ;  many, 
who  were  once  "  far  from  God,"  had  been 
"  brought  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Ciirist ;" 
and  now,  he  affectionately  exhorts  them,  in 
this  chapter,  to  "  walk  worthy  of  the  vo- 
cation wherewith  they  had  been  called," 
ver.  1.  They  must  differ  from  their  still 
Pagan  neighbors,  who  wallowed  in  vice  ; 
for,  says  he  in  our  text,  "  ye  have  not  so 
learned  Christ,"  or  rather — "  not  so  ye — 
for  ye  have  learned  Christ;"  having  learn- 
ed of  Christ,  ye  must  learn  to  live  llkr: 
Christ.  He  who  taught  you,  is  liimnclj 
holy,  and  requires  you  also  to  be  holy.    , 

This  sentiment  is  applicable  to  all  the 
professed  disciples  of  Clirist ;  to  us  my 
brethren,  as  well  as  to  tl)e  K|)liesians. 
The  text  then  presents  to  us  the  following 
most  valuable  lesson : 

Those  who  are  taught  by  Christy  are 
under  the  strongest  obligations  to  walk 
according  to  his  instructions. 

To  illu.stratc  and  enforce  this  sentiment, 
let  us,  L  Consider  what  is  meant  by  being 


424 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


taught  by  Christ ;  and  2.  Tlie  obligations 
under  which  they  are  laid  who  are  so  in- 
structed. 

1.  What  is  meant  by  being  taught  of 
Christ — our  text  speaks  of  learning  Christ 
— of  having  heard  him,  and  'of  having 
been  taught  iiy  hii/i,  as  the  trutli  is  in. Je- 
sus. These  e.xpressions  may  include  learn- 
ing of  him,  as  our  teacher  ;  and  learning 
him,  as  the  great  subject  of  his  teaching : 
for  he  is  botli  the  Master  and  the  subject. 

Christ  is  the  great  Teacher  of  the  world. 
Ineffectual  were  all  the  efforts  of  heathen 
sages  to  enlighten  the  world.  The  great 
philosophers  had  done  little  or  nothing  to 
better  the  condition  of  mankind  at  large. 
St.  Paul,  who  well  knew  what  their  at- 
tempts had  been,  declares  that,  ■  after  all, 
"  the  world  by  wisdom  knew  not  God" — it 
was  reserved  for  his  own  Son  to  enlighten 
mankind.  Some  of  the  wisest  of  the  hea- 
then saofes  we're  honest  enouo-h  to  confess 
their  ignorance,  and  to  declare  their  ex- 
pectation of  the  great  Teacher.  That 
Teacher  at  length  appeared.  For  several 
years  he  went  about  Judea,  diffusing  hea- 
venly wisdom  wherever  he  went,  with  a 
simplicity  and  dignity  that  astonished  his 
hearers,  and  constrained  them  to  say, 
"  Never  man  spake  like  this  man."  Hav- 
ing finished  his  work  upon  earth,  he  con- 
fided the  business  of  instruction  to  other 
hands  ;  qualifying  them  for  it  by  his  Holy 
Spirit,  and  promising  to  succor  their  ef- 
forts by  his  own  presence  and  blessing. 

The  apostle  says  that  the  Ephesians  had 
"  heard  him,  and  had  been  taught  by  him." 
Not  personally  indeed ;  for  Christ  never 
visited  Ephesus ;  but  ministerially.  The 
apostles  and  other  teachers  had  "  the  mind 
of  Christ ;"  his  Spirit  had  led  them  into 
all  truth ;  and  both  by  their  preaching  and 
their  writing  they  published  it  to  the 
world. 

We  also  are  still  favored  with  the  word 
of  Christ.  Many  of  our  Lord's  admirable 
discourses  were  committed  to  writing  by 
the  four  Evangelists.  The  apostles  also 
wrote  many  epistles  to  churches  or  indi- 
viduals ;  which  epistles  are  of  no  less  au- 
thority than  the  Gospels;  and  taken  to- 
gether with  the  Old  Testament  (which  is 
also  "  the  word  of  Christ")  we  may  still 
be  said  to  have  heard  and  learned  of  hun. 
His  truth,  ministerially  declared  to  lis,  in 
and  by  his  ordinance  of  public  preaciiing, 
or  perused  by  us  in  private,  is  to  be  re- 
ceived, "  not  as  the  word  of  men,  but  as  it 
is  in  truth,  the  word  of  God;  which  is 
able  to  make  us  wise  to  salvation,  through 
faitli  in  iiim."  Ilcnco  we  are  exhorted, 
Heb.  xii.  25,  to  beware  "that  we  refuse 


not  him  that  speaketh  from  heaven,"  and 
see  we  are  no  less  bound  to  regard  the 
written  word,  than  if  we  heard  the  voice 
of  Christ  himself  This  Gospel  delivered 
to  us,  is  '!  tlie  savor  of  life  unto  life,  or  the 
savor  of  death  unto  death,"  and  the  origin- 
ar sanction  still  attends  it.  "He  that  be- 
lieveth  shall  be  saved,  and  he  that  be- 
lieveth  not  shall  be  condemned." 

But  Christ  is  not  only  the  great  Teach- 
er, but  he  is  himself  the  chief  subject  of 
all  divine  teaching.  Our  text  speaks  of 
the  truth  "  as  it  is  in  Jesus" — he  is,  as  it 
w^ere,  the  centre  in  which  all  the  lines  of 
divine  truth  meet — he  is  the  great  subject 
of  the  Gospel ;  so  that "  preaching  Christ," 
and  "  preaching  the  Gospel,"  are  the  same 
thing ;  according  to  what  St.  Paul  inti- 
mates as  to  his  own  practice,  he  was  "  de- 
termined not  to  know  any  thing  among 
the  people,  but  Jesus  Christ  and  him  cru- 
cified." And  the  words  may  also  refer  to 
the  purity  of  the  doctrine  taught ;  to  know 
the  truth  "  as  it  is  in  Jesus,"  is  to  know 
and  receive  the  pure  unadulterated  truth, 
as  it  was  at  first  delivered  by  him  and  his 
apostles  ;  and  without  that  mixture  of 
error,  which  the  weakness  or  wickedness 
of  men  has  since  introduced.  Or  it  may 
farther  intimate  that  to  know  the  ti-uth 
aright,  is  to  know  it  practically,  as  not  only  , 
taught  by  the  lips  of  Jesus,  but  as  also 
beautifully  exemplified  in  his  holy  life ;  in 
his  harmless,  devout,  and  benevolent  prac- 
tice ;  for  Christ  taught  by  his  example,  as 
well  as  by  his  doctrine. 

But  I  think  we  are  to  understand  by  the 
words  chiefly  this — that  Jesus  Christ,  and 
salvation  by  him,  is  the  sum  and  substance 
of  what  we  are  to  learn.  "  I  am,"  said 
Christ,  "  the  truth" — the  substance  of  the 
numerous  ordinances  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment— of  their  priesthood,  their  altar,  their 
sacrifices,  tlieir  washings — they  were  "  the 
shadows  of  good  things  to  come  ;"  and 
they  did  come,  in  and  with  Christ,  who  is 
the  body,  the  substance,  the  soul  of  them 
all. 

Thus,  when  St.  Paul  reproves  the  Gala- 
tians  for  entertainingf  some  danoferous  er- 
rors  about  justification,  he  aggravates  their 
fault,  by  saying  "  O  foolish  Galatians,  who 
hatli  bewitched  you,  that  ye  should  not 
obey  tlie  truth,  before  whose  eyes  Jesus 
Ciirist  hath  been  evidently  set  forth,  cruci- 
fied among  you." 

It  is  plain  .that  what  he  distinguished  by 
tlie  name  of  "  the  truth" — was,  the  Gos- 
pel method  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ — 
the  acceptance  and  justification  of  a  sin- 
ner, tlirough  faith  in  the  blood  and  right- 
eousness of  Christ.     In  short,  that  great 


SERMON  XCI. 


425 


doctrine  which  is  represented  in  so  solemn 
a  manner  by  St.  John,  in  his  first  epistle, 
fifth  chapter,  and  called  a  teslimony  or  re- 
cord, testified  by  tlie  Three  in  heaven  and 
Three  on  earth,  which  is  this,  that  "  Con 

HATH  GIVEN  TO  US  ETERNAL  LIFE;  AND 
THIS    LIFE    IS   IN    HIS    SON." 

We  by  no  means  exclude  from  the 
truth,  the  duties  which  devolve  upon 
believers;  for  we  shall  presently  show 
that  tiiose  are  not  only  necessarily  'con- 
nected, but  form  an  essential  part  of  it. 

Indeed,  to  know  the  truth  of  the  Gospel 
aright,  is  to  be  taught  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
not  merely  words  and  propositions  of 
truth:  or  to  yield  the  assent  of  the  un- 
derstanding to  them — it  is  far  more  ;  the 
heart  as  well  as  the  head  is  influenced  ; 
divme  things,  truly  learned,  have  a  power- 
ful influence  on  the  affections  of  the  soul, 
on  the  temper  and  disposition  of  the  heart, 
and  upon  the  whole  conduct,  allowing  for 
those  deviations  and  imperfections,  which, 
alas,  are  found  in  the  best  of  men. 

This  is  strongly  implied  in  the  text,  and 
forms  the  second  branch  of  our  discourse  ; 
for  the  apostle  is,  you  will  recollect,  ex- 
horting the  Ephesians  to  walk  differently 
from  the  unconverted  heathen,  and  to  be 
renewed  in  the  spirit  of  their  mind,  and, 
in  a  word,  to  become  new  creatures. 

And  here  we  may  observe,  that  the  text, 
with  many  other  similar  passages  in  Scrip- 
ture, plainly  intimates  that  some  who  pro- 
fessed to  regard  the  Gospel,  disregarded  its 
practical  influence. 

The  Gospel  must  be  allowed  to  be  "  a 
good  message" — "  glad  tidings  of  great 
joy,"  and  well  calculated  to  excite  the 
attention,  the  affectionate  attention  of  men 
in  general.    And  it  would  do  so  universal- 
ly, were  it  not  for  the  strong  and  unhappy 
prejudices  of  the  carnal  mind.      Hence 
we  find,  that,  although  it  be  "  the  wisdom 
of  God"  and  "  tiie  power  of  God,"  it  is  re- 
jected by  some  as  foolish  and  irrational, 
and  by  others,  as  even  immoral  in  its  ten- 
dency.    This   is  intimated   by  St.   Paul, 
(Rom.  v?  1.)  "What  shall  we  say  then? 
Sliall  we  sin,  that  grace  may  abound  !" 
And  more  distinctly,  (Rom.  iii.  8,) — "And 
not  (as  we  are  slanderously  reported,  and 
as  some  affirm  that  we  say,)  Lot  us  do  evil 
that  good  may  come  ;"  to  which  he  adds, 
"  whose  damnation  is  just ;"  that  is,  the 
condenmation  of  those   who  teach    and 
practise  such  tilings,  is  botii  certain  and 
ju^t.    And  St.  Jude  (ver.  4,  of  his  epistle) 
speaks  of  "false  teachers,  ungodly  men, 
who  turned  the  grace  of  God  (that  is,  the 
Gospel  of  his  grace)  into  lasciviousness : 
3D 


perverting  the  Holy  Gospel  into  m\  en- 
couragement to  vice. 

But  this  was  never  tiie  doctrine  nor  the 
practice  of  the  apostles  and  first  Chris- 
tians. ■  Yet  we  are  not  to  be  surprised,  if 
there  were  some  unhappy  instances  of  An- 
tinoniian  perverseness.  The  Gospel,  es- 
pecially when  it  becomes  the  religion  of 
a  nation,  embraces  persons  of  every  de- 
scription, according  to  the  parable  of  the 
net,  (Matt.  viii.  47.)  "  The  kingdom  of 
heaven  (the  dispensation  of  the  Gospel)  ia 
like  unto  a  net  that  was  cast  into  the  sea, 
and  gathered  of  every  kind,  good  and 
bad :"  and  agreeably  to  another  parable, 
in  which  the  tares  and  the  wheat  are  re- 
presented as  growing  together  in  the  same 
field.  St.  James  also  speaks  largely  of 
"  dead  faith  ;"  a  faith  "  without  works  ;" 
a  faith  which  does  not  work,  as  true  faith 
always  does,  "  by  love."  But  let  not  St, 
James  be  mistaken.  He  docs  not  assert 
that  true  faith  may  exist  without  works ; 
for,  as  faith  refers  to  the  testimony  of  God 
as  believed,  he  that  rejects  the  necessity 
of  holiness,  rejects  an  essential  part  of  that 
testimony ;  for  the  Gospel  insists  both  on 
"  the  water  and  the  blood"  which  issued 
from  the  side  of  the  crucified  Savior,  de- 
noting the  double  virtue  of  his  death,  to 
purify  the  heart,  as  well  as  to  purge  tlie 
conscience. 

There  may  be  a  high  degree  of  scriptu- 
ral knowledge,  without  real  grace.  St. 
Paul  (1  Cor.  xiii.)  supposes  the  possibility 
of  having  "  all  knowledge,"  and  yet  being 
destitute  of  the  essential  grace  of  love, 
which  always  accompanies  genuine  faith. 
The  apostle  John  is  very  explicit :  he  says, 
(1  Eph.  i.  6,)  "  If  we  say  that  we  have 
fellowship  with  him,  and  walk  in  dark-" 
ness" — that  is,  "  practise  wickedness,"  we 
lie,  and  do  not  the  truth, — we  do  not  act 
agreeably  to  the  true  and  holy  doctrine  of 
the  Gospel. 

Again.  Tlie  direction  given  by  the 
apostles  to  the  churches,  as  to  their  con- 
duct towards  bad  men,  ordering  them  to 
be  excluded  from  their  communion,  render 
it  plain  that  holiness  is  the  law  of  God's 
house.  And  awful  beyond  description  or 
conception,  will  be  the  proceedings  in  the 
judgment  of  the  great  day  of  Christ, 
when  all  men  shall  appear  before  his  tri- 
bunal, and  when  all  shall  be  judged  ac- 
cording to  (the  evidence  of)  their  works. 
The  largest  account  we  hear  of  that  de- 
cisive day,  is  from  the  lips  of  the  Great 
Judge  himself,  recorded  in  the  2otii  ciiap. 
of  St.  Matthew,  which  account,  you  will 
observe,  relates  only  to  the  trial  of  the 
36* 


426 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


professors  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  sentences 
then  to  be  pronounced  will  proceed  upon 
the  evidence  adduced — the  evidence  of 
the  fruits  of  faith,  or  of  tjie  want  of  them. 

Whatever  be  tlie  conduct  of  professed 
Christians,  the  Gospel  gives  no  counte- 
nance whatever  to  unholy  tempers  or  un- 
godly practices.  On  the  contrary,  it  always 
and  everywhere  insists  upon  holiness; 
upon  dying  to  sin,  and  living  to  righteous- 
ness ;  and  positively  declares,  that  "  with- 
out holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord." 

Our  Lord,  in  his  charming  intercessory 
prayer,  (John  xvii.)  prays  thus  for  his  dis- 
ciples, "  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth, 
thy  word  is  truth ;"  and  it  appears  from 
the  commission  he  gave  to  the  apostle  of 
the  Gentiles,  that  he  was  sent  "  to  open 
their  eyes,  and  to  turn  them  from  darkness 
to  light,  that  they  might  ultimately  obtain 
an  inheritance  among  all  them  that  are 
sanctified  through  faith  in  Christ."  And 
this  effect  was  actually  produced,  and  the 
evidence  that  the  Gentiles  were  really  con- 
verted was,  that  God  had  "  purified  their 
hearts  by  faith." 

Let  us  now  state  some  of  the  obligations 
under  which  believers  are  laid,  to  walk 
agreeably  to  the  holy  Gospel. 

1.  The  unchangeable  authority  of  God. 
While  God  is  God,  and  men  are  his  crea- 
tures, they  must  be  bound  to  obey  his 
known  will.  Their,  obligation  to  obedi- 
ence is  not  discharged  or  weakened  by 
their  being  brought  into  a  new  state  by 
grace.  They  have  additional  helps,  not 
known  to  the  law,  but  no  discharge  from 
its  obligations.  They  do  not,  indeed,  obey 
with  a  view  to  merit  life  and  the  favor  of 
God ;  nor  will  their  partial  failures  issue 
in  death ;  but  the  authority  of  God  over 
them  is  not  vacated  or  diminished.  The 
holy  and  unchangeable  law  of  God,  as  to 
the  substance  of  it,  is  love ;  love  to  him 
and  love  to  our  fellow-men  ;  and  this  ac- 
cording to  the  stipulations  of  the  covenant 
of  grace,  is  written  by  the  Spirit  on  the 
heart.  Some  express  themselves  too  loose- 
ly on  this  subject ;  they  say  believers  will 
love  God,  and  love  will  compel  them  to 
obedience  ;  it  will  so  ;  and  so  far  they  say 
well ;  but  why  set  aside  the  authority  of 
God  to  command,  and  the  duty  of  believers 
to  obey  ! 

2.  We  argue  the  necessity  of  a  holy 
walk,  from  the  whole  of  the' Savior's  gra- 
cious designs  and  undertakings  in  behalf 
of  his  cnurch. 

The  first  intimation  of  his  designs  was, 
that  "  he  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head," 
that  is  destroy  his  power,  counteract  his 
temptations,    and  restore  man   from   the 


guilt  and  misery  of  the  fall.  But  can  this 
be  done  without  restoring  him  to  the  exer- 
cise of  love  and  obedience  ? 

Consider  the  offices  of  Christ  He  is  a 
Prophet  ;  he  teaches  the  whole  will  of 
God  ;  and  an  important  branch  of  that  will 
is  our  sanctification.  He  deputed  his  apos- 
tles to  "  teach  men  to  observe  all  things, 
whatsoever  he  commanded  them."  We 
know  in  wliat  a  spiritual  manner  he  ex- 
pounded the  law,  and  pointed  out  its  purity. 
His  disciples  ought  to  make  that  their  con- 
stant rule,  and  be  satisfied  with  nothing  less 
than  complete  conformity  to  it ;  and  in  this 
they  are  assisted  by  the  Gospel ;  therein, 
"  as  in  a  glass  they  behold  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  and  are  transformed  into  the  same 
image,  from  glory  to  glory,  by  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord."  And  this. is  the  argument 
in  the  text — Ye  have  learned  Christ,  ye 
have  been  taught  by  him.  Christ  is  a  holy 
teacher,  and  he  makes  holy  disciples ;  if 
we  are  not  such,  we  are  not  his  true  dis- 
ciples. 

He  is  also  a  Priest.  The  "work  of  a 
priest  was  to  ofier  gifts  and  sacrifices  for 
the  people,  and  also  to  intercede  for  them. 
What  one  branch  of  Christ's  intercession 
for  his  people  is,  we  have  already  seen  ;  it 
is  that  they  may  be  kept  from  the  evil ;  that 
they  may  be  holy.  To  take  away  guUt 
was  not  the  only,  though  it  was  the  first, 
design  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ:  he  had  a 
fiirther  object ;  he  gave  himself  for  us  that 
he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity ;  that 
he  might  purify  "  to  himself  a  peculiar 
people,  zealous  of  good  works."  (Titus  ii. 
14.)  He  died  for  us  who  were  dead,  that 
we,  who  live  through  him,  might  not  live 
to  ourselves,  or  to  sin,  but  unto  him  who 
died  for  us  and  rose  again.    (2  Cor.  v.  14.) 

Jesus  Christ  is  likewise  a  Kjng  ;  as  such 
he  reigns  in  us  and  over  us.  He  opposes 
and  restrains  both  our  outward  enemies, 
and  our  inward  lusts.  He  will  not  suffer 
sin  to  have  dominion  over  us.  Other  lords 
have  had  dominion,  but  now  he  assumes 
the  throne  of  the  heart,  and  will  npt  endure 
a  rival.  The  words  which  follow  our  text 
show  what  was  the  design  of  the  writer. — 
If  we  truly  learn  of  Christ,  then,  saith  he 
— "  put  off  the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt, 
according  to  the  deceitful  lusts,  and  put  on 
the  new  man,  which  is  created  in  righteous- 
ness and  true  holiness" — or,  "  the  holiness 
of  truth  ;"  and  the  apostle  proceeds  to  point 
out  particulars;  he  speaks  against  lyii/g, 
excessive  anger,  dishonesty,  improper  con- 
versation, bitterness,  clamor,  and  slander  ; 
and  exhorts  to  industry,  love,  and  gene- 
rosity; in  short,  saith  he,  "Be  imitators  of 
God,  as  his  dear  children." 


SERMON  XCI. 


427 


3.  A  tliird  obligation  arises  from  grati- 
tude— the  loVe  of  Christ  constraineth  us ; 
and  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law.  Of 
old,  God  enforced  his  commandments  on 
Israel,  from  the  consideration  of  the  great 
thuigs  he  had  done  for  them.  '  Exod.  xx.  2. 
"  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  have 
brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  out 
of  the  liouse  of  bondage,"  and  we,  as  Chris- 
tians, are  hereby  taught  that,  "  because  God 
is  the  Lord,  and  our  God,  and  Redeemer, 
therefore  we  are  bound  to  keep  all  his 
commandments ;"  because,  "  he  hath  de- 
livered us  out  of  the  hand  of  our  enemies," 
we  are  by  gratitude  constrained  "  to  serve 
him,  without  fear,  in  holiness  and  right- 
eousness, all  the  days  of  our  life."    } 

4.  Another  argument  for  holy  living  is 
derived  from  our  own  personal  comfort, 
which  is  best  promoted  thereby.  One 
grand  evidence  of  personal  interest  in 
Christ,  arises  from  the  fruits  of  faith. 
"  There  is  now  no  condemnation  to  them 
tliat  are  in  Christ,"  and  who  are  tiiey  1  they 
are  such  as  walk,  not  according  to  the  flesh, 
but  according  to  the  Spirit.  (Rom.  viii.  1.) 
and  St.  John  says,  "  Hereby  we  do  know 
that  we  know  him,  if  we  keep  his  com- 
mandments ;"  and  again,  "  He  that  saith 
he  abideth  in  him,  ought  himself  also  to 
walk  even  as  He  walked,"  (1  John  ii.  3 — 
6.)  Conscience,  it  is  true,  derives  itsyeace 
first  from  tlie  blood  of  Christ ;  but  a  holy 
lite  affords  an  additional  evidence,  by  which 
the  reality  of  our  faith  is  made  evident  both 
to  ourselves  and  others. 

5.  The  glory  of  God,  and  the  good  of 
men,  require  that  we  should  walk  worthy 
of  our  vocation.  The  end  that  God  has  in 
view  in  all  his  works  is  his  own  glory ;  it 
is  fit  that  should  also  be  our  end.  Christ 
has  assured  us  that  his  Father  is  glorified 
by  our  bringing  forth  much  fruit ;  let  this 
then  be  our  constant  aim.  Our  Lord's  di- 
rection is,  "  Let  your  light  shine  before 
men,  that,  seeing  your  good  works,  they 
may  glorify  your  Father  who  is  in  heaven." 
There  is  a  language  in  a  holy  and  useful 
life  that  cannot  be  misunderstood ;  that 
speaks  to  the  heart ;  that  silences  opposi- 
tion, destroys  prejudice,  and  adorns  the 
doctrine  of  God  our  Savior.  This  St.  Peter 
recommends  to  the  first  Christians,  against 
whom  all  manner  of  evil  was  falsely  spoken ; 
"  Having,"  says  he,  "  your  conversation 
honest  among  the  Gentiles,  that  whereas 
they  speak  evil  of  you,  as  evil-doers,  they 
may,  by  your  good  works  wliich  they  shall 
behold,  glorify  God  in  the  day  of  visitation." 

IMPROVEMENT. 
Two  great  lessons  may  be  learned  front 
this  discourse — To  know  Ciieist — and  To 


LIVE  Christ.  To  be  taught  by  him ;  and 
then  to  prove  that  we  are  so  taught,  by  our 
holy  obedience  to  his  will. 

1.  Let  every  one  of  us  be  concerned  to 
know  him.  "  It  is  for  our  life."  Remem- 
ber the  words  of  our  Savior,  (John  xvii.  3,) 
"This  is  eternal  life,  to  know  thee,  the 
only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou 
hast  sent."  Life  is  short,  and  this  is  the 
principal  business  of  it.  Lose  then  no  op- 
portunity. Improve  especially  the  Lord's 
Day.  Be  a  diligent  hearer  of  the  word ; 
and  hear  it  more  than  once  every  Sabbath 
if  possible.  Let  the  hours  before  sermon, 
between  sermons,  and  after  sermons,  be 
well  employed ;  and  some  part  of  them  in 
secret.  Avoid  Sunday  visitings  ;  they  are 
the  bane  of  religious  profession,  and  tend 
to  undo  in  the  house  all  that  has  becjn  done 
in  the  church  ;  unless,  which  is  too  seldom 
the  case,  the  time  is  devoted  to  religious 
exercises  ;  but  nothing  must  exclude  closet 
religion.  On  week  days  too,  find  some 
time  for  hearing  the  word.  Most  people 
find  some  leisure  for  visits  and  amusements ; 
and  can  none  be  found  for  lectures  and 
meetings  for  social  prayer "!  Daily  read  the 
Scriptures ;  in  so  doing,  Christ,  by  his 
Spirit,  will  be  your  teacher,  and  you  will 
grow  in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of 
him. 

O  what  a  shame  and  a  sin  will  it  be  for 
any  persons  to  abide  in  darkness,  who  dwell 
in  this  land  of  light !  How  much  better 
would  it  have  been  for  such  to  have  been 
born  in  heathen  countries  than  in  this,  if 
the  means  of  grace  be  wholly  neglected  ! 

Is  this  knowledge,  in  some  happy  de- 
gree, already  attained  1  Prize  it  above  all 
acquisitions,  and  be  thankful  to  your  heav- 
enly Teacher.  With  holy  Paul,  "  account 
all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ." 

Finally,  Let  believers  evince  the  excel- 
lency of  their  knowledge,  by  its  holy  and 
excellent  eflects.  The  reality  and  solidity 
of  our  professed  knowledge  must  be  mani- 
fested by  its  practical  cftects.  "  If  ye  know 
these  things,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them," 
"  Ye  are  my  friends,"  said  Christ  to  his 
disciples,  "if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  have 
commanded  you."  Thus  let  us  "  hold  forth 
the  word  of  life,"  by  a  conversation  "  void 
of  offence  towards  God  and  all  men ;"  this 
will  convince  the  world  that  we  have  been 
with  Jesus,  and  that  we  have  so  learned 
of  liim,  as  to  have  become  "  wise  unto  sal- 
vation." 


PRAYER.— O  Lord,  who  madest  all  things 
gmxl,  what  misery  halh  sin  brought  upon  man- 
kind I  The  abodes  of  ihem  who  have  not  heard 
of  Christ  are  habitations  of  cruelty,  lust,  and 


41*8 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


lothesome  idolatry.  Behold  them  with  pity,  gra- 
cious God,  offering  each  other  victims  to  devils, 
murdering  their  infants,  torturing  their  own  limbs, 
abandoned  to  unnatural  crimes,  and  glutting  their 
appetites  with  human  flesh  and  blood !  Such 
were  our  ancestors,  till  they  were  taught  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Christ; — such  might  we  still 
have  been,  but  that  to  us  the  word  of  salvation 
is  sent ;  but,  alas !  how  are  crimes  yet  multiplied 
among  us  ;  and  of  how  many  who  are  deterred 
from  ruinous  vices,  how  plain  is  it  that  they  have 
not  the  love  of  God  in  them,  but  are  still  lovers 
of  pleasure  more  than  lovers  of  God !  How  many 
even  turn  the  grace  of  God  to  licentiousness ! 
Preserve  us,  Lord,  from  doing  so.  May  we  so 
hear  thy  word,  so  learn  the  truth  in  Christ,  as  to 
deny  all  ui>godliness  and  worldly  lusts, — living 
soberly,  justly,  and  piously  in  this  present  world, 
— waiting  for  his  appearance,  who  gave  himself 
for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity, 
and  purify  us  unto  himself;  to  whom,  with  the 
Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  glory  for  ever! 
Am^. 


SERMON  XCII. 

THE  HAPPY  BELIEVER. 

Luke  i.  45.  And  blessed  is  she  that  believed,  for 
there  shall  he  a  perfonaance  of  those  things  which 
were  told  her  from  the  Lord. 

These  words  were  spoken,  under  the 
inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  Eliza- 
beth the  mother  of  John  the  Baptist,  to 
Mary  the  mother  of  our  blessed  Lord. 
When  Mary  visited  her  cousin  Elizabeth, 
and  entered  her  house,  the  latter  no  soon- 
er heard  the  voice  of  the  former,  than  (the 
babe  leaped  in  her  womb  ;  and)  she  broke 
tbrth  into  that  congratulation  of  which  the 
te.xt  is  a  part,  pronouncincr  her  to  be  truly 
happy,  who  had  given  credit  to  the  prom- 
ise which  God  had  made  to  her  concern- 
ing the  infant  Jesus,  who  should  be  born 
of  her,  and  assuring  her  that  whatever  the 
Lord  had  spoken  to  her  should  certainly 
be  accomplished. 

But,  though  these  words  were  spoken 
in  a  way  of  congratulation  to  a  certain  in- 
dividual, and  upon  an  occasion  altogether 
singular,  yet  they  may  with  equal  truth  be 
addressed  to  every  believer,  of  each  sex. 
Blessed  art  thou,  believer,  for  there  shall 
be  a  performance  to  thee,  of  all  the  pre- 
cious promises  which  God  hath  made  in 
his  holy  word.  The  observation  we  may 
derive  from  these  words  is  this  : — 

They  are  truly  happy  persons  who  rely 
upon  the  promises  of  God  in  his  Gospel, 
for  they  may  confidently  expect  their  ful- 
filment. 

When  we  take  a  view  of  the  nature 
and  tendency  of  the  Gospel,  it  i.s  evident 
tiiat  real  Christians  are  entitled  to  happi- 


ness. The  word  Gospel  denotes  as  much ; 
for  it  signifies  good  netos  or  a  good  mes- 
sage. In  the  Old  Testament  the  promised 
coming  of  the  Savior  is  always  represent- 
ed as  an  occasion  of  the  greatest  gladness. 
The  prophet  Isaiah  says,  "O  thou  that 
tellest  good  things  to  Zion,  get  thee  up 
into  the  high  mountain  ;  O  thou  that  tell- 
est good  tidings  to  Jerusalem,  lift  up  thy 
voice  with  strength,  say  unto  the  cities  of 
Judah,  Behold  your  God  !"  These  glad 
tidings  should  be  universally  proclaimed. 
(Isa.  xl.  9,  &c.)  And  when,  in  the  fullness 
of  time,  God  became  incarnate  ;  when  the 
eternal  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  came 
to  dwell  with  men,  a  multitude  of  the 
heawenly  host  burst  forth  into  that  joyful 
chorus,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and 
on  earth  peace,  good  will  towards  men." 
Luke  ii.  14.  And  when  the  pious  Simeon, 
who  was  one  of  those  that  waited  for  the 
Consolation  of  Israel,  had  embraced  the 
infant  Savior  in  his  arms,  he  wished  to  live 
no  longer ;  he  was  completely  happy,  and 
cried,  "  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy  servant 
depart  in  peace,  for  mine  eyes  have  seen 
thy  salvation." 

Observe  also  the  immediate  effect  of 
receiving  the  Gospel,  by  the  first  Chris- 
tians; those  who  "gladly  received  the 
word"  professed  it,  and  associated  togeth- 
er ;  and  they  eat  their  meat'  with  "  glad- 
ness and  singleness  of  heart ;" — the  joy  of 
their  souls  in  the  great  salvation,  gave  an 
additional  relish  to  the  comforts  of  life. 
When  Philip,  the  Evangelist,  went  down 
to  Samaria,  and  preached  Christ  to  the 
people,  "there  was  great  joy  in  that 
city ;"  and  when  the  jailer  of  Philippi  sud- 
denly received  the  good  news  of  the  Gos- 
pel from  the  mouth  of  his  prisoners,  Paul 
and  Silas, "  he  rejoiced  with  all  his  house ;" 
and  this  joy  took  place  immediately,  on 
the  simple  belief  of  the  truth,  and  before 
there  was  time  to  exhibit  the  fruits  and 
evidences  of  faith,  which  no  doubt  were 
afterwards  exhibited,  and  which  are  pro- 
duced in  every  sincere  believer.  Such  is 
the  nature,  and  such  the  effect  of  tlie  Gos- 
pel, cordially  received  ;  for  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  consisteth  not  in  ceremonial  ob- 
servances, but  "  in  righteousness,  in  peace, 
and  in  the  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

It  is  nevertheless  a  certam  truth,  that 
many  pious  persons,  of  whose  sincerity 
there  can  be  no  doubt,  do  not  enjoy  this 
happiness,  at  least  not  in  any  great  de- 
gree, nor  with  constancy.  They  are  often- 
times dejected,  and  troubled  witli  much 
anxiety,  and  many  distressing  doubts  and 
fears.  Now,  as  the  Gospel  is  calculated 
to  promote  joy  and  peace,  there  must  be 


SERMON  XCII. 


429 


something  wronjr  in  a  sincere  disciple  of 
Christ  if  these  be  not  possessed, — if  dis- 
tressing fears  generally  prevail.  It  is 
therefore  of  great  importance  to  find  out 
the  causes  of  this  evil,  and,  if  possible, 
prescribe  a  certain  remedy. 

Upon  inquiry,  I  think  it  will  be  found 
that  the  principal  causes  are  1^1.)  Imper- 
fect views  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and  a 
mistaken  apprehension  that  its  blessings 
are  c6nditionally  bestowed,  so  that  some- 
thing good  in  the  sinner  must  first  be  pro- 
duced, whicli  may  authorize  him  to  hope 
in  Christ ;  or  (2.)  A  dependence,  more  or 
less,  on  some  good  qualities  in,  or  good  ac- 
tions done  by  himself,  the  discovery  of 
which  enlivens  his  hope,  and  the  supposed 
absence  of  which  destroys  it,  and  leaves 
him  the  prey  of  guilt  and  fear. 

The  following  case  frequently  occurs. 
I  see  a  person  convinced  of  sin,  humbled 
for  it,  seriously  apprehensive  of  its  awful 
desert,  dreading  the  anger  of  an  offended 
God,  and  desirous,  above  all  things,  of  es- 
caping from  the  wrath  to  come.  I  will  sup- 
pose that  person  to  be  also,  in  some  de- 
gree enlightened  in  the  knowledge  of 
Christ,  convinced  of  the  value  and  efficacy 
of  his  blood,  and  earriestly  wishing  to  be 
interested  in  him ;  he  looks  to  Jesus  as  his 
only  refuge,  and,  at  times,  possesses  an 
humble,  feeble,  variable  hope.  When  at- 
tending divine  ordinances,  when  hearing 
the  heart-cheering  doctrines  of  grace, 
when  listening  to  the  charming  invitations 
and  promises  of  Christ,  his  heart  is  warm- 
ed, his  fears  subside,  and  his  soul  is  happy. 
But,  alas !  this  pleasing  frame  soon  van- 
ishes ;  he  looks  again  at  himself,  he  feels 
that  he  is  yet  a  sinner,  his  fears  return, 
and  he  is  again  miserable. 

Mcthinks  I  hear  such  a  one  exclaiming 
"  It  is  true  ;  the  Gospel  is  most  excellent, 
and  Jesus  Christ  is  infinitely  precious  :  but 
what  pretensions  have  I  to  his  blessings  ] 
I, — who  am  every  way  so  unworthy  and 
vile  ! — I,  who  am  the  chief  of  sinners  !  If 
I  look  at  my  prayers,  they  deserve  not  the 
name  of  prayers,  they  are  so  cold,  so  wan- 
dering !  My  corruptions  are  many  and 
strong ;  surely,  real  Christians  are  not  like 
me ;  and  as  to  my  religious  attainments, 
they  bear  no  pro])ortion  to  those  of  others, 
nor  to  the  many  privileges  I  have  enjoyed. 
I  look  for  the  acknowledged  evidences  of 
a  gracious  state,  and  I  can  find  but  few, 
and  sometimes  none  at  all.  What  then 
must  I  do  !" — And  "if  a  person  in  this  state 
of  mind  should,  at  the  same  time,  be  the 
subject  of  such  diseases  as  enervate  the 
bo<ly  and  depress  the  spirits,  he  may  be 
reduced  to  a  pitiable  condition  ;  and  if  to 


all  this  bo  added  the  assaults  of  the  tempt- 
er, who  will  not  fail  to  take  the  advantage 
of  his  weakness,  he  may  be  brought  low 
indeed,  and  walk  for  many  days  in  the 
valley  of  the  shadow  of  death. 

But  what  is  the  meaning  of  these  com- 
plaints ]  What  is  the  genuine  language 
of  these  feelings  and  fears  ]  Is  it  not  this  ■? 
I  want  to  find  something  good  in  myself 
to  build  my  hope  upon  ;  or  at  least,  some- 
thing so  good  as  may  encourage  me  to 
hope  in  Christ;  for  I  cannot  think  of  trust- 
ing in  him  just  as  I  am.  If  I  were  more 
humble  and  more  holy,  then,  perhaps,  he 
would  receive  me,  and  I  might  venture, 
without  presumption,  to  hope  in  his  mercy. 
Few  persons  perhaps  will  speak  thus,  in 
so  many  words,  but  this  is  the  real  mean- 
ing of  their  objections ;  they  want  the 
"  wine  and  milk"  of  the  Gospel,  and  they 
are  "  come  to  the  waters"  for  them ;  but 
they  are  not  yet  content  to  "  buy  without 
money  and  without  price."  (Isa.  Iv.  1.) 
They  are  not  content  to  let  Christ  "justify 
the  ungodly  ;" — or  to  "  save  that  which  is 
lost" — and  "  without  strength  ;"  but  they 
wish  to  find  some  previous  qualification  in 
themselves ;  and  for  want  of  this  they 
despond. 

Here  then  are  those  imperfect  views  of 
the  Gospel  which  prove  such  an  hin- 
drance to  the  exercise  of  simple  faith,  be- 
lieving the  testiinony  and  promises  of  God 
concerning  Jesus  Christ,  and  concerning 
all  tliose  who  look  to  him,  receive  him, 
come  to  him,  and  trust  in  him.  For  to 
those  who  are  in  the  state  we  have  de- 
scribed, this  is  the  remedy  proposed.  Isa. 
1.  10.  "  Who  is  among  you  that  feareth 
the  Lord,  that  obeyeth  the  voice  of  his 
servant,  that  walketh  in  darkness  and  hath 
no  light  ]  Let  him  trust  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord"  (that  is,  in  Christ)  "  and  stay 
upon  his  God."  In  the  absence  of  every 
other  source  of  consolation,  let  him  ti'ust 
alone  in  the  all-sufficient  Redeemer.  A 
belief  that  Jesus  is  able  to  save  to  the  ut- 
termost, and  will  cast  out  none  that  come 
to  him,  will  relieve  the  burthened  mind  at 
once,  and  afford  peace  and  joy ; — peace  to 
the  conscience,  and  joy  to  the  heart. 

Another  great  hindrance  to  the  joy  of 
faith  is,  making  too  much  of  evidences  ; 
that  is,  building  too  much  upon  them,  and 
deriving  hope  from  them  rather  than  from 
Christ  himself  and  the  atonement  of  his 
blood. 

I  would  not  discard  Evidences ;  God 
forbid  !  tlie  Scriptures  of  truth  propose 
them.  For  instance,  "To  you  who  be- 
lieve, he  is  precious."  "  Ff  ye  love  me, 
keep   my  commandments."     "We  knov/ 


430 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life, 
because  we  love  the  brethren."' — From 
these  and  many  similar  passages,  the 
Christian  may  warrantably  derive  com- 
fort ;  and  the  truth  of  our  faith  must  be 
tried  by  the  fruits  of  our  faith, — for  true 
'  faith  worketh  by  love." 

It  is  not  against  tlie  use,  but  against  the 
abuse  of  evidences  that  we  argue.  Let 
them  have  their  proper,  that  is,  their  sec- 
ondary and  subordinate  place ;  but  let  us 
first  look  to  Jesus,  as  exhibited  in  the  tes- 
timony and  promises  of  the  Gospel ;  and 
with  confidence  rely  on  divine  faithfulness 
to  make  those  promises  good  to  us ;  for,  if 
we  are  not  on  our  guard,  our  minds  may 
be  strangely  diverted  from  Christ,  to  a  de- 
pendence not  upon  his  work /or  ms,  but. 
rather  to  that  wrought  in  us,  the  impeT- 
fection  of  which  will  always  render  our 
peace  imperfect. 

Let  the  Christian  examine  himself  He 
ought  to  do  it.  Let  him  inquire  into  the 
state  of  his  heart,  and  "prove  his  own 
work ;"  but  let  him  look  where  and  at 
what  he  may,  he  will  find  defects  and  im- 
perfections ;  such  imperfections  as  will 
often  leave  him  in  doubt  whether  his 
graces  are  genuine  or  not ;  and  the  deep- 
er acquaintance  he  has  with  the  deceitful- 
ness  of  his  own  heart,  the  greater  will  be 
his  suspicions,  and  the  less  his  confidence ; 
so  that,  after  all  his  inquiries,  he  will  find 
it  necessary  to  resort  to  the  Savior,  and 
build  his  hope  alone  on  him. 

But  evidences  are  chiefly  abused  when 
they  are  made  meritorious  qualifications 
for  trusting  in  Christ;  when  they  are 
made  the  foundation  of  our  claim  to  the 
pardoning  mercy  of  God,  through  the 
blood  of  Jesus.  If  the  language  of  the 
heart  be, — "  If  I  am  deeply  humbled  for 
sin ;  if  I  can  pray  with  fluency  and  fer- 
vency ;  if  I  can  overcome  my  corruptions, 
and  practise  the  duties  of  holiness,  then 
may  I  venture  to  come  to  Christ  and  hope 
in  him."  But  this  is  reversing  the  proper 
order  of  things ;  for  we  are  not  first  to 
make  ourselves  holy,  and  then  apply  to 
■Christ  for  pardon  ;  but  we  are  first  of  all 
to  believe  the  Gospel  and  receive  a  free 
pardon  from  him,  and  then  being  "  sanc- 
tified through  taith  in  him,"  we  are  to 
bring  forth  the  fruits  of  righteousness, 
which  are  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  tlie  glory  of 
the  Father.  To  do  otherwise,  to  attempt 
to  make  ourselves,  in  any  way  or  degree, 
Avorthy  of  Christ,  is  only  to  imitate  (though 
■in  a  refined  and  delusive  way)  the  con- 
duct of  the  self-righteous  Jews,  lamented 
by  St.  Paul,  "  who  went  about  to  establish 
their  own  righteousness,  not  submitting 


themselves  to  the  righteousness  of  Christ." 
Rom.  X.  3.  If  this  course  be  pursued,  their 
hopes  will  rise  or  fall  witli  every  change 
of  frame :  I  had  almost  said,  with  every 
change  of  weather. 

Having,  as  I  trust,  detected  a  great  mis- 
take, let  me  now  point  out  a  more  excel- 
lent way :  "^let  me  direct  your  attention  to 
the  following  particulars : — 

1.  The  Facts  recorded  in  the  Gospel ; 

2.  The  Testimony  and  Promises  X)f  God 
connected  with  them ; 

3.  The  Credence  to  be  given  to  these  ; 
and, 

4.  The  happy  effect  of  giving  that  cre- 
dence. 

The  Gospel  includes  a  series  of  the 
most  important  events  that  ever  took  place 
in  our  world,  and  which  took  place  exactly 
in  the  manner  which  had  been  predicted 
from  age  to  age  by  the  prophets.  "  When 
the  fullness  of  the  time  was  come,  God 
sent  forth  his  Son  ;"  "  God  was  manifest 
in  the  flesh."  He  was  declared  to  be  the 
Son  of  God  with  power,  by  voices  from 
Heaven,  by  numerous  and  undeniable  mir- 
acles, and  by  his  resurrection  from  the 
dead.  He  was  without  sin  in  his  nature ; 
he  committed  no  sin  in  his  life ;  he  obeyed 
all  the  precepts  of  the  law  without  fail- 
ure ;  he  endured  the  penalty  which  the 
law  denounces  against  transgressors  ;  that 
so  what  the  law  could  not  do,  namely, 
justify  us,  because  we  are  sinners,  God  has 
done  another  way ;  that  is,  by  condemning 
and  punishing  sin,  in  the  person  of  his 
Son ;  making  him  a  sin  offering  for  us, 
that  we  might  be  treated  and  accepted  as 
righteous  in  his  sight,  the  righteousness 
of  Christ  being  put  to  our  account,  as  our 
sins  had  been  put  to  his  accoimt.  These 
are  the  principal  facts  recorded  in  the 
New  Testament. 

2.  Let  us  next  notice  the  Testimony  of 
God  concerning  these  facts,  with  the 
promise  of  eternal  life  to  all  believers. 
We  are  to  receive  these  facts  and  the  doc- 
trines connected  with  them,  not  as  the 
traditions  of  men,  or  public  rumors,  but  on 
the  authority  of  God,  who  requires  our  be- 
lief of  them.  He  has  commanded  this 
Gospel  to  be  preached  to  all  the  world,  ac- 
companied with  this  solemn  sanction : — 
"  He  that  believeth  shall  be  saved  ;  but  he 
that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned."  Mark 
xvi.  16.  He  has  commanded  that  Repent- 
ance and  Remission  of  Sins  shall  be  uni- 
versally preached ;  together  with  an  as- 
surance that  whosoever  believeth  on  Christ 
shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life ; 
that  his  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin  ;  ahd 
that  believers  having  passed  from  death 


SERMOiN  XCII. 


431 


unto  life,  shall  never  come  into  condem- 
nation. 

The  Gospel  also  abounds  with  gracious 
invitations  to  tlie  guilty  and  unworthy, 
requiring  sinners  to  come  to  Christ  and 
receive  mercy  and  peace,  "  without  mo- 
ney and  without  price ;" — that  is,  without 
any  meritorious  qualification ;  and  lest  any 
should  be  discouraged  by  a  sense  of  their 
guilt  and  vileness,  he  has  made  this  most 
generous  declaration  : — "  him  that  cometh 
unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out :"  Yea, 
he  has  added  his  authority  to  his  invitation, 
saying,  by  St.  John,  "  This  is  his  command- 
ment, That  we  should  believe  on  the  name 
of  his  Son,  Jesus  Christ."  Surely  then  it 
can  be  no  presumption,  even  in  the  most 
guilty  sinner,  to  "  come  to  Christ  that  he 
may  have  life." 

3.  Here  then  comes  in  the  Credence  be- 
fore mentioned — a  simple  and  sincere  be- 
lief of  the  Testimony  that  God  has  given 
of  his  Son,  and  a  reliance  on  the  promises 
made  respecting  salvation  by  him.  When 
God  sets  before  us  his  dear  Son,  and  with 
him  salvation,  we  must  either  believe  or 
disbelieve  what  he  says.  Thus  the  apostle 
John  states  the  matter  m  his  First  Epistle, 
chapter  the  fifth  : — "  There  are  three  who 
bear  record  (or  testimony)  in  Heaven. — 
The  Father,  The  Word,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  these  Three  are  One ;"  and  the 
testimony  in  which  they  unite  is  this : — 
God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life,  and  this 
life  is  in  his  Son."  Eternal  life  is  a  free 
gift,  not  a  purchase,  not  the  reward  of  hu- 
man merit,  and  tliis  life  is  procured  by  the 
death  of  his  Son,  and  treasured  up  in  him, 
for  all  who  by  faith  apply  for  it.  This  all 
real  Christians  do  :  but  all  others,  who,  re- 
jecting this  testimony,  expect  life  in  an- 
other way,  treat  the  God  of  truth  as  if  he 
were  a  liar,  ver.  10 ;  which  is  the  greatest 
and  most  destructive  sin  that  a  mortal  can 
commit. 

This  belief  of  the  truth  includes,  of 
course,  a  rejection  of  every  other  plan  of 
salvation  as  false,  dishonorable  to  God,  and 
ruinous  to  man ;  while  the  believer  thus 
I'  comes  to  Christ,"  "  receives  Christ,  trusts 
in  Christ," — all  which  expressions  are  de- 
scriptive of  true  faith.  Thus  God  is 
honored  by  taking  him  at  his  word ;  thus 
Abraiiam  the  father  of  tlie  faitliful,  trusting 
to  God's  faithful  word,  and  disregarding 
all  the  seeming  difficulties  of  its  accom- 
plishment, was  "strong  in  faith,  giving 
glory  tx)  God."  In  like  manner,  Sarah,  the 
wife  of  Abraham,  "judged  him  faithfiil  who 
had  promised ;" — and  this  is  all  that  faith 
can  do. 

4.  Let  us,  in  the  last  place,  contemplate 


the  happy  effect  of  thus  believing.  Eliza- 
beth pronounced  Mary  "blessed,"  because 
she  believed  the  promise  and  because  the 
promise  would  certainly  be  fulfilled  ;  and 
thus  we  may,  without  hesitation,  pronounce 
every  believer  to  be  a  happy  person.  The 
first  question  we  ask,  when  good  tidings 
reach  us  of  some  great  event  which  nearly 
concerns  us  is.  Are  they  true?  Aifd  if 
their  truth  be  established,  we  naturally 
rejoice.  The  tidings  of  safety  when  in 
danger, — of  peace  when  at  war, — of  wealth 
to  the  indigent, — of  iiealth  to  the  sick, — 
of  pardon  to  the  criminal,  fill  the  mind  with 
pleasure  and  delight ;  so  if  the  good  mes- 
sage and  glacious  promise  of  God  in  the 
Gospel  be  fully  credited,  "joy  and  peace  in 
believing,"  will  be  the  happy  ret^ult. 

And  the  practical  effect  will  be  happy 
too,  for  it  is  a  certain  truth  that  faith  work- 
eth  by  love.  It  is  possible  indeed  that  bad 
men  may  abuse  good  doctrines,  and  turn 
the  grace  of  God  into  licentiousness ;  but 
we  dare  appeal  to  the  history  of  the  church 
in  all  ages,  not  excepting  the  present,  that 
this  "  grace  of  God,"  for  which  we  plead, 
"teacheth  true  believers  that,  denying  un- 
godliness and  worldly  lusts,  they  should 
live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  the 
world,"  and  thus  to  adorn  the  doctrine  of 
God  our  Savior  in  all  things.  Yes ;  he 
that  hath  this  hope  in  him,  purifieth  him- 
self from  the  pollutions  of  the  flesh  and  of 
the  world.  So  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
those  ancient  believers,  embraced  the  Gos- 
pel promise,  and  were  not  ashamed  to  con- 
fess themselves  pilgrims  and  strangers  upon 
earth  :  and  so  St.  Paul,  the  great  champion 
of  these  truths,  declared,  that  by  faith  in 
the  cross  of  Jesus  he  was  crucified  to  the 
world,  and  the  world  was  crucified  to  him. 

CONCLUSION. 

What  has  been  said  may  account  for  the 
fear  and  dejection  of  many  serious  persons. 
The  life  of  faith,  in  looldng  at  unseen 
things,  and  trusting  in  an  unseen  Savior, 
is  so  remote  from  our  ordinary  affairs,  that 
it  is  difficult  to  attaui  it.  We  are  strongly 
inclined  to  depend  upon  our  frames  and 
feelings,  and  to  derive  our  comfort  frem 
any  thing  ratlier  than  from  the  word  of 
God.  We  have  therefore  great  reason  to 
be  ashamed  of  our  unbelief,  and  to  cry 
earnestly  to  God,  in  the  language  of  one 
of  old,  "  Lord,  we  believe,  help  thou  our 
unbelief!" 

We  may  also  learn,  from  what  has  been 
advanced,  that  the  way  to  be  truly  happy 
is  to  rely  with  confidence  on  the  word  of 
God.  If  we  honor  God  by  trusting  his 
word,  he  will  honor  us  by  granting  the 


432 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


light  of  his  countenance.  Let  it,  then,  be 
the  langnag-e  of  our  hearts,  "  Remember 
the  word  unto  thy  servant,  on  which  thou 
hast  caused  me  to  liope  :"  or  as  expressed 
in  anotheir  place,  "  Dd  as  thou  hast  said." — 
When  is  it  that  the  Christian  finds  his 
mind  relieved  from  the  load  of  guilt "!  when 
does  he  experience  peace,  and  hope,  and 
love,  and  joy,  but  when  he  hears,  or  reads, 
or  thinlcs  on  the  love  and  grace,  the  blood, 
and  righteousness,  and  intercession  of  the 
Divine  Savior  1  It  is  this,  probably,  that 
renders  the  sacrament  of  tlie  Lord's  Sup- 
per so  eminently  useful,  and  so  delightful 
to  the  believer;  because  then  his  eye  is 
withdrawn  from  every  object  except  Christ 
crucified,  and  his  simple  business  is  to  re- 
ceive him  as  therein  exhibited. 

Finally.  This  happiness  is  promoted  by 
a  well-grounded  expectation  of  the  prom- 
ised blessings.  Blessed  art  thou,  believer, 
because  there  shall  be  a  performance  of  all 
things  told  thee  by  the  Lord.  Did  Abra- 
ham, after  long  waiting,  receive  the  Son 
of  promise  "?  Was  Israel  delivered  .from 
Egypt  and  settled  in  Canaan,  according  to 
the  word  of  God  1  Did  Christ  appear  at 
the  appointed  time  1  did  he  suffer,  and  die, 
and  rise,  and  ascend,  a:ccording  to  the 
Scriptures  ]  So  be  assured,  Christian,  that 
God  will  be  faithful  in  fulfilling  to  thee  all 
that  he  has  promised ;  and,  when  you  ar- 
rive in  the  heavenly  Canaan,  Joshua's  ap- 
peal to  Israel  will  be  adopted,  "  Ye  know 
in  all  your  hearts,  and  in  all  your  souls, 
that  not  one  thing  has  failed  of  all  the  good 
things  which  the  Lord  your  God  spake  con- 
cerning you  ;  all  are  come  to  pass  unto 
you,  and  not  one  thinghath  failed  thereof." 

HYMN. 

O  WHY  should  doubts  and  fears  arise  ? 
Why  trickling  sorrows  drown  our  eyes? 
Slowly,  alas !  our  mind  receives 
The  comfort  that  our  Maker  gives. 

O  for  a  strong  and  lasting  faith, 
To  credit  what  the  Almighty  saith ! 
T'  embrace  the  message  of  his  Son, 
And  call  the  joys  of  heaven  our  own ! 

Then,  should  the  earth's  old  pillars  shake, 
•  And  all  the  wheels  of  nature  break. 
Our  steady  souls  would  fear  no  more 
Than  solid  rocks  when  billows  roar. 

Our  everlasting  hopes  arise 
Above  the  ruinable  skies. 
Where  th'  eternal  Builder  reigns, 
And  his  own  courts  his  pow'r  sustains. 

Watts. 


pleased,  of  thy  infinite  mercy  and  goodness,  to 
provide  for  his  happiness  here  on  earth.  Glory 
be  to  lliy  name,  that  we  have  heard  and  known 
the  joyful  sound  of  the  Gospel, — the  glad  tidings 
of  great  joy  to  all  people, — that  Jesus  Christ  is 
come  into  the  world  to  save  sinners ! — and  as  the 
joy  of  thy  salvaiion  is  received  only  by  faith,  O 
thou  Author  and  Finisher  of  that  precious  grace, 
give  unto  us  joy  and  peace  in  believing.  Cor- 
dially crediung  thy  testimony  concerning  Jesus 
Christ,  and  the  promises  made  to  all  who  believe 
in  him,  may  we  trust  and  not  be  afraid  ;  but  re- 
lying upon  thy  divine  faithfulness,  may  we  fully 
expect  that  not  one  thing,  of  all  the  good  things 
which  thou  hast  spoken,  shall  fiiil :  thus  being 
strong  in  faith,  and  thus  giving  glory  to  God,  may 
we  be  blessed,  with  the  blessed  mother  of  our 
Lord! — happily  persuaded,  Uke  her,  that  there 
shall  be  a  performance  of  thy  holy  word,  and 
that  thou  wilt  do  as  thou  hast  said. 


PRAYER.— O  GoD  of  our  salvation,  the  God 
of  all  comfort,  great  is  thy  goodness  to  sinful  man ; 
for  althougii  he  be  born  to  trouble,  and  liable  to 
various  miseries  in  ihe  present  world.as  wellas  to 
misery  eternal  in  the  world  to  come,  yet  art  thou 


SERMON  XCIII. 

THE  DOCTRINE  OF  PROVIDENCE  PRAC- 
TICALLY IMPROVED. 

LuKe  xii.  7.  But  even  the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are 
all  numbered. 

The  belief  of  a  Divine  Providence,  ex- 
ercised towards  us  in  all  places  and  circum- 
stances, especially  in  times  of  great  danger, 
is  the  best  antidote  possible  against  the  fear 
of  man ;  and  it  was  for  that  purpose  our 
blessed  Lord  spake  these  words  to  his  dis- 
ciples. In  the  fourth  verse  of  this  chapter 
it  is  written,  "  I  say  unto  you,  my  friends, 
be  not  afraid  of  them  that  kill  the  body, 
and  after  that  have  no  more  that  they  can 
do  :  but  I  will  forewarn  you  whom  ye  shall 
fear  :  Fear  him  who,  after  he  hath  killed, 
hath  power  to  cast  into  Hell ;  yea,  I  say 
unto  you.  Fear  him  ;"  and  in  a  parallel 
passage,  Matthew  x.  16,  afler  he  had  fully 
apprized  them  of  the  dangers  to  which 
they  would  be  exposed  when  preaching  his 
Gospel,  he  assures  them  that  his  good  provi- 
dence should  watch  over  and  defend  them  ; 
that  not  only  their  more  noble  and  vital 
parts  should  be  regarded,  but  that  the  very 
hairs  of  their  liead  being  numbered,  not 
one  of  them  all  should,  without  his  per- 
mission, perish.  By  his  strong  expression, 
which  was  perhaps  proverbial,  the  univer- 
sality of  God's  providence  is  fully  estab- 
lished ; — and  this  is  a  subject  to  which  we 
should  often  advert ;  for  on  our  firm  belief 
of  it  depend,  in  a  great  measure,  our  pray- 
ers, our  praises  arid  our  consolation.  The 
whole  of  practical  religion  stands  connected 
with  this  doctrine,  and  from  it  we  may  learn 
many  important  and  salutary  lessons.  My 
intention  is, — 

I.  To  prove  that  the  Providence  of  God 
extends  to  all  human  affairs  :  and, 


SERMON  XCIH. 


133 


II.  To  point  oul  tlio  practical  uses  we 
yhould  make  of  this  doctriiio. 

I.  Let  us  establisli,  by  reference  to  the 
Scrii)tures  this  jrreat  and  important  truth, 
— that  the  Providence  of  God  is  universal ; 
that  it  extends  to  all  creatures  and  things 
throughout  the  whole  world  ;  but,  as  that 
concerns  us  most — especially  to  all  human 
aftairs. 

By  tlie  Providence  of  God,  we  mean 
his  preserving  and  governing  all  his  crea- 
tures, and  all  tlicir  actions.  He  is  in 
every  place,  beholding  the  evil  and  the 
good.  All  the  heavenly  bodies  are  sustain- 
ed and  directed  by  him.  This  earthly  ball 
is  iiis  peculiar  care.  The  seasons  succeed 
each  other  in  their  appointed  course ;  sum- 
mer and  winter,  seed-time  and  harvest, 
are  continued  by  his  goodness.  He  makes 
the  sun  to  shine,  and  the  rain  to  descend, 
and  the  earth  to  bring  forth  abundantly  to 
the  service  of  man;  yea,  he  opcneth  his 
hand,  and  supplieth  the  want  of  every 
living  thing.  In  short,  nothing  is  beyond 
nor  beneatli  his  notice. 

1.  This  appears  even  fi"om  the  light 
of  nature ;  it  seems  necessarily  to  follow 
from  his  being  the  Creator  of  the  world  ; 
for  it  is  reasonable  to  believe,  that  he  who 
made  all  things  governs  all  things.  "  The 
invisible  things  of  God,  even  his  eternal 
power  and  Godhead,"  may  be  "  understood 
by  the  things  that  are  made ;  so  as  to 
leave,  without  excuse,  the  heathen  them- 
selves ;  who  instead  of  glorifymg  him  as 
God,  worship  the  works  of  their  own 
hands.  (Rom.  i.  18 — 20.)  And  we  are 
told.  Acts  xiv.  17,  tlmt  God  did  "not  leave 
himself  without  witness,"  even  among 
those  who  have  no  Bible  ;  because  he,  in 
liis  jjrovidcnce,  "did  them  good,  and  gave 
them  rain  from  heaven  and  fruitful  sea- 
sons, filling  their  hearts  with  food  and 
gladness." 

The  existence  of  God,  a  Being  of  in- 
finite power,  and  wisdom  and  goodness, 
obliges  us  to  believe  that  he  will  take  care 
of  his  creatures.  Not  only  men,  but  even 
lirutes,  are  tenderly  concerned  for  their 
young ;  and  can  we  suppose  that  tlie 
Father  of  tiie  Universe  will  neglect  his 
offspring,  or  that  he  will  forsake  the  work 
of  his  own  hands  I  No  ;  we  must  con- 
clude, tliat,  if  lit;  iias  ail  power,  he  caii, 
and,  if  he  has  ail  goodiu^ss,  lie  will,  ex- 
tend liis  kind  regard  to  the  whole  creation. 

2.  But  we  have  clearer  light,  and  fuller 
proof  of  tins  from  the  Bible,  God's  own 
revelation  of  himself  In  that  holy  book, 
which  we  arc  sure  was  inspired  by  him, 
the  Providence  of  God  is  everywhere  as- 
sorted ;  and,  indeed,  a  great  part  of   the 

3E 


Bible  is  a  history  of  tiiat  ProvKkncc,  as  it 
has  been  exercised  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world. 

There  we  read  that  God  is  the  great 
Preserver.  "  What  shall  I  do  unto  thee," 
said  holy  Job,  "  O  thou  preserver  of  men :"' 
And  the  Psalmist  exclaims,  "  How  excel- 
lent is  thy  loving-kindness,  O  God !  there- 
fore the  children  of  men  put  their  trust 
under  the  shadow  of  thy  wings.  O  Lord, 
thou  preservest  man  and  beast."  And  in 
the  book  of  Nehehiiah,  the  good  provi- 
dence of  God  is  celebrated  in  these  exalted 
strains  : — "  Thou,  even  thou  art  Lord 
alone  ;  thou  hast  made  Heaven,  the 
Heaven  of  heavens,  Vvith  all  their  host; 
the  earth  and  all  things  that  are  therein  ; 
the  seas,  and  all  that  is  therein ;  and  thou 
preservest  them  all  !  " 

The  predictions  of  future  events,  and 
their  fulfilment,  of  both  which  the  Scrip- 
tures afford  very  numerous  instances,  fur- 
nish us  with  another  proof  of  the  reality 
of  a  Divine  Providence ;  for  if  God  do  not 
govern  the  world,  he  could  not  foretell 
what  would  come  to  pass.  God  forewarn- 
ed Noah  of  the  flood  120  years  before  it 
came.  He  foretold  the  bondage  of  Israel 
in  Egypt ;  how  long  it  should  last ;  and 
how  they  should  be  delivered.  The  captivity 
of  Judah  was  foretold  long  before  it  hap- 
pened ;,  how  many  years  it  should  con- 
tinue ;  by  whom,  and  by  what  means  the 
people  should  be  restored  and  the  temple 
rebuilt.  All  the  circumstances  relating  to 
the  birth,  life,  sufferings,  death  and  re- 
surrection of  Christ  were  exactly  predicted ; 
and  so  were  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
and  the  dreadful  miseries  of  the  Jews; — 
all  were  so  exactly  foretold',  that  the  pre- 
dictions appear  almost  like  a  history  of 
the  events ;  and  dcniionstrate,  beyond  all 
doubt,  that  God's  Providence  extends  to  all 
things. 

God,  who  preserves  all  creatures,  gov- 
erns them  also.  He  does  not  commit  the 
management  of  the  world  to  deputies,  as 
many  of  the  Ileatiien  sujiposed  ;  for  they 
thouglit  lie  was  too  great  a  l3eing  to 
troul)le  himself  with  the  little  affairs  of 
iiiaiikind  ;  but  this  notion  was  by  no  means' 
honorable  to  Deity :  they  judged  of  the 
great  God  by  great  men;  who,  from  their 
limited  powers,  find  it  impossible  to  inan- 
a^'e  many  great  concerns,  and  are  there- 
lore  obliged  to  commit  much  to  inferior 
officers ;  but  the  God  with  whom  we  have 
to  do  is  everywhere  present  at  one  and  the 
snmc  time,  and  sees  and  knows  all  men, 
and  all  things;  yea,  even  the  secret 
thoughtsof  the  heart;  and  being  possessed 
of  all  witiiloni,  iwwer,  and  goodness,  can 


434 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


with  the  utmost  ease  governall  liis  crea- 
tures and  nil  tlicir  actions. 

"The  Lord  roigneth."  "He  increaseth 
the  rations,  and  dcstroyeth  tliem  :  he  cn- 
largeth  the  nations,  and  straiteneth  them 
again  :  he  looseth  the  bond  of  kings,  and 
girdeth  their  loins  with  a  girdle.  He 
leadeth  princes  away  spoiled,  and  over- 
throweth  the  mighty."  (Job.  xii.  18,  &c.) 
He  taught  Jeremiah,  that  as  easily  as  a 
potter  altcreth  the  form  of  a  lump  of  clay, 
he  can  alter  the  state  of  a  nation ;  either 
to  pull  down  and  destroy  it,  if  wicked,  or 
to  build  and  plant,  and  cause  it  to  prosper 
upon  its  repentance  (Jerem.  xviii.  1 — 10.) 
Tills  lesson  did  the  king  of  Babylon  learn 
by  painful  experience:  he  was  taught 
"  that  tlie  Most  High  ruleth  in  the  king- 
dom of  men,  and  giveth  it  to  whomsoever 
he  will."     Dan.  iv.  25. 

And  if  God  thus  govern  the  nations  of 
the  earth,  he  will  surely  exercise  his 
special  Providence  in  the  church ;  for  of 
that  he  says,  "  This  is  my  rest  for  ever  : 
here  will  I  dwell,  for  I  have  desired  it." 
All  things  were  made  "  by  Christ  and  for 
Christ ;"  and  the  earth  was  formed  chiefly 
to  become  the  theatre  on  which  the  great 
aftairs  of  human  redemption  were  to  be 
transacted ;  and  when  these  are  all  ac- 
complished, the  earth  itself  shall  be  burnt 
up  and  demolished.  Jesus  Christ  is  "  King 
in  Sion,"  and  "  Head  over  all  things  for 
the  church,  which  is  his  body,  the  fullness 
of  him  who  filleth  all  in'  all." 

The  Providence  of  God  is  to  be  owned 
in  the  affairs  of  families ;  it  is  he  who 
forms  them  :  "  God  setteth  the  solitary  in 
families ;"  he  setteth  the  poor  on  high 
afler  affliction  (as  he  did  Job)  and  maketh 
him  families  like  a  flock  ;"  in  other  cases 
he  reduceth  them,  and  removes  one  after 
another  of  them  to  the  grave,  or  "  they 
are  minished  and  broug-ht  low,  through 
oppression,  affliction  and  sorrow  (Ps.  107.) 
In  these  changes  let  the  hand  of  God  be 
acknowledged. 

Nor  are  individuals  beneath  his  notice, 
as  the  text  plainly  imports ;  not  even  the 
least  of  their  concerns,  "  for  the  hairs  of 
their  head  are  all  numbered ;"  consequently 
all  their  more  important  concerns.  Thus 
prayed  pious  Ilannah,  mother  of  the 
prophet  Samuel, — "  the  Lord  killeth,  and 
maketh  alive  :  he  bringeth  down  to  the 
grave,  and  bringeth  up.  The  Lord  maketh 
poor,  and  maketh  rich ;  he  bringeth  low, 
and  lifleth  up.  He  raiscth  up  the  poor  out 
of  the  dust,  and  lifleth  up  the  beggar  from 
the  (lungliill,  to  set  thoni  among  princes, 
and  to  make  them  inherit  the  throne  of 
glory ;  for  the  pillars  of  the  earth  are  tlie 


TiOrd's,  and  he  hath  set  the  word  upon 
them."  (1  Sam.  ii.  d,  &c.)  Thus  also 
spake  God,  by  his  servant  Daniel,  to  the 
impious  king  Belshazzar  : — "  the  God  in 
whose  hand  thy  breath  js,  and  whose  are 
all  thy  ways,  hast  thou  not  glorified."  Let 
us  then  remember  our  entire  dependence 
on  Divine  Providence  for  life,  and  breath, 
and  all  things,  and  say  with  Job, — "  Our 
days  are  determined ;  the  number  of  our 
months  is  with  him,  and  he  has  appointed 
his  bounds,  which  we  cannot  pass."  Job, 
xiv.  5. 

And  as  to  good  men,  to  believers  in  Je- 
sus, we  know  that  they  are  "  the  Temples 
of  the  living  God ;  as  God  hath  said,  I  will 
dwell  in  them,  and  walk  in  them  ;  and  I 
will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my 
people."  His  Providence  is  so  concerned 
about  them  and  all  their  aflairs,  that  "  all 
their  ways  are  ordered  by  the  Lord  :"  he 
has  promised  to  "guide  them  with  his 
eye,"  and  whatever  may  befall  them,  to 
"  make  all  things  work  together  for  their 
good." 

Even  as  to  those  events  which  we  call 
contingent  or  accidental,  even  they  are 
under  the  direction  and  control  of  the 
Almighty.  What  can  seem  to  be  more 
casual  than  a  lot  J  but  the  lot  itself  falls 
according  to  the  Divine  appointment ;  so 
Solomon  tells  us,  Prov.  xvi.  33 : — "  The 
lot  is  Cast  into  the  lap;  but  the  whole 
disposing  thereof  is  of  the  Lord."  On  this 
account,  good  men  have  had  recourse  to 
a  lot  when  unable,  by  human  prudence,  to 
make  a  proper  decision;  and  thus  an 
apostle  was  chosen  in  the  room  of  Judas  : 
— and,  by  the  way,  this  shows  the  impro- 
priety of  using  the  lot  by  way  of  amuse- 
ment, as  is  done  in  cards  and  other  games. 
An  appeal  to  the  decision  of  Providence, 
whether  intended  or  not,  is  of  too  grave  an 
import  to  be  allowed  in  the  pastimes  of 
men.  Great  events  often  turn  upon  a 
very  small  pivot.  A  sudden  thought  in  a 
man's  heart,  •  a  single  sentence  from  a 
man's  lips,  may  lead  to  immense  good,  or 
to  incalculable  evil,  as  the  history  of  the 
world  abundantly  shows. 

This  providence  of  God,  the  existence 
of  which  we  have  clearly  proved,  is  sove- 
reign,— wise, — mysterious  and  good. 

It  is  sovereign  and  uncontrollable. — 
Who  hath  resisted,  who  can  resist,  liis 
will  1  That  will  is  accomplished  among 
"  the  armies  of  Heaven,  and  among  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth ;  none  can  stay 
his  ])and,  none  can  prevent  the  execution 
of  his  purpose. 

It  is  wise, — liis  work  is  perfect, — all  his 
waya  are  judgment.     He  cannot  err :  He 


SERMON  XCIV. 


435 


cannot  be  deceived  or  mistaken;  He  is 
riglitcous  in  all  his  ways,  and  holy  in  all 
his  works ; — yet,  sometimes 

It  is  mysterious — "  clouds  and  darkness 
are  round  about  him ;"  his  way  is  in  the 
sea,  and  his  footsteps  in  the  waters  ;"  we 
cannot  trace  his  path ;  his  proceedings 
may  sometimes  puzzle  and  perplex  us. 
Tlie  righteous  arc  afflicted,  oppressed,  per- 
secuted ;  while  the  wicked  prosper,  flour- 
ish, and  have .  more  than  heart  can  wish. 
We  may  not  be  able  to  account  for  tliese 
things;  but  we  are  sure  that  his  Provi- 
dence is 

Always  good.  "  Truly,  God  is  good  to 
Israel."  "  His  eyes,"  directing  all  human 
affairs,  'Tun  to  and  fro  throughout  the 
earth  ;"  and  for  what  purpose  !  "  To 
show  himself  strong"  in  bclialf  of  all  that 
fear  and  love  his  name.  Yes,  assuredly ; 
for  "  all  things  work  together  for  the  good" 
of  his  people. 

II.  We  now  proceed  to  the  second  part 
of  the  subject ;  namely,  To  point  out  the 
practical  uses  we  ought  to  make  of  the 
doctrine  of  Providence. 

This  doctrine  is,  in  truth,  connected 
with  the  whole  of  Practical  Religion. 
Take  away  Providence,  and  you  destroy 
the  whole  system  of  godliness,  and  leave 
no  room  for  prayer  nor  praise.  Persons, 
therefore,  sliould  be  well  established  in  the 
belief  of  tliis  truth,  and  be  able  to  say 
with  the  Psalmist,  "  Verily,  there  is  a  re- 
ward for  the  righteous  :  verily,  he  is  a 
God  that  judgeth  (or  governeth)  in  the 
eartli."  Ps.  Iviii.  11. — Persuaded,  then, 
of  this  truth, 

1.  Let  us  stand  in  awe  of  the  great 
Ruler  of  the  world.  Do  his  eyes  behold  1 
his  eye-lids  try  the  children  of  men  ?  Is 
he  in  every  place,  beholding  the  evil  and 
the  good  ?  In  his  hand  is  our  breath  and 
all  our  ways?  Who,  then,  shall  not  fear 
him "?  who  shall  not  tremble  at  his  pres- 
ence ?  Is  the  wrath  of  a  king  like  the 
roaring  of  a  lion  1 — surely,  then,  the  King 
of  kings  is  above  all  to  be  feared.  Do 
many  seek  the  Ruler's  favor  !  and  shall 
not  we  esteem  his  favor  the  greatest  of 
a^l  benefits,  and  his  loving  kindness  to  be 
better  than  life  1  Yes,  let  us  seek  him 
with  our  whole  heart,  and  be  at  peace  with 
him,  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ ;  then 
we  may  be  sure  tliat  our  heavenly  Father, 
who  doth  his  own  holy  will  among  the 
armies  of  Heaven,  and  among  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  earth,  will  so  order  all  our  con- 
cerns, that  tlicy  sliall  promote  his  glory 
and  our  eternal  welfare. 

2.  Let  us  rejoice  that  the  reins  of  uni- 
versal government  are  in  the  hands  of  Je- 


sus Christ,  our  Savior  and  our  Lord ;  of 
him  who  is  our  Mediator,  our  Redeemer, 
our  Brother,  and  our  Friend. 

When  his  coming  into  the  world  was, 
long  before  that  period,  predicted,  the 
Prophet  (Ps.  xcvi.  11.)  calls  upon  "  the 
heavens,  the  earth,  the  sea,  the  fields,  the 
woods,  to  rejoice  and  be  glad,"  fur,  saith 
he,  "  He  cometh !  he  cometh  to  judge  (that 
is,  to  govern)  the  earth ;  he  shall  govern 
the  world  with  righteousness,  and  the  peo- 
ple with  his  truth."  This  hath  been  ac- 
complished. He  came,  lie  taught,  he  died, 
he  rose,  he  ascended  into  Heaven,  and 
took  his  seat  at  the  right  hand  of  God  ; 

"  And  now  he  lives,  and  now  he  reigns, 
And  sees  the  fruit  of  all  his  pains." 

.  "  All  power  (saith  he)  is  given  to  me  in 
heaven  and  in  earth ;"  and  all  this  power 
is  exercised  for  the  good  of  the  Church. 
"  All  things  are  yours — Paul,  and  Apollos, 
and  Cephas,  and  the  world,  and  life,  and 
death,  and  things  present  and  things  to 
come :  all  are  yours ;  and  yours  because 
ye  belong  to  Christ,"  who  is  "  Head  over 
all  things  to  the  Church,  which  Church  is 
his  body, — the  fullness  of  him  that  filleth 
all  in  all."  Surely,  then,  the  Christian 
ought  to  rejoice  "  that  the  Lord  reigneth." 
3.  The  doctrine  of  Providence  shows 
the  propriety  and  utility  of  Prayer  ;  it  af- 
fords the  strongest  motive,  and  the  best  en- 
couragement to  that  duty.  Were  there 
no  Providence,  who  would  pray  !  or  to 
what  purpose  would  anyone  pray?  Nor 
does  the  appointment  of  God  render  pray- 
er needless  or  useless,  as  some  have  pre- 
tended. If  all  things  are  previously  cp- 
pointed  of  God,  say  they,  of  what  use  is 
prayer  ?  We  answer,  That  He  who  has 
appointed  the  end,  has  also  appointed  the 
means,  of  which  prayer  is  the  chief.  So 
David  wisely  argued,  when  he  prayed 
thus  (2  Sam.  vii,  27 :)  "  O  Lord  of  Hosts, 
thou  hast  revealed  unto  thy  servant,  say- 
ing, I  will  build  thee  an  house ;" — he  then 
adds,  "  therefore  hath  thy  servant  found  in 
his  heart  to  pray  this  prayer  unto  thee." 
Let  us  imitate  iiis  example  and  turn  the 
promises  of  God  into  prayers :  such  pray- 
ers will  surely  speed.  He  who  says  in  our 
text,  "  The  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all 
numbered,"  himself  directs  us  to  say, 
"  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread ;"  and, 
for  our  encouragement  in  ofiering  this  and 
other  petitions,  we  are  reminded,  in  the 
close  of  the  prayer,  that  tlic  kingdom  of 
Providence  belongs  to  him; — "ybr" — 
"  thine  is  the  kingdom,  and  tlie  power,  and 
the  glory ;" — thine,  O  Lord,  the  kingdom 
of  universal  nature,  providence  and  grace  ; 


436 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


— thine  the  fullness  of  almighty  power ; — 
thine  the  g;lory  of  infinite  perfection ;  and 
to  thee  be  the  praise  of  all  ascribed  for 
ever  and  ever.     Amen. 

4.  The  doctrine  of  Providence  shows 
the  propriety  of  offeriiifj  to  God  the  sacri- 
fice of  Praise  and  Thanksgiving.  Does 
"  every  good  and  every  perfect  gift  come 
down  from  above, — from  the  Father  of 
Lights'!"  Surely,  then,  the  sacrifice  of 
praise  is  a  reasonable  service.  "  What 
shall  I  render  to  God  for  all  his  benefits  ■?" 
is  a  reasonable  inquiry ;  and  "  O,  that  men 
would  praise  the  Lord  for  his  goodness, 
and  for  liis  wonderful  works  to  the  chil- 
dre»i  of  men !  and  let  them  sacrifice  the 
sacrifices  of  thanksgiving,  and  declare 
his  works  with  rejoicing." 

5.  It  shows  the  propriety  of  submission 
to  the  will  of  God.  Does  the  Lord  rule  1 
Submit  to  his  government.  "  He  is  right- 
eous in  all  his  ways !  holy  in  all  his  works." 
He  cannot  err.  He  doth  all  things  well. 
What,  if  severe  afflictions  befall  thee  1 
say,  as  Aaron,  when  both  his  sons  were 
cut  off  for  their  transgression  ;  "  It  is  the 
Lord !  let  iiim  do  what  seemeth  good  in 
his  sight !" — and  as  David,  when,  in  the 
depth  of  his  affliction,  Shimei  basely  cursed 
him  ;  "  Let  him  curse  ;  it  may  be,  the 
Lord  hath  bidden  him  curse  !" — and  as 
Job,  when  bereft  of  his  property  and  his 
fimily :  "  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord 
hath  taken  away ;  blessed  be  the  name  of 
the  Lord  !"  Yea,  say  with  our  holy  Re- 
deemer, when  enduring  the  unspeakable 
agonies  of  the  garden  :  "  The  cup  which 
my  Father  giveth  me  to  drink,  shall  I  not 
drink  of  it !"  We  are  ignorant  and  short- 
sighted creatures ;  we  cannot  understand 
nor  comprehend  the  plan  nor  the  reasons 
of  the  Divine  Govcn.ment.  Solomon  says, 
"  No  man  can  find  out  the  work  that  God 
makes,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end." 
Ecclcs.  iii.  11. — It  is  but  a  small  part  of 
his  work  of  Providence  that  we  behold  ; 
not  thi3  beginning,  nor  the  end  :  let  us, 
therefore,  "judge  nothing  before  the  time ;" 
but  believe  assuredly  that  "he  doth  all 
things  well;"  and  that  "what  we  know 
not  iiow,  we  shall  know  hereafter." 

Improve  the  doctrine  of  Divine  Provi- 
dence, as  a  remedy  against  Anxiety.  Thus, 
our  Lord  improves  it  when  he  cautions  his 
disciples  against  anxious  cares  about  futu- 
rity :  "  Behold  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and 
behold  the  lilies  of  t.lio  field  ;"  Providence 
provides  for  the  snp])ort  of  the  former,  and 
clothes  the  latter  with  splendid  beauty; 
why  siiould  ?/')'f  care,  wlio  are  fiir  superior 
to  tii.'m  .'  arid  espociiiily  wlien  you  recol- 
lect, llmt  the  God  ol'  Providence  is  your 


Father  ;  that  ho  well  knows  your  necessi- 
ties ;  and  that,  if  you  seek  him  and  his 
kingdom,  all  these  things  shall  be  given 
you  in  addition.  Hath  he  not  said,  "  The 
young  lions  do  lack  and  suffer  hunger ;  but 
they  that  seek  the  Lord  shall  not  want  any 
good  thing !" — and  again,  "  There  is  no 
want  to  them  that  fear  him  1"  Ps.  xxxiv. 
9.  10. — Yes :  let  tlie  pious  poor  especially, 
remember  this  for  their  comfort,  That 
"  Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things ', 
having  a  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is, 
and  of  that  which  is  to  come !"  1  Tim.  iv.  8. 
7.  Finally.  Let  this  subject  lead  our 
minds  forward  towards  the  future  and 
eternal  world.  In  the  conduct  of  Divhie 
Providence,  we  meet  with  many  mys- 
terious events.  The  wicked  greatly  pros- 
per,— while  the  righteous  are  deeply  af- 
flicted. Useful  men  are  often  cut  off  in' 
their  youth ;  while  many  noxious  sinners 
grow  old  in  rebellion.  The  pious  are  per- 
secuted, and  their  oppressors  flourish.  Be 
it  so  :  and  let  it  appear  to  be  mysterious : 
yet,  this  is  no  impeachment  of  the  wisdom, 
justice,  and  goodness  of  God  The  wick- 
ed prosper ;  but  it  is  only  as  the  beasts  in 
a  good  pasture,  fattening  for  slaughter. 
The  righteous  sufter;  but  it  is  only  the 
discipline  of  that  school,  in  which  they  are 
training  up  for  glory.  Heaven  will  ex- 
plain all,  and  make  amends  for  all ;  and 
then  shall  the  whole  Church  of  God,  re- 
deemed and  glorified,  with  one  accord  ex- 
claim— "  He  hath  done  all  thmgs  well  1" 

HYMN. 

God,  moves  in  a  mysterious  way, 

His  wonders  to  perform  ; 
He  plants  his  footsteps  in  the  sea, 

And  rides  upon  the  storm. 

Deep  in  unfathomable  mines 

Of  never-failin.ii  skill. 
He  treasures  up  his  bright  designs 

And  works  his  sov'reign  will. 

Ye  fearful  saints,  fresh  courage  take  , 
The  clouds  ye  so  much  dread 

Are  big  with  mercy,  and  shall  break 
In  blessings  on  your  head. 

Judge  not  the  Lord  by  feeble  sense. 

But  trust  him  for  his  grace ; 
Behind  a  frowning  Providence 

He  hides  a  smiling  face  I 

His  purposes  will  ripen  fast, 

Unfolding  every  ijoui-; 
The  bud  'may  have  a  bitter  taste, 

But  sweet  will  be  the  flower. 

Blind  Unbelief  is  sure  to  err. 

And  scan  iiis  work  in  vain; 
C!od  is  liisowii  inlerproler; 

And  he  will  make  it  plain. 

COWPER. 


SERMON  XCIV. 


437 


PRAYER. — O  Tiiou  Preserver  of  men,  we  be- 
lieve tliat  thou  art  the  righi-^ous  Governor  of 
the  world,  ami  that  tliou  an  in  every  place,  be- 
tioiiiiiit;  the  evil  and  llie  Rooii !  We  licliove  that 
thou  art  the  Kuler  among  lliu  nations,  and  dost 
govern  the  churthesof  thy  saints;  art  present  in 
the  families  of  thy  pcojtle,  and  dost  notice  the 
humblest  individuals.  Thy  providence,  which 
is  absolutely  sovereign,  and  sometimes  mysteri- 
ous, is  always  wise  and  good.  We  deswe  to 
sUukI  in  awe  of  thee,  and  sec  k  ihy  favor  in  Jesus 
wilh  our  whole  heart ;— we  rejoice  that  the  reins 
of  universal  governm(>nt  are  ni  the  hands  of  (iod 
our  Savior;  therefore,  O  LonI  of  Hosts,  tliy  ser- 
vants have  found  in  their  hearts  to  pray  this 
prayer  unio  thee.  To  thee,  as  llie  God  of  provi- 
dence, we  offer  the  sacrilice  of  thanksgiving,  for 
hilherto  thou  hast  heljied  us.  To  thee,  O  sover- 
eign DisjKJsor  of  human  affairs,  we  desire  at  all 
times  to  submit,  and  to  cast  all  our  cares  upon 
thee,  humbly  believing  that  thou  earest  for  us ; 
and  however  dark  and  mysterious  some  of  thy 
proceedings  may  appear,  we  hope  for  the  season 
which  shall  clear  up  all,  and  prove,  to  thy  glory 
and  our  joy,  that  thou  hast  done  all  things  well. 
To  thee,  O'Lord,  bo  the  glory  of  Creation,  Provi- 
dence, and  Grace,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Sa- 
vior !    Amen. 


SERMON  XCIV. 

WISDOM,  RTGIITEOIJSNESS,  SANCTIFICA- 
TION  Ai\D  REDEMPTION  DERIVED 
J'ROM  CHRIST. 

1  Cor.  i.  30.  But  of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who 
iif  God  is  made  unto  us  Wi.-idom, — and  Rigliteous- 
ness — and  Sanclification, — and  Redemption. 

Tins  is  one  of  the  most  comprehensive 
te.xts  in  the  Bible.  It  is  a  short,  but  full 
inventory  of  the  invaluable  blessings  of 
the  Gospel ;  enough  to  make  a  poor  sinner 
rich,  and  a  miserable  sinner  happy.  Yes ; 
thrice  happy  is  the  man  who  possesses 
these  ! — O  !  that  they  may  be  ottrs  ! 

To  Corinth,  tliat  great,  populous,  and 
wicked  city,  the  Lord  directed  the  steps  of 
his  faithful  servant  Paul,  about  the  year 
51.  After  being,  in  a  great  measure,  re- 
jected at  Athens,  he  repaired  to  Corinth, 
where  he  found  Aquila  and  Priscilla; 
w  rought  with  them  at  their  trade  of  tent- 
making  ;  and  preached  in  the  synagogue ; 
but  it  was  "  in  weakness,  fear,  and  much 
trembling,"  on  account  of  the  unbelief  of 
tlie  Jews,  who  "opposed  themselves,  and 
blasplicmed :"  btit  his  Divine  Master  gra- 
ciously appeared  to  him,  and  encouraged 
liim  to  proceed,  assuring  him  of  safety  and 
,succ(>ss.  Thus  strengthened,  he  contin- 
ued there,  and  proaclted  nearly  two  years; 
and  lie  found  that  the  Lord  had,  as  he  said, 
"inucli  people  in  that  city." 

Tlie  inhabitants  of  Corinth  wore  great 
ndminMs  of  liiunan  eloquence  ;   but  Paul 


did  not  study  to  gratify  them  in  their  taste ; 
his  constant  subject  was  "  Christ  cruci- 
fied ;"  and  his  manner  of  treating  it  was 
purposely  plain  :  and,  although  such 
preaching  was,  by  some,  accounted  "  fool- 
ishness," its  success,  in  the  conversion  of 
many,  proved  that  it  was  "  the  wisdom  of 
God,  and  the  power  of  God ;"  and  thus  it 
was  that  the  whole  glory  of  salvation  was 
secured  to  him :  no  flesh  could  have  any 
pretence  to  glory  in  his  presence ;  but  all 
the  blessings  conveyed  through  this  Gospel 
to  believers  were  from  God,  through 
Christ,  even  1.  True  Wisdom  ;  2.  Perfect 
Righteousness  ;  3.  Gospel  Sanctification ; 
and,  4.  The  final  Redemption  of  the  body 
at  the  last  day. 

Let  us  speak  of  each  of  these  briefly ; 
and, 

1.  Of  Wisdom. 

Wisdom  is  the  power  of  judging  rightly. 
It  is  more,  and  better  than  knowledge ;  for 
it  is  the  application  of  Imowledge  to  prac- 
tical purposes.  Wisdom  chooses  the  best 
objects,  and  then  pursues  the  best  means 
of  obtaining  them.  A  wise  man  disre- 
gards trifles,  and  sets  before  him  some- 
thing tjiat  is  truly  great  and  good ;  he 
then  considers  by  what  means  he  may  be 
able  to  make  that  object  his  own.  With 
regard  to  the  present  world  he  judges 
health  to  be  an  invaluable  blessing ;  he 
sttidies  how  to  preserve,  or  to  regain  it. 
His  worldly  business,  from  which  he  de- 
rives his  support,  he  keeps  it  constantly  in 
view,  and  studies  daily  how  to  promote  it. 
If  he  has  a  family,  he  considers  its  main- 
tenance, education,  and  peace,  as  great  and 
important  objects,  and  he  labors  uniformly 
to  attain  them.  In  all  these  things,  and 
in  a  thousand  more,  "wisdom  is  profitable 
to  direct ;  and  as  Solomon  says,  "  a  wise 
man's  eyes  are  in  his  head ;"  (Eccl.  ii.  14.) 
that  is,  ready  to  discover  the  dangers  that 
should  be  avoided,  and  the  advantages  that 
should  be  improved. 

Ai,L  wisdom  is  from  God  ;  all  the  natu- 
ral powers  of  perception  and  instinct  in  in- 
fd|fc)rrfreatures  and  especially  all  the  su- 
perior powers  of  reason  and  judgment  in 
men.  It  is  he  "  who  tcaclicth  us  more 
than  the  beasts  of  the  eartli,  and  maketh 
us  wiser  than  the  fowls  of  heaven."  And 
we  see  that  these  natural  powers  are  capa- 
ble of  vast  improvement  by  education  and 
learning ;  and  some  men  have  become 
prodigies  of  science  and  wisdom. 

But  there  is  a  peculiar  kind  of  wisdom, 
far  superior  to  every  other,  suited  to  mail 
in  his  relation  to  God,  and  to  his  eternal 
destinies  in  a  fufiire  sta,tc.  This  wisdom 
may  be  summed  up  in  a  word ;  it  is  Re- 


438 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


LiGioN.  We  are  fully  warruntod  in  as- 
serting this,  for  God  himself  delares  it 
(Job  xxviii.  2^.)  "Tlie  fear  of  the  Lord, 
that  is  wisdom ;  and  to  depart  from  evil, 
that'is  understandina:;"  and  tiiis  St.  Paul 
also  terms  being  "  wise  unto  salvation." 
•  TJiis  is  "  tiic  wisdom  that  is  from  above," 
— CIn-ist  is  "  made  unto  us  wisdom."  He 
is  the  original  source  and  fountain  of  wis- 
dom. He  is  "  Wisdom"  itself  (Prov.  viii. ;) 
and  "  in  liim  arc  hid  all  the  treasures  of 
wisdom  and  knowledge"  (Col.  ii.  3. ;)  so 
that,  whatever  true  wisdom  is  found  in  the 
world,  it  is  derived  from  him,  even  as  the 
natural  sun  is  the  source  of  all  the  light 
of  this  world.  Jesus  is  "  the  Sun  of  Right- 
eousness,"— "a  light  to  enlighten  the 
Gentiles,  and  to  be  the  glory  of  Israel." 

Accordingly,  we  find  him,  by  his  person- 
al ministry,  diffusing  wonderful  light 
throughout  Judea  and  Galilee :  declaring 
the  nature  and  perfections  of  God  his  Fa- 
ther,— explaining  the  spirituality  and  ex- 
tent of  his  holy  law, — exposing  the  hidden 
depravity  of  the  human  heart, — exhibiting 
Jie  spiritual  nature  of  his  kingdom, — and 
expressing  the  grand  design  of  his  coming, 
— "  to  seek  and  save  the  lost,"  and  to  "  lay 
down  his  life  as  a  ransom"  for  captive 
sinners. 

And  when  he  ascended  into  heaven,  he 
committed  this  work  to  the  Holy  Spirit, 
who,  as  "  the  Spirit  of  Christ,"  has  ever 
since  continued  with  the  Church  as  its 
great  and  effectual  teacher.  What  mar- 
vellous works  were  effected  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost !  and  how  numerous  were  the 
early  converts  to  Christianity  !  '  And  from 
that  period  until  now,  he  has  resided  on 
earth,  accompanymg  the  word  of  the  Gos- 
pel with  Divine  energy.  "  The  natural 
man,"  that  is,  every  man  by  nature, 
"  knoweth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of 
God ;"  but,  by  His  gracious  help,  "  tney 
are  spiritually  discerned,"  and  believers 
learn  "  the  mind  of  Christ." 

This  is  the  true  tcisdom.  Other  kinds 
of  wisdom  have  tlieir  value :  they  may  be 
necessary  to  the  comfort  of  humaia  ]pb ; 
they  may  entertain  and  elevate  the  pos- 
sessor ;  they  may  obtain  wealth  and  fame  : 
yet,  after  all,  what  do  tliey  avail  ?  "  I  have 
spent  my  life,"  said  a  great  scholar  on  liis 
dying  bed,  "  I  have  spent  my  life  in  labori- 
ous trifling .'" — and  trifles  indeed,  trifles 
light  as  air,  will  all  our  pursuits  prove,  if 
"  tlie  one  thing  needful"  be  forgotten,  or 
if  "  the  great  salvation"  be  neglected. 
Compared  witii  heavenly  wisdom,  all  liter- 
ary attainments  will  bo  as  a  grain  of  sand 
to  a  mountain,  or  a  drop  of  water  to  the 
ocean.     If  any  man,  then,  desire  this  spir- 


itual wisdom,  let  him  ask  it  of  the  only 
wise  God  our  Savior,  and  let  him  search 
for  it  daily,  as  for  hidden  treasure,  in  the 
Bible, — God's  holy  book  of  true  and  hea- 
venly wisdom. 

II.  Jpsus  Christ  is  made  unto  us  Right- 
eousness. 

By  righteousness,  we  understand  perfect 
conformity  to  the  will  of  God,  as  expressed 
in  the  law  of  the  Ten  commandments. 
The  word  signifies  that  which  is  full 
weight  or  measure,  the  standard  being 
that  holy  law.  That  law  requires  perfect 
and  supreme  love  to  God,  without  any  fail- 
ure, in  thought,  word,  or  deed.  And  is 
there  any  man  thus  rigliteous  !  No ;  there 
is  not  a  just  man  upon  earth ;  that  is,  one 
who  doeth  good,  and  sinneth  not. 

Yet,  without  a  perfect  righteousness,  no 
man  can  be  justified ; — for  to  be  justified, 
is  to  he  declared  righteous;  and  can  the 
God  of  truth  declare  a  man  righteous, 
when  he  is  unrighteous ;  that  is,  when  he 
is  a  sinner  ?  The  fact  is,  "  all  have  sinned," 
whether  Gentiles  or  Jews :  the  former 
against  the  law  of  Nature  ;  the  latter 
against  the  revealed  law  of  God.  "  Every 
mouth"  (that  would  plead  excuse  or  merit) 
"  must  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world  be- 
come guilty  before  God."  It  follows,  then, 
by  necessary  consequence,  that  "by  the 
deeds  of  the  law,"  or  what  men  usually 
call  good  works,  "  no  flesh  can  be  justified 
in  his  sight."  So  the  apostle  Paul  con- 
cludes in  the  second  and  third  chapters  of 
his  epistle  to  the  Romans. 

But  must  we,  then,  despair  ?  Yes ;  of 
making  ourselves  righteous ;  but  not  of 
becoming  righteous  by  other  means  ;  for, 
according  to  our  text,  "  Christ  is  made 
unto  us  Righteousness."  It  is  the  princi- 
pal design  of  the  Gospel  to  publish  and 
proclaun  the  Righteousness  of  Christ ; 
that  is,  the  perfect  obedience  of  Christ 
unto  death,  as  the  sole  ground  of  our  ac- 
ceptance with  God  ;  which  Righteousness 
being  imputed  to  the  believer,  (Rom.  iv. 
24.)  he  is  accounted  and  declared  to  be 
righteous ;  so  that,  having  "  passed  from 
death  unto  life,"  "  there  is  no  longer  any 
condemnation  unto  him  ;"  for,  "  the  law 
of  the  Spirit  of  life"  (that  is,  the  Gospel) 
"  hath  made  him  free  from  the  law  of  sin 
and  death."  Thus  David,  in  ancient  times, 
described  the  blessedness  of  the  man  unto 
whom  God  imputeth  righteousness  with- 
out works,  saying,  "Blessed  are  they 
whose  iniquities  are  forgiven,  and  whose 
sins  are  covered :  blessed  is  the  man  to 
whom  the  Lord  will  not  impute  sin." 
Rom.  iv.  6,  7. 

But,  do  any  object  to  this  doctrine,  and 


SERMON  XCIV. 


439 


suppose  that  if  our  own  goodness  or 
works  do'  not  form  the  righteousness  by 
which  we  are  to  be  justified,  we  may 
tlierefore  become  careless  about  good 
works,  and  so  make  Christ  "the  minister 
of  sin," — let  them  attend  to  the  third  head 
of  our  discourse,  which  is  to  sliow  that, 
III.  Jesus  Christ  is  made  unto  us  Sanc- 

TIFICATION. 

By  ganctification,  we  mean  the  renew- 
ing of  our  nature  in  the  image  of  God,  by 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  through 
the  mediation  of  Christ. 

Sanctification  differs  from  Justification. 
Justification  respects  the  state  of  man ; 
Sanctification  respects  his  nature,  his  dis- 
position, his  conduct.  A  man  may  be  tried 
at  a  human  bar  for  his  life,  and  he  may  be 
acquitted  and  discharged  ;  but  if  he  have, 
at  the  same  time,  a  mortal  disease  upon 
him,  he  will  die.  The  province  of  a  Judge 
and  of  a  Pliysician  are  very  different.  Jus- 
tification is  the  act  of  God  as  a  Judge ; 
Sanctification  is  the  work  of  God  the  Spir- 
it, as  the  great  Physician  of  souls  ;  and  we 
find  botli  these  works  united  in  Psalm  ciii. 
3, — "  Who  forgiveth  all  thine  iniquities  ; 
who  healeth  all  thy  diseases."  The  sinner 
is  charged  with  a  breach  of  God's  holy 
law ;  but  when  he  is  enabled  to  believe, 
the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  imputed  to 
him,  and  he  is  therefore  acquitted  and  dis- 
charged ;  there  is  no  longer  any  condem- 
nation to  him  :  but  it  is  equally  necessary 
that  he  be  renewed  and  sanctified  :  for  it 
is  written,  "  Without  holiness  no  man  shall 
sec  the  Lord." 

We  must  be  very  careful  to  distinguish 
between  Justification  and  Sanctification ; 
without  which,  much  confusion,  and  some 
dangerous  mistakes,  may  ensue.  We  may, 
tlierefore,  notice  another  difference : — Jus- 
tification is  perfect  in  tliis  life : — not  so 
our  Sanctification.  When  the  perfect 
righteousness  of  Clirist  is  imputed  to  us, 
we  are  at  once  perfectly  justified ;  but 
Sanctification  is  a  gradual  work,  and  the 
remains  of  corruption  are  found  even  in 
the  best  of  men.  It  is  also  to  be  observed, 
that  our  sanctification  forms  no  part  of  our 
title  to  Heaven  ;  that  title  is  founded  only 
on  tlie  righteousness  of  Clirist,  by  which 
we  are  justified ;  but  in  Sanctification  con- 
sists our  meetncss  for  Heaven  ;  and  with- 
out it  we  sliould  not  be  qualified  to  enjoy 
the  pure  ])leasures,  or  engage  in  the  sa- 
cred employments  of  that  holy  place. 

Sanctification  is  tiie  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  it  is  begun  by  his  power  in  our 
llegeneration,  whereby  we  become  "new 
creatures ;"  "  old  tilings  being  done  away, 
and  all  things  becoming  new." 


By  nature  we  are  blind  and  foolish  ;  by 
grace  we  are  enlightened  in  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ,  and  become  wise  to  salva- 
tion. By  nature  the  will  is  perverse  and 
rebellious,  opposed  to  the  will  of  God,  and 
enmity  against  him  :  by  grace  this  rebel- 
lious disposition  is  subdued,  and  the  be- 
liever cries,  with  converted  Saul,  "  Lord  ! 
What  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  V  By  na- 
ture the  affections  of  the  soul  are  corrupt- 
ed, and  wholly  carnal ;  fixed  on  worldly, 
fleshly,  and  sinful  objects ;  but  by  grace 
they  become  spiritual ;  they  are  u'xed  on 
God  and  Christ ;  on  holy  and  heavenly 
things ;  all  which  is  evidenced  in  its  truth 
and  power,  by  tlie  correct,  moral,  holy, 
blameless,  and  useful  conduct  of  the  be- 
liever :  the  whole  of  this  is  summed  up  by 
St.  Paul,  in  his  prayer  for  the  Thessaloni- 
ans,  1  Ep.  v.  23,  "And  the  very  God  of 
peace  sanctify  you  wholly ;  and  I  pray  God 
your  whole  spirit,  and  soul,  and  body,  be 
preserved  blameless,  unto  the  coming  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Chi-ist."  ' 

Our  text  informs  us  how  we  may  obtain 
this  great  benefit, — the  sanctification  of 
our  souls.  We  are  told  that  Christ  is  made 
unto  us  sanctification ;  and  let  us  now  con- 
sider how  he  is  made  such  unto  us. 

1.  He  is  made  unto  us  Sanctification, 
because  he  first  relieves  us,  by  his  atoning 
sacrifice,  from  the  guilt  and  defilement  of 
sin,  which  must  be-  talcen  away  before  we 
can  be  inwardly  purified.  "  He  washes  us 
from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood  ;"  and  thus 
our  Justification  precedes  our  Sanctifica- 
tion. 

2.  It  is  by  virtue  of  the  intercession 
of  Christ  that  we  are  sanctified.  As  it  was 
the  especial  design  of  Christ,  in  dying  for 
us,  that  he  might  "  purify  us  to  liimself, 
and  make  us  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of 
good  works,"  so  he  ever  lives,  by  liis  in- 
tercession, to  effect  this.  A  deliglitful 
specimen  of  this  is  given  us  in  the  prayer 
which  he  offered  for  his  apostles,  (Jolm, 
xvii.  9,  17,)  "  Sanctify  them  through  thy 
truth  ;  thy  word  is  truth  :  I  pray  not  that 
thou  shouldest  take  tliem  out  of  the  world, 
but  that  they  may  be  kept  from  the  evil  ;" 
and  were  it  not  for  the  powerful  interces- 
sion of  our  great  Advocate,  our  enemies 
would  prevail,  and  sin  would  have  domin- 
ion over  us.  Jesus  i)rays,  and  therefore  it 
is  that  our  faith  failcth  not. 

3.  It  is  by  the  Word  of  Christ  that  we 
are  sanctified.  The  doctrines,  the  pre- 
cepts, tlie  examples,  the  promises,  and  the 
threatcnings  of  God's  word,  are  the  prin- 
cipal means  of  our  sanctification.  It  is  the 
Gospel  cliiefly,  not  the  law,  wliioli  is  tlie 
instrument  of  purifying  the  soul.  The  law 


440 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


is  llu!  rule  of  obodiL'ncc,  in  coniicxioji  with 
the  New  Tesluiufut,  in  which  that  orif^iii- 
al  rule  is  amplified  and  its  spirituality  dis- 
played ;  but  the  law  alone  will  not  make 
any  man  holy. 

"  Tlie  law  Jiscovers  guih  and  sin, 

And  shows  how  vile  our  hearts  have  been  ; 

Only  Ihc  Gospel  can  express 

Forgiving  love,  and  cleansing  grace." 

And  thus  it  was  that  the  apostle  Paul 
•'  died  to  the  law,  that  he  miglit  live  unto 
God."  . 

4.  It  is  by  virtue  of  Union  to  Christ 
that  we  are  sanctified.  Christ  is  the  head 
of  tiie  Church  ;  his  people  are  the  mem- 
bers of  his  body,  and  it  is  by  their  union 
with  him  that  they  receive  strength  and 
grace  for  every  duty.  "  Out  of  his  fi.ill- 
ness,"  said  the  beloved  disciple,  "  have  we 
received,  and  grace  for  grace  ;" — grace  in 
the  believer,  corresponding  with  the  grace 
that  was  in  him,  our  great  example  :  and, 
thus  also  he  teaches  us  to  "abide  in  him, 
as  the  branches  in  the  vine,"  for,  separate 
from  him,  we  can  do  nothing ;  but,  united 
to  him,  each  believer  may  say,  as  did  St. 
Paul, — "  I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ 
wliich  strengtheneth  me." 

5.  Christ  is  made  unto  us  Sanctification, 
as  he  is  the  only  perfect  pattern  of  holi- 
ness. Example  is  allowed  to  be  the  most 
effectual  mode  of  instruction,  and  far  more 
prevalent  than  precept  alone.  There  is 
something  powerfully  persuasive  in  a  good 
example  ;  something  that  secretly  prompts 
us  to  imitation.  Now  Jesus  Christ  was 
appointed  for  this  purpose.  Angels  would 
not  have  been  perfect  patterns,  especially 
in  that  branch  of  Sanctification  which  re- 
lates to  the  patient  endurance  of  afflic- 
tions ;  but  Jesus  Christ  is  the  perfect  pat- 
tern, botii  of  a  cheerful  activity,  and  of  pa- 
tient suffering  ;  and  he  has  "  left  us  an  ex- 
ample, that  we  should  follow  his  steps." 
In  our  Ciiristian  course,  therefore,  let  us 
be  constantly  "  looking  unto  Jesus,  the  au- 
thor and  finisher  of  our  faith :  who,  for 
the  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  endured 
the  cross,  despising  the  shame,  and  is  set 
down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of 
God."  It  is  thus  that  "  the  world  is  cru- 
cified unto  us,  and  we  are  crucified  to  the 
world  ;"  it  is  thus  that  "  we  are  changed 
into  the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory." 

6.  To  all  these  considerations  we  may 
add,  "  the  love  of  Christ ;" — which  is,  of 
all  motives  to  holiness,  the  strongest  and 
most  eflfectual.  It  was  this  that  animated 
the  minds  of  the  apostles  to  the  utmost 
energy  of  action  :  it  was  that  wliich  for- 
tified the  iiearts  of  the  first  Christians 
against  all  the  terrors  of  persecution,  and 


rcnder(;d  th(.Mn  joyfid  and  triumplianf,  even 
in  the  llamcs  of  martyrdom ;  for  the  love 
of  Christ  constrained  them. 

Would  we  then  be  holy  1  the  way  of 
holiness  is  plainly  marked.  We  cannot 
obtain  sanctification  merely  by  dint  of  our 
own  endeavors,  though  these  are  to  be  dil- 
igently employed  ;  but  by  looking  at  Je- 
sus, and  by  being  united  to  him,  deriving 
constant  virtue  from  him  ;  that,  accprding 
to  the  prophet,  each  of  us  may  say,  "  Sure- 
ly, in  tlie  Lord  have  I  righteousness  and 
strength." 

Thus  we  see  how  Christ  is  made  unto 
us  Sanctification  ;  he  is  made  this  to  us  ; 
from  him  we  derive  it ;  but  it  is  not  so  vi 
him,  that  it  is  not  also  m  us.  Some  deny 
that  holiness  is  a.  personal  thing,  and  affirm 
that  we  have  no  holiness  but  in  Christ. 
This  is  a  great  and  dangerous  mistake. 

Holiness  consists  in  a  conformity  to 
Christ ;  it  is  the  renovation  of  our  nature 
in  the  image  of  God.  It  is  "  dying  to  sin 
and  living  to  righteousness."  It  includes 
the  "  mortification  of  sin"  in  our  members. 
It  includes  "  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit ;  as 
love,  joy,  peace,  long-sufl^ering,  gentle- 
ness, goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temper- 
ance," Gal.  V.  22.  These  are  personal 
things  ;  they  are  wrought  in  the  hearts  of 
believers,  and  produced  in  their  tempers 
and  lives.  It  is  absurd  to  say  they  are  in 
Christ,  and  imputed  to  us  : — they  are  the 
effects  of  the  Holy  Spirit  imparted  to  us, 
whose  operations  are  compared  by  Christ 
himself  to  "  a  well  of  water  within  us, 
springing  up  unto  everlasting  life." 

IV.  It  now  remains  that,  in  the  last  place, 
we  show  that  Jesus  Christ  is  made  unto 
us  Redemption. 

The  Redemption  here  intended  is  not,  I 
conceive,  that  of  the  Soul,  but  that  of  the 
Body.  If  Christ  be  made  unto  us  Wisdom, 
we  are  delivered  from  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness. If  he  be  made  unto  us  Righteous- 
ness, we  are  redeemed  from  the  curse  of 
the  law  ;  and  if  he  be  made  unto  us  Sanc- 
tification, we  are  delivered  from  the  do- 
minion of  sin.  In  tiicse  things  consists  tlie 
redemption  of  the  snul.  But  the  "Re- 
demption of  the  body"  seems  to  be  intend- 
ed ;  and  this  agrees  with  a  passage  in  Rom. 
viii.  19,  &c.  where  the  apostle  says,  "  The 
creature  itself;"  that  is,  the  Innnan  body 
of  the  believer  ;  "  shall  be  delivered  from 
the  bondage  of  corruption  ;"  namely,  by 
the  Resurrection  at  the  great  day  ;  tlien 
shall  the  whole  man,  body  and  soul,  enjoy 
"  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  cliildren  of 
Cod  ;"  and  for  this,  he  observes,  that  re- 
deemed bel;evers,  now  burthened  with 
pains  and  sorrows,  wjiit,  earnestly  longing 


SERMON  XCV. 


411 


For  "  the  adoption ;"  that  is,,  for  the  full 
"  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God,"  when 
they  shall  be  transformed,  even  in  body, 
mto  his  glorious  likeness ; — and  this  he 
calls  "  the  Redemption  of  the  body." 

CONCLUSION. 

Here  then  we  sec  in  what  real  religion 
(true  Christianity)  consists.  Here  are  all 
the  blessing's  necessary  to  our  eternal  sal- 
vation. VVithout  these,  without  all  these, 
we  perish.  With  these,  we  are  safe  and 
happy  for  ever. 

Do  we  perceive  the  need  of  wisdom,  that 
we  may  be  wise  to  salvation  ! — of  Right- 
eousness, that  we  may  be  justified  ? — of 
SaiictJfication,  that  wo  may  be  holy  in 
heart  and  life  !  And  if  we  do  see  the  need 
of  all  these  things,  do  we  know  the  only 
source  fi-om  whence  they  can  be  derived  1 
Remember  that  Christ  is  made  all  these 
unto  us.  He  makes  us  wise:  he  consti- 
tutes us  righteous ;  He  makes  us  holy  by 
the  grace  of  his  Holy  Spirit.  Let  us  then 
seek  all  these  from  him  by  prayer ;  let  us 
receive  all  these  from  him  by  faith.  Then 
may  we  also  e.xpect  tlie  crowning  blessing, 
— the  redemption  of  the  body.  Our  souls 
being  admitted  to  glory  immediately  after 
death,  our  bodies  shall  rest  in  their  graves 
till  the  resurrection ;  and  then,  O  joyful 
and  blessed  day !  both  body  and  soul  shall 
be  made  completely  happy  in  the  full  en- 
joyment of  God  to  all  eternity  ! 

Finally.  Let  us  take  care  to  give  to  God 
all  the  glory  due  unto  him  for  these  great 
and  inestimable  blessings.  This  is  the 
principal  design  of  the  whole  passage  be- 
fore us,  as  it  is  e.xpressed  in  the  verse  after 
our  text : — "  That  he  who  glorieth,  may 
glory  in  the  Lord."  Not  in  himself;  as 
man,  proud  man  is  prone  to  do ;  but,  as  all 
these  are  the  free  gifts  of  God,  bestowed 
upon  the  unworthy,  let  him  say,  "  Not  unto 
me,  O  Lord,  not  unto  me  ;  but  to  thy  name 
be  glory,  for  thy  mercy,  and  for  thy  truth's 
sake."     Amen. 


PRAYER. — Almighty  God,  we  humbly  con- 
fess before  thee,  that,  an  falleti  and  corrupt  crea- 
tures, wc  are  destitute  of  true  wisdom,  and  are 
totally  unrighteous  and  unholy  ;  but,  glory  be  to 
thy  great  name,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  made  to  every 
believer  wisdom,  rigliteousnoss,and  sanctific-ation. 
Blessed  Ciod,  make  us,  we  beseech  thee,  wise 
unto  salvation.  Impute  to  us  the  perfect  right- 
eousness of  Jesus  (Christ,  the  righteous  one  ;  and 
purify  our  hearts  l)v  liic  IIolv  Spirit,  that  we  may 
he  sanctified  wholly,  in  body,  soul,  ntid  spirit. 
May  we  he  conliirmed  to  the  image  of  ihc  holy 
Savior,  that  ilu'  miin!  which  was  in  him  may  be 
also  in  us,  and  tliat  wo  may  walk  even  as  he 
.valked  ! — and  as  these  bodies  of  sin  are  doomed 
to  the  grave,  and  must  see  corruption,  grant  us, 
O  God.  a  share  in  the  first  resurrection,  that  even 
3F 


these  vile  bodies  may,  in  Ihe  day  of  redemption, 
be  made  like  unto  ilie  glorious  body  of  the  Son 
of  (iod,  according  to  the  mighty  working,  where- 
by he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  to  himself  To 
the  gracious  Redeemer,  to  the  Father  of  mercies, 
and  to  the  Spirit  of  holiness, — the  Three-One  God 
of  our  salvation,  be  everlasting  praises !    Amen. 


SERMON  XCV. 

SAMSON'S  RIDDLE. 

Judges  XIV.  14.    Out  of  the  eater  came  forth  meat, 
and  out  of  the  strong  came  forth  sweetness. 

These  word's  are  a  kind  of  parable,  or 
riddle,  proposed  by  Samson  to  his  com- 
panions, soon  atler  his  marriage  with  a 
Philistine  woman.  Samson  was  a  great 
conqueror  of  the  Philistines,  the  adversa- 
ries of  Israel,  and  yet  is  himself  conquered 
by  one  of  their  women.  It  was  well  said 
to  him  by  his  father  Mauoah,  "Is  there 
never  a  woman  among  the  daughters  of 
thy  brethren,  or  among  all  my  people,  that 
thou  goest  to  take  a  wife  of  the  uncircum- 
cised  Philistines!"  But  his  aftection  got 
the  better  of  his  judgment,  and  induced 
him  to  violate  the  laws  of  his  God.  While 
he  was  travelling  along  the  road  to  pay  her 
a  visit,  he  was  attacked  by  a  furious  lion ; 
but,  strengthened  by  supernatural  power, 
he  overcame  and  slew  his  ferocious  enemy. 

Sometime  after  this  event,  returning  by 
the  same  way,  he  stepped  aside,  as  it  was 
natural  for  him  to  do,  to  inspect  the  car- 
cass of  the  lion,  which  still  lay  by  the  road 
side ;  when,  to  his  great  astonishment  it 
had  become  a  bee-hive  ;  having  been  dried, 
probably  by  the  great  heat  of  the  sun,  the 
bees,  which  abounded  in  that  country,  had 
formed  their  combs  in  it,  and  it  was  filled 
with  honey.  Being  hungry,  he  took  of  the 
honey,  ate  it,  and  proceeded  on  his  journey. 
After  his  marriage,  for  the  entertainment 
of  the  company,  he  put  forth  this  riddle. 
They  had  not  ingenuity  enough  to  discover 
it,  but  had  recourse  to  an  unfair  stratagem, 
which  led  to  very  serious  consequences ; 
yet,  was  it  overruled,  by  the  providence  of 
God,  for  the  destruction  of  many  of  Israel's 
enemies  by  the  hand  of  Samson,  who  was 
raised  up  to  be  a  scourge  to  the  Philistines. 

By  the  help  of  Samson's  wife,  who,  by 
dint  of  tears  and  entreaties,  extorted  the 
solution  of  the  riddle  from  him,  they  said, 
"  What  is  sweeter  than  honey  1  and  what 
is  .stronger  than  a  lionl" 

It  was  not  in  this  instance  only  that  ad- 
vantage has  been  found  where  it  was  least 
expected ;  for,  in  the  course  of  God's  wise 
and  good  providence,  and  in  tl;e  experience 


442 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


of  his  people,  it  has  often  occurred  that 
food  and  sweetness, — great  spiritual  ad- 
vantages, have  been  derived  from  events 
which  were  tlireatening  and  forbidding  in 
themselves,  and  as  little  likely  to  do  them 
good  as  the  carcass  of  a  dead  lion  was  to 
furnisli  sweet  food  for  a  hungry  traveller. 

It  is  in  this  view  I  shall  consider  the 
text ;  intending  to  illustrate  the  following 
observation : — 

By  the  goodness  of  God,  those  things 
which  once  appeared  unpleasant  or  injuri- 
ous, become  real  blessings. 

1.  Tins  general  observation  may  be  ap- 
plied to  those  painful  convictions  and  ap- 
preliensions  which  sometimes  harass  the 
minds  of  beginners  in  religion. 

It  is  absolutely  necessary,  in  order  to  our 
obtaining  pardon  and  eternal  life,  that  wc 
should  know  and  feel  that  we  are  sinners  ; 
without  this,  there  can  be  no  "  repentance 
towards  God,  or  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;"  for  "  the  whole  need  not  the  phy- 
sician, but  they  who  are  sick ;"  and  Jesus 
came,  "  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sin- 
ners to  repentance." — But  necessary  as  this 
conviction  is,  and  the  humiliation  of  soul 
that  follows  it,  the  enepiy  of  mankind  fre- 
quently takes  occasion  to  disturb  and  dis- 
tract the  mind,  and  to  suggest  the  improba- 
bility, or  even  the  impossibility  of  obtaining 
mercy.  Once,  sin  seemed  such  a  trifle  as 
not  to  be  worth  regarding ;  now,  it  appears 
to  be  so  enormous  that  it  cannot  be  forgiven. 

Yet  are  these  seasons  of  distress  over- 
ruled for  good.  They  who  sow  in  tears 
sliall  reap  in  joy ;  and  they  who  go  forth 
wiping,  bearing  precious  seed,  shall  doubt- 
less return  again  with  joy,  bringing  their 
sheaves  with  them."  The  first  Christian 
converts,  who  in  the  bitterness  of  convic- 
tion said  to  the  apostles,  "  Men  and  breth- 
ren, what  shall  we  do'?"  soon  "received 
the  word  gladly,  and  did  eat  their  meat 
with  gladness,  praising  God,  and  having 
favor  with  all  the  people."  Many  who 
have  felt  the  deepest  sorrows  for  sin,  have, 
afterwards,  possessed  tlie  greatest  degree 
of  religious  joy,  and  have  "  loved  much,  be- 
cause they  knev/  that  much  was  forgiven." 
Thus  then,  "  out  of  the  eater  came  forth 
meat,  and  out  of  the  strong  sweetness." 

2.  The  same  may  be  said  of  divers  tempt- 
ations witli  which  a  Christian  may  be 
exercised.  The  tempter  is  compared 
to  "  a  roaring  lion,  who  walketh  about, 
seeking  wliom  he  may  devour ;"  his  aim 
is  to  destroy,  by  leading  into  sin,  and  keep- 
ing men  in  ignorance  and  unbelief.  "  Si- 
mon, Simon,"  said  our  Lord  to  Peter,  "  Sa- 
tan hath  desired  to  have  thee,  that  he  may 
fcift  thee  as  wheat ;" — and  indeed  he  did 


sift  him.  Peter  boasted,  was  tempted,  ana 
fell.  But  the  prayers  of  his  great  Advo- 
cate prevailed  ;  he  rose  again,  and  became, 
by  the  temptation,  more  diffident  and  watch- 
ful than  before;  and  being  reconverted, he 
strengthened  his  brethren,  as  Christ  had 
directed.  When  afterwards  asked  by  his 
Master, "  Lovest  thou  me  more  than  these  ]" 
that  is,  more  than  these  thy  fellow-disci- 
ples, as  once  thou  boastedst, — he  modestly 
replied,  "  Thou  knowest  all  things,  thou 
knowest  that  I  love  thee  ;"  but  he  would 
make  no  comparisons.  His  sermons  and 
epistles  breathe  an  excellent  and  an  humble 
spirit,  and  show  how  much  he  profited  by 
the  temptation  ;  and  thus  it  is  that  believers 
in  general  learn  to  "  watch  and  pray,  lest 
they  enter  into  temptation ;"  and  while 
they  "  think  they  stand,"  are  cautious  lest 
they  fall.  Thus,  "  out  of  the  eater  came 
forth  meat,  and  out  of  the  strong  sweetness." 

We  may  apply  this  observation  to  vari- 
ous other  trials  to  which  the  people  of 
God  are  liable  :  To, 

3.  Poverty,  for  instance.  It  is  the 
lot  of  many,  of  very  many  good  people,  to 
be  poor.  "  Hearken,  my  beloved  brethren, 
Hath  not  God  cliosen  the  poor  of  this 
world?"  "Ye  see  your  calling,  brethren, 
not  many  wise,  mighty,  noble  ;  but  God 
hath  chosen  the  foolish,  the  weak,  the 
base."  Poverty  is,  in  itself,  a  great  and 
sore  evil.  The  scanty  supply  which  the 
laborious  poor  obtain,  with  all  their  sweat 
and  toil,  is  the  sad  effect  of  sin,  for  God 
"  cursed  the  earth  for  man's  sake  ;  thorns 
and  thistles  (said  he)  shall  it  bring  forth  to 
thee ;  in  the  sweat  of  thy  face  shalt  thou 
eat  bread,  till  thou  return  unto  the 
ground  : — in  sorrow  shalt  thou  eat  of  it  all 
the  days  of  thy  life."  Gen.  iii.  17. 

The  Great  God  who  wisely  governs  the 
world,  and  dearly  loves  all  his  children,  is 
pleased  to  withhold  from  many  of  them 
those  blessings  and  comforts,  which  they 
cannot  but  earnestly  desire ;  yet,  even 
here,  they  gather  honey  from  the  carcass 
of  the  lion  :  for  their  various  troubles  give 
occasion  for  the  exercise  of  humble  resig- 
nation to  the  sovereign  will  of  God.  They 
learn  from  their  afflicted  Savior  to  say, 
"  Not  my  will,  but  thine  be  done."  The 
cup  is  bitter  :  but  it  is  he  who  puts  it  into 
my  hand,  and  shall  I  not  drink  it  ?  Shall 
I  "  receive  good  at  the  hand  of  the  Lord, 
and  not  evil  also  V  The  Christian  looks 
round  him,  and  beholds  the  wicked  pros- 
pering ;  "  their  eyes  stand  out  with  fat- 
ness," and  they  have  more  than  the  heart 
can  wish ;  but  he  does  not  envy  them ;  he 
knows  that  tliey  are  ratiier  objects  of  pity. 
His  murmurings,   if  they  arise,  are  re- 


SERMON  XCV. 


443 


pressed  ;  he  submits  to  the  lioly  appoint- 
ment of  (lod  ;  and  looks  for  iiis  good  tliinj^s 
in  a  better  world. 

Constant  dependence  npon  God  is  hereby 
promoted.  He  wlio  tauirht  liis  disciples  to 
pray, — "Give  tis  day  by  day  our  daily 
bread,"  seemed  by  that  petition  to  intimate 
that  they  would,  generally,  possess  no 
store  for  the  morrow,  but  be  daily  depend- 
ent on  him  for  their  needful  supplies.  In- 
deed, the  rich  as  well  as  the  poor  depend 
upon  the  constant  bounty  of  Heaven  ;  but 
the  former  are  not  so  sensible  of  it  as  the 
latter ;  these  are,  what  God  said  he  would 
leave  in  the  midst  of  Israel, — "A  poor 
and  an  atHicted  people,  who  should  trust 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

Thankfulness  is  anotiier  fruit  of  sancti- 
fied affliction ;  for  such  is  the  forg^etfulness 
and  ingratitude  of  our  hearts,  that  we  are 
scarcely  sensible  of  the  value  of  our 
mercies  but  by  the  loss  or  suspension  of 
them  ;  and  it  is  probable  that  many  a  poor 
cottager  is  more  thankful  to  God  for  his 
mean  habitation  and  slender  fare,  than  the 
possessor  of  the  castle  or  the  palace  for  his 
splendid  abundance.  Too  often  the  rich 
and  prosperous  become  proud,  and  forget 
God  ;  but  the  truly  pious  will  try  to 
render  unto  him  the  praises  due  to  his 
name. 

Another  advantage  which  may  be  gain- 
ed from  poverty  is.  That  the  Christian  is  led 
to  seek  the  things  that  are  above.  "  Men  of 
the  world  have  their  portion  in  this  life ;" 
they  are  "carnally  minded,"  and  if  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind  can  but 
be  gratified,  they  care  not  for  a  future 
inheritance.  But  the  children  of  God 
would  dread  this  state  of  man  as  the 
greatest  evil,  and  would  far  rather  be  the 
poor  Lazarus  at  the  gate,  than  the  ungod- 
ly worldling  in  Hell ;  "  for  they  have  re- 
spect to  the  recompense  of  the  reward." 
Thus  then  the  i)ious  poor  may  be  said  to 
obtain  honey  from  the  carcass  of  the  lion. 

4.  Apply  this  sentiment  to  tlie  person 
who  is  grievously  afflicted  with  severe 
pains  and  bodily  afflictions.  We  all  love 
ease,  and  would  gladly  avoid  pain  ;  but 
our  heavenly  Fatlier  sees  it  needful  to 
chastise  us  ;  and  frecjuently,  by  exercising 
us  with  irksoine  and  painful  disorders. 
All  this  is  wearisome  to  nature,  for  no 
visitation  of  this  kind  is  "  for  the  present 
joyous,  but  grievous  ;  nevertheless,  after- 
ward it  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruit  of 
righteousness  unto  those  who  are  exercised 
thereby."  If  sin,  the  root  of  all  suffering, 
be  embittered  ;  if  tribulation  worketh 
patience,  and  patience  experience,  and  ex- 
perience hope  ;  if  under  the-  pressure  of 


personal  affliction,  our  hidden  corruptions 
are  detected  ;  if,  like  Israel,  by  their  forty 
years'  trial,  we  learn  what  is  in  our  heart; 
if  strict  and  impartial  examination  be 
pursued,  and  our  forgotten  sms  be  brought 
to  remembrance  ;  and,  finally,  if  holy  re- 
solutions be  formed,  and  we  cry,  as  it  is 
meet  we  should,  "  We  have  borne  chas- 
tisement ;  we  will  not  offend  any  more," 
— then  is  the  purpose  of  divine  and  pater- 
nal goodness  in  tlie  visitation  accomplish- 
ed ;  then  may  the  Christian  say,  "  It  is 
good  for  me  that  I  was  afflicted,  that  I 
might  learn  thy  statutes :  before  I  was 
afflicted  I  went  astray ;  but  now  I  have 
kept  thy  word."'     Ps.  cxix.  67  and  71. 

5.  Domestic  trials  may  produce  the 
same  advantages.  It  is  in  our  own  houses, 
and  with  our  own  families,  that  we  expect 
the  most  pure  and  permanent  pleasures ; 
and,  while  these  are  enjoyed,  we  cannot 
be  sufficiently  thankful.  But  we  are  not 
to  expect  unmingled  or  uninterrupted  de- 
lights. Husbands  and  wives,  parents  and 
children,  brothers  and  sisters,  are  sweet 
and  tender  names,  and  they  are  the 
sources  of  much  mnocent  enjoyment ;  but 
they  may  become  in  the  course  of  God's 
most  holy  and  sovereign  providence,  the 
occasions  of  bitter  grief  and  sprrow.  If 
they  are  unfaithful,  undutiful,  unkind ;  if 
they  are  perverse,  and  wicked,  and  aban- 
doned, how  deep  is  the  misery  they  excite ! 
or,  if  they  be  kind,  pious,  and  useful,  how 
do  we  share  their  pains  and  troubles,  if 
tliey  are  afflicted ;  and  if,  as  it  must  fre- 
quently happen,  that  relentless  Death  en- 
ter our  houses,  and  snatch  fi"om  our  em- 
brace the  partners  of  our  lives,  or  our  dear 
and  tender  offspring,  taking  away  the  de- 
light of  our  eyes  with  a  stroke,  and  hiding 
from  us  in  the  dust,  those  who  were  dear 
to  us  as  our  own  souls, — how  bitter  is  the 
anguish  ! — "  't  is  the  survivor  dies  !" 

But  is  there  no  consolation  in  such 
cases  .'  God  never  leaves  his  people  desti- 
tute of  comfort,  or  at  least  of  sufficient 
sources  of  comfort.  Not  oidy  should  we 
submissively  say,  "  It  is  the  Lord  ;  let  him 
do  as  seemeth  good  in  his  sight,"  but  we 
may  find  honey  in  the  carcass  of  the  lion, 
and  extract  the  most  essential  benefits 
from  these  severe  exercises.  See  iiere ; 
— in  this  loss,  in  that  disappointment,  in 
the  other  heavy  cross,  see  and  learn  the 
vanity  of  creature  comforts.  You  had 
often  read,  and  heard,  and  professed  to 
believe,  that  "all  is  vanity  and  vexation 
of  spirit;"  and  here  you  find  it  is  so.  You 
leaned  upon  this  reed,  and  it  is  broken ; 
you  took  shelter  under  this  gourd,  and  it 
is    withered.     Cease,    then,    from    man, 


444 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


"  wliose  breath  is  in  his  nostrils,  for  what 
is  he  to  be  accounted  of!"  Remember 
likewise,  "the  time  is  short:  it  remaineth, 
that  both  they  that  have  wives  be  as 
though  they  had  none ;  and  they  that  weep, 
as  though  they  wept  not ;  and  they  that 
rejoice,  as  tliough  they  rejoiced  not;  and 
tliey  tliat  buy,  as  though  they  possessed 
not ;  and  they  that  use  this  world,  as 
not  abusing  it ;  for  the  fashion  of  this 
world  passeth  away."  1  Cor.  vii.  29 — 31. 

6.  The  same  may  be  said  with  regard 
to  disappointments  in  our  worldly  affairs. 
In  the  conduct  of  trade  and  business,  how- 
ever wisely  managed,  however  diligently 
followed,  the  most  industrious  and  the 
most  judicious  may  meet  with  reverses. 
The  most  pleasing  and  flattering  prospects 
may  be  obscured  by  some  unexpected  fail- 
ure of  others,  or  sudden  and  unlocked  for 
losses;  the  wealthy  man  may  be  reduced 
even  to  poverty,  and  his  riches,  having  made 
themselves  wings,  have  taken  their  flight, 
and  left  him  poor  and  needy.  How  many 
such  sa,d  events  have  we  lately  witnessed 
in  this  commercial  country,  and  in  these 
changeable  times  ! 

But  under  these  distressing  circum- 
stances, the  Christian  must  not  give  way 
to  excessive  sorrow, — that  "sorrow  of  the 
world  which  worketh  death."  Ho  must 
not  repair  to  dissipation,  that  he  may  for- 
get his  troubles,  much  less  to  suicide,  as  too 
many  liave  done.  No ;  Grace  will  enable 
him,  though,  like  Job,  bereft  of  his  whole 
substance,  to  say,  "The  Lord  gave,  and 
the  Lord  hatli  taken  away ;  blessed  be  the 
name  of  the  Lord."  If  the  Christian  have 
lost  his  worldly  goods,  he  has  treasure  laid 
up  in  Heaven,  secure  beyond  the  reach  of 
moth,  and  rust,  and  thieves ;  out  of  the 
power  of  dishonest  servants,  or  fraudulent 
debtors,  or  crafty  swindlers.  And  if  he 
learn  by  the  loss  and  failure  of  earthly 
goods  to  "  set  his  aftection  on  those  that 
are  above,"  he  becomes  a  real  gainer. 
Thus  have  we  oi\:en  seen  a  little  bird 
perched  on  the  bough  of  a  tree,  disturbed 
or  alarmed  by  some  approaching  danger, 
change  his  position,  and  flit  from  bough 
to  bough,  till  at  length,  to  get  beyond  tlie 
reacli  of  harms,  he  spreads  his  wings,  and 
soars  to  safer  regions.  And  thus  the  an- 
cient saints  "  took  joyfully  the  spoiling  of 
their  goods,  knowing  m  themselves  that 
they  had  in  Heaven  a  better  and  enduring 
eubstanoe  ;"  "  they  sought  a  better  coim- 
try,  that  is,  an  heavenly  ;"  they  looked  for 
the  city  which  hath  foundations,  whose 
builder  and  maker  is  God.  Heb.  x.  34,  and 
xi.  16. 

7,  Persecution  is  anotlier  of  tljose  evils 


to  wliich  the  people  of  God  are  expos-wi ; 
and  persecution,  in  some  form  and  in  s(«ne 
degree,  must  always  be  expected  by  tl,ose 
who  "  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus." 
But  it  is  a  thing  no  less  mysterious  than 
grievous,  that  men  should  be  abused  for 
righteousness'  sake  ;  that  the  excellent  of 
the  earth,  beloved  of  God,  and  heirs  of  glo- 
ry, should  be  despised  and  ill-treated  by 
their  fellow-men.  Yet  thus  it  has  been, 
must  be,  and  will  be  to  the  end.  As  long 
as  there  are  men  "  born  after  the  flesh," 
there  will  be  hatred  and  opposition  against 
those  who  are  "  born  after  the  Spirit."  But, 
out  of  this  unpromising  lion,  sweet  honey 
has  been  procured.  When,  upon  the  dis- 
persion of  the  disciples,  occasioned  by  the 
martyrdom  of  Stephen,  they  travelled  into 
distant  parts,  they  "  went  everywhere 
preaching  the  word ;"  Judea  and  Samaria 
were  the  gainers.  Persecution,  while  it 
opposes  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  wonder- 
fully confirms  it.  The  prediction  of  Christ 
is  fully  accomplished,  for  he  came  not  to 
send  peace,  but  a  sword ;  and  though  the 
Gospel  has  the  most  powerful  tendency  to 
promote  concord,  it  becomes,  through  the 
corruption  of  man,  the  occasion  of  the 
most  cruel  divisions;  and  thus,  also,  it 
proves  the  truth  of  the  apostolic  declara- 
tion, that  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  agauist 
God. 

8.  The  subject  may  even  be  extended 
to  Death  itself  The  death  of  Christ, 
though  according  to  the  determinate  coun- 
sel, and  fore-knowledge  of  God,  was  ef- 
fected by  the  cruel  hands  of  wicked  men. 
Never  was  any  murder  so  atrocious  as  that 
of  the  Son  of  God,  the  Prince  of  Life,  the 
Lord  of  Glory  !  In  itself,  it  was  the 
basest  and  most  detestable  action  ever 
committed  by  apostate  men.  Then,  the 
father  of  lies  and  the  murderer  of  souls 
seemed  to  triumph  ;  while  the  '  friends  of 
the  Redeemer  were  ready  to  despond. 
"We  trusted,"  said  they,  "that  it  had 
been  He  who  should  have  redeemed  Isra- 
el ;  but  his  death  had,  for  a  season,  extin- 
guished their  hopes.  But  bitter  as  seemed 
this  event  to  the  disciples,  what  ever  pro- 
duced so  much  sweetness?  From  the 
striking  of  this  Rock,  what  copious 
streams  of  consolation  have  ever  since 
been  flowing  to  refresh  the  Church  in  the 
wilderness  !  All  comfort  springs  from  this 
source  ;  and  the  triumphant  song  of  Hea- 
ven shall  be,  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that 
was  slain !" 

Apply  this  also  to  the  Death  of  believ- 
ers. Nothing  to  nature  is  so  formidable 
as  death :  it  is  tlie  king  of  terrors ;  and 
through  the  fear  of  it,  many  are,  all  their 


SERMON  XCV. 


445 


life-time,  subject  to  bondage.  The  terri- 
ble sufferings  that  frequently  precede  it, 
the  heart-rending  sepanition  it  makes  be- 
tween the  dearest  relatives,  the  subsequent 
circumstances  of  the  shroud,  the  coffin, 
tht  grave,  the  corruption,  and  tlie  worms, 
all  combine  to  render  death  the  most  hor- 
rible of  human  evils.  Such,  indeed,  is  the 
carcass  of  the  lion ;  but  search  and  see  ;  is 
there  no  honey  within  ]  Is  there  notliing 
to  lessen  tlie  terrors  of  the  tomb,  and  rec- 
oncile man  to  the  grave  !  Yes ;  there  is 
much  every  way.  The  sting  of  death  is 
extracted.  That  which  makes  death  so 
awful  is  sin  ;  but  sin  is  pardoned ;  the  be- 
liever is  justified ;  he  lias  "  passed  from 
death  unto  life,  and  shall  never  come  into 
condemnation."  And  not  only  so,  but 
Death  is  gain, — inexpressible  advantage 
to  the  Christian.  He  leaves  a  troublesome 
world,  a  diseased  body,  a  disordered  soul 
— to  be  with  Christ,  to  see  his  face,  to  be- 
hold his  glory,  to  be  perfectly  like  him,  and 
to  join  the  blessed  society  of  saints  and 
angels  in  the  presence,  and  worship,  and 
enjoyment  of  God. 

'Tie  good  at  thy  word  to  be  here ; 
'Tis  better  in  thee  to  be  gone. 

CONCLUSION. 

1.  Let  us  be  led,  by  what  we  have 
heard,  to  adore  the  wisdom  and  goodness 
of  God,  in  bringing  good  out  of  evil. 
Christians!  looking  back  on  the  years  that 
are  past,  and  on  the  wilderness  through 
which  you  have  travelled,  you  may  per- 
ceive the  skeletons  of  those  lions  which 
have  been  slain,  and  from  whose  carcasses 
you  have  taken  honey.  Sweet  is  the  re- 
membrance of  evils  surmounted,  of  en- 
emies vanquished,  and  of  terrifying  disas- 
ters turned  into  blessings !  And  how  di- 
vinely true  is  the  scriptural  maxim : — 
*'A11  things  work  together  for  good,  to 
them  that  love  God,  who  are  the  Called, 
according  to  his  purpose  !"  Set  your  seal 
to  this  trutli,  and  give  glory  to  Ilim  who 
made  them  thus  salutary  and  beneficial. 

2.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  painful  to  re- 
flect on  the  state  of  natural  and  wicked 
men,  who  are,  unhappily,  so  entirely  un- 
der the  power  of  sin  and  Satan,  that  they 
continually  extract  evil,  even  from  good. 
Their  health,  their  strength,  their  talents, 
their  wealth,  their  tables,  and  all  their 
comforts,  are  perverted  and  abused ;  like 
Jeshurun  of  old,  they  "  wax  fat,  and  kick 
against  God."  The  word  of  God  itself  is 
abused  and  perverted  ;  and  they  wrest,  to 
their  own  destruction,  the  Gospel  of  salva- 
tion ;  their  prejudices  arc  excited,  and  their 


hearts  are  hardened,  by  those  very  doc- 
trines of  the  Bible  which  should  humble 
them  in  the  dust,  and  make  them  heartily 
thankful  to  be  saved  by  grace  alone. 

3.  Finally,  What  an  argument  may  we 
derive  from  this  subject,  for  the  commit- 
ment of  ourselves,  and  all  our  concerns, 
mto  the  hands  of  an  all-wise  and  all-gra- 
cious God  !  Let  us  not  choose  for  our- 
selves, but  commit  our  way  to  Him,  who  is 
too  wise  to  err,  too  good  to  be  unkind. 
We  are  unable  to  comprehend  the  whole 
plan  of  his  proceedings.  We  see  but  a 
small  part,  and  cannot  judge  correctly  of 
the  whole.  A  child,  looking  at  a  clock  or 
a  watch,  might  suppose,  that,  because  the 
wheels  move  in  contrary  directions,  some- 
thing must  be  -wrong ;  and  an  ordinary 
spectator,  viewing  the  movements  of  a 
great  and  complicated  machine,  might 
be  at  a  loss  to  know  the  tendency  and  re- 
sult of  the  whole ;  while  the  artist  who 
constructed  it,  knows  well  the  use  and  de- 
sign of  every  spring  and  wheel.  So  the 
gccat  and  blessed  God,  who  knows  the  end 
from  the  beginning,  orders  all  things,  in 
his  infinite  wisdom,  to  produce  the  best 
effect, — the  glory  of  his  name,  and  the 
salvation  of  his  people.  Little  did  Joseph 
imagine,  when  cruelly  sold  by  his  breth- 
ren, when  falsely  accused  by  his  mistress, 
when  laid  in  the  dungeon  in  irons,  that  all 
this  should  lead  to  the  fulfilment  of  his 
prophetic  dreams,  his  advancement  to  the 
government  of  Egypt,  or  the  suppport  of 
liis  father  and  brothers  in  the  years  of  fam- 
ine !  Little  did  Job  suppose,  when  de- 
prived of  his  substance,  of  his  children,  of 
his  health,  and  reduced  to  the  lowest 
state  of  misery,  that  this  should  lead  to 
prosperity,  and  honor,  and  happiness, 
greater  than  he  ever  knew  before  !  "Cast," 
then,  "all  your  care  upo«  God,  for  he 
careth  for  you  ;"  "  be  careful,"  that  is,  anx- 
ious, "  for  nothing ;  but  in  all  things,  by 
prayer  and  supplication,  with  thanksgiving, 
let  your  requests  be  made  known  unto  God ; 
— unto  God,  "  who  performeth  all  things 
for  us."  He  who  provided  honey  for  Sam- 
son, out  of  the  carcass  of  the  lion ;  he  who 
"  meant  for  good,"  all  the  severities  that 
Joseph  suffered ;  he  who  "  turned  again 
the  captivity  of  Job,  and  gave  him  twice 
as  much  as  he  had  before," — will,  in  his 
own  time  and  way,  give  you  a  practical 
solution  of  Samson's  riddle,  and  cause  you 
thankfully  to  say, — "  Out  of  the  cater  came 
forth  meat,  and  out  of  the  strong  came 
forth  sweetness."  "  O,  that  men  would 
praise  the  Lord  for  his  goodness,  and  for 

bis  wonderful  works  to  the  children  of 
I" 


men 


38 


446 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


PRAYER.— Grkat  Ruler  of  the  world,  thou 
doost  all  things  well !  Thy  way  is  sometimes  in 
the  sea,  and  Ihy  path  cannot  be  traced  ;  but  all 
thy  paths  are  mercy  and  truth  to  thy  (leople! 
Thou  bringest  good  out  of  evil ;  and  they  that 
sow  in  tears  are  enabled  to  reap  in  joy.  Thou 
knowest  how  lo  deliver  the  godly  out  oVlempla- 
lion,  and  render  them,  by  their  trials,  more 
watchful  and  huTuble.  Thou  makest  the  poor 
of  the  flock  rich  in  faith,  and  causest  them  to 
trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  Bodily  sufferings, 
domestic  trials,  worldly  losses,  and  persecution 
for  righteousness'  sake,  are  all  made  to  work  to- 
gether for  the  good  of  thy  children ;  and  even 
Death  itself  shall  prove  their  richest  gain.  O 
God,  we  adore  thy  w-isdom  and  kindness,  in  thus 
bringing  good  out  of  evil ;  and  we  desire  to  learn 
to  trust  in  thee  at  all  times.  We  would  commit 
all  our  concern  into  thy  hands,  and  cast  all  our 
<!ares  upon  thee,  happy  in  believing  that  thou 
carest  for  us.  We  would  be  anxiously  careful 
for  nothing,  but  in  every  thing,  by  prayer  and 
supplication,  with  thanksgivings,  make  know  our 
requests  unto  thee.  To  thee,  O  Lord,  be  all  glory 
and  praise,  world  without  end !    Amen. 


SERMON  XCVI. 

THE  PROFITABLE  JOURNEY. 

Numbers  x.  29.  We  are  journeying  unto  the  place 
of  which  the  Lord  said,  I  will  give  it  you.  Come 
thou  with  us,  and  we  will  do  thee  good ;  for  the 
Lord  hath  spoken  good  concerning  Israel. 

The  society  of  our  fellow-creatures  can- 
not but  produce  some  effect  upon  us,  either 
good  or  bad ;  its  influence  is  very  consid- 
erable ;  and  much,  therefore,  depends  on 
the  choice  we  make  of  our  associates. 
The  constitution  of  our  nature  is  such, 
that  we  readily,  and  often  insensibly,  imi- 
tate our  companions ;  and  are  strengthened 
either  in  good  or  in  evil  by  our  connexions. 
Hence,  the  wisest  of  men  long  ago  said, 
"  He  that  walk^th  with  wise  men  shall  be 
wise;  but  a  companion  of  fools  shall  be 
destroyed."  Wicked  men  are"  very  desi- 
rous of  inducing  others  to  concur  with 
them  ;  they  also  say,  "  Come  with  us,  and 
we  will  do  you  good  ;  but  they  deceive 
and  betray.  On  the  contrary,  good  men 
earnestly  wqsh,  and  would  gladly  persuade 
others  to  walk  with  them  in  the  ways  of 
God  ;  aiid  with  great  truth  they  may  say, 
"  We  wiH  do  you  good."  Thus,  in  tlie 
passage  before  us,  Moses  entreats  Hobab 
(elsewhere  called  Jethro)  his  fatlier-in-law, 
to  accompany  him,  his  family,  and  the 
children  of  Israel  under  his  care,  to  the 
land  of  Canaan,  the  place  which  God  had 
promised  to  give  them  ;  assuring  him  that 
it  would  be  for  liis  great  advantage  so  to 
do.  Now,  this  is  also  the  language  of  pi- 
ous persons  to  their  relatives,  friends,  and 


neighbors ;  they  are  fully  persuaded  that 
"  it  shall  be  well  with  the  righteous ;" — 
that  their  "  labor  shall  not  be  in  vain  in 
the  Lord  ;"  and  that  a  life  of  faith  and  ho- 
liness shall  certainly  be  crowned  with 
eternal  felicity.  They  wish,  therefore, 
that  their  friends  and  connexions  may  pur- 
sue the  same  course  with  them,  and  ob- 
tain the  same  happiness. 

Accommodating  the  words  to  this  pur- 
pose, we  may  derive  from  them  the  follow- 
ing observations : 

I.  God  has  spoken  great  and  good  things 
concerning  the  futi>re  state  of  his  people. 

II.  They  are  now  on  their  journey  to 
take  possession  of  the  promised  blessings. 

III.  They  should  invite  and  encourage 
others  to  accompany  them. 

1.  We  observe  that  God  has  spoken 
great  and  good  things  concerning  the  fu- 
ture and  eternal  state  of  his  people. 

We  are  not  to  consider  this  world  as 
our  rest,  or  final  abode.  Good  men,  in  all 
ages,  have  acknowledged  they  were  mere 
travellers.  The  patriarch  Jacob,  when 
asked  by  the  king  of  Egypt  how  old  he 
was,  replied,  "  The  days  of  the  years  of 
my  pilgrimage  are  an  hundred  and  thirty 
years  :  few  and  evil  have  the  days  of  the 
years  of  my  life  been,  and  have  not  attain- 
ed unto  the  days  of  the  years  of  the  life 
of  my  fathers  in  the  days  of  their  pilgrim- 
age." Gen.  xlvii.  9.  In  like  maimer,  Da- 
vid, though  a  king  upon  the  throne,  sur- 
rounded with  all  the  honors  and  luxuries 
of  royalty,  confesses  himself  "  a  stranger 
and  a  pilgrim,  as  all  his  fathers  were  ;"  as 
in  Psalms.  And  St.  Peter  uses  the  same 
language  when  writing  to  the  Christians 
of  his  time,  whom  he  exhorts,  as  "  pil- 
grims and  strangers,  to  abstain  from  flesh- 
ly lusts,  which  war  against  the  soul."  1 
Pet.  ii.  11. 

Hence  it  is  that  men  of  religion  have 
always  looked  forward  to  another  and  a 
better  state.  The  patriarchs,  to  whom  life 
and  immortality  was  not  so  fully  and  clear- 
ly revealed  as  to  us,  possessed  that  faith 
which  is  "  the  substance  of  things  hoped 
for,  and  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen ;" 
they  lived  and  died  in  faith ;  confessing 
that  they  were  "  strangers  and  pilgrims  on 
the  earth  :"  from  which  St.  Paul  infers 
that  they  "desired  and  sought  a  better 
country ;  that  is,  an  heavenly  one."  Heb. 
xi.  13 — 16.  Hence  also  it  is  that  the  prim- 
itive believers  said, — "Our  conversation 
(our  traffic,  our  citizenship)  is  in  Heaven." 
Our  chief  business  is  with  that  heavenly 
country  to  which  we  belong,  and  to  which 
we  are  travelling.     Phil.  iii.  20. 

This  blessed   expectation  is  grounded 


SERMON  XCVI. 


447 


on  the  faithfulness  of  God  : — "  The  Lord 
hath  spoken  good  concerning  Israel."  He 
had  said  of  Canaan, — the  land  that  flowed 
with  milk  and  honey,  "  /  will  give  it  you." 
This  promise  he  had  made  to  Abraham 
400  years  before ;  and  renewed  it  again 
and  again  to  his  posterity.  Moses,  there- 
fore, speaks  of  it  as  absolutely  certain ;  and 
promises  Hobab  a  share  in  the  goodly  in- 
heritance ;  and  thus,  to  all  believers,  God 
hath  made  the  promise  of  eternal  life.  Not 
only  shall  all  their  sins  be  pardoned,  but 
there  is  a  rest  prepared  for  them ;  God  in- 
tends to  make  them  happy  for  ever  in  his 
own  presence,  where  there  is  "fullness  of 
joy ;  and  at  his  riii'ht  hand,  where  there 
are  pleasures  for  evermore." 

Tlie  country  promised  to  Israel  was  ex- 
tremely beautiful  and  fertile.  It  is  thus 
described  (Deut.  viii.  7,  &c. :)  "For  the 
Lord  thy  God  bringeth  thee  into  a  good 
land  ;  a  land  of  brooks  of  water  ;  a  land 
of  wheat,  and  barley,  and  vines,  and  fig- 
trees,  and  pomegranates ;  a  land  of  oil- 
olive,  and  honey;  a  land  wherein  thou 
shalt  eat  bread  without  scarceness ;  thou 
shalt  not  lack  any  thing  in  it."  Was  not 
this  delightful  country  a  type  of  the  heav- 
enly world,  an  emblem  of  Immanuel's 
land  ]  Yes  ;  but  the  type  is  faint ;  it  doth 
not  yet  fully  appear  what  we  shall  be,  or 
what  we  shall  enjoy ;  it  is  enough  to  know 
"  that  we  slialj  be  with  Christ,  and  that  we 
shall  be  like  liim ;  for  we  shall  see  him  as 
he  is." 

2.  Let  us  pass  on  to  a  second  observa- 
tion. Believers  are  now  on  their  journey, 
to  take  possession  of  this  heavenly  coun- 
try :  "  We  are  journeying  (said  Moses  to 
Hobab)  to  the  promised  place." 

These  persons  believed  the  promise. 
Of  old,  a  promise  of  rest  was  given  ;  giv- 
en generally ;  given  to  Israel  at  large  ; 
but  the  word  of  promise  did  not  profit 
them,  not  being  mixed  with  faith.  Many 
of  them  disbelieved  the  promise  ;  they  de- 
nied the  power  and  the  faithfulness  of  God 
to  fulfil  it :  and  God,  provoked  by  their 
unbelief,  sware  in  his  wrath  that  they 
should  not  enter  into  his  rest.  The  apos- 
tle, therefore,  warns  us  against  imitating 
their  example,  lest  we  also,  "  having  a 
promise  left  us,  of  entering  into  his  rest, 
should,  by  any  means,  come  short  of  it." 

These  travellers  to  the  heavenly  Ca- 
naan, like  those  of  old,  have  left  Egypt. 
Once  they  were  in  bondage  to  sin,  and  Sa- 
tan, and  the  world.  They  were  "  foolish, 
disobedient,  deceived,  serving  divers  lusts 
and  pleasures,  living  in  malice  and  envy, 
hateful,  and  hating  one  another ;"  but 
Bince  "  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our 


Savior  towards  man  appeared,"  they  have 
been  actually  "  redeemed  from  their  vain 
conversation  ;"  tlieir  "  soul  is  escaped  as  a 
bird  out  of  the  snare  of  the  fowler :  the 
snare  is  broken,  and  they  are  escaped." 
Ps.  cxxiv.  7. 

Delivered  from  Egypt,  they  are  now  in 
the  wilderness.  Such,  indeed,  is  "this 
present  evil  world,"  barren  of  good,  fruit- 
fiil  only  of  sin,  and  infested  by  ferocious 
beasts ;  tliere,  roams  abroad  their  deadly 
adversary  the  Devil,  who,  "  as  a  roaring 
lion,  walketh  about  seeking  whom  he  may 
destroy ;"  there  creeps  the  subtle  serpent, 
who,  with  his  malignant  and  undetected 
wiles,  deceiveth  the  whole  world. 

Yet  here,  even  here,  the  manna  falls 
about  their  tents :  "  he  commands  the 
clouds  from  above ;  he  opens  the  doors  of 
Heaven ;  he  rains  down  manna  upon  them  • 
to  eat,  and  gives  them  of  the  corn  of  Heav- 
en ;  man  eateth  angels'  food ;  he  sends 
them  meat  to  the  full."  Psal.  Ixxviii.  24, 
25.  Yea,  their  "  Heavenly  Father  giveth 
them  the  true  bread  from  Heaven ;  even 
his  flesh,  which  is  meat  indeed,  and  his 
blood,  which  is  drink  indeed  :"  and  parta- 
king of  which,  they  "  shall  never  die,  but 
have  everlasting  life."  John  vi.  33,  51,  55. 

Here,  too,  they  enjoy  divine  direction. 
Of  old,  when  Israel  was  passing  through 
the  wilderness,  a  pillar  of  a  cloud  by  day, 
and  a  pillar  of  fire  by  night,  directed  their 
march,  and  conducted  them,  by  a  right 
way,  towards  the  city  of  habitations  ;  and 
thus  the  Lord  still  "  creates  upon  every 
dwelling-place  of  Mount  Zion  (the  Chris- 
tian church)  and  upon  her  assemblies,  a 
cloud  and  smoke  by  day,  and  the  shining 
of  a  flaming  fire  by  night :" — or,  in  other 
words,  Jesus  Christ  is  the  constant,  gen- 
tle, unerring  guide  of  his  people  ;  direct- 
ing them  by  his  word,  his  example,  his 
Spirit,  to  avoid  the  dangers  which  sur- 
round them,  and  to  persevere  in  the  path 
to  glory. 

Like  the  ancient  Israel,  they  have  a 
sovereign  and  almighty  Protector.  "  He 
looked  through"  the  luminous  cloud  that 
directed  their  way,  "  and  troubled  the  host 
of  the  Egyptians," — so  disconcerted  their 
warlike  and  enraged  pursuers,  that  they 
abandoned  their  enterprise,  and  in  vain 
sought  their  own  safety  by  flight:  and 
thus  believers  may  still  say,  "The  Lord 
of  Hosts  is  with  us  ;  the  God  of  Jacob  is 
our  refuge  ;"  and  tliey  may  thence  safely 
infer,  "If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be 
against  us  I" 

The  cloudy  pillar  also  served  the  pur- 
pose of  a  spacious  umbrella,  or  salutary 
screen  from  the  burning  rays  of  the  eun 


448 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


in  a  sandy  desert;  and  thus  also  tlie  Cliris- 
tian  finds  a  cool  retreat,  ''as  the  siiadow 
of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary  land,"  when 
he  casts  his  burdens  on  the  Lord  ;  and, 
satisfied  tliat  "all  tilings  work  together 
for  good,"  resigns  himself  to  the  disposal 
of  his  all-wise  and  all-gracious  Savior. 

Such  being  the  privileges,  and  such  the 
expectations  of  the  Christian  Israel,  they 
cannot  but  wish  their  relations,  tlieir 
friends,  and  their  neighbors  to  enjoy  the 
same  ;  which  leads  us  to  the  third  head  of 
our  discourse. 

3.  Travellers  to  Zion  should  invite  and 
encourage  otiiers  to  accompany  them  ; — 
as  Moses  said  to  Hobab, — "  Come  thou 
with  us,  and  we  will  do  thee  good." 

Moses  was  related  to  Hobab ;  and  cer- 
tainly our  relations  have  the  first  claim  to 
our  pious  regards.  Hear  how  St.  Paul  ex- 
pressed his  earnest  desires  for  the  salva- 
tion of  his  kindred  : — "  I  have  great  heavi- 
ness (said  he)  and  continual  sorrow  in  my 
heart  for  my  brethren,  my  kinsmen  ac- 
cording to  the  flesh  ;"  and  the  reason  he 
gives  is,  that  formerly,  in  his  unconverted 
state,  he  did  "  wish  himself  accursed  (or 
separated)  from  Christ :" — he  was  once 
like  them,  and  desired  to  have  nothing  to 
do  with  Christ ;  he  could,  therefore,  feel 
for  them  and  pity  them  ;  and  his  "  earnest 
desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  them  was, 
that  they  might  be  saved."  Rom.  ix.  1 ; 
and  X.  1,  &c.  Thus  should  we  pity  and 
pray  for  those  who  are  still  walking  in  the 
broad  road  to  destruction,  and  tenderly  in- 
vite and  entreat  them  to  walk  with  us  in 
the  narrow  way  that  leads  to  everlasting 
life.  And  there  are  several  methods  in 
which  we  may  try  to  do  this. 

1.  By  inviting  them  to  hear  the  Gospel 
faithfully  preached.  "  Faith  cometh  by 
hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God." 
The  Gospel  of  Christ  is  "  the  power  of 
God  unto  salvation,  to  every  one  that  be- 
lieveth."  It  is  the  ordinance  of  God  for 
that  purpose.  He  qualifies  his  ministers 
by  spiritual  gifts  to  preach  the  word  ;  and 
has  promised  to  be  always  with  them,  in 
their  labors;  it  is  good,  therefore,  to  be 
found  in  the  right  way :  it  was  thus  the 
first  disciples  of  Christ  acted.  When  our 
Lord  had  called  Andrew,  Andrew  brought 
his  brother  Peter  to  Jesus ;  and  the  day 
after,  when  he  called  Philip,  Philip  invited 
Nathaniel  to  come  and  see  the  Messiah, 
whom  he  had  found.  In  like  manner, 
when  the  woman  of  Samaria  had  found 
the  Savior,  she  went  her  way  into  the  city 
where  she  lived,  and  said  to  the  men, 
"  Come,  see  a  man  who  told  me  all  things 


that  ever  I  did  ;  is  not  this  the  Christ  ?" 
and  in  consequence  of  this,  many  came, 
heard,  and  believed,  to  the  saving  of  their 
souls.  Kindly  invite,  therefore,  your  rela- 
tions, friends,  and  neighbors,  to  come  and 
hear  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  which  has  been 
so  useful  to  yourselves,  and  it  may  be  that 
God  will  make  it  an  equal  blessing  to 
them. 

2.  We  may  promote  the  salvation  of 
others  by  serious  and  affectionate  conver- 
sation. We  readily  converse  with  our 
neighbors  on  the  news  of  the  day,  whether 
it  be  good  or  evil.  Why  should  we  be 
backward  to  tell  them  the  best  news  that 
ever  reached  our  ears  ? — "  the  good  tidings 
of  the  Gospel, — that  Jesus  Christ  is  come 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners'!"  Why 
should  we  cruelly  refrain  from  warning 
them  against  the  wrath  to  come  ?  and  ex- 
horting them  to  flee  for  refuge  to  the  great 
Deliverer  ]  We  are  too  often  sinfully  si- 
lent :  "  but  a  word  spoken  in  season,  how 
good  is  it !"  and  "  a  wholesome  tong-ue  is 
a  tree  of  life."  A  single  sentence  wisely 
and  kindly  spoken,  has  often  been  made 
the  means  of  conversion.  Only  let  us 
take  care  to  make  it  evident  that  we  wish 
to  do  good,  and  not  to  gratify  our  pride  or 
our  anger  ;  let  it  be  done  in  the  spirit  of 
our  text, — "  Come  thou  with  us,  and  we 
will  do  thee  good." 

3.  The  heads  of  families  must  endeavor 
to  do  good  to  their  households  by  maintain- 
ing family  worship.  This  is  the  mdispen- 
sable  duty  of  a  Christian  master ;  and  he 
criminally  disregards  the  souls  of  his  chil- 
dren and  servants  who  neglects  it.  Read- 
ing the  Scriptures,  and  offering  up  prayers 
every  morning  and  evening  (and  not  on 
the  Lord's  Day  only)  is  one  of  the  most 
effectual  means  of  doing  good :,  and  it  is 
what  God  has  eminently  blessed  to  the  sal- 
vation of  multitudes.  Let  it  be  engaged 
in,  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  you  may  confi- 
dently expect  his  blessing. 

4.  We  may  promote  the  salvation  of  the 
rising  generation  by  giving  encouragement 
to  Sunday  Schools,  and  other  plans  for  the 
religious  education  of  children.  Some  may 
assist  them  by  subscribing  towards  their 
support ;  and  others  by  their  personal  help. 
Young  persons  of  piety  and  zeal  may  offer 
to  God  an  acceptable  sacrifice,  by  devoting 
a  portion  of  their  time  and  their  talents  to 
this  great  object : — an  object  of  the  most 
useful  and  laudable  nature  ever  devised 
for  the  good  of  mankind,  especially  of  the 
poorer  classes  of  society.  Yea,  we  may 
extend  our  invitation  to  fellow-creaturos 
in  the  most  distant  parts  of  the  world,  by 


SEllMON  XCVI. 


449 


the  encouragement  of  Mit:sionary  Socie- 
ties. We  may  not  be  able  personally  to 
invite  Turks,  and  Jews,  and  Infidels,  to 
unite  witJi  us  as  Christians  ;  but  we  may, 
by  our  prayers,  and  our  contributions,  ena- 
ble others  who  are  qualified  and  disposed 
for  tlie  work,  to  go  to  the  Heatlien,  and 
preach  among  them  "  The  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ." 

5.  The  distribution  of  Religious  Tracts 
is  another  method  in  which  we  easily  in- 
vite many  around  us  to  come  and  unite 
with  US,  that  we  may  do  tiicm  good.  Tiierc 
is  now  a  great  variety  of  tliese  provided, 
suited  to  every  class  and  character  of  peo- 
ple, old  and  young,  rich  and  poor,  which 
may  be  procured  in  considerable  numbers 
at  a  very  cheap  rate  ;  and  which  may  be 
dispersed  with  great  ease,  and  in  many  di- 
rections. God  has  been  pleased,  so  re- 
markably, to  bless  this  humble  mean  of  do- 
ing good,  tliat  we  shall  be  very  blamable 
if  we  do  not  avail  ourselves  of  it,  and  use 
it  as  extensively  as  we  can. 

6.  But  all  these  means  must  be  accom- 
plished with  prayer.  The  blessing  of  the 
Ix)rd  alone  can  render  them  effectual.    Let 

.  every  effort  then  be  begun,  continued,  and 
ended  with  prayer.  Then  may  we  reason- 
ably hope  to  ])revail  with  others  to  go  with 
us  ;  and  then  by  the  blessed  aid  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  we  shall  do  them  real  good. 

7.  Above  all,  and  together  with  all,  let 
our  holy,  blameless,  and  useful  lives,  re- 
commend the  ways  of  religion  to  men. 
]\Iany,  perhaps,  will  be  too  much  prejudiced 
against  serious  religion  to  listen  to  our  ad- 
vice, to  go  with  us  to  the  house  of  God  ;  or 
even  to  accept  or  read  our  tracts ;  still,  let 
us  endeavor  to  win  them  by  our  lives  :  thus, 
let  us  "  hold  forth  the  word  of  life."  Let 
our  meekness,  our  patience,  our  benevo- 
lence, our  strict  and  uniform  morality,  re- 
commend our  religion,  tliat  so,  as  St.  Peter 
directs,  "  they  who  will  not  hear  the  word, 
may  be  won  by  our  conversation  or  con- 
duct ;"  and  be  constrained  by  the  lustre  of 
divine  grace  displayed  in  our  holy  and  use- 
ful lives,  to  say  "  We  will  go  with  you,  for 
God  is  with  you." 

"  We  will  do  you  good.''''  This  is  the 
argument 'we  are  to  use  ;  and  truly,  asso- 
ciation with  godly  persons  will  he  produc- 
tive of  great  advantage.  We  must  associ- 
ate with  some  persons, — go<Kl  or  bad  :  and 
what  will  l)c  the  residt  !  The  wisest  of 
men,  as  before  observed,  declares,  that  "  he 
that  walketh  with  wise  men  shall  be  wise  ; 
but  a  cotnpanion  of  fools  shall  be  destroyed." 
Prov.  xiii.  30. — Those  who  would  be  good, 
must  keep  good  company  ;  tiiis  shows  that 
3G 


they  really  wish  to  be  good,  and  it  is  one 
of  the  best  means  of  becoming  so.  The 
company  of  good  men  will  i)revent  much 
evil ;  it  will  prevent  many  temptations  to 
it,  or  at  least  compliance  with  temptation : 
it  will  greatly  promote  our  religious  know- 
ledge, for  much  may  be  leained  from  good 
men,  as  well  as  from  good  books  and  good 
sermons ;  not  to  the  neglect  of  these,  but 
in  addition  to  them ;  and  the  example  of 
good  men  will  strengthen  the  inclination 
to  good  :  while,  on  tlie  contrary,  "  a  com- 
panion of  fools"  (and  all  wicked  men  are 
tools)  "shall  be  destroyed."  Multitudes 
are  brought  to  ruin  by  bad  company.  "  Evil 
communications  corrupt  good  manners.'' 
Beware,  then,  young  people,  beware ;  and, 
"  if  sinners  entice  you,  consent  not.  Walk 
thou  not  in  the  way  with  them ;  refrain 
thy  foot  from  their  path."     Prov.  i.  10.  15. 

IMPROVEMENT. 

By  way  of  improvement,  Let  us  ask  our- 
selves What  influence  have  all  the  good 
things  which  God  has  promised  in  his  Gos- 
pel had  upon  us  !  he  has  set  before  us  his 
well-beloved  Son ;  and  in  him  Pardon  and 
Peace,  Holiness  and  Heaven  : — all  we  can 
want  to  make  us  happy  in  time,  happy  in 
death,  happy  to  all  eternity.  And  are  we 
drawn  by  these  cords  of  love  1  Are  we 
induced  to  forsake  the  sins  and  vanities  of 
the  world  1  Have  we  set  out  on  our  jour- 
ney towards  Heaven,  determined  to  be 
fellow-travellers  with  the  people  of  God  ? 
— Or  do  we  hesitate  ?  Are  we  like  unbe- 
lieving Israel,  many  of  whom  turned  back 
again  in  their  hearts  towards  Egypt, — and 
to  whom  God  "  sware  in  his  wrath  that 
they  should  not  enter  into  his  rest  ]"  Let 
conscience  answer ;  and  O  "  let  us  fear 
lest  a  promise  being  letl  us  of  entering 
into  his  rest,  any  of  us  should  seem  to 
come  short  of  it.       Heb.  iv.  1. 

But  let  the  humble  and  sincere  traveller 
rest  assured  that  he  shall  not  be  disappoint- 
ed. "He  is  faithful  who  hath  promised." 
He  who  promised  all  this  good,  will  as- 
suredly bestow  it.  So  Joshua  found  it; 
and  when  Israel  was  put  into  full  posses- 
sion of  the  promised  inheritance,  he  made 
the  following  appeal  to  the  people  : — "  Be- 
hold, this  day  I  am  going  the  way  of  all 
the  earth ;  and  ye  know  in  all  your  hearts, 
and  in  all  your  souls,  that  not  one  thing 
hath  failed  of  all  the  good  things  which 
the  Lord  your  God  spake  concerning  you : 
all  are  come  to  pass  unto  you,  and  not  one 
thing  hath  failed  thereof"  Jos.  .x.xiii.  14. 
— What  an  encouragement  is  this  to  pro- 
38* 


450 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


ceed !     Believe  then  his  word,  and  take 
courage  ;  and  go  on  your  way  rejoicing. 

Christians,  be  excited  by  what  you  have 
heard,  to  imitate  Moses  the  man  of  God ; 
and  say,  as  he  in  our  text  says,  to  your  re- 
lations, your  friends,  and  your  neighbors, 
"  Come  with  us,  and  we  will  do  you  good." 
Are  there  none  in  your  family,  are  there 
none  among  your  acquaintances,  whom  you 
may  thus  invite?  Think,  inquire,  try. 
You  know  not  what  good  you  may  do : 
make  the  experiment.  Should  you,  by 
the  blessing  of  God,  convert  a  sinner  from 
the  error  of  his  ways,  you  will  save  an 
immortal  soul  from  eternal  death;  and 
hide,  for  ever,  the  multitude  of  his  sins. 
O !  what  a  blessing  would  this  be,  both  to 
him  and  to  you  ! 

And  now,  how  would  it  crown  the  sub- 
ject, if  any,  not  before  religious,  should 
say,  hi  the  language  of  some  persons  of 
old  (Zech.  viii.  23,)  "  We  will  go  with 
you  !" — and  for  this  good  reason,  "  we  have 
heard  that  God  is  with  you."  God  is  in- 
deed with  his  people ;  it  is,  therefore,  good 
to  go  with  them.  Go  with  them  to  the 
house  of  God,  to  "set  forth  his  most  vrorthy 
praise,  to  hear  his  most  holy  word  ;  and  to 
ask  for  those  things  which  are  requisite, 
as  well  for  the  body  as  the  soul."  Join  the 
people  of  God  in  their  sincere  and  fervent 
devotions;  unite  with  them  in  the  faith 
and  hope  of  the  Gospel ;  and  walk  with  them 
in  all  the  ordinances  and  commandments 
of  the  Lord  blamelessly.  Yea,  say  as  the 
pious  Ruth  said  to  her  mother-in-law  Nao- 
mi (Ruth  i.  16.)  "  Whither  thou  goest,  I 
will  go ;  and  where  thou  lodgest,  I  will 
lodge ;  thy  people  shall  be  my  people,  and 
thy  God,  my  God ;  where  thou  diest,  I 
will  die  ;  and  there  will  I  be  buried  ;  the 
Lord  do  so  to  me,  and  more  also,  if  aught 
but  death  part  thee  and  me." 


PRAYER. — Eternal  God,  we  thy  sinful  and 
unworthy  creatures,  are  but  pilgrims  and  travel- 
lers in  the  present  world.  Here  we  have  no  con- 
tinuing city,  but  we  desire  to  seek  that  which  is 
above.  We  learn,  from  thy  holy  word,  thai  ihou 
hast  spoken  good  concerning  Israel. — good  things 
here,  even  pardon  and  peace  through  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb ;  and  better  things  hereafter,  even  full- 
ness of  joy  at  thy  right  hand,  and  pleasures  for 
evermore  !  Give  us,  O  Lord,  we  beseech  thee, 
that  faith  which  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped 
for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen,  that  so  we 
may  forsake  the  vanities  of  this  world,  and  ear- 
nestly seek  the  things  that  are  above! — and  ena- 
ble us,  we  pray  thee,  to  use  our  best  endeavors 
to  persuade  others  to  go  with  us ; — nvake  them 
willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power,  and  induce  them 
to  say.  We  will  go  with  you,  for  God  is  with  you. 
— Grant  this,  O  God,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ, 
who  is  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life ! 


SERMON  XCVII. 

THE  WATER  AND  THE  BLOOD;  OR,  COM- 
PLETE PURIFICATION. 

1  John  V.  6.  This  is  he  that  came  by  water  and  blood, 
even  Jesus  Christ :  not  by  water  only,  but  by  wa- 
ter and  blood. 

In  these  words,  the  venerable  writer, 
St.  John,  evidently  alludes  to  a  fact  which 
he  witnessed  at  Calvary,  where  he  beheld 
the  heart-breaking  spectacle, — the  Cruci- 
fixion of  his  adorable  and  beloved  Lord. 
He  notices  this  special  circumstance  m  his 
Gospel  history,  John  xix.  34,  35.  '*  One 
of  the  soldiers,  with  a  spear,  pierced  his 
side,  and  forthwith  came  thereout  blood 
and  water."  The  evangelist  deemed  this 
of  peculiar  importance,  for  he  adds,  "  He 
that  saw  it  bare  record,  and  his  record  is 
true."  It  was  a  law  of  the  Jews,  that  the 
body  of  a  malefactor  should  not  remain  all 
night  on  the  tree,  but  it  must  be  taken 
down  before  sun-set,  and  buried  ;  it  was, 
therefore,  common,  in  order  to  hasten  the 
death  of  the  criminal,  if  not  actually  dead 
before  the  sun  was  setting,  to  break  his 
legs ;  and  this  was  done  in  the  case  of  the 
two  thieves  who  suftered  with  our  Lord  ; 
but  when  the  soldiers  came  to  the  middle 
cross,  they  concluded  from  his  pale  coun- 
tenance, and  his  head  which  reclined  on 
liis  breast,  that  he  was  actually  dead  :  yet, 
one  of  the  executioners,  either  wantonly, 
and  insultingly,  or  to  please  the  rancorous 
Jews,  or  more  fully  to  ascertain  that  he 
was  dead,  pierced  his  sacred  side  with  a 
spear.  Whatever  might  have  been  the 
soldier's  motive,  an  important  point  was 
thereby  gained, — it  was  put  out  of  the 
power  of  the  Jews  to  pretend  that  Christ 
did  not  positively  die ;  for  had  not  this  fact 
been  unquestionably  certain,  they  would 
have  had  some  plausible  pretence  for  de- 
nying his  resurrection  from  the  dead ;  but 
the  piercing  of  his  side,  and  its  effects,  as 
here  related,  afforded  a  most  certain  proof 
that  he  really  and  truly  died. 

Anatomists  inform  us  that  there  is  a 
kind  of  bag,  called  the  pericardium,  in 
which  the  heart  is  placed,  and  which  con- 
tains a  small  quantity  of  water  ; — this  was 
pierced,  and  probably  the  heart  also,  in 
which  case  death  must  necessarily  ensue, 
if  it  had  not  before  taken  place. 

To  this  historic  fact,  the  apostle  here 
alludes  ;  and  he  considers  it  symbolically. 
Water,  it  is  well  known,  has  been  used  in 
all  ages  to  cleanse  the  body  ;  and  it  has  also 
been  used  religiously,  as  an  emblem  of  the 
blood  and  spirit  of  Christ,  by  wliich  the 
souls  of  men  are  clcaijsed  from  sin. 


SERMON  XCVII. 


451 


The  double  design  of  the  death  of  Christ 
seems  to  be  (winted  out  by  "  the  blood  and 
water"  wliich  issued  from  his  pierced  side. 
The  apostle  therefore  says,  "he  came  by 
water  and  blood;" — "not  by  water  only, 
but  by  water  and  blood  ;"-rhe  came  not 
by  water  only, — he  came  not  only  to 
sanctify  them,  so  that  they  miffht  be  pure 
and  huly  m  their  lives  and  conduct ;  but 
he  came  by  "blood  also;" — he  came  to 
slied  liis  most  precious  blood,  to  expiate  the 
offences  of  his  people,  to  make  a  perfect 
and  satisfactory  atonement  for  sin,  and 
thus, 

"  To  be  of  sin  the  double  cure, — 

To  cleanse  us  from  its  guilt  and  power. 


The  object  of  this  discourse  is  to  show 
that 

The  design  of  Christ's  death  was  to 
piucure  both  the  Justification  and  Sanc- 
TiFiCATiON  of  the  Church. 

The  first  part  of  this  design  is  declared 
by  St.  John  in  this  epistle,  chapter  the  1st, 
verse  the  7th : — "  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
his  Son,  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin."  Let 
us  dwell  a  little  on  this  heart-cheering 
truth;  for  cheering  it  is  to  all  who  are  con- 
scious of  the  defilement  of  their  souls  by 
sin.  Cleansing  is  a  term  which  supposes 
defilement ;  and  sin  is  in  Scripture  repre- 
sented to  be  horribly  defiling,  rendering 
the  soul  impure,  odious,  and  abominable 
in  the  sight  of  God,  who  is  perfectly  pure 
and  holy.  So  our  Lord  represented  it, 
when  he  detected  the  hypocrisy  of  the 
Pharisees,  who  are  scrupulously  exact  in 
w^ashing  their  hands  before  eating,  and  in 
various  external  ceremonies  of  purifica- 
tion ;  but  ho,  the  great  Searcher  of  hearts, 
declares  that  it  is  by  "  tiiose  things  which 
proceed  from  the  heart"  that  men  are  de- 
filed; such  as  "evil  tiioughts,  murders, 
adulteries,  fornications,  thefts,  false  wit-» 
ness,  blasphemies;" — these,  said  he,  "  these 
are  the  things  wliich  defile  a  man."  These 
render  a  man  unfit  for  communion  with 
God  in  the  present  world ;  these  disqualify 
him  for  admission  into  the  lieavenly  state, 
where  nothing  that  defileth  can  be  admit- 
ted. Let  none,  then,  deceive  themselves 
in  this  matter;  "If  I  wash  thee  not," 
said  Christ  to  Peter,  "  thou  hast  no  part 
with  me  ;"  and  so  he  saith  to  us  all. 

And  here  let  us  pau.sc  a  moment ;  and  let 
each  one  ask  himself, — "  Am  I  convinced 
of  the  defilement  of  my  nature,  and  of  my 
guilt  as  a  sinner  before  God  ]  Shame  and 
self-lothing  are  the  proper  effects  of  such 
a  conviction  ;  but  do  I  feel  shame?  Do  I 
lothe  myself,  and  cry  with  the  leper, — 
"  Unclean  !  unclean  !" 


When  Ezra  confessed  the  sins  of  his 
people,  "  he  fell  on  his  knees,  and  spread 
out  his  hands  to  the  Lord,  and  said,  O  my 
God  I  I  am  ashamed,  and  blush  to  lift  up 
my  face  to  thee  my  Gud  !  for  our  iniqui- 
ties are  increased  over  our  head,  and  our 
trespass  is  grown  up  unto  the  heavens !" 
— Do  we  blush  when  we  recollect  and 
confess  our  sins  ! — When  Job,  though  a 
good  man,  considered  the  glorious  holi- 
ness and  majesty  of  God,  and  contrasted 
with  it  his  own  sinfulness,  he  also  cried, 
"  Behold  I  am  vile  !  I  abhor  myself,  and 
repent  in  dust  and  ashes  !" — Such  was  the 
humility  and  abasement  of  ancient  saints : 
— what  is  ours  ] 

If  we  are  duly  sensible  of  our  sinful  de- 
filement, we  shall  certainly  be  anxious  for 
cleansing.  And  how  can  this  be  obtained  1 
The  tears  of  repentance  will  not  wash 
away  our  sins.  The  water  of  baptism 
cannot  cleanse  our  souls.  Nor  is  mere 
refonnation  and  moral  improvement  suffi- 
cient. But,  behold  the  divine  provision  I 
Behold  the  precious  blood  issuing  from  the 
wounded  side  of  the  Son  of  God  !  "  This 
is  he  that  came  by  blood."  He  came  from 
heaven  on  purpose,  to  give  his  life  a  ran- 
som for  us.  Here  behold  the  desert  of  sin : 
"  The  wages  of  sin  is  death."  Justice  de- 
mands the  death  of  the  sinner ;  but  grace 
admits  of  a  substitute ;  yea,  provides  one : 
"  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world  !" — who  taketh 
away  sin  "  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself;' 
"  for  he  bore  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on 
the  tree."  (1  Pet. '  ii.  24.)  "  He  was 
wounded  for  our  transgressions ;  he  was 
bruised  for  our  iniquities :  and  the  Lord 
laid  upon  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all."  Isa. 
liii.  5,  6.  This  is  the  great  leading  doc- 
trine of  the  Gospel,  and  ought  to  be  re- 
garded, in  the  first  place,  by  every  one 
who  desires  salvation.  This  appears  from 
the  care  which  the  Author  of  our  religion 
took  to  keep  up  a  constant  attention  to  it 
in  his  church;  for  he  has  appointed  the 
Sacrament  of  the  Supper  to  perpetuate  it. 
When,  therefore,  he  instituted  this  ordi- 
nance, he  said  to  his  disciples,  when  he 
gave  them  the  cup,  "  This  is  my  blood  of 
the  NeiD  Testament,  which  is  shed  for  you 
and  for  many,  for  the  remission  of  sins ; — 
this  do  in  remembrance  of  me." 

In  the  Old  Testament  times,  blood  was 
shed, — sacrifices  were  offered, — and   the 


sinner  was  taught,  that  "  without  shedding 
of  blood  there  could  be  no  remission  ;" 
but,  he  was  taught  at  the  same  time  that 
cleansing  was  attainable  by  blood  ;  and  he 
was  directed  to  look  forward  to  the  time 
when  the  Son  of  God  should  appear  to 


452 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


finish  tranagfession,  and  "  to  make  an  end 
of  sin,  and  to  make  reconciliation  for  ini- 
quity ;  and  to  bring  in  everlasting  right- 
eousness." Daniel  ix.  24. 

The  blood  of  which  we  speak,  procures 
the  justification  of  all  who  believe.  We 
are  said,  Rom.  v.  9,  to  be  "justified 
tlirough  faith  in  his  (Christ's)  blood ;" 
elsewhere,  to  "  be  brought  nigh  by  his 
blood  ;"  and  again,  to  be  "  redeemed  by 
his  blood ;"  and,  to  be  "  washed  from  our 
sins  in  his  blood."  All  these  expressions 
show  that  it  is  by  the  sacrifice  of  Christ 
that  sinners  are  justified,  or  declared  to  be 
rigliteoiis. 

But  it  is  "through  faith"  that  we  are 
thus  justified ;  Jesus  Christ  is  "a  propitia- 
tion for  our  sins  :"  but  it  is  "  through  faith 
in  his  blood ;"  it  must  be  received  by  every 
man,  for  himself  in  particular.  Christ  is 
held  forth,  generally,  in  the  Gospel. — 
"  Here,"  as  if  God  said,  "Here  is  my  Son, 
and  eternal  life  through  him.  Who  among 
you  desires  to  be  washed  in  his  blood,  and 
saved  from  wrath  through  him  1"  "  I  (an- 
swers the  humble  believer  ;)  I  desire  no- 
thing in  all  the  world  so  much,  I  believe 
the  testimony  which  God  gives  of  his  Son. 
I  judge  the  Lord,  who  hath  promised  life, 
through  him,  to  the  faithful ;  and  I  would 
gladly  receive  Christ  with  my  whole 
heart."  "  Receive  him  then  (saith  God) 
he  is  thine  ;  he  that  hath  the  Son  hath 
life,  and  shall  never  come  into  condemna- 
tion." 

It  is  thus  that  guilt  is  discharged  from 
the  conscience,  and  the  peace  of  God  is 
obtained.  It  is  thus  that  the  mind  is  re- 
lieved from  the  oppressive  burden  of  sin. 
For,  as  St.  Puul  argues,  Heb.  ix.  13th,  "  If 
the  blood  of  bulla  and  of  goats,  and  the 
ashes  of  an  heifer,  sprinkling  the  unclean, 
sanctified  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh, 
how  much  more  shall  the  blood  of  Christ 
purge  (cleanse)  your  conscience  from  dead 
works  to  serve  tlin  living  God  !" 

The  perfect  efficacy  of  tiiis  blood  is  fre- 
quently expressed  in  Scripture  in  very 
strong  terms  : — "  I  have  blotted  out  (saith 
God)  tliy  sins  as  a  thick  cloud." — "  Though 
your  sins  were  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be 
as  white  as  snow  ;" — Yea,  (says. the  peni- 
tent Psalmist)  wash  mo.  and  I  shall  be 
whiter  than  snow  ;"  and  again, — "  as  far 
as  the  East  is  from  tlie  West,  so  far  hath 
he  removed  our  transgressions  from  us." 
*'  This  is  he  that  came  by  blood." 

But  our  text  farther  says,  "  This  is  he 
that  came  by  water  also."  Some  under- 
stand tliis  to  signify  Baptism  ;  but  this  does 
not  agree  so  well  witii  the  scope  of  the 
ivhole  passage ;  but  we  shall  consider  it,  as 


proposed  iii  the  beginning  of  this  discourse, 
as  signifying  a  second  blessed  eflect  of  the 
deatli  of  Christ, — the  Sanctification  of  be- 
lievers, in  virtue  of  that  death.  This  is 
the  second  part  of  our  discourse. 

We  sliould  study  to  luiow  the  full  and 
complete  design  of  the  death  of  Christ. 
The  apostle  John,  in  our  text,  seems  to  be 
anxious  that  we  should  do  so.  It  is,  indeed, 
the  weakness  of  our  nature  frequently  to 
regard  one  part  of  a  subject  and  neglect 
the  other ;  and  it  is  too  often  unhappily  so 
in  the  subject  before  us.  If  we  should 
consider  Christ  as  coming  into  the  world 
by  water  only ; — that  is,  only  to  purify  us 
to  himself,  although  this  is  a  very  great  and 
glorious  design  of  his  death,  and  an  essen- 
tial branch  of  his  great  salvation,  yet  it  is 
not  the  whole  of  it.  And  if,  on  the  other 
hand,  we  should  acknowledge  in  the  death 
of  Christ  no  other  design  than  to  make  an 
atonement  for  sin,  and  thereby  save  us 
from  wrath,  we  should  neglect  another 
and  an  equally  important  object  of  the  Sa- 
vior's suflerings.  And  there  is  reason  to 
fear  that  some  well-disposed  persons  have 
fallen  into  this  error.  There  has  been,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  a  very  considerable  re- 
vival, of  late  years,  of  the  great  and  dis- 
tinguishing truth  of  the  Protestant  reli- 
gion,— Justification  through  faith  in  the 
blood  of  Christ;  but,  as  men  are  ever 
prone  to  extremes,  some  have,  in  their  zeal 
for  this  doctrine,  neglected,  if  not  denied 
the  twin-doctrine,  if  so  I  may  call  it,  of 
Sanctification  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ ; 
which  is  as  if  they  would  say.  This  is  he 
that  came  by  blood  only,  and  not  both  by 
water  and  blood.  Let  us  not  then  sepa- 
rate what  God  hath  so  closely  connected, 
but  let  us  be  concerned  to  derive  from  the 
meritorious  death  of  our  Redeemer  both 
these  invaluable  blessings, — Justification, 
of  which  we  have  already  spoken,  and  Pu- 
rification or  Sanctification,  of  which  we 
now  proceed  to  speak. 

The  necessity,  tlie  absolute  necessity  of 
inward  purification  arises  from  that  pollu- 
tion and  defilement  of  our  nature,  which 
have  been  already  mentioned :  and  it 
would  by  no  means  be  sufficient  for  our 
final  happiness,  that  merely  the  guilt  of 
sin  should  be  removed,  and  punishment  re- 
mitted ; — it  is  equally  necessary  that  "  the 
heart  should  be  purified  ;"  and  that  we 
should  "be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  our 
minds."  And,  that  this  was  the  design  of 
the  Redeemer's  death,  appears  from  the 
declaration  of  St.  Paul  (Titus  ii.  14.) 
where,  speaking  of  the  "  glorious  appear- 
ing of  tlie  great  God  and  our  Savior  Jesus 
Christ,  he  snvs, — "  Who  gave  himself  for 


SERMON  XCVn. 


453 


us,  that  he  miglit  redeem  us  from  all  in- 
iquity, and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar 
people,  zealous  of  good  works ;" — and  in 
another  place  (Epii.  ii.  28,  &,c.)  where  he 
stronoly  affirms  that  "  by  grace  we  are 
saved,  througli  tuith,  and  not  of  works,  lest 
any  man  sliould  boast,"  he  adds,  according 
to  the  spirit  of  our  text,  and  as  it  were, 
uniting  "  tlie  water  witli  tlie  blood,"  "  For 
we  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ 
Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath 
before  ordained,  that  we  should  walk  in 
them."  And,  as  both  t.'iese  blessings  were 
united  in  the  design  of  our  Savior  wlien 
he  laid  down  his  life  for  us,  so  are  they 
united  in  the  desires  and  prayers  of  every 
smcere  penitent.  Observe  tlie  case  of  tlie 
royal  penitent,  Psalm  li.  He  begins -his 
prayer  by  a  petition  for  mercy,  and  that 
God  would  "  blot  out  his  transgressions ;" 
but  he  afterwards  cries  as  earnestly, 
"  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God,  and 
renew  a  right  spirit  within  me  !" 

This  cleansing  implies  more  than  amend- 
ment of  life  and  reformation  of  manners; 
for  this  is  possible,  even  where  the  love  of 
sin  is  retained  in  the  heart,  and  specula- 
tive iniquity  habitually  indulged.  It  is 
also  far  more  than  baptism,  which  is  but 
"  the  outward  visible  sign  of  that  inward 
grace"  of  sanctification  of  which  we 
speak.  Our  Lord,  indeed,  insists  upon  be- 
ing born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit," 
which  some  interpret  of  Baptism.  But, 
that  our  Lord  did  not  intend  Baptism  by 
that  expression,  seems  to  be  plain  ;  for 
Baptism  was  not  then  instituted  when  he 
made  this  declaration  to  Nicodemus  :  our 
Lord  then  declared,  with  the  most  awful 
solemnity,  that  "  except  a  man  were  born 
again,  he  could  not  see  the  kingdom  of 
Heaven ;"  but  if  baptism  were  meant,  it 
would  then  follow  that  no  unbaptized  per- 
son could  on  any  account  be  saved  ; — 
which  we  trust  few  would  venture  to  as- 
sert. It  is  also  implied  in  our  Lord's 
words,  That  whosoever  is  born  again  sliall 
be  saved ; — but  who  will  dare  to  affirm 
that  every  baptized  person  shall  be  saved  ! 

It  is,  indeed,  true,  that  baptism  is  a  type 
or  emblem  of  regeneration ;  and,  as  a  di- 
vine ordinance,  representative  of  spiritual 
purification,  Christ  may  be  said  to  "  come 
by  water ;"  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the 
wine,  u.sed  in  the  Lord's  Supper;  and  repre- 
sentative of  his  death,  he  may  be  said  to 
"  come  by  bhwd  ;"  yet  these  are  by  no 
means  the  chief  things  intended;  they  are 
but  "  the  shadow, — the  body  is  Christ."- 

The  Sanctification  for  which  we  plead 
is  a  supernatural  principle,  or  habit  'of 
grace,   implanted   and   preserved   by  the 


Spirit  of  God  in  the  hearts  of  believers, 
whereby  they  are  enabled  to  live  unto  God, 
and  perform  that  obedience  to  him,  which 
he  requires  and  accepts  through  Jesus 
Christ. 

This  purification  is,  by  the  mediation  of 
Christ  meritoriously, — by  faith  in  Christ, 
inslrumentally, — and  by  the  agency  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  efficaciously. 

(1.)  It  is  by  the  Mediation  of  Christ, 
meritoriously.  We  owe  to  Jesus  Christ 
the  renovation  of  our  nature  in  the  image 
of  God  ;  for  he  died  to  "  bring  us  to  God  ;" 
— to  "  redeem  us  to  God  ;" — "  he  gave 
himself  for  the  Church  that  he  might 
sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing 
of  water  by  tlie  word  :  that  he  might  pre- 
sent it  to  himself  a  glorious  Church,  not 
having  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing  ; 
but  that  it  should  be  holy,  and  without 
blemish."     Eph.  v.  25. 

(2.)  It  is  through  faith  in  Christ,  insfrti' 
mentally.  Believers  only  are  the  subjects 
of  sanctification.  "  Sanctify  them  through 
thy  truth,"  said  our  Lord  in  his  prayer  for 
his  disciples,  "  thy  word  is  truth :"  and 
again  he  said,  "  Ye  are  clean,  through  the 
word  which  1  ha've  spoken  unto  ycfu."  It 
is  by  a  view  of  Christ,  and  of  the  cross  of 
Christ,  that  the  world  is  crucified  to  us, — 
that  it  loses  all  its  bewitching  charms,  and 
that  "  we  are  crucified  to  the  world,"  so 
that  they  gladly  separate  themselves  from 
us.  It  was  thus  that  the  primitive  Chris- 
tians "  purified  their  souls  in  obeying  the 
truth,  through  the  Spirit.  (1  Pet.  i.  22.) 
it  was  thus  that  the  idolatrous  and  vicious 
heathen  "  purified  their  hearts  through 
faith."     (Acts  xv.  9.) 

(3.)  But  it  is  efficiently,  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  that  believers  are  sanctified.  This 
is  his  special  work  ;  and  he  is  called  The 
Holy  Spirit,  not  merely  because  he  is  holy 
in  his  own  Divine  nature,  necessarily  so, 
but  because  he  is  the  author  of  all  the  lio- 
liness  that  is  to  be  found  in  the  world  ; 
all  springs  from  him,  as  light  from  the  sun ; 
and  it  is  therefore  called  (1  Pet.  i.  22.) 
"  Sanctification  of  the  Spirit :"  in  connex- 
ion with  "belief  of  the  trutli." 

(4.)  The  sanctification  of  believers  is 
promoted  by  the  means  of  grace,  as  re- 
ligious ordinances  of  divine  appointment 
are  properly  called.  Faiih  itself  usually 
"  Cometh  by  hearing ;  and  hearhig  by  the 
word  of  God."  This  is  the  "sincere  milk 
of  the  word,"  by  which  believers  grow  and 
tlirive ;  and  this  renders  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  by  the  Gospel  so  admirably  useful, 
that  all  Christians  may,  with  holy  Paul, 
"  account  all  things  but  loss"  for  the  sake 
of  its  acquisition. 


454 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


The  Lord's  Supper  is  one  of  the  most 
eminent  umonj?  the  means  of  grace  and 
instruments  of  sanctification ;  it  not  only 
maintains  the  remembrance  of  Christ  cru- 
cified, but  it  is  calculated  to  excite  hatred 
to  sin,  love  to  the  Savior,  and  brotherly  af- 
fection to  fellow-Christians,  while  it  gives 
occasion  for  the  renewal  of  our  V0ws  and 
engagements  to  be  the  Lord's. 

Prayer  is,  in  a  high  degree,  a  sanctify- 
ing exercise.  Every  grace  is  employed  in 
it,  and  strengthened  by  it.  Our  know- 
ledge, our  humility,  our  faith,  our  hope, 
our  love  to  God  and  man,  all  are  employed, 
and  by  exercise  increased,  in  this  holy 
duty.  It  was  scid  of  old,  no  less  truly 
than  proverbially,  "  Praying  will  make  a 
man  leave  off  sinning,  or  sinning  vi^ill  make 
him  leave  oft' praying." 

Praising  God,  by  singing  psalms,  and 
hymns,  and  spiritual  songs,  not  only  "  makes 
melody  in  the  ears  of  God,"  but  it  is  highly 
beneficial  to  man ;  it  exalts  his  conceptions 
of  his  glorious  Benefactor,  reminds  him  of 
his  obligations,  excites  his  gratitude,  and 
enforces  his  obedience. 

(5.)  To  these  we  may  add,  the  various 
afflictions,  with  which  God,  in  his  holy 
providence,  visits  his  people.  These,  in- 
deed, are,  for  the  present,  "  not  joyous  but 
grievous ;  nevertheless,  afterwards  tliey 
work  together  for  good,  and  produce  the 
peaceable  fruits  of  righteousness."  They 
remind  us  of  the  evil  of  sin,  and  embitter 
it  to  us;  they  lessen  our  valuation  of 
earthly  things  ;  they  wean  us  from  the 
world,  and  diminish  our  dependence  on 
creatures ;  they  blunt  the  edge  of  worldly 
affections,  and  teach  us  to  stretch  our 
wings,  and  soar  towards  the  happy  world 
in  which  afflictions  are  known  no  more. 

Thus  may  we  sing  : — O  happy  rod, 
That  brought  us  nearer  to  our  God ! 

CONCLUSION. 

1.  Let  us  reflect,  with  becoming  humil- 
ity, on  our  natural  defilement. 

Was  it  necessary  that  the  Son  of  God 
should  suffer,  and  bleed,  and  die  1  Is  it 
necessary  that  the  Holy  Spirit  should  ex- 
ert his  divine  energy  1  and  is  it  necessary 
that  Ordinances  and  Providences  should 
all  concur  in  our  purification  1  How  deep 
then  must  have  been  the  defilement  of  our 
nature  I  Is  all  tiiis  necessary  to  make  us 
clean  1  how  humbly  then  should  we  walk 
with  our  God  !  that,  as  it  is  written  (Ezek. 
xvi.  G3,)  "  We  may  remember,  and  be 
confounded,  and  never  open  our  mouth 
any  more,  because  of  our  shame,  although 
the  Lord  be  pacified  towards  us  for  all 
that  we  have  done." 


2.  And  if  we  are  by  nature  thus  defiled, 
how  necessary  is  it  that  we  should  be 
cleansed  !  If  Jesus  wash  us  not  in  his 
l)recious  blood,  and  renew  us  by  his  Holy 
Spirit,  we  can  have  no  part  with  him,  ei- 
ther in  this  world  or  in  that  which  is  to 
come.  Look  then  to  Jesus  for  this  double 
cure  of  sin  :  seek  tlie  efficacy  both  of  the 
water  and  the  blood  ;  and  let  no  one  dare 
to  separate  what  God  hath  joined.  Both 
are  equally  necessary ;  and  if  we  have  not 
both,  we  have  neitlier.  Justification  and 
Sanctification,  though  distinct  in  their  na- 
ture,—the  former  respecting  our  slate, 
and  the  latter  our  disposition,  are  equally 
necessary  and  essential  to  our  salvation ; 
and  both  are  the  free  gifts  of  God,  through 
Jesns  Christ  our  Lord.  But  seek  Justifi- 
cation first ;  and  do  not  suppose  you  must 
first  be  sanctified,  in  order  to  recommend 
you  to  God,  and  induce  him  to  show  you 
mercy ;  but  first  of  all  come  to  God  as  a 
guilty  sinner  for  pardon,  through  the  blood 
of  Christ ;  and  tlien  cry  to  him  to  be  sanc- 
tified, as  a  helpless  believer,  by  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

3.  Let  believers  in  Christ,  already  sanc- 
tified in  part,  still  look  to  Jesus  for  further 
supplies  of  grace.  Our  Lord  has  pro- 
nounced a  blessing  on  tliose  "  who  hunger 
and  thirst  after  righteousness  ;"  and  he  has 
added  a  gracious  promise  to  such  persons 
— "  they  shall  be  filled."  We  are  apt  to 
sit  down  with  ordinary  attainments,  and 
.content  ourselves  if  we  are  like  others. 
But  we  should  press  forward  towards  per- 
fection, and  earnestly  desire  a  more  com- 
plete conformity  to  Christ  our  great  ex- 
ample ;  that  "  as  he  was,  we  also  may  be 
in  this  world."  (1  John,  iv.  17.)  And  let 
us  pray  for  ourselves,  as  St.  Paul  prayed 
for  the  Thessalonians,  (1  Thess.  v.  23,) 
"And  the  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you 
wholly ;  and  I  pray  God  your  whole  spirit, 
and  soul,  and  body,  be  preserved  blame- 
less, unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ :"  and  may  we  pray  in  faith,  believ- 
ing the  promise  added, — "  Faithful  is  he 
that  calleth  you,  who  also  will  do  it."  Amen. 

"  Rock  of  ages,  cleft  for  me. 

Let  me  hide  myself  in  Ihee  ! 

Let  the  water  and  the  blood 

From  thy  riven  side  which  flow'd, 

Be  of  sin  the  double  cure ! 

Cleanse  me  from  its  guilt  and  pow'r!" 


PRAYER. — Holy  Father,  we  hiimbl)' confess 
before  thee  the  total  depravity  and  defilement  of 
our  souls  by  sin.  Shame  and  confusion  of  face 
belong  unto  us,  and  we  abhor  ourselves,  repent- 
ing in  dust  and  ashes;  but  whilst  we  are  con- 
strained to  cry  Unclean,  unclean  !  we  rejoice 
that  there  is  hope  of  cleansing.  We  rejoice  that 
Jesus  Christ  came  down  from  Heaven  to  purify 


SERMON  XCVni. 


455 


a  people  unto  himself;  and  that  he  gave  himself 
to  death  for  us,  that  he  micht  wash  us  from  onr 
sins  in  his  own  hlood.  O  wash  us  in  that  blood ! 
then  sliall  we  be  whiior  than  snow;  and  deliver 
us,  we  humbly  besee<ii  tiiee,  not  only  from  the 
guilt  of  our  sins,  but  also  from  their  power.  We 
rejoice  to  read  in  thy  holv  word,  that  from  the 
pierced  side  of  our  dear  licdcemer  issued  both 
blood  and  water.  O  that  Christ  may  he  made 
sanctification  unto  us!  Create  in  us  clean  hearts, 
O  God,  and  renew  right  spirits  witiiin  us.  Thus 
may  we  be  washed,  Ijoing  both  justified  and 
sanctified,  and  finally  presented,  with  all  the 
church  of  Jesus,  faultless  belbre  the  tiirone,  with 
exceeding  joy,  evermore  to  praise  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Sfiirii ; — to  v\honi  be  all  honor 
and  glory,  world  without  end !     Amen. 


SERMON  XCVIII. 

JESUS  CHRIST,  THE  OBJECT  OF  FAITH, 
OF  LOVE,  AND  OF  JOY. 

1  Peter  i.  8.  Whom  bavin?  not  sesn,  ye  love;  in 
whom,  tlioii2li  now  yo  see  him  not,  ypt,  helieving, 
ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 

It  is  a  great  thirty  to  be  a  Christian ! 
So  thought  the  apostles  ;  who,  writing  to 
the  churches,  always  congratulate  them 
on  their  having  become  Christians,  and  on 
the  privileges  to  which,  as  such,  they  are 
entitled.  "  Blessed  be  God,"  said  holy  Pe- 
ter, "  who,  according  to  his  abundant  mer- 
cy, hath  begotten  us  again  unto,  a  lively 
hope,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ 
from  the  dead  !"  and  having  mentioned 
their  faith  and  hope  in  him,  commends 
these  graces  the  more,  because  they  had 
not  enjoyed,  as  many  others  had,  the  ad- 
vantage of  seeing  Christ  in  the  flesh  ;  for 
they  did  not  dwell  in  Judea,  but  in  various 
distant  countries  ;  yet,  though  they  never 
savv  his  person,  they  loved  him,  and  re- 
joiced in  him,  having  first  believed  in  him, 
to  the  saving  of  their  souls. 

That  whicii  was  the  character  of  these 
primitive  believers,  is  also  the  character 
of  all  true  Christians,  in  every  place,  and 
in  every  age  of  the  world.  I  shall  there- 
fore proceed  to  show,  that 

Jesus  Christ,  thoiiffh  at  present  invisi- 
ble, is  the  Object  of  the  Christian's  Faith, 
and  Love,  and  Joy. 

I.  Jesus  Christ,  thotiffh  at  present  un- 
seen, is  the  object  of  the  Christian's  Faith. 

We  must  take  Faith  as  the  first  in  or- 
der ;  for  the  apostle  accounts  for  their 
loving  him,  and  for  tlieir  rejoicing  in  him, 
by  their  having  first  believed  in  him. 

Jesus  Christ  is  now  unseen  by  us.  He 
was  once  seen  upon  earth ;  and  seen  by 
very  different  eyes  :  by  some  he  was  seen 
witl)  delight :  others  behold  him  witli  in- 


difference or  contempt, — they  "saw  no 
beauty  in  him  wherefore  they  should  de- 
sire him  ;"  yea,  "  they  turned  away  their 
faces  from  him,"  with  hatred  and  disgust. 
A  happy  few,  however,  "  beheld  his  glory, 
the  glory  as  of  the  only-begotten  of  the 
Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth."  Yea,  so 
enamored  with  the  sight  was  the  pious 
and  aged  prophet  Simeon,  that  when  once 
he  had  clasped  the  holy  infant  Jesus  in  his 
arms,  he  wished  to  see  no  other  object,  but 
exclaimed,  "  Now  lettest  thou  thy  servant 
depart  in  peace,  for  mine  eyes  have  be- 
held thy  salvation." 

To  have  seen  Christ  in  the  flesh,  some 
have  thought,  would  have  been  the  high- 
est of  all  gratifications ;  but  the  sight 
would  have  botli  its  advantages  and  disad- 
vantages. Doubtless,  there  was  something 
inexpressibly  charming  in  his  public  dis- 
courses and  private  instructions.  Grace 
was  poured  into  his  lips ;  his  hearers  won- 
dered at  the  gracious  words  which  dropped 
from  them  ;  and  even  his  adversaries  ad- 
iTiitted  that  never  man  spake  like  him. 
Doubtless,  there  must  have  been  some- 
thing surprisingly  grand  and  aftecting  in 
the  perforinance  of  his  miracles.  How 
must  the  spectators  have  been  affected 
when  they  saw  him  cast  out  demons,  give 
sight  to  the  blind,  hearing  to  the  deaf,  a 
tongue  to  the  dumb,  and  life  to  a  dead 
corpse  !  How  striking,  how  convincing, 
how  astonishing  must  have  been  these 
spectacles  ! 

And  yet  many  of  those  who  saw  Christ 
in  the  flesh,  labored  under  some  disadvan- 
tages too.  The  poverty  and  the  occupa- 
tion of  his  supposed  father  ;  his  own  pov- 
erty ;  with  the  poverty  and  meanness  of 
his  chosen  associates — the  apostles ;  the 
general  contempt  of  the  Pharisees,  the 
Sadducees,  the  priests  and  the  rulers ; 
with  the  ill  names,  and  suspicions,  and 
base  imputations  under  which  he  lay, 
proved  a  dangerous  stumbling  block  to 
many.  Above  all,  when  he  had  been  be- 
trayed by  one  of  his  disciples,  denied  by 
another,  and  forsaken  by  all, — when  he 
had  been  apprehended  and  bound  like  a 
felon,  arraigned  at  the  bar,  accused  of  blas- 
phemy and  rebellion,  condemned,  scourg- 
ed, spit  upon,  crowned  with  thorns,  and 
actually  crucified  as  a  malefactor,  dead 
and  buried, — how  did  the  hearts,  even  of 
his  friends,  sink  and  fail  them  !  and  they 
could  only  sigh,  and  say,  "  We  trusted 
that  this  would  have  proved  he  who  was 
to  redeem  Israel ;  but  now  our  hopes  are 
buried  in  his  grave !"  Such  were  the 
prejudices  of  some,  and  the  fears  of  others, 
who  beheld  him  on  earth. 


456 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


But  fiiilli  is  a  tliinij  totally  distinct  from 
sight,  or  tlie  evidence  of  any  of  our 
senses.  Believing,  is  giving  credit  to  a  re- 
port, or  testimony,  or  promise,  concerning 
■  wliat  wo  have  not  seen  ;  "  Faitii  is  the 
substance  of  thuigs  hoped  for,  and  tlie  ev- 
idence of  things  not  seen/'  Ileb.  xi.  1. 
Hence  it  was,  tluit  when  Christ  reproved 
Tiiomas,  who  would  not  believe  the  testi- 
mony of  credible  witnesses  concerning  his 
resurrection,  till  he  had  personally  seen 
him,  he  said,  "Thomas, — because  thou 
hast  seen  me,  thou  hast  believed  ;  blessed 
are  they  that  have  nut  seen,  and  yet  have 
believed  !"  Perhaps  Peter,  in  our  text, 
alludes  to  that  saying  of  Christ.  The  per- 
sons to  whom  he  wrote  tliis  epistle  were 
"strangers  scattered  throughout  Pontus, 
Galatia,  Cappadocia,  Asia,  and  Bythinia  ;" 
consequently  they  could  not  have  seen  Je- 
sus in  the  flesh,  who  confined  his  travels 
to  the  Holy  Land,  and  his  ministry  to  the 
children  of  Israel ;  he  therefore  commends 
their  faith,  for  they  had  believed  in  him, 
without  seeing  him.  In  like  manner,  we 
must  believe  in  him  ;  we  must  believe  on 
the  testimony  of  God  in  the  Gospel. — 
"  There  are  three  that  bear  record  (or  give 
testimony)  in  Heaven,  the  Father,  the 
Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost;"  and  this  is 
the  substance  of  the  Divine  testimon}'', — 
that  "  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life  ; 
and  this  life  is  in  his  Son."  1  John,  v.  7, 
11.  Now  this  testimony  is  received,  and 
credited  as  divinely  true ;  and  thus,  "  He 
that  hatli  received  his  testimony  hath  set 
his  seal  that  God  is  true."  John  iii.  33. 
He  believes  that  eternal  life  may  be  ob- 
tained, even  by  miserable  sinners,  through 
the  atonement  of  the  Son  of  God ;  and  he 
believes  the  promise,  that  whosoever  com- 
eth  to  God,  by  him,  shall  be  accepted  ;  and 
therefore  indulges  an  humble  hope  and 
expectation  that  he  shall  be  "  saved  from 
wrath,"  and  "reign  in  life,  by  Jesus 
Clirist."  With  this  blessed  hope  in  Jesus, 
will  he  not  be  sensible  of  his  obligations 
to  the  Savior  ]  Will  he  not  say, — "  Yea, 
he  is  altogether  lovely  !  this  is  my  beloved, 
and  this  is  my  friend  !"  Yes  ;  this  is  the 
genuine  language  of  every  believer.  And 
this  leads  us  to  the  second  head  of  our 
discourse,  whicli  is,  that, 

II.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Object  of  the 
Christian''s  Love. 

The  apostle  notices  it,  in  our  te.xt,  as  a 
thing  somewhat  remarkable,  tiiat  a  person 
unseen  should  thus  be  loved  ;  for,  among 
mortals,  and  in  the  usual  course  of  human 
affairs,  love  is  excited,  or  promoted,  by  a 
sight  of  its  subject.  To  love  an  unseen 
person  is,  therefore,  more  remarkable  than 


to  believe  in  a  person  unseen ;  for  faitli 
supposes  tlie  absence  of  the  thing,  or  per- 
son, concerning  whom  the  testimony  is 
made.  But  Jesus  Christ,  of  whom  we 
speak,  is  beloved,  though  absent,  on  the 
testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  and  by 
the  word  ;  by  which  word,  he  is  "  evident- 
ly set  forth,  crucified  among  us"  (as  the 
apostle  speaks  to  the  believing  Galatians  :) 
lie  is  exhibited,  not  before  the  eyes  of  our 
bodies,  but  those  of  our  mind.  He  is  "  set 
forth,"  by  God  himself,  as  "  a  propitiation  for 
our  sins." 

Few,  comparatively,  of  those  who  saw 
our  Lord  upon  earth,  loved  him,  or  duly 
estimated  his  amiable  character.  A  few, 
however,  there  were,  who,  like  the  family 
of  Lazarus  and  his  pious  sisters,  thought 
it  their  honor  to  receive  him  into  their 
houses;  while  some  pious  women  also 
ministered  to  him  of  their  substance ;  and 
otliers,  having  had  "  much  forgiven  them, 
loved  him  much."  And  O !  could  the 
great  number  who  had  been  blind,  and 
deaf,  and  dumb,  and  paralytic,  and  feverish, 
and  dropsical,  and  possessed,  and  who  had 
received  from  his  hands  a  sudden,  perfect, 
and  gratuitous  cure,  surrounded  him  at 
the  same  moment,  how  would  they  jointly 
have  testified  their  gratitude  and  their  love ! 
Some  few  tender-hearted  persons  sympa- 
thized with  him  under  his  sufferings,  and 
smote  their  breasts,  in  agonies  of  grief  and 
sorrow  : — but,  alas  !  the  greater  part  of  the 
Jewish  people  "  despised  and  hated  him, 
and  cast  him  out  of  the  vineyard."  Un- 
happy nation  !  their  posterity  approve  their 
sayings,  and  the  modern  Jews  reject  and 
hate  him  to  this  day. 

Nevertheless,  it  is  the  universal,  the 
never-failing  character  of  genuine  Chris- 
tians,— that  "they  love  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  sincerity ;"  and  an  inspired  apos- 
tle scrupled  not  to  say, — "  If  any  man  love 
not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  ac- 
cursed." And  is  it  not  with  very  good  rea- 
son that  believers  love  him  1  Can  they  not 
give  as  good  a  reason  for  their  love  to  him, 
as  for  their  hope  in  him  1  Let  us  recall  to 
mind 

The  Divine  Perfections  that  he  possesses, 
blended  with  all  the  mild  and  gentle  prop- 
erties of  humanity,  in  its  most  perfect  state. 
He  is  "  the  brightness  of  the  Fathers  glory, 
and  the  express  image  of  his  Person  ;"  and 
"in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fiillness  of  the 
Godliead  bodily."  He  is  "  the  Almighty ;" 
"  all  power  in  Heaven  and  Earth"  is  in  his 
hands;  "he  is  Head  over  all  things;" 
"  principalities  and  powers  are  all  subject- 
ed to  him."  He  possesses  infinite  wisdom, 
— "  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  know- 


SERMON  XCVIII. 


457 


Sidj^e."  The  whole  creation  is  the  work 
of  his  hands,  and  every  part  of  it  exhibits 
to  our  admirinjj  eyes  wonders  of  skill  and 
contrivance,  which  bespeak  the  infinite  un- 
derstandui^  of  their  Maker.  Behold  also 
liis  unspotted  purity  and  holiness :  "  He 
knew  no  sin  ;"  there  was  none  in  his  na- 
ture ;  none  in  his  practice.  His  keen-eyed 
enemies  could  find  no  blemish  in  his  cha- 
racter; for  he  was  "holy,  liarmless,  unde- 
filed,  and  separate  from  sinners."  Behold 
his  goodness;  he  was  all  goodness, — good- 
ness incarnate.  "  He  went  about  doing 
;jood  ;"  it  was  his  object,  his  business,  his 
delight,  his  constant  employment  What 
kindness  did  he  show  to  the  poor  and  needy, 
the  sick  and  sorrowful !  He  was  touched 
with  the  feeling  of  human  infirmities ;  and 
none  ever  applied  to  him  for  relief  and 
were  rejected.  We  admire  and  praise  the 
charitable  man,  who  feeds  the  hungry,  and 
clotiies  the  naked,  and  supplies  the  poor ; 
but  who,  of  all  tiie  sons  of  men,  ever  de- 
nied himself,  as  did  the  Lord  of  all  ]  Rich 
he  was,  eternally  and  infinitely  rich ;  but 
for  our  sakes  he  became  poor, — a  man  so 
poor,  that  he  had  not  a  place  where  to  lay 
his  head  ;  and  this  for  the  purpose  of  rais- 
ing us  from  the  dungliill,  and  setting  us 
among  princes.  Admire  his  matchless 
Condescension,  who  left  the  bright  abodes 
of  bliss,  and  humbled  himself  to  become  a 
man,  and  dwelt  for  more  than  thirty  years 
in  this  moral  dungeon, — this  sink  of  sin 
and  pollution,  where  he  "  endured  the  con- 
tradiction of  sinners  against  himself;"  and 
where  he  must  have  daily  been  shocked, 
far  more  than  was  righteous  Lot  in  Sodom, 
with  the  filthy  deeds  of  the  wicked  ;  with 
the  ignorance,  the  profaneness,  the  hypoc- 
risy, and  tlie  hardness  of  heart  of  the  Jews 
in  thai  day. 

Think  of  his  ministerial  labors ;  his 
travels  on  foot  from  village  to  village,  and 
from  town  to  town;  exerting  himself  to  be 
heard  by  congregations  of  many  thousands 
at  the  temple,  the  sea-side,  and  on  the 
mountains ;  and  then  exposed  at  midniglit 
to  the  chilling  air,  while  engaged  in  de- 
votional exercises. 

Above  all, — follow  him  from  the  guest- 
chamber,  where  he  kept  the  last  passover 
with  his  disciples,  instituted  the  sacra- 
mental supper,  and  poured  forth  the  friend- 
ship of  his  heart  in  affectionate  advice  and 
fervent  prayer  ; — follow  him  to  the  lonely 
garden,  oflen  the  scene  of  his  sacred  re- 
tirement ;  and  behold  him  prostrate  on  the 
cold  ground,  enduring  an  agony  of  soul 
which  no  words  can  de.«!cribc,  which  no 
heart  can  fully  conceive  ;  and  whicli  f!)rcr^d 
from  his  suffering  soul,  Ion"-  u.sed  to  sor- 
3H- 


row  and  grief,  but  not  to  complain,  the 
mysterious  cry, — "  Father,  if  it  be  possible, 
let  this  cup  pa.^s  from  me  !" 

While  yet  covered  with  the  blood  pressed 
from  every  pore,  by  the  insutlerable  agony 
of  his  spirit,  behold  him  surrounded  by  a 
band  of  ruffians,  headed  by  the  traitor,  one 
of  his  own  family, — seized,  bound,  hurried 
to  the  unjust  tribunal,  crowned  with  thorns, 
severely  scourged,  falsely  accused,  unjustly 
condenmed,  barbarously  insulted,  and  at 
length,  naded  to  the  cross,  lifted  up,  and 
for  hours  suspended  by  his  wounded  hands, 
a  spectacle  to  angels  and  to  men !  Behold, 
how  he  loved  us  ! 

"  O  for  this  love !  let  rocks  and  hills 
Their  lasting  silence  break  I 
And  all  harmonious  human  tongues 
The  Savior's  praises  speak !" 

But  this  is  not  all.  Behold  "  the  lamb 
in  the  midst  of  the  throne  !"  Highly  ex- 
alted as  he  is, — "  King  of  kings,  and  Lord 
of  lords,"  '  he  has  taken  a  man's  heart  with 
him  to  Heaven  !'  he  is  still  the  brother  of 
our  nature,  "  flesh  of  our  flesh,  and  bone 
of  our  bone  !" 

"  And  in  his  measure  feels  afresh 
What  every  member  bears." 

And  now  stop,  and  think  ;  and  say, — Is 
he  not  a  proper  object  of  our  love  !  Does 
he  not  deserve  your  highest  esteem, — your 
most  cordial  aftection  1  Is  he  not  "  alto- 
gether lovely  1  Yes ;  and  let  us  join  the 
beloved  disciple,  and  say  with  him,  "  Unto 
him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our 
sins  in  his  own  blood, — unto  him  be  glory 
and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen." 

We  now  proceed  to  the  last  head  of  ouf 
discourse,  and  say,  that 

Jesus  Christ  is  the  object  of  a  believer'' s 
joy — "  in  whom  ye  rejoice  with  joy  uri' 
speakable,  and  full  of  glory." 

Joy  is  a  passion  produced  by  love  ;  it  is 
the  triumph  of  pleasure  in  the  possession, 
or  in  the  anticipation,  of  some  promised 
good.  This  joy  arises  both  from  a  salva- 
tion already  in  part  received,  and  a  salva- 
tion ready  to  be  revealed,  and  to  be  per- 
fectly possessed  hereafler. 

•  What  excites  the  passion  of  joy  among 
the  children  of  men  !  Inquire ;  and  yon 
will  find  something  like  it,  but  much  su- 
perior to  it,  in  the  salvation  of  which  we 
speak. 

A  man  is  just  delivered  from  extreme 
and  imminent  danger.  The  ship  in  which 
he  stiiled  was  wrecked,  and  driven  to  pieces 
on  the  shore ;  but  he  escaped  the  threaten- 
ing destruction,  and  is  landed  in  safety, 
beyond  the  reach  of  harm.  Another  was 
asleep  in  his  house,  whicli  was  all  in  flames. 
Ho  is  alarmed  ;  death,  in  the  most  horrible 
30 


458 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


form,  threatens  him  with  instant  ruin  ;  but 
liappily  he  reaches  a  window,  and  safely 
descends  into  the  street.  He  is  saved.  O 
what  joy  possesses  his  soul  I 

A  criminal  is  arraigned,  and  charged 
with  a  capital  offence.  The  witnesses 
give  evidence  against  him.  He  trembles 
for  the  result.  The  jury  retire  to  consider 
their  verdict,  they  return  to  deliver  it. 
All  is  attention ;  every  eye  is  fixed  on  the 
foreman ;  and  no  eye  so  anxious  as  that  of 
the  prisoner.  The  welcome  sound, — "  Not 
guilty,"  salutes  his  ear. — Ah  !  who  can 
describe  his  joy  ] 

Another  prisoner  is  declared  to  be  guilty. 
He  is  shut  up  in  his  lonely  cell ;  the  death- 
warrant  is  signed,  and  the  fatal  morning 
approaches.  It  is  come.  The  officers  of 
justice  arrive  ;  and  the  dreadful  sentence 
is  about  to  be  executed.  But,  just  at  the  aw- 
ful moment,  an  unexpected  buzz  is  heard ; 
the  agitation  increases ;  and  lo  !  "a  par- 
don !  a  pardon  !"  is  announced. — Ah  !  who 
can  conceive  of  the  prisoner's  joy  ! 

A  wretched  captive  is  taken  in  war,  or 
seized  by  lawless  pirates.  He  is  shut  up 
in  a  lothesome  dungeon,  where,  for  many 
a  long  year,  he  drags  on  a  tiresome  exist- 
ence. He  scarcely  dares  to  hope  for  de- 
liverance. But  through  the  kind  provi- 
dence of  God,  some  friendly  heart  has 
found  means  to  procure  his  ransom.  It  is 
paid,  and  the  captive  is  set  free.  Ah  !  who 
can  tell  what  are  his  grateful  and  joyful 
feelings ! 

Or,  to  recur  to  a  case  more  common  and 
familiar.  Let  us  state  it  in  the  words  of 
inspiration.  "  Fools,  because  of  their  trans- 
gression, and  because  of  their  iniquities, 
are  afflicted  ;  their  soul  abhorreth  all 
manner  of  meat;  and  they  draw  near 
unto  the  gates  of  death.  Then  they  cry 
unto  the  Lord  in  their  trouble ;  and  he 
saveth  them  out  of  their  distresses.  He 
sent  his  word  and  healed  them,  and  de- 
livered them  from  their  destruction. 
How  great  is  their  joy  on  the  return  of 
ease,  and  health,  and  appetite,  and  strength 
and  pleasure  ! 

These  are  the  joys  of  men,  even  of 
"men  of  the  world,  whose  portion  is  in 
this  life."  Far  greater,  surely,  are  the  joys 
of  t!ie  redeemed.  Tliey  are  delivered 
from  going  down  to  the  pit ;  they  are  as 
brands  plucked  out  of  the  fire ;  they  are 
justified,  freely,  and  fully,  by  tJie  imputa- 
tion of  Christ's  righteousness  unto  them  : 
and  blessed  indeed  are  they  whose  ini- 
quities are  forgiven,  a'nd  whose  sins  are 
covered !  and  to  whom  "  the  Lord  imputeth 
not  iniquity !"  Jesus  Christ  has  preached 


deliverance  to  the  captives,  and  the  open- 
ing of  the  prison  to  those  who  were  bound. 
The  great  Physician  has  healed  all  their 
diseases,  and  soon  will  he  introduce  them 
into  that  healthier  clime,  were  no  inhabit- 
ant shall  say,  I  am  sick. 

"  These  are  the  joys  that  satisfy, 
And  sanctify  the  mind." 

These  are  the  joys  which  are  called 
"  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory."  No 
words  can  describe  them :  no  language 
can  express  them ;  they  are  too  great, 
too  glorious  to  admit  of  description  ;  they 
are  infinite,  because  they  are  eternal. 
Therefore  are  they  "  full  of  glory." — 
They  relate  to  the  future  and  everlasting 
state  of  complete  purity,  exaltation,  and 
bliss.  Indeed,  "  it  doth  not  yet  appear 
what  we  shall  be;"  but  it  is  our  joy  to 
know  that  we  shall  be  near  and  like  our 
Savior. 

CONCLUSION. 

We  have  been  contemplating  a  sum- 
mary of  real  Christianity ;  including  Faith, 
and  Hope,  and  Joy.  In  these,  unquestion- 
ably, true  and  genuine  religion  consists : 
and  if  so,  it  becomes  every  one  to  inquire, 
— Have  I  this  Faith  ?  Have  I  this  Hope  ? 
Have  I  this  Joy  ?  Jesus,  it  is  true,  is  yet 
unseen ;  but  the  true  Christian  may  say, 
"  I  rely  upon  him  alone  for  salvation.  I  do 
not  see  him ;  but  in  my  esteem  he  is  alto- 
gether lovely.  He  is  my  beloved,  and  he 
is  my  friend.  I  do  not  see  him,  but  I  re- 
joice in  him  ;  and  God  forbid  that  I  should 
glory  in  any  thing  but  him."  Thrice  hap- 
py is  the  man  who  thus  can,  sincerely, 
speak  ! 

What  has  been  said  may  serve  to  re- 
commend religion,  and  counteract  the 
prejudices  of  a  carnal  world.  They  tell 
us  that  religion  is,  at  best,  but  a  gloomy 
business,  and  strongly  tends,  if  deeply  im- 
bibed, to  destroy  the  pleasures  of  life,  and 
lead  to  melancholy.  But  how  can  this 
be,  when  J  find  "  that  the  kingdom  of 
Heaven,"  into  which  I  wish  to  press,  is 
"Righteousness,  Peace,  and  Joy,  in  the 
Holy  Giiost!" — when  I  learn,  from  this 
text,  that  the  Christian  is  one  who  be- 
lieves, and  loves,  and  rejoices !  I  will  be- 
lieve the  Scriptures,  and  the  people  of 
God,  and  my  own  experience?.  I  will  not 
believe  the  world. 

Tlie  world  has  its  joys, — such  as  they 
are.  I  envy  them  not :  they  are  polluted ; 
they  are  transient;  tliey  end  in  sorrow. 
But  the  joys  of  religion  are  substantial, 
and  permanent ;  they'  are  such  as  were 


SERMON  XCIX. 


459 


promised  by  tlie  pro])liet  Isaiah,  when  he 
foretold  the  blessings  of  the  Messiah's 
reiu-n,  Isa.  xii.  1 — i :  "  In  tliat  day  thou 
shall  say,  O  Lord,  I  will  praise  thee :  thougli 
thou  wast  angry  with  me,  thine  anger 
is  turned  away,  and  thou  comfortedst  me. 
Behold,  God  is  my  salvation  ;  I  will  trust, 
and  not  be  afraid ;  for  the  Lord  Jehovah 
is  my  strength  and  my  song ;  he  also  is 
become  my  salvation.  Therefore  with 
joy  shall  ye  draw  water  out  of  the  wells 
of  salvation." 

And  may  I  not  reason  tlius  ?  If  an 
nnseen  Savior  be  thus  an  object  and 
source  of  unutterable  joy,  what  will  that 
Savior  be  when  he  shall  be  seen!  He 
w^ijl  not  always  be  unseen.  Even  now, 
by  Faith  we  see ;  but  it  is  "  through  a 
glass,  darkly."  We  can  see  tlie  Sun  of 
Righteousness  only  as  we  see  the  natural 
sun  when  we  observe  an  eclipse,  through 
a  colored  and  darkened  medium :  our  pres- 
ent views  of  Christ  are  weak,  and  tran- 
sient, and  partial,  and  imperfect;  but 
hereafter,  when  delivered  from  the  burden 
of  the  flesh,  they  shall  be  real,  substantial, 
immediate,  direct.  We  could  not  now 
endure  such  a  flood  of  light  and  glory  as 
overwhelmed  the  disciples  on  Tabor,  or 
John  in  I'atmos ;  but  our  spirits  shall  be 
strengthened,  and  freed  from  all  the  clouds 
that  oi)scure  them ;  and  our  mortal  bodies 
too,  having  put  on  immortality,  shall 
clearly  behold  "  the  Lamb  in  the  midst  of 
the  throne:"  and  then  shall  be  fulfilled 
the  saying  that  is  written  ; — "As  for  me, 
I  shall  behold  tliy  face  in  righteousness ;  I 
shall  be  satisfied  when  I  awake  with  thy 
likeness."   Amen  and  Amen ! 

HYMN. 

Mine  invvard  joys,  suppress'd  too  long, 
Exiatic,  l)tirst  into  a  song; 
From  Clirisl,  though  now  nnseen,  they  rise 
And  reacli  liis  throne  beyond  the  skies. 

His  glories  strike  the  wond'ring  sight 
Of  nil  the  first-born  sons  of  liglit; 
Beyond  ihe  Seraphim  ttiey  shine, 
Unrivall'd  all,  and  all  divine. 

Yet  mortal  worms  his  friendship  boast. 
And  make  his  saving  name  their  trust. 
Jesus,  my  Lord,  I  know  him  well ; 
He  rescu'd  me  from  Death  and  Hell. 

This  sinful  heart  from  God  estrang'd. 
His  nevv-frcaiing  (Mivv'r  hath  rhang'd  ; 
And,  mingling  with  each  secret  thought. 
Maintains  the  work  which  (irst  it  wrought. 

He  gives  to  see  his  father's  face  ; 
He  gives  my  soul  lo  thrive  in  grace; 
And  brings  the  views  yf  glory  down, 
The  beamings  of  my  heav'nly  rrown. 


Thus  enterlain'd,  while  here  below, 
Unspeakable  my  transports  grow ; 
New  joys  in  swift  succession  roll, 
And  glory  tills  my  silent  soul ! 

Doddridge. 


PRAYER. — Blessed  Redeemer,  thou  art  the 
ehicfcst  among  ten  thousand,  and  altogether 
lovely.  Thou  art,  at  present,  invisible  to  mortal 
eyes;  but,  by  the  eye  of  i'aiih,  we  sec  in  thy 
word,  we  believe,  and  love,  and  rejoice.  Thou 
hast  pronounoed  a  blessing  on  those  who  have 
not  .seen  thee,  and  yet  have  believed  ; — may  this 
blessing  be  ours !  We  desire  also  to  love  thee, 
— to  love  ihee  sincerely, — to  love  thee  supreme- 
ly. O  shed  abroad  thy  love  in  our  hearts,  and 
that  shall  kindle  ours  I — and  may  we,  if  hap- 
pily delivered  irom  death  and  danger,  rejoice 
always  in  thee,  our  gracious  Deliverer,  with  the 
joy  which  is  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory! — and 
may  the  blessed  period  arrive,  when  we  shall  see 
thee, — see  thee  as  thou  art, — no  longer  through 
a  glass  darkly,  but  iiice  to  face,  and  so  shall  we 
ever  be  with  the  Lord.    Amen. 


SERMON  XCIX. 

SIN  ODIOUS  TO  GOD. 

Jeremiah  xliv.  4.    Oh !  do  not  this  abominable  thing 
that  I  hate. 

This  is  part  of  a  message  sent  from 
Jehovah,  by  his  servant,  the  prophet  Jere- 
miah, to  a  party  of  the  Jews  \yho  retired 
to  Egypt,  when  their  brethren  of  Judah 
were  led  captive  to  Babylon.  God  here 
reminds  them  of  the  reproofs  he  had  given 
their  nation,  and  of  the  punishments  he 
had  inflicted  for  its  sins. — "I  sent  unto  you 
(saith  he)  all  my  servants,  the  prophets, 
rising  early  and  sending  them  ;"  and  the 
substance  of  his  messages  by  them  was, 
"  Oh  !  do  not  this  abominable  thing  that  I 
hate." 

"  The  abominable  thing"  here  referred 
to  was,  doubtless,  their  idolatry  ;  they  had 
"  provoked  him  to  anger,  by  burning  in- 
cense to  other  gods,"  and  by  "  pouring 
out  drink-ofierings  to  the  queen  of  heaven" 
(verses  8,  17,  &c.)  This  sin  was  peculiar- 
ly hateful  to  God,  for  it  robbed  him  of  his 
glory  as  the  only  proper  object  of  his  wor- 
ship; it  was  a  breach  of  his  most  positive 
commandments;  and  it  was  exceedingly 
criminal  in  them,  for  tliey  were  favored 
above  all  nations  with  the  knowledge  of 
his  nature  and  will ;  they  were  his  ap- 
pointed "  witnesses,"  to  testify  to  the 
world  the  unity  of  God ;  and  this  breach 
of  their  trust  led  them  into  imdite  con- 
nexions witii  the  heatlien  world,  from 
which  he  had  separated  them,  and  induced 
them  to  commit  many  atrocious  crimes  in- 


460 


MLLAGE  SERMONS. 


separable  from  the  worship  of  idols.  And 
their  history  shows  how  God  resented 
this  their  conduct.  Neighboring  nations 
were  let  loose  upon  them  for  their  punish- 
ment ;  and  sometimes  they  were  carried 
captive  by  their  enemies;  the  ten  tribes 
who  were  the  most  idolatrous,  were  irre- 
coverably dispersed ;  and  Judah  herself 
was  now  captive  in  Babylon.  God,  there- 
fore, here  exhorts  them,  by  his  servant 
Jeremiah,  to  abstain  from  this  provoking 
practice.  "  Oh  !  do  not  this  abominable 
thing  that  I  hate." 

But  though  this  charge  related  original- 
ly to  the  idolatry  of  Judah,  it  is  properly 
applicable  to  sin  in  general,  and  to  every 
sin  in  particular  : — and,  O  that  every  one 
of  us  may  consider  the  text  as  a  message 
from  God  to  himself,  and  particularly  with 
relation  to  any  "easy  besetting  sin,"  of 
which  he  is  conscious  !  Asd  with  this 
view,  let  us  notice  three  things  contained 
in  the  words ! 

I.  Sin  is  an  abominable  thing. 

II.  God  hates  it. 

III.  He  requires  us  to  avoid  it.  "  Oh  ! 
do  not  this  abominable  thing  that  I  hate." 

1.  With  regard  to  the  real  nature  and 
evil  of  sin.  We  must  form  our  opinion 
of  it,  not  from  the  world,  but  from  God. 
If  we  consult  the  world,  in  which  "sin 
abounds,"  we  shall  find  that  "  fools  make  a 
mock  at  it;"  they  treat  it  as  a  trifle,  which 
need  not  give  them  any  uneasiness  :  there 
are  some  who  are  properly  "workers  of 
iiii(iuity  ;"  it  is  their  trade,  yea,  their  food, 
then-  element,  their  delight;  they  "cannot 
cease  from  sin :"  and  some  go  further 
still ;  they  plead  for  it :  they  promote  it  in 
others,  and  "  glory  in  their  sliame." 

But,  whatever  mistaken  men,  who  are 
deceived  and  enslaved  by  the  Destroyer, 
may  think  of  sin,  we  are  sure  that  our 
holy  God,  who  cannot  be  deceived,  and 
will  not  deceive  us,  accounts  it  an  abomi- 
nable thing,  and  hates  it  with  a  perfect 
hatred.  And  how  can  it  be  otherwise! 
fcr  it  is  exactly  the  reverse  of  all  that  he 
is,  all  that  he  approves,  and  all  that  he 
requires.  He  gave  us  our  being  ;  he  gave 
us  all  the  powers  of  body  and  mind  which 
we  possess.  He  gave  us  this  earth  on  wliich 
we  dwell ;  and  he  has  filled  it  with  his 
goodness.  "He  gives  us  rain  from  heaven 
and  fruitful  seasons,  and  fills  our  hearts 
witli  food  and  gladness."  And  all  that  he 
requires,  and  most  reasonably  requires,  by 
way  of  return,  is  that  we  love  him  su- 
premely, and  that  we  love  our  neighbor  as 
we  wish  he  should  love  us.  And  is  not 
this  most  reasonable  ?  Who  can  object  to 
such  a.  demand  J    But  does  man  thus  love 


his  God,  or  his  neighbor  1  Ah !  no.  The 
contrary  is  the  fact.  The  hearts  of  men 
are  by  nature  alienated  from  God,  and 
their  carnal  minds  are  enmity  against  him. 
This  will  appear  if  you  take  a  glance  at 
the  holy  law,  as  it  is  summarily  contained 
in  the  Ten  Commandments. 

The  first  commandment  requires  us  to 
know  and  acknowledge  Jehovah  to  be  the 
only  living  and  true  God,  and  to  worship 
and  glorify  him  accordingly.  But  alas ! 
how  have  vain  men  formed,  in  their  cor- 
rupt imagination,  "lords  many  and  gods 
many  !"  they  have  multiplied  deities, 
male  and  female,  to  the  number  of  many 
thousands !  and  thus  they  have  given 
that  glory  to  idols  which  is  due  to  him 
alone  ! 

The  second  commandment  forbids  the 
worship  of  God  by  images :  but  how  fruitful 
have  been  the  corrupt  imaginations  of 
men,  in  "  changing  the  incorruptible  glory 
of  God  into  an  image  made  like  to  cor- 
ruptible man,  and  to  birds,  and  to  four- 
footed  beasts,  and  creeping  things  ! — 
offences  so  hateful  to  God,  that  he  gave  up 
these  idolaters  to  the  basest  lusts  of  their 
own  hearts.  Rom.  i. 

How  abominable  to  God  is  the.  profane, 
or  even  trifling,  use  of  his  most  holy  name  ! 
— a  crime  which  though  overlooked  by 
men  and  magistrates,  is  such  that  the 
Majesty  of  Heaven,  so  aftronted,  will  not 
hold  the  offender  guiltless,  but  will  punish 
him  as  his  iniquity  deserves. 

God,  in  mercy  to  mankind,  has  appoint- 
ed one  day  in  seven  to  be  sacred  to  religion 
and  to  rest.  But  ungrateful  man  reiiises 
this  heavenly  boon;  and  while  he  robs 
God  of  his  glory,  in  refusing  obedience  and 
worship,  robs  himself  of  the  inestimable 
benefits  he  might  enjoy. 

God  notices  and  hates  the  undutifulness 
and  disobedience  of  children  to  their  pa- 
rents, while  he  gives  a  gracious  promise  to 
those  who  honor  their  father  and  mother. 

How  provoking  to  the  Father  of  mercies 
is  the  crime  of  murder  !  When  the  first 
murder  was  committed,  "  thy  brother's 
blood  (said  God  unto  Cain)  crieth  to  me 
from  the  earth  ;"  it  cried  for  vengeance  ; 
and  the  decision  of  justice  is,  "  Whoso 
siieddeth  man's  blood,  by  man  shall  his 
blood  be  shed." 

God  has  marked  with  peculiar  infamy 
the  sins  of  adultery  and  fornication ;  they 
are  stampt  with  the  name  of  "  unclean- 
ness,"  as  being  in  a  peculiar  manndi-  con- 
trary to  that  holiness  which  he  requires 
of  his  creatures  ; — and  let  such  offenders 
tremble  when  they  read  that  "  whore- 
mongers and  adulferers  God  will  judge," 


SERMON  XCIX. 


461 


Heb.  xiii.  4.  Yea,  so  infamous  are  these 
vices  in  his  sif^ht,  tliat  they  must  not  even 
be  named  among  saints.     Eph.  v.  4,  5. 

Dishonesty,  in  all  its  forms,  is  oftensive 
to  the  God  of  truth  and  equity.  Not  only 
open  thieves,  as  housebreakers  and  hin:h- 
waymen,  are  obnoxious  to  him,  but  all  in- 
justice between  buyers  and  sellers;  frauds 
committed  in  the  price,  weight,  and  mea- 
sure of  goods ;  all  tlie  arts  of  deception 
practised  in  trade ;  tlie  dishonesty  and 
negligence  of  servants,  the  contracting  of 
debts  without  the  prospect  of  payment ; — 
in  short,  every  transaction  between  man 
and  man,  contrary  to  that  golden  rule  of 
action,  "  Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men 
should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  that  to 
them." 

Perjury  is  a  sin  of  dreadful  magnitude. 
Woe  be  to  the  man  that  feareth  not  an 
oath,  or  dare  appeal  to  God  for  a  lie  ;  and 
all  slander,  malice,  and  wanton  injury  of 
tiie  character  of  others,  is  an  abomination 
in  his  view. 

Covetousness  he  deems  idolatry  ;  for  the 
(inordinate)  love  of  money  is  the  root  of 
all  evil ;  and  as  it  is  a  secret  sin,  a  sin  of 
the  heart,  to  which  God  alone  may  be  wit- 
ness,— it  is  an  evil  which,  above  all  others, 
detects  the  true  nature  of  sin.  St.  Paul 
says  of  himself,  "  he  had  not  known  lust 
(concupiscence,  or  sinful  desire)  unless  the 
law  had  said  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet." 
Rom.  vii.  7. 

Thus  have  we  seen,  by  a  glance  at  the 
Ten  Commandments,  that  sin  is  an  abomi- 
nable thing :  the  law  proves  it  to  be  such, 
and  his  holy  word  calls  it  by  names  in- 
tended to  express  his  abhorrence  of  it ;  and 
to  excite  ours, — it  is  "  filthiness,"  "  poison," 
and  the  "  vomit  of  a  dog." 

It  is  almost  needless  to  prove,  as  we 
proposed,  in  the  second  place,  that 

God  hates  sin.  "  Oh !  do  not  this 
abominable  thing  that  I  hate ;"  for,  had  he 
not  hated  it,  he  would  not  have  prohibited 
it  in  his  law,  upon  pain  of  death. 

It  must  needs  be  hateful  to  him,  for  it 
has  spoiled  his  work,  especially  the  master- 
piece of  his  work  upon  earth,  his  creature 
Man,  originally  formed  in  his  own  holy 
image.  Ah,  how  is  that  image  defaced  ! 
how  is  that  glorious  creature  degraded ! 
Where  now  is  his  imaged  It  is  lost,  it  is 
gone ;  and  the  sinner,  given  up  to  the  base 
lusts  of  his  mind  and  his  body,  bears  the 
horrible  likeness  of  the  Devil  and  the  brute 
combined;  his  wicked  tempers  resembling 
the  former  ;  his  sordid  appetites  resemblmg 
the  latter. 

God's  holy  word  is  full  of  expressions 
of  his  just  resentment : — "  God  is  angry 


with  the  wicked  every  day." — "  The  wrath 
of  God  is  revealed  from  Heaven  against 
all  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness  of 
men."  "  Thou  hatest  all  workers  of  ini- 
quity." 

Hence  also  the  dreadful  threatenings 
which  we  find  in  his  word  :  "The  wages 
of  sin  is  death :"  "  The  wicked  shall  be 
turned  into  Hell :" — "  Say  ye  to  the  wick- 
ed, It  shall  be  ill  with  him  ;  for  he  shall 
eat  of  the  fruit  of  his  ways :" — "  He  that 
soweth  to  the  flesh,  shall  of  the  flesh  reap 
corruption." 

And  as  the  threatenings  of  God,  in  his 
word,  denote  his  anger,  so  his  proceedings 
in  the  world  discover  it  too.  What  induced 
him  to  hurl  from  their  high  abodes  in  bliss, 
the  myriads  of  angelic  spirits,  now  en- 
chained in  darkness?  Doubtless,  it  was 
their  hateful  sin  against  him.  And  what 
led  him  to  expel  from  the  Garden  of  Hap- 
piness the  man  whom  he  placed  there  to 
dress  and  to  keep  it  1  We  know  that  it 
was  his  sinful  disobedience.  For  the  same 
cause,  he  who  made  the  earth,  "cursed  it 
for  man's  sake  ;"  doomed  him  to  severe 
toil ;  and  the  woman  to  painful  travail. 
Hatred  to  sin  "  broke  up  all  the  fountains 
of  the  great  deep,  and  opened  all  the  win- 
dows (or  floodgates)  of  heaven  ;"  deluged 
the  whole  face  of  the  earth,  and  drowned 
the  human  race.  It  was  God's  just  hatred 
to  sin  that  led  him  to  "  rain  upon  Sodom, 
and  upon  Gomorrah,  brimstone  and  fire 
from  the  Lord  out  of  Heaven :  to  the  same 
cause  we  owe  all  the  dire  diseases  that  in- 
vade the  human  frame,  and  render  the  earth 
one  huge  hospital :  it  is  this  that  depopu- 
lates the  globe  thrice  in  a  century,  and  fills 
the  graves  with  unnumbered  inhabitants  ; 
"  for  dust  we  are,  and  to  dust  must  we  re- 
turn." Nor  is  this  all  ;  tlicro  is  a  second 
death, — there  is  a  dreadful  Hell  for  the 
reception  and  punishment  of  the  wicked, 
where  "their  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire 
is  not  quenched."  To  this  horrible  placo 
He  who  hates  sin  will  consign  all  finally 
impenitent  and  unbelieving  sinners  ;  spy- 
ing, "  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into 
everlasting  fire,  prepared  tor  the  Devil  and 
his  angels."  And,  now,  is  any  thing  more 
necessary  to  prove  that  God  hates  sin] 
One  greater  proof  yet  remains ;  it  is  this, 
the  great,  holy,  and  just  Jehovah  saw  fit, 
in  the  exercise  of  his  mercy  towards  men, 
to  punish  sin  in  tlie  person  of  his  innocent 
Son ;  "  for  what  the  law  could  not  do,  in 
that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh,"  God 
hath  been  pleased  to  perform  in  a  different 
manner:  "he  has  sent  his  own  Son,  in  the 
likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  by  a  sacrifice 
for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh,"  even 
39* 


4G2 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


in  the  hiiinun  nature  of  Jesus  Christ  his 
only-bcg'otten  Son  ;  and  this  for  his  gra- 
cious  purpose,  "  T'liat  the  righteousness  of 
God  might  be  fulfilled  in  (or  rather  for) 
us,  who  walk  not  afler  the  fiesh,  but  alter 
the  Spirit.     Rom.  viii.  3,  4. 

We  have  shown,  1,  That  sin  is  an  abomi- 
nable thing':  and,  2,  That  God  hates  it: 
We  now  proceed  to  the  last  part  of  the 
subject,  which  is, 

Thirdly,  God  ctills  iqwii  us  to  avoid  sin. 
"  Oh  !  do  not  tliis  abominable  thing  which 
I  hate." 

This,  you  see,  was  the  substance  of  all 
his  messages  to  Israel  by  the  prophets: — 
"  rising  early,  and  sending  them,"  alluding 
to  the  practice  of  men,  who  having  busi- 
ness of  great  importance  to  transact,  rise 
early  to  set  about  it,  that  no  time  may  be 
lost ;  so  God,  earnest  to  prevent  the  de- 
struction of  irten  by  their  sins,  sent  his 
servants  betimes  to  give  them  warning. 

This  is  the  language  of  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments ;  most  of  which,  it  is  observa- 
ble, are  in  the  negative  form  ;  as  do  not 
kill,  do  not  steal,  do  not  bear  false  witness ; 
and  they  are  put  in  this  form,  because 
fallen  man  is  disposed  by  nature  to  do  that 
which  is  evil ;  he  must,  therefore,  be 
warned  against  that  evil  to  which  he  is 
prone.  "  Oh  !  do  not  this  abominable  thing 
tliat  I  hate."  Let  us  remember  and  trea- 
sure up  in  our  minds  the  word  of  God  for 
this  very  purpose :  thus  David  did.  "Thy 
word  (says  he)  have  I  hid  in  my  heart,  that 
I  may  not  sin  against  thee  :"  and  again, 
"  How  shall  a  young  man  cleanse  his  way  V 
— the  answer  is,  "  By  taking  heed  there- 
unto, according  to  thy  word  :"  and  this 
proved  successful ;  for  he  says  again,  "  By 
the  words  of  thy  lips  I  have  kept  me  from 
tiie  paths  of  the  Destroyer." 

Observe  also  the  heavenly  discourse  of 
our  Savior  upon  the  mount !  What  divine 
morality  is  inculcated  in  that  inimitable 
sermon  !  What  a  spiritual  exposition  does 
the  King  of  Zion  give  of  his  holy  law,  to 
deter  men  from  sin,  and  cause  them  to  re- 
semble their  Fallier  who  is  in  Heaven  !  In 
like  manner  the  holy  apostles,  in  their  dis- 
courses and  in  the  epistles,  discourage 
every  vice,  and  insist  upon  the  sanctity  of 
character  which  becomes  Christians  ;  say- 
ing, "Let  every  one  whonameth  the  name 
of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity." 

The  histories  contained  in  the  word  of 
God  have  the  same  holy  tendency.  Do  we 
read  the  histories  of  good  men  ?  "  Let  us 
be  followers  of  tiiem  M'ho,  through  faith 
and  patience,  inherit  the  promises."  Do 
we  peruse  the  histories  of  bad  men,  and  I 
of  their  sore  punisimient  ? — "  these  things  | 


are  written  for  our  warnmg," — "  tlicPC 
tilings  happened  unto  them  for  examples  ; 
and  they  ai'e  written  for  our  admonition, 
upon  whom  the  ends  of  the  world  are 
come."     1  Cor.  x.  6 — 11. 

The  tlireatening  which  we  find  in  Uie 
word  of  God  have  the  same  benevolent 
intention.  "  Son  of  man  (said  God  to  the 
prophet  Ezekiel)  I  have  made  thee  a  watch- 
man unto  the  house  of  Israel,  therefore 
hear  the  word  at  myniouth,  and  give  them 
warning  from  me  ;  when  I  say  to  the  wick- 
ed, Thou  shalt  surely  die,  and  thou  givest 
him  not  warning,  to  save  his  life,  the  same 
wicked  man  shall  die  in  his  iniquity  ; — but 
his  blood  will  I  require  at  thy  hand."  Ezek. 
iii.  17.  The  language  of  all  the  thrcat- 
enings  is, — "  Do  not  this  abominable  thing." 
"  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  for  why  will  ye  die,  O 
house  of  Israel !" 

And  do  not  all  the  various  blessings  we 
receive  from  the  hand  of  God  come  to  us 
with  the  same  message  "?  Does  he  not  do 
us  good,  giving  us  rain  from  heaven,  and 
fruitful  seasons,  filling  our  hearts  with  food 
and  gladness  1  does  not  he  visit  the  earth, 
and  water  if?  clothe  the  pastures  with 
flocks  1  cover  the  valleys  with  corn,  and 
crown  the  year  with  his  goodness  ]  and 
doth  not  this  goodness  cry  with  a  gentle 
yet  powerful  voice,-—"  Oh  !  do  not  this 
abominable  thing  that  I  hate  V  And  surely, 
if  we  will  not  hear  that  admonition,  we 
shall  hear  him  justly  complain,  "  Hear,  O 
heavens,  and  give  ear,  O  earth  ;  I  have 
nourished  and  brought  up  children,  and 
they  have  rebelled  against  me.  The  ox 
knoweth  his  owner,  and  the  ass  his  mas- 
ter's crib ;  but  Israel  doth  not  know ;  my 
people  doth  not  consider !" 

And  further,  What  is  tlie  language  of 
affliction  1  What  mean  the  numerous 
trials  and  troubles  of  life  ?  Are  they  not 
all  the  fruits  of  sin  ?  do  they  not  painfully 
convince  us  that  sin  is  an  evil  and  a  bitter 
thing]  And  are  they  not  intended  for  our 
profit,  to  introduce  "  the  peaceable  fruits 
of  righteousness,  and  to  make  us  partakers 
of  his  holiness  ]"  Yes,  every  pain  of  body, 
and  every  pang  of  mind,  says, — "  Do  no , 
this  abominable  thing  that  I  hate  !" 

In  a  word.  Such  is  the  uniform  language 
of  the  whole  Gospel  of  Christ.  Is  not  this 
the  doctrine  of  tlie  Cross  ]  Why  did  the 
innocent  Son  of  God  suffer,  and  bleed,  and 
die  1  He  did  not  sin,  "  neither  was  guile 
found  in  his  mouth ;  yet  it  pleased  the 
Lord  to  bruise  him,  and  put  him  to  grief; 
but  he  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions, 
he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities  ;  the  Lord 
laid  upon  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all."  In 
this  way  the  all-wise  God  was  pleased  to 


SERMON  XCIX. 


463 


exhibit  to  the  whole  world  the  just  abhor- 
rence .of  sin,  by  punishing  it  in  the  person 
of  his  Son,  while  he  displays  the  riclies  of 
his  grace  in  freely  pardoning  all  who  be- 
lieve in  him.  Thus  also  he  would  furnish 
his  people  with  the  strongest  possible  nio- 
tives  to  holiness,  that  they  might  hate  the 
sin  which  murdered  their  Lord ;  and  be 
constrained,  by  the  force  of  love  to  him,  to 
crucify  the  flesh  with  its  affections  and 
lusts,  and  to  live  unto  him  in  holiness  and 
righteousness  of  life  all  their  days. 

CONCLUSION. 

And  is  sin  such  an  abominable  thing? — 
then  "  how  abominable  and  filthy  is  man, 
that  drinketh  in  iniquity  like  water  ]" 
(Job  xy.  16.) — who  longs  for  it  as  tlic 
parched  traveller  for  tJie  refreshing  stream, 
aud  to  whom  it  is  as  delightful  as  cold  wa- 
ter to  a  thirsty  soul ;  for  there  are  those 
(are  we  of  that  number  !)  who  "  commit 
iniquity  with  greediness;  who  take  plea- 
sure in  unrighteousness  ;  and  wlio  cannot 
cease  from  sin.  Ah  !  how  unlike  are  such 
men  to  God !  and  if  only  "  the  pure  in 
heart  shall  see  God,"  where  shall  these 
lovers  and  workers  of  iniquity  appear  ! 
Marvel  not,  then,  if  to  such  we  address 
the  solemn  wbrds  of  Christ, — "  Ye  must 
be  born  again."  "  Verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
e.vcept  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot 
see  the  kingdom  of  God."  (John  iii.  3,  &c.) 

This  also  sliows  how  great  and  danger- 
ous a  mistake  it  is,  to  think  lightly  of  sin, 
or  to  esteem  it  a  trifle ;  or  to  do  as  (the 
Scripture  says)  ^'-  fools  do," — "  make  a 
mock  at  sin."  Ah !  it  is  no  trifle,  unless 
the  anger  of  an  offended  and  Almighty 
God  be  a  trifle,  and  unless  everlasting 
punishment  be  a  trifle.  O  let  us  learn  to 
think  and  sfeak  of  sin  as  He  does  who 
cannot  be  deceived,  and  will  not  be 
mocked. 

It  will  follow,  then,  that  *f  sin  be  so 
abominable  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  if  he 
so  liate  it,  that  we  also  should  liate  it.  So 
did  Job,  wlien  his  singular  afflictions  and 
instructions  liad  accomplished  their  design- 
ed purpose  ;  then  did  he  e.xclaim — "  I  ab- 
hor myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes  ; 
and  thus  will  it  ever  be  found  that  peni- 
tent and  pardoned  sinners  will  "  remem- 
ber their  own  evil  ways,  and  their  doings 
that  were  not  good,  and  lothe  themselves 
in  their  own  siglit,  for  tinTir  iniquities,  and 
for  their  abominations."    Exek.  xxxvi.  31. 

And  this  should  lead  us  greatly  to  ad- 
mire the  love  of  God  to  such  unlovely 
creatures  as  sinners  are.  His  love  must, 
indeed,  be  free,  perfectly  free,  for  there 
could  be  nothing  in  us  to  excite  it :  tliere 


was  enough  to  occasion  his  anger,  and 
cause  him  to  forsake  us  for  ever ;  but 
while  he  held  us  in  this  low  and  lothesome 
state,  "  he  passed  by  and  beheld  us,  and 
said  unto  us  live  .'"  "  ibr  tlic  tinie  was  a 
time  of  love  !"  (Ezek.  xvi.  7.)  Amazing 
love  it  was  that  said,  "  Come  now,  and  let 
us  reason  together,  saith  the  Lord ;  though 
your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  tliey  shall  be  as 
white  as  snow;  though  they  be  red  like 
crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool." 

Let  all  the  world  fall  down,  and  know 
That  none  bul  God  sticli  Inve  could  show. 

Here,  too,  lot  us  admire  the  efficacy  of 
the  blood  of  Christ.  Let  us,  with  St.  Pe- 
ter, call  it  "precious  blood,"  for  precious 
indeed  that  blood  must  be  which  can  per- 
fectly cleanse  from  such  horrid  pollution, 
and  make  the  believing  sinner,  plunged  in 
that  fountain,  "  whiter  than  snow."  Nor 
less  admirable  is  the  efficacious  grace  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  through  whose  renewing 
power  we  become  new  creatures ;  no 
longer  "  the  slaves  of  sin,"  but  rendered 
"  the  servants  of  righteousness ;"  being 
"  made  free  from  sin,  we  are  become  ser- 
vairts  to  God,  having  our  fruit  unto  holi- 
ness, and  (expecting  the  blessed)  end — 
"  everlasting  life." 

How  strong,  then,  are  the  obligations 
under  which  we  are  laid  to  "  abhor  that 
which  is  evil,  and  cleave  unto  that  which 
is  good !"  to  "  hate  every  false  way,  and 
the  garment  spotted  with  the  flesh;"  to 
avoid  even  the  appearance  of  evil,  and  to 
abound  in  every  good  work,  continually 
walking  as  under  the  eye  of  God,  and  as 
hearing  him  say  to  us, — "  O  !  do  not  this 
abominable  thing  that  I  hate." 

PSALM  LI. 

Lord,  I  am  vile,  conceiv'd  in  sin, 
And  born  unholy  and  unclean  ; 
Sprung  from  the  man  whose  guilt5f  fall 
Corrupts  the  race,  and  taints  us  all. 

My  lips  with  shame  ray  sins  confess 
Against  thy  law,  against  thy  grace, 
Great  God,  thy  naUire  hath  no  bound, 
So  let  thy  pard'iling  love  be  found. 

Behold,  I  fall  before  thy  face, 

My  only  refuge  is  thy  grace  ; 

No  outward  (onus  can  make  me  clean  ; 

The  leprosy  lies  deep  within. 

Jesus,  my  God,  thy  blood  alone 

Hath  power  sufficient  to  alone; 

Thy  blood  can  make  me  white  as  snow; 

No  Jewish  types  could  cleanse  me  so. 

O  may  thy  lovo  inspire  my  tongue! 
Salvation  shall  be  all  my  song ; 
And  all  my  powers  shall  join  to  bless 
The  Lord,  my  strength  and  righteousness. 

Watts. 


464 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


PRAYER.— Most  lioly  God,  thy  law.  thy  gof- 
pel,  and  thy  providoncn,  all  proclaim  llico  to  he 
holy  ;  hut  we  are  unholy  and  sinful  creatures. 
O  how  ahoinitiahle  and  (ihliy  is  man,  who  drink- 
eth  in  iniquity  like  waler!  Such  a  creature,  O 
God,  tiiou  niighlest  justly  ahhor,  liauish,  and 
punisii ;  for  thy  holy  word,  and  all  ihy  (Ifaliiig.s 
wiih  men.  prove  that  Ilirju  halest  the  workers  of 
iniquity,  and  art  ancry  with  the  wicked  every 
day.  llovv  merciful,  iherefbre,  are  the  warnings 
thou  liast  given  us,  thy  gracious  invilalions  and 
precious  promises  I  all  unite  in  saying  to  us.  Do 
not  this  abominable  thing  which  1  hate.  Lord, 
help  us  to  hear  ihy  voice,  and  obey  it.  Suffer  us 
not  to  think  sin  a  trifle ;  but  may  we  hate  it  as 
thou  hatest  it,  and  because  thou  hatest  it.  May 
the  blood  of  Christ  cleanse  tis  from  our  past  of- 
fences; and  may  the  Spn-itof  Christ  dwell  in  us, 
to  purify  our  hearts,  and  sanctify  us  wholly,  that 
we  may  serve  thee  in  holiness  and  Fighleoiisness, 
all  the  days  of  our  lives  ;  and,  finally,  after  this 
life,  attain  elernal  joy  and  felicity,  through '^esus 
Christ,  our  Lord  and  Redeemer!     Ainen. 


SERMON  C. 

GOD  INCOMPREHENSIBLE. 

Job  xvi.    Canst  thnii   by  searching  find  out  GoJ  ? 
canst  thou  find  out  tlie  Almighty  to  perfection  ? 

That  there  is  a  God,  is  almost  tlie  uni- 
versal belief  of  mankind.  Perhaps  there 
are  few  absolute  Atheists.  Our  reason 
coiTipels  us  to  believe  that  every  thing 
whicli  we  see  had  a  maker — that  it  could 
not  make  itself;  but  who  or  what  God  is, 
has  been  the  subject  of  numberless  dis- 
putes among-  men.  Histor)'^  tells  us  that 
one  of  'the  ancient  heathen  philosophers 
was  asked  by  his  prince, — "  What  is  God]" 
He  desired  a  day  to  think  of  it,  before  he 
gave  an  answer :  that  day  passed ;  he  then 
desired  two  days  more  :  when  the  two 
days  were  passed,  he  desired  four.  The 
king  then  demanded  to  know  what  he 
meant  by  such  repeated  delays.  He  re- 
plied,— "  Sire,  the  more  I  tliink  of  him,  he 
appears  to  me  still  more  unknown  V  This 
was  not  a  bad  answer  for  a  heathen :  but 
we  are  not  in  his  condition.  God  has  made 
himself  known  to  us  by  liis  word  ;  yea,  he 
has  sent  us  his  Son;  and  "he  wlio  was  in 
the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath  declared 
him." 

In  tlie  passage  from  which  our  te.\t  is 
.taken,  Zophar,  a  friend  of  Job,  is  very  se- 
vere upon  him,  as  if  he  had  pretended  to 
a  perfect  knowledge  of  God,  and  for 
which  lie  reproves  him.  This  charge, 
though  not  strictly  true  as  to  Job,  implies  a 
very  great  and  instructive  truth  ;  namely, 
that 

God  is  incomprehensible. 


We  do  not  mean  to  say  that  we  care 
liave  710  conceptions  of  his  nature,  .but  no 
adequate  conceptions — not  that  we  cannot 
"  find  him  out"  at  all ;  but,  as  our  te.xt  in- 
timates, not  "  to  perfection."  When  we 
say,  therefore,  that  God  is  incomprehensi- 
ble, we  must  not  infer  that  we  need  not 
search  after  God,  or  despair  of  finding  him 
if  we  do ;  for  indeed,  the  right  knowledge 
of  God  is  the  sum  of  religion.  We  are 
commanded  to  "  seek  the  Lord — to  seek 
him  while  he  may  be  found,  and  to  call 
upon  him  while  he  is  near."  ,  Isa,  Iv.  6. 
It  is  promised,  that  "  we  shall  know,  if  we 
follow  on  to  know  the  Lord."  Yea,  it  is 
the  grand  promise  of  the  New  Covenant 
— "  They  shall  all  know  me,  frorn  the  least 
unto  the  greatest;"  and  all  thy  children 
shall  be  taught  of  God." 

And  yet,  after  all,  it  will  be  found  true 
that  "  God  is  incomprehensible  ;"  and  the 
plain  reason  of  this  is,  God  is  infinite ;  and 
we  are  finite ;  his  glorious  excellencies  are 
without  bounds;  but  our  capacities  are 
within  narrow  limits.  A  shell  cannot  con- 
tain the  ocean  ;  nor  con  the  human  mind 
comprehend  the  Almighty.  And  this  will 
appear  if  you  consider, — that, 

I.  We  cannot  perfectly  understand  his 
Works  :  though  we  see  them  with  our 
eyes,  and  understand  them  in  part,  we 
cannot  find  them  out  to  perfection.  It  is 
our  duty  to  observe  them,  and  study  them. 
"  The  works'  of  God  are  great  ]  sought 
out  by  all  tJiem  who  have  pleasure  in 
them ;"  and  we  are  directed  to  "  magnify 
his  works  which  we  behold."  They  are 
intended  to  preach  their  Maker;  and  they 
"  so  declare  his  glory,"  that  the  heathen, 
who  have  no  other  instructor,  will  be  left 
without  excuse,  if  they  glorify  him  not  as 
God.  (Ps.  xix.  and  Rom.  i.  81,  &c.)  But, 
though  we  may  admire,  we  cannot  com- 
prehend his  works.  A  little  child  may 
fancy  he  can  touch  the  moon,  or  reach  a 
star;  but  an  adult  person  knows  better, 
and  is  aware  of  their  vast  distance :  so,  if 
our  minds  are  rightly  informed,  we  shall 
perceive  that  the  works  of  God  are  im- 
mensely great  and  glorious,  as  is  finely 
expressed  in  the  verse  after  our  text : — "  It 
is  high  as  Heaven,  what  canst  thou  do  ? 
deeper  then  Hell,  what  canst  thou  know  I" 
Of  many  of  God's  works  we  know  nei- 
ther the  nature  nor  the  design.  Who  can 
toll  tiie  distance  of  the  fixed  stars,  or  who 
Imows  what  is  their  use  1  Who  can  say 
for  wliat  purposes  destructive  animals  and 
poisonous  plants  were  formed  1  And 
where  is  the  man  who  can  explain  the  na- 
ture of  the  connexion  between  his  own 
soul  and  his   body  1    Surely  then,  if  the 


SERMON  C. 


465 


works  of  God  are  thus  incornpreliensible, 
their  Maker  must  needs  be  so  too. 

II.  The  ways  of  God,  in  tlic  course  of 
his  providence,  are  to  us,  frequently  un- 
searchable. Truly  does  the  Psalmist  e.\- 
claim, — "IIow  unsearchable  are  his  judg- 
ments, and  his  ways  past  finding  out !" — 
"  Tliy  way,  ()  God,  is  in  the  sea,  and  thy 
path  in  the  great  waters,  and  tliy  footsteps 
are  not  known  !"  Or,  as  it  is  expressed  in 
another  place,  "Clouds  and  darkness  are 
round  about  him."  There  is  frccjucntly, 
to  our  feeble  minds,  an  obscurity  in  tlic 
Divine  proceedings.  The  righteous  are 
afflicted,  while  bad  men  prosper :  the  wick- 
ed govern,  and  the  pious  are  oppressed  : 
useful  men  are  cut  off  by  death ;  while 
cumberers  of  the  ground  grow  old  in  sin. 
In  all  tliis,  God  is  righteous  ;  but  his  pro- 
ceedings are,  at  present,  incomprehensible. 

IIP.  The  Word  of  God  is  not  perfect- 
ly understood.  ]Many  parts  of  it,  indeed, 
are  perfectly  plain.  Every  thing  necessa- 
ry to  salvation  is  so  easy,  that  "  he  who 
runneth  may  read  ;"  yet  there  certainly 
are  other  things  "  hard  to  be  understood  ;" 
"  deep  things  of  God  ;"  "  meat  for  strong 
men,"  as  w-ell  as  "  milk  for  babes."  There 
are,  especially,  prophecies  yet  unfulfilled, 
which  to  us  are  obscure,  as  probably  those 
already  accomplished  were,  formerly,  to 
the  clmrch  of  God  ui  ancient  times.  The 
word  of  God  is  an  ocean,  a  vast  abyss ; 
which,  with  our  feeble  line,  we  cannot 
fathom  ;  it  is  like  its  Divine  Author,  in- 
comprehensible. 

IV.  But  it  is  of  God  himself,  in  his  glo- 
rious attributes,  that  we  chieflj'  design  to 
speak.  Who  by  searching  can  find  out 
God  1  who  can  fully  conceive  of  his  Di- 
vine Perfections  1 

Speak  we  of  his  Eternity?  Who  can 
comprehend  it  ?  How  can  we  conceive 
of  a  Being,  sclf-exivstent,  independent,  self- 
sufficient,  wiio  existed  before  a  creature 
was  made,  who  had  no  beginning — sutTers 
no  cliange — will  have  no  end — one  who 
was  from  all  eternity — an  eternity  past — 
who  will  remain  unchangeable  through 
an  eternity  to  come?  We  believe  that 
men,  that  angels,  that  the  world  had  a  be- 
ginning, for  God  willed  them  to  exist; 
every  tiling  we  are  acquainted  with,  was 
made  ;  but  who  can  conceive  of  Self-Ex- 
istence J 

We  ascribe  to  God  infinue  Power, — 
our  text  styles  him  "The  Almighty;"  but 
who  can  conceive  of  Power  that  has  no 
limits  ?  We  perceive  that  the  power  of 
creatures  is  confined  within  narrow 
boimds.  The  powers  of  man  arc  extreme- 
ly limited  ;  in  some  <|nalifications  he  sees  | 


himself  exceeded  by  surrounding  animals; 
some  have  more  strength,  greater  swift- 
ness, keener  scent  than  himself,  though 
reason  exalts  him  far  above  them,  and  en- 
ables him  to  avail  himself  of  their  superi- 
ority, for  his  own  pleasure  or  profit ;  but 
after  all,  he  finds  himself  weak  and  fee- 
ble, and,  compared  with  the  Almighty,  a 
helpless  worm.  For  "  who  can  utter  all 
his  mighty  acts?"  and  when  we  have 
stretched  our  tlioughts  to  the  utmost,  in 
the  contemplation  of  his  greatness,  we 
can  only  say  with  .Job,  (chap.  xxvi.  14,) 
"  Lo  !  these  are  parts  of  his  ways ;  but 
how  little  a  portion  is  heard  of  him  !  but 
the  thunder  of  his  power,  who  can  under- 
stand ?" — Compared  Vviith  the  reality,  all 
our  conceptions  of  it  are  but  as  a  few  drops 
compared  with  the  ocean,  or  a  gentle  whis- 
per compared  with  a  tremendous  peal  of 
thunder.  How  noble,  how  sublime  are  the 
scriptural  descriptions  of  his  omnipotence, 
in  the  prophet  Isaiah  ! — "  Who  hath  mea- 
sured the  waters  (of  the  ocean)  in  the  hol- 
low of  his  hand,  and  meted  out  Heaven 
with  the  span,  and  weighed  the  mountains 
in  scales,  and  the  hills  in  a  balance  !" — 
"Behold!"  said  Elihu  to  Job,  "God  is 
mighty,  he  is  mighty  in  strength  and  in 
wisdom  :"  and  then  he  proceeds  to  produce 
various  proofs  of  it  in  the  dispensations  of 
his  providence.  God  himself  then  takes 
up  the  mighty,  theme,  and  refers  to  the 
marvellous  work  of  Creation,  and  his  do- 
minion over  it.  The  effect  upon  the  mind 
of  Job  was  wonderful,  and  he  cries  out, — 
"  I  know  that  thou  canst  do  every  thing, 
and  that  no  thought  can  be  withholden 
from  thee !  I  have  uttered  what  I  under- 
stood not ;  things  too  Mxniderful  for  me, 
which  I  knew  not."  Thus  he  confesses 
that  the  Power  of  God  is  incomprehen- 
sible ! 

Again.  We  believe  that  God  is  pos- 
sessed of  infinite  Wisdom  and  Knowledge. 
He  perfectly  knows  all  things  that  ever 
passed  in  the  world,  from  the  first  day  of 
creation ;  he  knows  all  things  that  are 
now  passing  in  all  the  countries  of  this 
globe,  as  well  as  in  Heaven  and  in  Ilell 
too.  He  foreknows  all  things  which  shall 
hereafter  come  to  pass,  in  all  future  gene- 
rations, to  the  end  of  time.  But  here  we 
are  lost  at  once,  and  are  obliged  to  cry, 
with  the  prophet,  (Psalm  cxxxix.  6,)  when 
he  had  been  considering  the  universal 
presence  of  God,  "  Such  knowledge  is  too 
wonderfiil  for  me  ;  it  is  high,  I  cannot  at- 
tain unto  it."  We  are  conscious  of  our 
own  ignorance ;  every  day  convinces  us 
thiit  we  know  next  to  nothing;  mervof 
the    greatest    talents,  who  have  studied 


466 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


books  all  their  lives,  and  have  attained  far 
more  knovvlctlg-e  than  their  plainer  neigh- 
bors, will  be  the  first  to  confess  their  igno- 
rance, and  allow  that  their  knowledge  is 
very  contracted.  Who  then  can  conceive 
of  a  Being  from  whom  nothing  is  hidden  ; 
who  knows  the  hearts  of  men;  who 
"knovveth  our  thoughts  afar  off;"  who  is 
perfectly  acquainted  with  all  that  we  call 
accidental,  or  contingent,  and  which  it  is 
impossible  for  the  wisest  men  to  foresee  ! 
We  must  readily  own  that  the  wisdom  of 
God  is  incomprehensible  to  us ;  we  can 
only  stand  on  the  shore  of  this  vast  and 
immeasurable  ocean,  and  exclaim  with  St. 
Paul,  "  O  !  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of 
the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  !  how 
unsearcliable  are  his  judgments,  and  his 
ways  past  finding  out !"  Rom.  xi.  33. 

We  are  constrained  to  speak  in  the 
same  manner  of  the  infinite  Holiness,  the 
infinite  Justice,  and  the  infinite  Good- 
ness of  God.  AH  these  are  clearly  re- 
vealed and  beautifully  displayed  in  the 
Gospel  of  our  salvation ;  but  who  can  com- 
prehend them  1  Adoring  angels,  in  their 
heavenly  worship,  veil  their  faces  while 
they  cry  "  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  is  the  Lord 
God  Almighty  1"  We  see  no  beings  around 
us  on  earth,  even  of  the  most  pious  and 
good,  wh(i  are  perfectly  holy ;  "  there  is 
not  a  just  man  upon  earth,  who  doeth  good 
and  sinneth  not ;"  how  then  can  we  con- 
ceive of  Him  who  never  did  evil,  who  is 
"  righteous  in  all  his  ways,  and  holy  in  all 
his  works  !"  "  who  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to 
behold  iniquity  1"  We  see  no  perfect  jus- 
tice in  our  world ;  the  wicked  often  escape 
deserved  punishment,  and  the  pious  are 
defrauded  and  oppressed  ;  but  God's  throne 
is  established  in  righteousness,  and  tlie 
Judge  of  all  the  earth  always  does  right. 
The  goodness  of  God  is  also  unsearcha- 
ble ;  the  earth  is  full  of  his  goodness  ;  but 
who  can  comprehend  it '.'  God  loved  the 
world  and  gave  us  his  Son  ;  but  who  can 
say  how  much  he  loved  us  in  bestowing 
such  a  gift  ? — it  was  an  unspeakable  gift  ! 
And,  if  we  survey  the  wondrous  Cross, 
and  try  to  estimate  the  love  that  brought 
down  the  Savior  from  his  throne  to  the 
cradle,  and  carried  him  through  all  the  la- 
bors, and  sorrows,  and  sufferings  of  his 
residence  below,  and  fixed  him  at  last  on 
the  cursed  tree,  we  may  try  our  skill,  and 
endeavor  to  measure  the  dimensions  of 
liis  love ;  we  may,  with  all  saints,  examine 
its  breadth,  and  its. length,  and  its  depth, 
and  its  height ;  but  we  must  admit  that, 
after  all,  it  surpasseth  knowledge.  Ephes. 
iii.  18.  Such  being  the  fact — the  Works, 
the  Wvys,  the  Word,  tiic  Perfections  of 


God  being  all  incomprehensible,  what  are 
the  practical  lessons  of  instruction  which 
we  ought  to  learn  from  this  acknow- 
ledged truth  ]  These  we  shall  now  pro- 
ceed to  consider : 

1.  We  should  learn  to  be  humble.  It 
was  for  this  purpose  that  the  words  of  our 
text  were  spoken  to  Job:  and  Job  was 
humbled,  by  the  dispensations  of  God's 
providence,  and  especially  by  the  display 
of  his  infinite  greatness.  At  the  conclu- 
sion of  this  book,  we  find  this  holy  man 
thus  expressing  his  contrite  feelings:  "I 
have  heard  of  thee  (he  says  to  God)  by  the 
hearing  of  the  ear :  but  now  mine  eye 
seeth  thee  :  wherefore  I  abhor  myself,  and 
repent  in  dust  and  ashes."  Before  this 
great,  glorious,  incomprehensible  Being, 
shall  man  be  proud  1  No ;  rather  let  him 
say,  "  Lord,  what  is  man  that  thou  shouldest 
be  mindful  of  him  V  Shall  man  venture 
to  boast  of  wisdom  ?  Hear  how  he  is  re- 
proved in  this  chapter,  verse  the  12th  : — 
"  Vain  man  would  be  wise,  though  man  be 
born  like  a  wild  ass's  colt." — What  do  we 
know  ?  Let  a  good  man  of  ancient  times 
answer.  Prov.  xxx.  2.  "Surely,  I  am 
more  brutish  than  any  man,  and  have  not 
the  understanding  of  a  man.  I  neither 
learned  wisdom,  nor  have  the  knowledge 
of  the  Holy ;"  and  let  St.  Paul  reprove  the 
boaster.  (1  Cor.  viii.  2.)  "  If  any  man 
think  that  he  knoweth  any  thing,  he 
knoweth  nothing  yet  as  he  ought  to  know." 

And  this  should  make  religious  people 
modest  in  their  inquiries,  and  in  their  de- 
cisions ,  let  them  not  be  too  curious,  or  too 
positive  ;  dogmatical,  or  censorious.  The 
men  of  Bethshemesh  were  punished  for 
looking  into  the  ark :  and  let  us  beware 
of  being  "  wise  above  that  which  is  writ- 
ten." "  Secret  things  belong  to  God  ;  but 
things  revealed  belong  to  us  and  to  our 
children." 

2.  We  may  infer  from  hence,  how  base 
a  thing  is  idolatry,  or  image  worship  !  Is 
the  great  God  incomprehensible,  and  shall 
we  dare  to  make  a  likeness  of  him  and 
pay  it  homage  !  "  Doth  he  measure  the 
waters  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand  ]  Doth 
he  mete  out  the  heavens  with  a  span  ? 
Doth  he  weigh  the  mountains  in  scales, 
and  the  hills  in  a  balance  ?  Are  all  na- 
tions before  him  as  a  drop,  as  an  atom,  as 
nothing,  as  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity  ? 
To  whom  then  will  ye  liken  God,  or  to 
whom  shall  I  be  equal,  saith  the  Lord  ?" 
O  how  dishonorable  to  God,  and  how  dis- 
graceful to  man  is  it  thus  to  "  change  the 
glory  of  the  uncorruptible  God  into  an  im- 
age made  like  to  corruptible  man,  and  to 
birds  and  creepijig  things  !"    Rom.  i.  23. 


SERMON 


467 


Even  Pythagoras,  a  heathen  philosopher, 
forbade  his  disciples  to  make  an  image  of 
God — and  shall  any  who  call  themselves 
Christians  do  it  ?     God  forbid  ! 

3.  Is  God  incomj)rehensibly  glorious  1 
then  how  should  we  admire  and  adore 
him  !  What  high  and  honorable  thoughts 
should  we  entertain  of  him  !  Let  us  also 
worship  him  with  reverence  and  godly 
fear,  for  he  "  will  be  sanctified  in  all  those 
who  approach  him ;"  and  let  us  imitate 
him  who,  though  he  was  called  by  the  fa- 
miliar name  of  "the  Friend  of  God,"  thus 
addressed  the  Majesty  of  Heaven  : — "  Be- 
hold now,  I  have  taken  upon  me  to  speak 
unto  the  Lord,  who  am  but  dust  and  ashes  !" 

4.  Let  us  calmly  submit  to  all  his  dis- 
pensations in  providence ;  they  may  some- 
times seem  to  be  obscure,  and  even  se- 
vere ;  but  they  are  always  wise,  and  holy, 
and  good.  He  doeth  all  things  well.  We 
may  not  be  able  to  discover  the  reasons  of 
his  dealings  with  us  ;  as  a  child  is  unable 
to  judge  of  his  father's  management  of  the 
family ;  as  the  subjects  of  a  king  may  not 
always  know  the  rfeasons  of  public  mea- 
sures, so  we  may  be  at  a  loss  to  conceive 
why  the  great  and  blessed  God  permits 
certain  apparent  evils  to  befall  us ;  yet,  let 
us  bow  to  the  sovereign  disposal  of  Heav- 
en, remembering  that  "what  we  know 
not  now,  we  shall  know  hereafter."  If 
God  himself  be  incomprehensible,  is  it  any 
wonder  that  his  proceedings  should  be  so 
too "?  Our  business  is,  not  explanation  or 
remonstrance,  but  submission ;  "  Let  the 
will  of  the  Lord  be  done."  "  The  Lord 
gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away, 
blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

5.  Seeing  that  the  nature  of  God  is  so 
wonderfully  glorious,  let  us  study  to  know 
him.  We  observed  before,  that  his  being 
incomprehensible  is  no  reason  why  we 
should  not  labor  to  know  him ;  if  we  can- 
not comprehend  all  his  excellencies,  for 
they  are  infinite,  yet  let  us  attain  what 
we  can.  To  this  most  useful  pursuit  the 
word  of  God  invites  us ;  therein  we  are 
told,  that  "  this  is  eternal  life,  to  know  the 
only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  he 
hath  sent."  Wise  men  do  not  decline  the 
study  of  any  science,  because  of  its  sub- 
limity or  its  difficulty.  The  astronomer 
applies  himself  to  the  study  of  the  heav- 
enly bodies,  and  labors  to  become  acquaint- 
ed with  their  magnitude,  their  distance, 
their  revolutions,  and,  if  possible,  their 
uses ;  yet  he  does  not  expect  to  obtain  a 
perfect  and  complete  knowledge  of  them : 
and  thus  the  physician,  and  the  anatomist, 
and  the  botanist,  pursue  their  several  re- 
searches, while  they  yet  remain  far  from 


being  perfect  in  tlieir  acquaintance  with 
the  objects  of  tiieir  studies.  But  let  all 
our  notions  of  God  be  regulated  by  his 
own  word  :  it  is  only  in  "  his  light  that  we 
shall  see  ligiit :"  let  us  not  presume  to 
form  our  ideas  of  God  by  our  own  fancies, 
or  the  fancies  of  other  men  ;  we  may  sin 
by  making  menial  as  well  as  material  im- 
ages of  God  ;  as  it  was  the  fault  with 
which  God  charged  some  of  old — "  they 
thought  that  God  was  altogether  such  as 
themselves ;"  but  for  this,  he  says,  "  I  will 
reprove  you."  And  let  us  beware  of  abu- 
sing those  familiar  emblems  and  illustra- 
tions of  his  Divine  glory,  which  he  conde- 
scends to  give  us :  as  where  he  is  said  to 
be  vexed,  to  be  grieved,  to  repent ;  these 
expressions  are  "  after  the  manner  of  men," 
and  intended  to  assist  our  feeble  minds  in 
their  devout  contemplations.  In  short,  let 
us  pray  for  divine  instruction,  and  seek 
the  aid  of  the  Spirit  of  Truth ;  while,  with 
holy  reverence,  we  search  for  God  in  his 
written  word,  which  is  "  able  to  make  us 
wise  unto  salvation."  It  is  in  the  glass 
(the  mirror)  of  the  Gospel  that  we  obtain 
the  clearest  and  the  mildest  discoveries  of 
God  ;  there  it  is  that  "  with  open  (unveil- 
ed) face,  we  behold  his  glory  beaming  in 
the  face  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ ;"  for  "  he 
is  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory,  and 
the  express  image  of  his  Person,"  so  that 
"  he  who  hath  seen  the  Son  hath  seen  the 
Father  also."     (John  xiv.  9.) 

Further,  We  may  learn  from  hence  the 
reasonableness  of  Faith.  "  Faith  is  the 
substance  of  things  hoped  for;  the  evi- 
dence of  things  not  seen."  Now,  "  no  man 
hath  seen  God  at  any  time."  He  is  "  the 
invisible  God  ;"  but  the  Savior  "  hath  de- 
clared him  ;"  he  hath  "  manifested  his 
name"  to  his  people :  what  is  revealed, 
therefore,  let  us  receive  by  faith,  and  act 
accordingly.  Thus  "  Moses  endured,  as 
seeing  Him  who  is  invisible  ;" — he  had  a 
clear  and  distinct  view  and  apprehension 
of  Go'J,  in  his  oumipresence,  power,  and 
faithfulness ;  and  a  fixed  trust  in  him  at 
all  times,  and  on  all  occasions,  as  much  as 
if  he  had  seen  God  working  with  him  and 
for  iiim,  with  his  bodily  eyes  : — thus  also 
let  us  walk  with  God  ;  and  thougii  we 
cannot  comprehend  him,  let  us  admire, 
adore,  love,  and  obey. 

Finally,  This  view  of  the  subject  should 
render  the  heavenly  state  exceedingly  de- 
sirable ;  for,  in  that  state  "  we  shall  know, 
even  as  now  we  arc  known."  At  present, 
we  "see  through  a  glass  darkly," — "ob- 
scurely," or,  as  in  "a  riddle — a  parable,  a 
dark  saymg ; — but  in  that  holy  world  of 
light,  face  to  face ;"  tliat  is,  clearly  and 


468 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


fully.  "  Now  (said  the  highly-learned 
apostle  of  tlie  Gentiles,)  now  we  know  in 
part,  and  we  prophesy  (or  preach)  in  part ; 
but  wiien  that  wliicli  is  perlcct  shall  come, 
then  that  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done 
away."  We  shall  see  the  objects  them- 
Belves,  of  wiiich  we  have  now  but  the 
shadows  or  the  figures ;  the  pure  in  heart 
shall  see  God — God  in  our  nature — Im- 
inanuel,  God  with  us.  The  expectation 
of  Job,  and  of  every  other  believer,  shall 
be  gratified — "In  my  flesh  shall  I  see 
God ;  whom  I  shall  see  for  myself;  and 
my  eyes  shall  behold  him,  and  not  (as)  a 
stranger."     Job  xix.  27. 

Alas !  what  strangers  are  many,  to  all 
these  thoughts  of  God  !  they  do  not  wish 
to  know  him :  the  language  of  their 
hearts,  and  of  their  practice  is,  "  Depart 
from  us,  for  we  desire  not  the  knowledge 
of  thy  ways :" — but  woe  be  to  the  sinner, 
if  God  should  take  him  at  his  word  ;  woe 
be  to  the  man  whom  God  forsakes  :  a  time 
will  come,  when  Ids  favor  shall  appear  to 
be  infinitely  more  valuable  than  life  itself; 
when  life,  deprived  of  his  favor,  shall  be 
worse  than  death  !  O  !  sinner,  if  you  pos- 
sess one  spark  of  reason  ;  if  you  have  the 
least  degree  of  love  to  your  own  immor- 
tal soul,  seek  the  Lord  while  yet  he  may 
be  found  ;  call  upon  him,  in  prayer,  for 
mercy  and  grace,  for  as  yet  he  is  near ; 
and  those  wlio  ask  shall  receive ;  those 
who  seek  shall  find. 

Now,  to  this  glorious  and  gracious, 
though  incomprehensible  God  ;  to  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  the  one 
great  Supreme,  be  glory  in  all  the 
churches,  world  without  end  !     Amen. 

HYMN. 

Can  creatures  to  perfection  find 
Th'  Eternal  uncreated  Mind ! 
Or  can  the  largest  stretch  of  thought 
Measure  ajid  search  his  nature  out! 

'Tis  high  as  heaven,  'lis  deep  as  hell, 
And  what  can  morlals  know  or  tell? 
His  glory  spreads  beyonr!  ihe  sky, 
And  all  the  shining  worlds  on  high. 

Rut  man,  vain  man,  would  fain  be  wise, 
Born  like  a  wild  young  colt,  lie  flies 
Through  all  the  lollips  of  his  mind. 
And  swells,  and  simfis  the  ciiip!y  wind. 

Cn<]  is  a  King  of  [xjw'r  iinknown, 
Finn  are  the  orders  of  his  throne  ; 
If  he  resolve,  wlio  dan^s  oppose, 
Or  ask  him  why,  or  what  he  does? 

He  wounds  the  heart,  and  he  makes  whole  ; 
He  calms  the  tempest  of  the  soul ; 
When  he  shuts  up  in  long  despair. 
Who  can  remove  the  heavy  bar? 

He  frowns,  and  darkness  veils  the  moon ; 
The  fainting  sun  grows  dim  at  noon ; 


The  pillars  of  heaven's  starry  roof 
Tremble  and  start  at  his  reproof. 

These  are  a  portion  of  his  ways  ; 
But  who  shall  dare  describe  his  face? 
Who  can  endure  his  light?  or  stand 
To  hear  the  tliunders  of  his  hand  ? 

Watts. 


PRAYER— O  Tiiou  glorious  Majesty  of 
Heaven  and  of  Earth,  behold,  we  who  are  dust 
and  ashes,  have  taken  upon  us  to  speak  unto 
thee,  the  Creator  and  Posse.ssor  of  the  universe. 
We,  finite  and  sinful  mortals,  cannot,  by  search- 
ing, find  thee  out  unto  perfection;  thy  works, 
which  our  eyes  behold,  are  beyond  our  compre- 
hension ;  thy  works  of  providence  are  often  mys- 
terious and  unsearchable ;  and  there  are  depths 
of  wisdom  and  knowledge  in  thy  holy  word, 
which  we  cannot  fully  understand ;  but  O  how 
incomprehensible  are  thy  infinite  perfections! 
thy  wisdom,  thy  power,  ihy  holiness,  thy  justice, 
thy  truth,  and  thy  goodness,  are  all  beyond  our 
conception !  but  we  bow  at  thy  footstool,  we  ad- 
mire, adore,  and  love !  Teach  us.  Holy  Father, 
by  thy  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  use  of  thy  word,  to 
know  thee  and  thy  Son  Jesus  Christ  more  and 
more ;  teach  us  to  do  thy  commandments  with 
cheerfulness,  and,  to  submit  to  thy  rod  with  pa- 
tience ;  and,  by  beholding  thy  glory  in  the  per- 
son of  Jesus  Christ,  may  we  be  transformed  inio 
thy  holy  image ! — and,  at  the  appointed  season, 
may  we  be  received  into  thy  presence,  to  behold 
thy  face,  and  sing  thy  praise,  for  ever  and  ever! 
Amen. 


SERMON  CI. 

THE  GREAT  HARVEST  ;  OR,  THE  END  OF 
THE  WORLD. 

Matthew  xiii.  39.    The  harvest  is  the  end  of  the 
world. 

It  has  pleased  God  to  establish  a  striking 
analogy  (or  likeness)  between  worldly 
things  and  spiritual  things.  Perhaps  it  is 
impossible  for  us,  in  our  present  embodied 
state,  rightly  to  conceive  of  them  without 
such  a  medium. 

"The  world's  a  system  of  theology." 

Our  Lord,  however,  in  his  own  ministry, 
often  made  use  of  the  common  objects  of 
sense,  as  emblems  of  tliose  spiritual  bless- 
ings which  lie  came  into  the  world  to  be- 
stow on  mankind.  In  this  chapter  we  have 
several  parables  : — The  sower, — the  tares, 
— the  net, — the  mustard-seed, — tlie  leaven, , 
— tlie  hidden  treasure, — the  pearl  of  groat 
price  :  all  intended  to  represent  the  dift'er- 
ent  efl^ects  of  the  Gospel  on  the  different 
hearers  of  it ;  and  the  mixture  of  trtie  be- 
lievers and  of  false  professors  in  the  church, 
till  the  great  day  of  judgment,  which  is 
here  compared  to  the  harvest 


SERMON  CI. 


4G9 


*[It  was  the  custom  of  our  blessed  Sa- 
vior to  take  occasion,  from  cartiily  tliini^s, 
to  direct  the  minds  of  iiis  people  to  heaven- 
ly things  ; — and  we  siiall  do  well  to  imitate 
liis  example.  Through  his  good  providence 
we  live  to  witness  another  Harvest.  Tlie 
season  is  returned  in  which  the  fields  are 
stored  with  the  foodful  grain  ;  wlien  the 
husbandman  feels  himself  rewarded  for  all 
ills  toil  and  expense ;  when  the  householder 
(.■njoys  the  prospect  of  an  ample  supply  of 
bread  for  his  family.  "  O  that  men  would 
praise  the  Lord  for  his  goodness !  and  for 
his  wonderful  works  to  the  children  of 
men  !"  But  for  that  good  providence,  the 
corn  might  have  been  destroyed  in  the 
blade,  or  blasted  in  the  ear  ;  legions  of  hos- 
tile insects  might  have  devoured  it,  or  a 
deluge  of  rain  might  have  laid  it  on  the 
ground,  a  provision  only  for  manure.  Let 
us  then  acknowledge  the  goodness  of  God, 
and  take  care  to  "render  unto  him  accord- 
ing to  what  we  have  received."  But,  let 
us  reap  more  than  temporal  blessings  from 
the  field,  let  us  gather  spiritual  blessings 
also;  let  us  extend  our  thoughts  to  that 
period ; — that  solemn,  that  joyful  period 
referred  to  in  our  text.]. 

The  text  is  part  of  our  Lord's  own  ex- 
planation of  his  parable  of  the  tares  and 
the  wheat.  "  The  kingdom  of  Heaven  ;" 
that  is,  the  reign  of  God  on  earth  by  his 
Gospel,  "  is  likened  unto  a  man  who  sowed 
good  seed  in  his  field ;  but,  while  men 
slept,  his  enemy  came  and  sowed  tares 
among  the  wheat :"  at  length,  behold,  to 
the  surpri.se  of  all,  wheat  and  tares  min- 
gled together  covered  the  whole  field. 
The  servant  propo-sed  to  his  master  to  weed 
out  the  tares ;  but  as  there  would  be  dan- 
ger of  pulling  up  the  wheat  with  the  tares, 
the  proprietor  gave  orders  that  they  should 
be  let  alone ;  and  then,  at  harvest  time,  the 
tares,  a  pernicious  weed,  (not  what  we  call 
tares)  should  be  bound  up  in  bundles  and 
be  burnt;  and  the  wheat,  the  valuable 
grain,  carefully  housed,  ver.  24,  &c. 

The  disciples  of  Christ,  not  exactly  com- 
prehending their  master's  meaning  in  this 
l)arable,  took  the  first  opportunity,  in  pri- 
vate, of  requesting  its  explanation.  This 
he  readily  gave  ;  for,  "  if  any  one  lack 
wisdom,"  and  pray  for  it,  it  shall  be  granted. 
He  thus  explained  it:  "He  that  soweth 
the  good  seed  is  the  Son  of  Man  :"  that  is, 
Christ  himself.  "  The  field  is  the  world  ; 
the  good  seed  are  the  children  of  the  king- 
dom ;"  tliat  is  sincere  Christians :  "  but  the 

*This  sermon  is  intended  for  the  season  of  har- 
vest;  but  if  it  bo  re!i(l,  publicly,  nt  any  oilier 
time  of  the  year,  this  pas.4age,  included  in  brack- 
fil6.  may  be  omitted. 


tares  are  the  children  of  the  wicked  one  :'* 
the  enemy  that  sowed  them  is  the  Devil : 
the  harvest  is  the  end  of  the  world  :  and 
to  the  season  of  harvest,  the  end  of  the 
world  may  be  justly  compared,  for  it  is  an 
appointed,  fixed,  expected  time ;  it  is  a 
separating  time;  and  it  is  a  joyful  time. 

The  word  "  Harvest,"  in  Scripture,  has 
various  applications,  which  it  may  first  be 
proper  to  notice.  Sometimes,  it  signifies 
tliat  favorable  period  in  which  the  Gospel 
of  Christ  is  received,  as  it  always  ought  to 
be,  with  a  ready  and  obedient  mind. — 
When  our  Lord  observed  the  great  multi- 
tudes which  pressed  to  hear  him,  in  the 
cities  and  villages  where  he  preached  and 
healed,  his  lieart  was  "  moved  with  com- 
passion; and  he  said  to  his  disciples,  The 
harvest  truly  is  plenteous,  but  the  laljorers 
are  few ;  pray  ye,  therefore,  the  Lord  of 
the  harvest,  that  he  will  send  forth  laborers 
into  his  harvest."  Matt.  ix.  37.  At  an- 
other time,  when  he  beheld  the  Samaritans 
of  Sychar  coming  forth  to  hear  hiin,  he 
said,  "  Behold  the  (barley)  fields,  for  they 
are  white  enough  for  harvest !"  John  iv.  35. 
His  Joy  in  these  pleasing  appearances  was 
like  the  joy  experienced  by  us  when  we 
perceive  the  ripened  corn.  And  do  we 
not  in  this  country  (and  at  this  time)  be- 
hold such  appearances  f  Have  we  not  ob- 
served, for  many  years  past,  a  far  greater 
attention  to  the  Gospel  than  formerly  ? 
Has  not  God  multiplied  the  number  of  faith- 
ful preachers,  and  serious  hearers?  Yes, 
he  has ;  and  we  bless  his  holy  name.  And 
are  not  the  fields  abroad  ripening  too  1  Has 
not  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  sent  forth  to 
the  heathen  lands  many  laborious  Mission- 
aries !  and  are  not  multitudes  of  Hindoos, 
Hottentots,  Indians,  Negroes,  and  others 
become  the  first  fruits  of  a  liarvest  far  more 
abundant,  yet  to  be  expected  ! 

Sometimes,  the  word  "  Harvest"  is  to  be 
taken  in  a  very  different  sense,  and  signi- 
fies those  dreadful  judgi:nents  of  Heaven 
upon  a  sinful  nation,  in  war,  fiiminc,  or 
pestilence;  by  which  vast  multitudes  are 
cut  down  like  the  stalks  of  corn  in  the  field. 
Tlius,  in  the  book  of  Joel  the  prophet,  the 
Lord,  referring  to  war,  saith,  "  Put  ye  in 
the  sickle,  for  the  harvest  is  ripe — multi- 
tudes !  multitudes  in  the  day  of  decision" 
(or  of  threshing.)  Joel  iii.  13.  So,  when 
the  destruction  of  Babylon  is  predicted, 
Jerein.  li.  33, — "  the  daughter  of  Babylon 
is  like  a  threshing  floor ;  yet  a  little  while 
and  the  time  of  her  harvest  shall  come !" 
War  is  a  dreadful  calamity  :  it  is  one  of 
the  most  terrible  scourges  with  wiiich  the 
God  of  justice  punishes  a  guilty  nation  for 
its  wickedness;  when  a  people  have,  by 
40 


470 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


their  vices,  their  irrcligion,  their  unbelief, 
their  persecutings,  filled  up  the  measure 
of  their  iniquities,  as  the  Amorites  did,  and 
as  tlie  Jews  did  ;  then  wrath,  in  the  shape 
of  tlie  sword,  comes  upon  tiiem  to  the  ut- 
termost, and  mows  them  down  like  grass 
or  corn  in  the  field.  O  !  what  desolations 
of  this  kind  liatli  Europe  for  many  years 
past  beheld  !  and  may  Repentance  and  Re- 
formatioji  prevent  the  dire  repetition  of 
such  a  harvest! 

But,  in  our  text,  "  The  Harvest"  means 
that  awful  period  in  which  the  present  state 
of  things  shall  cease,  emphatically  called 
"  the  End  of  the  world  !" — the  End  of  the 
world  !  observe  the  vi'ords.  Awful  words ! 
the  end  of  the  world !  Let  us  stop,  and 
contemplate  for  a  moment,  what  each  of  us 
must  personally  witness.  These  eyes  shall 
behold  the  wonderful  objects  which  that 
day  shall  present ;  these  ears  shall  hear 
the  tremendous  trumpet  which  shall  an- 
nounce the  event ;  these  hearts  shall  flut- 
ter with  joy,  or  tremble  with  terror  at  the 
decision,  the  final  decision  of  our  everlast- 
ing state,  which  shall  then  be  pronounced. 

What  a  humiliating  expression  is  this, 
— the  End  of  the  World !  And  will  this 
present  world,  with  all  its  great  and  mag- 
nificent works,  the  improvements  of  ages, 
the  labors  of  pliilosophers,  and  artists,  and 
statesmen,  and  agriculturists,  its  libraries, 
castles,  cathedrals,  palaces,  must  all  come 
to  naught,  must  all  be  demolished,  must  all 
be  consumed  with  fire  "?  Yes,  the  decree 
is  gone  forth,  and  cannot  be  reversed  ;  the 
day  is  fixed,  and  cannot  be  altered.  O  ! 
"  men  of  the  world,  whose  portion  is  in 
this  life,"  how  tormenting  is  this  truth  to 
you ! 

An  end  ]  Yes,  the  end  of  all  worldly 
possessions !  "  We  brought  nothing  into 
this  world"  when  we  were  born;  and  "  it 
is  certain  we  can  carry  nothing  out  of  it" 
vi^hen  we  die  ;  and,  mark  it,  the  end  of 
every  man's  life  is,  to  him,  the  end  of  the 
world.  In  vain  the  wealthy  and  prosper- 
ous man  projects  his  schemes  of  future 
enjoyment:  and  says,  "I  will  pull  down 
my  barns,  and  build  greater ;  and  there 
will  I  bestow  all  my  fruits  and  my  goods ; 
and  I  will  say  to  my  soul.  Soul,  thou  hast 
much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years  ;  take 
thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  '  and  be  merry." 
Foolish  man !  worldly  man  !  Is  this  thy 
happiness,  to  eat  and  drink,  and  be  merry  ! 
God  forgotten !  thy  soul  neglected  !  Salva- 
tion slighted  ! — But  hear  !  the  end,  the 
end  is  at  hand  ;  "  this  night  shall  thy  soul 
be  required  of  thee  !" 

All  worldly  honors  must  come  to  an  end. 
At  present,  distinctions  of  high  and  low, 


rich  and  poor,  are  necessary  ;  but  they  will 
come  to  an  end.  All  the  high-sounding 
titles  of  Lords,  and  Earls,  and  Dukes,  and 
Princes  shall  be  known  no  more  ;  no  dis- 
tinction will  then  be  valued  but  the  dis- 
tinction that  grace  made  in  the  states  and 
in  the  hearts  of  men. 

"  How  lov'd,  how  valued,  once,  avails  thee  not. 
To  whom  related,  or  by  whom  begot ; 
A  heap  of  dust  alone  remains  of  thee, 
'Tis  all  thou  art,  and  all  the  proud  shall  be." 

Then  also  will  be  an  end  to  all  the  7neans 
of  grace, — so  we  call  those  ordinances  of 
religion,  those  opportunities  we  now  enjoy 
of  instruction  by  Sabbaths,  Bibles,  Ser- 
mons, and  the  conversation  and  example 
of  pious  persons  around  us.  The  throne 
of  grace  is  now  open  ;  we  may  freely  ap- 
proach it,  and  obtain  mercy  and  grace  ;  but 
it  will  not  be  .so  always.  No  proclamation 
of  pardon  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb 
will  ever  more  salute  the  sinner's  ears ;  but 
it  will  be  soleinnly  declared  from  Heaven, 
"  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  unjust  still : 
and  he  who  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still." 


We  now  proceed  to  the  principal  thing 
intended  in  this  discourse,  which  is  to 
show, — why  the  end  of  the  World  is  com- 
pared to  the  Harvest. 

1.  The  end  of  the  world  may  be  justly 
compared  to  a  harvest,  because, — It  is  an 
appointed,  fixed,  ordained,  and  expected 
time.  The  God  of  nature  has  wisely  ap- 
pointed the  order  and  succession  of  the 
seasons.  After  the  Deluge,  when  God 
promised  no  more  to  destroy  the  earth  by 
water,  he  also  engaged  that,  "  while  the 
earth  remaineth,  seed-time  and  harvest, 
and  cold  and  heat,  and  summer  and  winter, 
and  day  and  night,  should  not  cease."  The 
experience  of  more  than  four  thousand 
years  has  convinced  us  of  the  faithfulness 
of  God  to  this  promise ;  and  by  the  same 
authority,  "  it  is  appointed  unto  all  inen 
once  to  die,  and  after  death  the  judgment ;" 
death  and  judgment  are  as  certainly  fixed 
and  appointed  as  seed-time  and  harvest  are, 
and  may  as  confidently  be  expected.  Yes ; 
"  God  hath  appointed  a  day,  in  the  which 
he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness, 
by  that  Man  whom  he  hath  ordained.  The 
seasons  are  rolling  on ;  and  when  the 
spring  hath  passed,  and  we  are  far  ad- 
vanced in  the  summer,  we  know  that  the 
harvest  is  at  hand  ;  and  it  would  be  deem- 
ed very  unreasonable  to  question  its  ap- 
proach. Men,  indeed,  may  labor  to  reason 
themselves  out  of  the  belief  of  what  they 
dread,  as  the  apostle  Peter  predicted  that 
some  would  do,  in  the  latter  days  of  the 
world ;  the  infidels  lie  describes  are  "  scof- 


SERMON  CI. 


471 


fers"  at  religion ;  men  who  "  walk  after 
their  own  lusts,"  despising  the  command- 
ments of  God  ;  these  men  say,  "  Where 
is  the  promise  of  his  coming  1"  for  all 
things,  say  they,  remain,  age  after  age,  the 
same ;  but  the  apostle  reproves  them,  by 
reminding  them  t!iat  the  world  was  once 
destroyed  by  water,  "  according  to  the 
word  of  God ;"  and  "  according  to  the  same 
word,"  it  siiall  finally  be  destroyed  by  fire. 
The  season  of  harvest  is  fixed  by  the  irre- 
versible decree  of  God. 

2.  The  end  of  the  world  may  be  com- 
pared to  a  harvest,  because  it  is  a  separa- 
ting time ;  and  so  it  is  expressed  in  the 
parable  before  us : — "  The  tares  and  the 
wheat  grew  together  until  harvest,"  but 
then  the  reapers  are  directed  to  "  gatiier 
first  the  tares,  and  bind  them  in  bundles,  to 
burn  them  ;  but  to  gather  the  wheat  into 
the  barn."  Jesus  Christ,  ver.  41,  explains 
this,  as  signifying  the  separation  which 
shall  be  made  at  tlie  end  of  the  v/orld ; 
"  the  angels  shall  gather  out  of  his  king- 
dom (his  church)  all  things  that  offend, 
and  them  that  do  iniquity ;"  all  who  call 
themselves  Christians  (for  others  are  out- 
side of  the  hedge  of  the  gospel-field)  who 
by  their  wickedness  are  an  offence  and  a 
scandal  to  tlieir  holy  profession,  who  per- 
vert and  abuse  the  Gospel,  by  their  dan- 
gerous errors,  or  gross  immoralities,  and 
thereby  grieve  and  offend  the  ministers 
and  friends  of  true  religion.  They  shall 
be  separated.  Now  they  are  mingled  with 
sincere  Christians  in  the  same  churches, 
in  the  same  families,  and  for  wise  ends 
permitted  by  Christ  to  remain  with  them  ; 
spared,  it  may  be,  for  the  sake  of  their  pi- 
ous friends,  or  spared  to  assist  the  cause  of 
God  by  external  aid,  as  some  of  them  do  ; 
but  at  the  harvest,  the  separation  shall 
take  place ;  and  O  !  what  will  be  their 
fate  !  they  shall  be  cast  into  a  furnace  of 
fire  !  there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing 
of  teeth  ! — deep  lamentation,  anguish,  and 
despair,  aggravated  by  a  recollection  of 
the  privileges  they  once  enjoyed  and 
abused,  and  the  vain  hope  which,  as  pro- 
fessed disciples,  mingled  with  tlie  true 
ones,  they  once  entertained. 

On  tiie  otl'.er  hand,  how  happy  and  glo- 
rious shall  believers  appear  !  "  they  shall 
shine  forth  as  the  sun,  in  the  kingdom  of 
their  Father !" — they  shall  possess  a  glory 
and  a  radiancy  like  the  sun  itself,  and  be 
fixed  for  ever  in  the  kingdom  of  their  Fa- 
ther, to  enjoy  the  transforming  visions  of 
his  face !  Then  will  God,  by  his  angels, 
"gather  together  his  saints,"  even  they 
"  who  made  a  covenar^i  with  liim  by  sacri- 
fice,"— tlic  sacrifice  of  Christ ;  by  which. 


through  faith,  they  were  reconciled  to 
God.  And  then  shall  all  the  world  "  re- 
turn, and  discern  between  tlie  rii^hteous 
and  the  wicked,  between  him  that  served 
God,  and  him  that  served  him  not." 

3.  The  end  of  the  world  may  be  com- 
pared to  the  Harvest,  because  it  is  a  sea- 
son of  great  joy :  "  the  joy  of  harvest"  is 
proverbial,  and  signifies  a  high  degree  of 
joy  and  satisfaction  ;  and  the  joys  of  God's 
people  are  represented  as  the  highest,  be- 
cause they  are  superior  to  those  of  the 
men  of  the  world  "  in  the  time  that  their 
corn  and  their  wine  are  increased." 

But  O,  what  tongue  can  describe,  what 
heart  can  conceive  of  the  joys  and  tri- 
umphs of  that  grand  harvest  of  which  we 
speak  !  The  joy  of  the  Savior  himself, — 
the  joy  of  angels, — the  joy  of  ministers, 
— the  joy  of  all  the  redeemed  ! 

It  will  be  a  day  of  delight  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ;  for  then  shall  be  presented 
before  his  throne  "  a  multitude  which  no 
man  can  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kin- 
dreds, and  people,  and  tongues ;  who,  with 
a  loud  voice,  shall  say,  "  Worthy  is  the 
Lamb  that  was  slain,  for  thou  hast  redeem- 
ed us  to  God  by  thy  blood."  Then,  indeed, 
shall  he  behold,  with  inexpressible  plea- 
sure, "  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  be  satis- 
fied." From  the  day  that  he  ascended  in 
our  nature  to  Heaven,  he  has  seen  and 
welcomed  the  purchase  of  his  blood,  one 
after  another,  admitted  into  glory :  but 
then  shall  he  behold  them  altogether ; 
glorified  both  in  body  and  soul,  and  they 
shall  be  "  for  ever  with  the  Lord."  This  was 
"  the  joy  set  before  him,"  which  he  never 
lost  sight  of  in  the  days  of  his  humiliation, 
for  which  he  calmly  endured  the  cross,  and 
despised  the  shame.  The  prospect  of  this 
cheered  his  spirit,  while  a  man  of  sorrows ; 
when  the  Seventy  reported  the  success  of 
their  mission,  and  when  the  Samaritans 
flocked  to  him  for  instruction,  then  he  re- 
joiced in  Spirit;  but  now  he  possesses  "  the 
fullness  of  joy,  and  pleasures  for  evermore." 

The  Angels  also  will  exceedingly  re- 
joice. They  were  ministering  spirits  to 
the  Lord  of  glory  when  on  earth:  they 
gladly  announced  his  birth  ;  they  minis- 
tered to  him  in  the  wilderness  ;  they 
strengthened  him  in  the  garden ;  they  at- 
tended his  resurrection ;  and  they  accom- 
panied him  in  his  triumphal  entrance  into 
glory ;  and  as  they  waited  on  the  Head, 
so  do  they  also  upon  the  members  of  the 
body ;  they  are  "  ministering  spirits  to  the 
heirs  of  salvation ;"  and  we  are  assured 
that  they  report  with  joy  in  heaven,  tlie 
conversion  of  sinners  upon  earth.  How 
great  then  will  be  their  delight  when  they 


472 


VILLAGE  SERMONS. 


shall  behold  their  wliolc  charge  fully  re- 
deemed, and  completely  happy  !  having  no 
farther  occasion  for  their  benevolent  ser- 
vices, but  exceeding  grateful  for  having 
enjoyed  them. 

And  will  not  the  Ministers  of  the 
Gospel  share  in  the  general  joy  of  this  de- 
lightful harvest!  Who  will  be  more  joyful 
than  they  !  Who  can  have  more  occas^ion 
for  joy  !  Once  they  labored  hard  in  their 
studies,  in  their  pulpits,  in  their  pastoral 
visits.  The  greater  part  of  them  were 
poor  and  despised  for  tiieir  Master's  sake ; 
and  many  fell  victims  to  their  labors  and 
sufferings  for  the  elect's  sake.  Yet,  some- 
times, perhaps,  their  hearts  were  cheered 
wlien  an  imiividual  or  two  came  forward, 
and  praised  God  for  what  he  had  done  by 
their  instrumentality  ;  but  probably  min- 
isters are  informed  only  of  a  very  small 
part  of  the  good  they  do ;  this  information 
is  reserved  for  the  harvest-day,  according 
to  what  St.  Paul  said  to  the  Thessalonians : 
what  is  our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of  re- 
joicing ?"  What  was  it  to  be  1  "  Are 
not  even  ye," — ye,  believing  and  convert- 
ed people,  whose  sincerity  was  evinced  by 
"  your  work  of  faith,  and  labor  of  love, 
and  patience  of  hope  ;" — "  ye  shall  be  our 
crown  of  rejoicing  (or  glorying)  in  the 
presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  at  his 
coming."  What  thougii  neither  fame  nbr 
emolument  rewarded  the  labors  of  the 
humble  pastor  or  evangelist,  it  will  be  joy 
and  recompense  enough,  when  he  is  per- 
mitted "  in  the  day  of  Christ,"  and  "  in  the 
presence  of  Christ,"  to  be  permitted  to 
present  the  fruit  of  his  labors,  saying, 
"  Here  am  I,  and  the  (spiritual)  children 
which  thou  hast  given  me." 

Finally.  The  joy  of  every  saved  sin- 
ner will  be  inexpressibly  great.  "  Light 
is  sown  for  the  righteous,  and  gladness  for 
the  upright  in  heart."  Joy  is  sown,  and 
the  crop  is  secured  by  the  Almighty  hand 
that  sowed  it.  It  may  long  lie  buried  in 
the  earth ;  but  let  the  believer  wait  pa- 
tiently, as  the  husbandman  doth  ;  "  we 
shall  reap  if  we  faint  not ;"  and  remember 
that  it  is  written,  "  what  a  man  soweth, 
that  shall  he  also  reap  ;"  if  we  have 
"  sown  to  the  Spirit,  we  shall  of  the  Spirit 
reap  life  everlasting."  Now  is  the  seed- 
time :  the  harvest  will  surely  arrive.  The 
Christian  may  "  sow  in  tears,"  the  tears  of 
repentance;  but  "he  shall  reap  in  joy;" 
his  repentance  will  not  be  re])ented  of 
Angels  rejoiced  to  witness  such  a  sowing ; 
and  the  believer  shall  rejoice  when  he  re- 
ceives the  fruits.  His  careful  study  of 
the  word  of  God,  liis  regular  attendance 


on  the  means  of  grace,  the  hours  he  de- 
voted to  closet-retirement,  fisting  and 
prayer ;  his  bold  profession  of  Christ  be- 
ibre  men ;  his  rigid  abstinence  from  sin 
and  carnal  pleasure,  and  his  holy  walk  and 
conversation,  despised  by  the  world  as 
needless  precision,  his  generous  support 
of  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  his  compassion 
to  the  poor  and  needy,  shall  not  fail  of  re- 
ceiving a  gracious  recompense  ;  his  joy 
sliall  be  great,  for  all  his  prayers  are  an- 
swered ;  all  his  fears  are  banished,  all  iiis 
hopes  are  realized,  all  the  promises  are 
fulfilled,  and  all  his  desires  gratified  to  the 
utmost;  yea,  infinitely  exceeded.  "He 
rejoices  before  the  Lord  with  the  joy  of 
harvest." 

CONCLUSION. 

1.  Let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of  the 
whole  matter.  Will  this  vain  world  soon 
come  to  an  end  ?  Then  let  us  not  set  our 
hearts  upon  it.  "  Wilt  tiiou  set  thine  eyes 
upon  that  which  is  ?J0/,"  or  which  will  soon 
cease  to  be  ;  or,  what  is  the  same  thing  to 
thee,  which  thou  must  soon  leave;  it  may 
be,  to-morrow  !  O  guard  against  the  love 
of  the  world  ;  the  love  of  sin  ruins  many  ; 
the  love  of  the  world  ruins  far  more;  for, 
"  if  we  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Fa- 
ther is  not  in  us."  "  Use  the  world,  then," 
as  not  abusing  it ;  "  for  the  fashion  of  this 
world  passeth  away."  "  Let  your  mod- 
eration be  known  unto  all  men ; — the  Lord 
is  at  hand." 

2.  How  important  is  the  present  mo- 
ment !  Remember,  it  is  the  sowing-time ; 
and  we  sow  for  eternity.  Let  me  ask  you, 
What  have  you  been  sowing  1  Has  it  been 
to  the  flesh,  or  to  the  Spirit  ?  Young  man  ! 
how  do  you  employ  your  leisure  hours  !  Do 
you  read  your  Bible?  Do  you  pray "]  Do  you 
observe  the  Sabbath,  and  hear  tlie  word 
of  God  ?  Do  you  watch  and  pray  against 
temptation,  and  shun  the  places  and  per- 
sons and  amusements  which  are  danger- 
ous T  Remember, — "  whatever  a  man  sow- 
eth, that  shall  he  also  reap."  Buny  trades- 
man !  you  have  many  cares,  and  are 
"diligent  in  business;"  but  are  you  also 
"  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord  !" 
You  have  many  cares ;  •  but  remember 
Christ's  words, — "  One  thing  is  needful ;" 
and,  O  !  seek  "  that  good  part  which  shall 
never  be  taken  away  from  you."  Carefitl 
mother  !  you  too,  like  Martha,  "  are  cum- 
bered about  much  serving;"  your  littKi 
family  engages,  perhaps  engrosses,  all 
your  cares  and  all  your  affections.  V'ou 
cannot  forget  your  babe ;  take  care  that 
you  do  not  forget  your  soul ;  you  dare  not 


GENERAL  PRAYERS. 


473 


neglect  your  children ;  dare  not  neglect 
your  salvation.  And,  O  simier !  thou  who 
livest  in  the  practice  of  known  iniquity, 
what  crop  do  you  expect  from  the  seed 
you  are  sowing  ?  Every  seed  produces  its 
proper  fruit;  and  so  will  thine. — What 
fruit  may  be  expected  from  oaths  and 
curses,  from  whoredom  and  adultery,  from 
drunkenness  and  Sabbath-breaking  !  Con- 
science tells  thee  what.  Ah  !  "  the  end  of 
these  things  is  death !"  So  lonof  ao-o  as 
the  time  of  Job,  this  was  the  observation  : 
— "  Even  as  I  have  seen,  they  tliat  plow 
iniquity  and  sow  wickedness,  reap  the 
same." — "  O  turn  from  sin,  and  God  will 
pardon  you ;  so  iniquity  shall  not  be  your 
ruin." 

3.  Lastly.  Here  is  much  encouragement 
for  serious  and  sincere  Christians.  You, 
blessed  be  God,  have  been  enabled  to  "sow 
to  the  Spirit ;"  fear  not  then :  "  God  is 
faithful,  who  hath  promised."  The  crop  is 
secure,  and  the  harvest  is  near.  And  then, 
O  the  joy  of  the  expected  harvest !  We 
finish  with  the  word  of  God  "  He  that 
goeth  forth  and  weepeth,  bearing  precious 


seed,  shall  doubtless  come  again  with  re- 
joicing, bringing  his  sheaves  with  him." 

PRAYER. — Eternal  God,  thou  hast  formed 
the  Earth  for  thy  glory ;  and,  as  it  had  a  begin- 
ning, we  beheve  that  it  will  have  an  end.  O 
prepare  us  for  that  awful  period, — for  that  great 
harvest,  whon  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  world 
shall  appear  before  thy  dread  tribunal! — then 
will  the  tares  and  the  wheat,  which  grew  to- 
gether before,  be  finally  separated.  O  that  we 
may  be  found  among  true  believers,  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  great  Judge  !  Then  may  we  rejoice 
to  hear  him  say  to  us.  Come  ye  blessed  of  my 
Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you. 

O  God  have  mercy  upon  the  careless  and  the 
carnal,  who  are  now  sowing  only  to  the  flesh,  and 
nuist,  if  thy  grace  prevent  not,  reap  destruction 
and  misery  eternal !  Awaken  them,  O  (iod,  to  a 
just  sense  of  their  danger,  that  ihcy  may  seek 
thee  while  thou  mayest  be  found,  obtain  thy 
pardoning  mercy,  and  grace  to  sanctify  them  in 
time  to  come ! 

We  bless  and  praise  thee,  God,  who  causest 
the  Earth  to  yield  its  increase,  and  produce  food 
for  our  dying  bodies!  We  rejoice  with  thankful- 
ness in  the  annual  harvest;  but,  O  that  our 
joy  may  be  full,  when,  at  the  end  of  time,  we, 
with  all  the  faithful,  shall  be  gathered  into  the 
heavenly  world,  to  adore  the  riches  of  thy  grace 
throughout  the  ages  of  eternity !    Amen. 


GENERAL  PRAYERS. 


PRAYER  FOR  A  FAMILY,  OR  OTHER 
ASSEMBLY,  ON  A  LORD'S  DAY  MORN- 
ING. 

O  God,  who  hast  given  us  all  our  time, 
we  thank  thee  that  a  seventh  portion  of  it 
is  devoted  to  thy  special  service.  We 
welcome  the  return  of  the  Holy  Sabbath ; 
we  bless  tliee  for  the  a{)pointment  of  it ; 
and  we  earnestly  entreat  thy  blessing 
upon  it.  Help  us,  O  Lord,  by  thy  Spirit, 
to  sanctify  this  day,  and  to  keep  it  to  thy 
honor  and  to  our  great  advantage. 

By  resting  this  day  from  our  w^orldly 
employments,  may  we  be  more  and  more 
weaned  from  the  world,  and  prepared  to 
leave  it;  and  by  conversing  this  day  with 
heavenly  things,  may  we  bo  made  more 
and  more  meet  for  the  engagements  and 
enjoyments  of  the  heavenly  %\orld  ! 

VVe  desire  to  keep  tliis  day  holy,  to  the 
honor  of  our  groat  Crentor,  who,  wlien  lie 
Iiad  finished  the  work  of  creation,  sanctifi- 
ed this  day  of  re.^t,  in  perpetual  remem- 
brance of  it.  We  sanctify  tliis  day  to  the 
honor  of  Josus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God, 
who,  allcr  lie  had  finished  the  great  work 
of  our  redemption,  rose  agam  from  the 
3K 


dead  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  by 
which  he  was  declared  to  be  the  Son  of 
God  with  power,  and  by  which  we  are 
begotten  again  to  a  lively  hope.  We 
sanctify  this  day  also  to  the  honor  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  who  in  the  first  day  of  the 
week  descended  to  bless  the  Church ;  and 
still  abides  with  it  to  bless  it.  We  im- 
plore his  powerful  grace  this  day  to  render 
every  ordinance  a  blessing  tor  our  souls. 
By  liim  may  we  be  taught  to  pray,  be 
assisted  to  praise,  and  enabled  rightly  to 
understand  and  receive  the  Gospel  of 
trutli !  By  liim  may  the  ministers  of  tlie 
word  be  powerfully  aided  in  the  work  of 
the  sanctuary ;  and  may  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  be  exalted  liigher  and  higjier  in 
all  tlie  churches  !  * 

Be  present,  O  Lord,  according  to  thy 
promise,  witli  all  thy  worsliipping  people. 
Pity  those  vvho  are  detained  by  sickness, 
or  other  lawful  hindrances;  and  pardon 
those  whose  carnal  minds  keep  tliem  from 
thy  liouse. 

Dis])]ay,  O  God,  the  power  of  thy  grace 
this  day  on  tiie  hearts  of  men  !  Convince 
the  unconvinced,  convert  the  unconverted, 
40* 


474 


GENERAL  PRAYERS. 


instruct  the  ignorant,  heal  them  that  are 
of  a  contrite  heart,  and  build  up  all  be- 
lievers in  their  most  holy  faith. 

O  that  we  may  be  in  the  Spirit  on  the 
Lord's  Day  !  Make  us  joyful  in  thy  house 
of  prayer !  Make  this  a  high  day  to  our 
souls, — a  day  of  spiritual  feasting  and  holy 
joy.  Take  us  and  ours  into  thy  gracious 
protection.  Bless  and  preserve  us  in  our 
going  out  and  coming  in.  Keep  us  all  the 
day  in  thy  fear ;  and  at  the  conclusion  of 
it,  may  we  joyfully  and  thankfully  say, 
A  day  in  thy  courts  is  better  than  a  thou- 
sand ! 

Hear  these  our  desires,  O  gracious 
Father,  for  thy  mercy's  sake,  in  Christ 
Jesus  our  Savior ;  to  whom,  with  thyself 
and  the  Holy  Spirit,  we  ascribe  all  might, 
majesty,  and  praise,  for  ever  and  ever  ! 
Amen. 


PRAYER  FOR  A  FAMILY,  OR  OTHER 
ASSEMBLY,  ON  A  LORD'S  DAY  EVEN- 
ING. 

O  ALJiioHTY  and  most  merciful  God,  we 
desire  witli  humble  hearts  to  draw  near  to 
thy  throne  of  Grace,  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Chriift  our  great  Mediator  and  Advocate. 

We  confess  and  lament  before  thee  the 
corruption  of  our  nature,  and  the  many 
transgressions  of  our  lives.  We  have 
indeed  left  undone  the  things  which  we 
ought  to  have  done ;  and  have  done  those 
things  which  wc  ought  not  to  have  done. 
We  luive  thus  made  ourselves  liable  to 
thy  dreadful  anger  and  to  everlasting 
punishment.  O  be  pleased  to  give  us 
true  and  deep  repentance,  that  we  may 
be  sincerely  sorry  for  our  sins,  and  grieved 
that  we  sliould  have  acted  so  base  and  un- 
grateful a  part  against  thee.  O  may  thy 
goodness  load  us  to  repentance  ! 

We  1)1  ess  and  praise  thee,  O  God,  that 
thou  hast  cast  our  lot  in  a  Christian  land, 
where  wo  are  favored  with  the  means  of 
Grace.  V/e  thank  thee  that  we  have  en- 
joyed anotlier  .Sabbath,  and  that  we  have 
once  more  heard  the  joyful  sound  of  the 
Gospel.  We  rejoice  to  hear  that  there  is 
fijrgivenoss  with  thee,  tiiat  thou  niayest  be 
feared, — that  thy  dear  Son  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners, — tliat  he  died  tlie 
>  just  for  the  unjust,  to  bring  us  back  to 
tliec, — and  tliat  his  blood  clcanseth  from 
all  sins. 

O  give  us  faith  to  believe  tliy  holy  word, 
to  accept  thy  gracious  invitations,  and  to 
rely  upon  thy  precious  promises  ; — for  the 
eake  of  thy  dear  Son,  pardon  all  our  sins, 
and  ii'foive  us  graciously  as  thy  cluldren; 
and  liny  tliy  Holy  Spirit  renew  and  sanc- 
tity o!ir  hi'iirts!— May  we  sincerely  hate 


all  sin,  especially  our  easy-besetting  sins ! 
— let  them  no  longer  have  dominion  over 
us;  but  may  our  hearts  be  purified,  our 
tempers  sanctified;  and  may  we  become 
holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation  and 
godliness !  May  we  each  of  us,  in  our  seve- 
ral stations,  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  our 
Savior ;  and  may  our  light  so  shine  before 
men,  that  they  seeing  our  good  works,  may 
glorify  our  Father  who  is  in  Heaven. 

Forgive,  we  beseech  thee,  O  God,  all 
the  sins  and  imperfections  which  thou  hast 
seen  in  our  duties  this  day.  Pardon  the 
wanderings  of  our  minds,  the  coldness  of 
our  hearts,  and  the  forgetfulness  of  our 
memories.  But  let  not  all  be  in  vain. 
Let  our  imperfect  prayers  be  answered ; 
let  our  unworthy  praises  be  accepted ;  and 
let  not  thy  holy  word  be  altogether  un- 
profitable ;  but,  like  good  seed,  sown  in 
good  ground,  may  it  bring  forth  fruit  to 
thy  glory,  and  to  our  salvation. 

{Here  the  short  prayer,  adapted  to  the 
sermon  which  has  just  been  read,  may  be 
introduced.') 

And  grant,  O  Lord,  that  thy  word, 
wherever  it  has  been  dispensed  this  day, 
may  be  made  useful.  O  that  thoughtless 
sinners  may  be  awakened  !  the  careless 
and  secure  alarmed  !  the  convinced  and 
humbled  be  comforted  !  the  backslider  re- 
stored !  and  all  thy  people  refreshed  and 
strengthened  !  Grant,  O  Lord,  that  none 
of  thy  ministers  may  labor  in  vain,  oi* 
spend  their  strength  for  naught. 

Remember,  we  pray  thee,  all  our  rela- 
tions, friends,  neighbors,  and  countrymen ; 
especially  all  those  who  are  afflicted  in 
mind,  body,  or  affairs.  Give  them  patience 
under  their  sufferings,  and  in  due  time  a 
happy  deliverance  out  of  all  their  troubles. 

Be  gracious,  O  Lord,  to  the  government 
under  which  we  live,  and  give  wisdom  and 
grace  to  all  in  authority ;  and  that  under 
them  we  may  lead  peaceable  lives  in  all 
godliness  and  honesty. 

And  grant,  we  beseech  thee,  that  when 
the  days  of  our  appointed  time  are  finish- 
ed, we  may  be  supported  in  the  hour  of 
death,  and  be  graciously  admitted  into  thy 
presence,  there  to  keep  an  everlasting 
Sabbath,  to  sing  thy  praise  and  enjoy  thy 
glory  for  ever  and  ever.  And  this  we  beg 
for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ,  our  only  Me- 
diator and  Advocate. 

{The  Lord's  Prayer  may  be  added  at 
pleasure'). 

May  the  Grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
the  love  of  God  the  Father,  and  the  com- 
numion  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  with  us  all 
evermore.     Amen. 


GENERAL  PRAYERS, 


475 


FOR  A  SUNDAY  SCHOOL. 
Morning  Prayer  for  the  Lor(Ts  Day. 

To  be  used  by  the  Master,  Mistress,  or  one  of  the 
Teachers. 

O  Lord  God  Almighty,  who  liast  safely 
broucrht  us  to  the  beginning'  of  this  thy 
holy  (lay,  we  thank  thee  for  thy  merciful 
protection  through  the  past  night.  As 
this  is  the  day  which  thou  hast  made, — 
made  for  thy  glory  and  for  our  good,  be 
pleased  to  give  us  thy  Holy  Spirit,  to  help 
and  bless  us  in  all  the  duties  of  the  day. 
May  it  be  a  true  Sabbath,  a  day  of  rest 
from  worldly  labors  and  cares,  a  day  of 
rest  from  sin,  a  day  of  rest  in  God. 

Dispose,  O  Lord,  all  who  are  here  pres- 
ent, to  hear  reverently  thy  holy  word ;  and 
suffer  them  not  to  give  way  to  carelessness 
of  mind,  or  to  liardness  of  heart  and  un- 
belief Teach  them  also  to  apply  the 
Scriptures  to  themselves.  When  they 
read  of  thy  judgments,  may  they  stand  in 
awe  of  them ;  and  when  tliey  read  of  thy 
promises  in  Christ  Jesus,  may  their  hearts 
be  filled  with  gratitude  !  and  may  they 
take  delight  in  singing  thy  praises  ! 

And  we  pray  thee,  O  Lord,  to  grant 
unto  them  the  continual  help  qf  thy  Holy 
Spirit,  that  they  may  be  preserved  from 
sin,  and  may  become  fruitful  in  every  good 
work.  May  tliey  be  obedient  to  their  pa- 
rents and  teachers ;  and  may  they  be  tem- 
l)erate,  sober,  and  diligent;  may  no  un- 
truth proceed  out  of  their  lip.s,  and  may 
they  learn  both  to  command  their  tempers 
and  restrain  their  tongues;  and  may  they 
be  kind  and  merciful  to  each  other,  forgiv- 
ing one  another,  even  as  they  hope  that 
Gud,  for  Christ's  sake,  will  forgive  them. 

And  i)ardon,  O  Lord,  all  their  sins,  in 
time  past,  which  either  in  thought,  word, 
or  deed,  they  have  committed  against  thee. 
Receive,  O  Lord,  all  these  children  into 
the  arms  of  thy  mercy  ;  and  grant  unto 
tliem  true  repentance,  and  an  unfeigned 
faith  in  Chri.>it  tlieir  Lord. 

Wo  also  beseech  tliee  to  prepare  them 
for  all  those  events  which  tiiy  provi- 
dence may  see  fit,  at  any  time  to  bring 
upon  them.  Thou  knowcst  the  various 
trials  to  wliich  tliey  may  be  exposed,  and 
tlie  situations  to  wiiich  they  i.nay  be  called. 
We  therefore  pray  thee  to  arm  them  for 
every  trial,  and  to  train  them  uj)  in  the 
porfurmance  of  all  those  duties  which  thou 
niialt  reiiuire  of  theui.  May  tliey  be 
grounded  in  tlie  knowledge  of  God,  and 
of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ :  and  may  they 
now  begin  to  fight,  under  the  banner  of 
their  Savior,  a^^ainst  the  world,  the  fiesli, 


and  the  devil ;  and  as  they  advance  in  life 
may  they  grow  in  grace,  each  of  them 
striving  to  recommend  that  Gospel  which 
they  have  been  taught,  by  a  holy  life  and 
conversation. 

And,  finally,  we  pray,  that  having  thus 
done  thy  will,  and  enjoyed  thy  favor  all 
tlie  days  of  their  lives,  they  may  at  length 
be  received  into  those  everlasting  habita- 
tions which  thou  hast  prepared  for  them 
that  love  thee,  tiirough  Jesus  Christ,  our 
Lord. 


Evening  Prayer  for  the  Lord's  Day. 
To  be  used  by  the  Master,  Mistress,  or  a  Teacher. 

O  Lord  God,  our  heavenly  Father,  we 
beseech  thee  to  pour  down  thy  blessing  on 
us,  and  to  grant  that  the  words  which  we 
have  this  day  heard  with  our  outward 
ears,  may,  through  thy  graco,  be  so  graft- 
ed inwardly  in  all  our  hearts,  that  they 
may  bring  forth  in  us  the  fruits  of  good 
living,  to  the  praise  and  glory  of  thy  name. 

Forgive,  O  Lord,  all  the  imperfections 
which  thou  hast  seen  in  our  services  this 
day.  Forgive  also  the  various  sins  of  our 
past  lives  : — may  we  repent  of  them  with 
unfeigned  sorrow !  and  may  we  lie  down 
this  night  trusting  in  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord ! 

We  commit  these  children  to  thy  watch- 
ful care,  and  to  thy  mercies  in  Jesus 
Christ.  Defend  them,  we  pray  thee,  O 
Lord,  from  all  dangers,  by  night  and  by 
day  ;  let  thy  blessing  attend  them  to  the 
end  of  their  lives,  and  when  their  bodies 
shall  be  laid  in  the  grave,  do  thou  receive 
their  souls  nito  thine  eternal  kingdom. 

We  pray  thee,  O  Lord,  to  give  thy 
blessing  to  all  their  friends  and  relations ; 
grant  unto  tlicir  parents  grace  to  lead  a 
Christian  life,  and  to  set  a  good  example 
to  their  families,  that  so  they,  and  the  chil- 
dren whom  thou  hast  given  them,  may 
meet  together  in  Heaven.  Bless  tlie 
teachers  of  this  school  ! — give  them  grace 
both  to  know  their  duty  and  to  fulfil  it. 

We  pray  for  tlie  land  in  which  we  live, 
for  the  president  of  tlie  United  States  and 
all  in  autliority,  and  especially  we  pray 
for  all  tlie  ministers  of  the  Gospel ;  give 
success  to  their  labors  on  this  day.  May 
their  preaching  be  miule  effectual  to  the 
conversion  of  sinners,  and  to  make  them 
obedient  to  tiie  will  of  God  ! 

We  would  also  make  intercession  for 
the  poor,  the  sick,  and  the  afflicted  :  for 
the  widow  and  the  fiitlierless,  and  for  all 
those  who  have  none   to  help  tlicni.     O 


476 


GENERAL  PRAYERS. 


Lord,  bless  unto  them  their  earthly  trou- 
bles, and  turn  them  to  their  souls'  good ; 
and  do  thou  protect  and  defend  them,  and 
appear  for  them  when  all  human  help  fails ! 

We  pray  also  for  the  whole  rising  gen- 
eration : — may  they  be  trained  up  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  Put 
into  the  hearts  of  all  parents  and  teachers 
a  concern  for  the  souls  of  tliose  over  whom 
thou  hast  set  them,  and  give  thy  grace  to 
ihe  children  of  this  land,  that  they  may 
hear  instruction  with  a  teachable  spirit, 
and  may  be  made  wise  unto  salvation. 

And,  iinally,  we  pray  thee  to  have  mer- 
cy on  all  those  who  are  now  living  in  ig- 
norance and  sin,  and  are  without  God  in 
the  world.  Turn  them,  O  Lord,  from 
their  evil  ways,  give  them  true  repentance, 
and  send  abroad  the  Gospel«of  Jesus  Christ 
into  all  the  world. 

These  prayers  we  offer  up  in  the  name 
of  our  only  Lord  and  Savior ;  to  whom, 
with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  be 
all  honor  and  glory,  world  without  end! 
Amen. 

May  the  peace  of  God,  which  passeth 
all  understanding,  keep  our  hearts  and 
minds  in  the  knowledge  and  love  of  God 
our  Savior  !  and  may  tlie  blessing  of 
God  Almighty,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and 
the  Holy  Spirit,  be  with  u^  this  night  and 
for  ever !    Amen. 


PRAYER  FOR  A  SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

Most  holy  and  merciful  God,  we  be- 
seech thee,  command  thy  blessing  upon 
this  institution ;  and  mercifully  grant  that 
the  children  assembled  before  thee  may 
not  only  learn  to  read  thy  word,  but  to 
understand  and  obey  it;  especially  assist 
them  by  thy  Holy  Spirit,  that  they  may 
truly  believe  in  thee  and  in  Jesus  Christ, 
whom  thou  hast  sent ;  and  that  trusting 
in  him  alone  for  salvation  and  eternal  life, 
Ihey  may  be  above  all  things  desirous  to 
glorify  thy  name  on  earth  by  a  holy  and 
righteous  life,  and  to  be  fitted  and  prepared 
for  that  state  of  perfect  liolincss  and  hap- 
piness which  thou  hast  promised  to  thy 
children. 

Bless,  we  beseech  thee,  the  means  of 


instruction  here  employed, — give  wisdom 
and  prudence  to  the  teachers,  and  meek- 
ness and  industry  to  the  children;  and 
make  them  duly  sensible  of  the  privileges 
they  enjoy  in  this  school,  and  desirous  to 
improve  them  according  to  the  wish  of 
their  patrons  and  benefactors. 

Bless  the  parents  and  friends  of  these 
children ;  and  may  they  at  home  second 
the  instructions  which  they  here  receive, 
and  not  by  wicked  examples  prevent  their 
good  effects ;  and  may  the  parents  as  well 
as  children  have  cause  to  bless  thee  for  the 
advantages  of  this  school. 
[  When  any  are  absent  through  Sickness.^ 

Look  in  mercy  upon  any  that  may  be 
confined  by  illness ;  sanctify  the  affliction 
to  them,  and  if  it  please  thee,  restore  them 
to  us  in  health  and  peace. 

[  When  any  scholars  have  lately  died.] 

Grant,  we  beseech  thee,  that  the  breach 
thou  hast  made  in  our  number  by  thine 
awful  messenger.  Death,  may  be  sanctified 
to  those  spared,  that  they  may  see  and 
consider  that  they  are  also  exposed  to  the 
same ;  and  may  they  be  prepared,  by  thy 
Grace,  to  depart  cheerfully  and  happily 
whenever  thou  shalt  call  them  ! 


A  GENERAL  THANKSGIVING. 

Almighty  God,  Father  of  all  mercies, 
we,  thine  unworthy  servants,  do  give  thee 
most  humble  and  hearty  thanks  for  all  thy 
goodness  and  loving  kindness  to  us,  and  to 
all  men.  We  bless  thee  for  our  creation, 
preservation,  and  all  the  blessings  of  this 
life ;  but,  above  all,  for  thine  inestimable 
love  in  the  redemption  of  the  w^orld  by  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  means  of  Grace 
and  for  the  hope  of  glory ;  and,  we  be- 
seech thee,  give  us  that  due  sense  of  all 
thy  mercies,  that  our  hearts  may  be  un- 
feignedly  thankful ;  and  that  we  may 
sliow  forth  thy  praise,  not  only  with  our 
lips  but  in  our  lives;  by  giving  up  our- 
selves to  thy  service,  and  by  walking 
before  thee  in  holiness  and  righteousness 
all  our  days,  tlirough  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord  ;  to  whom  with  thee  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  be  all  honor  and  glory,  world  with- 
out end !     Amen. 


THE  END. 


^mm^'mmi'. 


/^ 


